BIRC: brain injury rehabilitation center
BIRC: Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center
BIRC is a leading provider of rehabilitation services for adults with brain injuries since 1986. The Transition-In program is for clients who are about to start the BIRC Day Treatment program and need preliminary intervention in order to obtain a foundation of skills and strategies to support and optimize their participation in the full program. The Transition-Out program is for clients who have completed the Day Treatment program and need continued intervention at a lesser frequency and intensity in order to promote the generalization of skills and strategies to their work, home, and community environments.
What is the underlying social context that makes this work important? Individuals who sustain a Traumatic Brain Injury, can recover. The brain is extremely plastic, and with time and practice, one can build new neuro-pathways. One can grow new neuro-pathways, and learn new ways to compensate for one's shortcomings. Or not even necessarily shortcomings, but literally a different way to look upon the world. Building new ways and pathways in which to perceive and comprehend the world. And maybe, just repositioning one's position in that world, and creating a new fitting idea of self.
I literally fell into this work. On May 9, 2007, I fell off my roof, and landed on my head in the driveway, sustaining a TBI. I was in a coma for 34 days, and then had to re-learn to do every little thing. I was a client out at BIRC myself, and it is an amazing institution composed of phenomenal individuals. I use the world phenomenal. Strong language, but fitting. Let me attempt to illustrate one aspect of sustaining a TBI. The client, in certain avenues, needs to re-learn certain behaviors that will carry over. However, each case is largely individual. No two brains contain twin blueprint neuro-pathways. Every individual has a different level of elasticity within one's brain tissue, and generally speaking, the younger the body, the more malleable one's tissue can be. That said, one of the biggest assets in my personal recovery, was my age at the time of the incident.
My intent, hope, is to illustrate to the clients, that sustaining a Traumatic Brain Injury doesn't in fact define you. It is simply as aspect of who are. It does not, have to, need to, contain the power to hold you, and one's very identity. A goal I fashioned, using my own personal experience. For instance, when I sustained my accident, I created a new identity for myself. I identified as a Traumatic Brain Injured individual. I was disabled. I did not identify as an intelligent, determined individual, but rather as damaged goods.
However, as time has gone by, I've created a new identity for myself, yet again. I am a survivor. I am determined. I am McKenzie.
Upon reflection, I think I'm reflecting upon a too abbreviated portion of time. Only a few weeks. Especially when one considers that the brain takes three to five years to rewire the hard drive in one's brain. That was the magical number my family and I always lived and breathed by. At the five year mark, since that fateful fall, my sister even through me a party. And that's just beginning. However, now I am approaching graduating with my BA. A fact that only illustrates, that the possibilities are really endless.
BIRC is a leading provider of rehabilitation services for adults with brain injuries since 1986. The Transition-In program is for clients who are about to start the BIRC Day Treatment program and need preliminary intervention in order to obtain a foundation of skills and strategies to support and optimize their participation in the full program. The Transition-Out program is for clients who have completed the Day Treatment program and need continued intervention at a lesser frequency and intensity in order to promote the generalization of skills and strategies to their work, home, and community environments.
What is the underlying social context that makes this work important? Individuals who sustain a Traumatic Brain Injury, can recover. The brain is extremely plastic, and with time and practice, one can build new neuro-pathways. One can grow new neuro-pathways, and learn new ways to compensate for one's shortcomings. Or not even necessarily shortcomings, but literally a different way to look upon the world. Building new ways and pathways in which to perceive and comprehend the world. And maybe, just repositioning one's position in that world, and creating a new fitting idea of self.
I literally fell into this work. On May 9, 2007, I fell off my roof, and landed on my head in the driveway, sustaining a TBI. I was in a coma for 34 days, and then had to re-learn to do every little thing. I was a client out at BIRC myself, and it is an amazing institution composed of phenomenal individuals. I use the world phenomenal. Strong language, but fitting. Let me attempt to illustrate one aspect of sustaining a TBI. The client, in certain avenues, needs to re-learn certain behaviors that will carry over. However, each case is largely individual. No two brains contain twin blueprint neuro-pathways. Every individual has a different level of elasticity within one's brain tissue, and generally speaking, the younger the body, the more malleable one's tissue can be. That said, one of the biggest assets in my personal recovery, was my age at the time of the incident.
My intent, hope, is to illustrate to the clients, that sustaining a Traumatic Brain Injury doesn't in fact define you. It is simply as aspect of who are. It does not, have to, need to, contain the power to hold you, and one's very identity. A goal I fashioned, using my own personal experience. For instance, when I sustained my accident, I created a new identity for myself. I identified as a Traumatic Brain Injured individual. I was disabled. I did not identify as an intelligent, determined individual, but rather as damaged goods.
However, as time has gone by, I've created a new identity for myself, yet again. I am a survivor. I am determined. I am McKenzie.
Upon reflection, I think I'm reflecting upon a too abbreviated portion of time. Only a few weeks. Especially when one considers that the brain takes three to five years to rewire the hard drive in one's brain. That was the magical number my family and I always lived and breathed by. At the five year mark, since that fateful fall, my sister even through me a party. And that's just beginning. However, now I am approaching graduating with my BA. A fact that only illustrates, that the possibilities are really endless.