Mar
22
Written by:
News Editor
3/22/2009 3:04 PM
Recovering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be both frustrating and overwhelming for both the victim and their family members. Spring Valley Lake residents, Lois and Jim Cawthorn, can attest to that. Jim suffered from TBI approximately 8-1/2 years ago from a horse riding accident. “The horse got spooked, threw its head back, hit Jim in the head and the face and threw him to the ground,” recalled Lois. He spent one month in a coma and was also on life support. Once out of the coma, Jim spent 5-1/2 months in rehab. “He had to relearn how to do everything all over again...brush his teeth, comb his hair, walk...everyday was a challenge,” said Lois. Today, Jim is no longer in therapy and although he uses a wheelchair, he is able to walk with the assistance of a walker. He does, however, have problems with ataxia which involves the coordination of voluntary muscles and affects his balance. As far as his memory goes, long-term is excellent, but short-term or day to day memory is something he occasionally struggles with. Jim is currently involved in an organization called Project Care. He makes wooden model toy trucks which are donated to needy children or sold to raise funds for needy children. Jim’s team at Project Care will also bring their items to children with traumatic brain injury at Loma Linda Medical Center.
As caregiver, the biggest struggle for Lois was watching and helping her husband meet his daily tasks. Aside from that, there was also the financial burdens to be met and dealing with finding the right doctors and professionals to get the right care for Jim. “I was always looking to see if there is anything new or advanced in the field that doctors don’t know about yet or insurance doesn’t cover.”explains Lois. “It’s hard trying to find answers on your own and not knowing where to go for more information.” One day, she read an article in the Daily Press regarding a fellow Desert survivor of TBI, Arthur Moss. Reading further on in the article, Lois found the support she was looking for. Arthur’s wife Lisa and sister Tanya were offering that support. There was a meeting scheduled that night and Lois and Jim have been attending those meetings for 6 months now.