Hi, My name is Jennifer. Feel free to call me Jen. I am 38, married and i have 6 children ranging from 7th grade to sophomores in college. I was assaulted while at work by a client in a lock down mental health facility on January 4th 2012. I was lifted off my feet by the front of my throat and had my head bashed against the wall at least 3 times before the client dropped me to the floor. I ended up in the ER a couple hours later when i started developing symptoms of concussion, and then again 4 days after release when symptoms worsened and i started vomiting every time i lifted my head.

I was a temp for the State of Oregon so i was not covered by union and had no job benefits, some of my claims are being covered by workers comp but many are being denied which is frustrating. Since it was an on the job injury i have to see workman's comp physicians and i feel like they are just trying to get rid of me and close the claim. I am just now 6 mos post injury. Thank god that during my 3 wks off i was recalled to a job i had been laid off from previously. My boss at that job is actually the regional president for a TBI Organization so she has been very sympathetic to my recovery.

Since my injury my symptoms include short term memory issues, cognitive issues, headache, brain fog, word finding, speech problems, slurring,, balance, tinnitus, attention span issues, emotional and frustration issues,visual and auditory overload. the list goes on but my attention span on the computer and to typing is short lived and comes in spurts. i am sure you guys understand.

My family has tried to be supportive, but we were a fractured family already. I have a young daughter with Bi-polar disorder, and another daughter who is most likely bi-polaron top of a marriage that is just now coming back together and add me to the mix and it makes a sticky situation. i am usually the pick up the pieces glue that binds the works together person. Now I'm the broken one, that sits on the couch or in the car in the drive way and sobs like the world is ending for no apparent reason. Most days i feel like i am barely getting through it. My family took a huge hit financially by almost 2000 per month when this happened. The job was hard and had no benefits, but it paid well. I was recalled to my old job, but it pays very little compared. I am very grateful to have though. so don't get me wrong I'm not complaining, I'm just saying one other side effect of the TBI to my family was a drastic reduction in income, as well as the fact that my plan to finish school has come to a screeching halt since preschool games sometimes proved complicated for me. lol

So that is me, in my long drawn out story, forgive the typos, i don't have the patience to go back and proof read. my husband thinks it is hilarious considering how much of a spelling and grammar freak i am.

Jen

ps how do i post my shortened version of my story below in a signature like many of when i reply to others so that i don't have to type and retype it?