| Approximate number of number of People living with a Traumatic Brain Injury in the State of Illinois is 256,640 base on the 2% of report Population in 2006 Peoria County 3,669 Bartonville 126, Bellevue 38, Brimfield 19, Chillicothe 116 Dunlap 19, Elmwood 39, Glasford 22, Hanna City 20 Kingston Mines 5, Mapleton 5, Norwood 9, Peoria 2,746 Peoria Heights 130, Princeville 32, Rome 35, West Peoria 95 Tazewell County 2,570 Armington 7, Creve Couer 109, Deer Creek 12 Delavan 36, East Peoria 453, Green Valley 15 Groveland 15, Hopedale 19, Mackinaw 29 Marquette Heights 56, Minier 25, Morton 315 North Pekin 31, Pekin 667, South Pekin 23 Tremont 41, Washington 263 Woodford County 709 Bay View Gardens 7, Benson 8, Congerville 9 El Paso 54, Eureka 97, Germantown Hills 52 Goodfield 14, Kappa 3, Metamora 54 Minonk 43, Roanoke 40, Secor 8 Spring Bay 9, Washburn 23 | | Ginny Lazzara, Board Chair, Steve Love, Philicia L. Deckard Executive Director Brain Injury Association of Illinois On September 11, 2004 I was in a car accident, my life was forever changed. On my way to work three deer ran across the highway, I lost control of my car, two weeks later I awoke in a hospital. I have no memory of the accident, my rescue, or the helicopter flight to the hospital. I was told I received a close head injury. I received my traumatic brain injury, TBI, on that day. Time, I am told will only answer the question of how much my brain will heal and what type of life, the quality of life, I will have. My life will have meaning, will have a purpose, will make an impact on those who share my life. It is not the life I once pictured for me and my family. It is life and it is that which I must now live with every day of my life. I’m now trying to come to term with my brain injury. I must learn to live with my brain injury. I do wish I was able to live what you might call a normal life. Brain Injury affects not only the individual, but their family, their close friends, coworkers and others who inter into their circle of acquaintances; groups, clubs, church, the list can go on. Roles and relationships change, and the financial ramifications may be extensive. A dividing line is drawn, life before and life after, the brain injury. One thing I was not prepared for I started to go though the grief process for the loss of the old me. I had to come to term with the fact that the life I had was over, and would never be returning. The old me was dead. The loss me or the Loss Self has been called the real tragedy of traumatic brain injury. It is a loss so profound that some may never recover from it. Coping with this loss is essential to recovery. I will never be the way I was before my injury. I now must develop a new sense of self, see me for what I am. I am not just my brain injury. I am not the same person that I was before my injury, but I hope I am becoming someone you would like to get to know. Life living with a brain injury, is a life I wish that another individual would never have to go through. That is why I am here today. To help to educate others about brain injuries, to help someone not to live this life I am now forced to live. | |