About Me

Hello. I’m Patrick Jones. I am a deacon in the Catholic Church. I am married and have two daughters. I also have TBI as the result of eight concussions since I was twelve years old. No, they weren’t from the boxing ring – they were each unique. However, once a person has one concussion, they are more likely to have others and the damage is cumulative. Thus, a later, lighter concussion may seem to cause more damage than an earlier, more severe concussion. Though I did not know it until early 2003, I’ve been dealing with TBI since 1983 when a swing broke as I was at the top. I landed on my head, was unconscious for an unknown length of time, and had a broken neck. My neck was treated but nothing was done for the invisible but permanent brain damage that no one even knew to look for. Looking back, I realize that I suffered the typical TBI difficulties. My grades suffered, I dropped out of competitive soccer, and experienced migraine-like headaches for the first time. Over time, I unknowingly learned to compensate. Various concussions along the way set me back, but no connection was made between my struggles and my concussions. This certainly seems daft now, but the doctors all assured me that no permanent damage had occurred, so I continued to unknowingly adopt coping strategies. Then in November of 2002, I ran into a tree branch and suffered the proverbial straw on the camel’s back: I became disabled due to TBI. The symptoms I experience due to TBI are many and varied. The most challenging symptoms are: constant vertigo, varied fatigue, and attention and memory deficits.