Imagine waking up each morning
to a set of three doors and not remembering which door leads to the
bathroom, hallway or closet. Pat Winick, who has sustained two brain
injuries, understands the frustrations and triumphs associated with
having to relearn the simplest of things, such as the layout of your
house, all over again.
After being struck by
a car while walking across the street in 1990, Winick went to the
emergency room and was told to go back to work the next day. “I was supposed to be ‘fine,’ but I was
really struggling to think clearly, carry on conversations and remember
things,” said Winick. “I sought the advice of a neuropsychologist
a month after the incident and was screened for brain injury, which,
not surprisingly, showed that I had sustained a mild brain injury.”
Winick transitioned back to work six months later after the majority
of the residual effects from the brain injury had dissipated. She was
still compensating for fatigue, difficulty organizing and emotional
behavior disruptions.
Back full time as a bus driver, Winick hit her head again in 1995
after slipping and falling on an icy sidewalk between bus routes. Again,
Winick was told that she was fine and could return to work. After daily
incidences of driving and suddenly not remembering what bus route she
was in charge of or driving past bus stops because she got distracted,
Winick knew something was wrong. She went back to a neuropsychologist
and was subsequently diagnosed with a second brain injury.
Unable to return to
work, Winick became overwhelmed by the challenges brought on by
brain injury. After almost losing her home, Winick knew she needed
support to move on with her life. “I really credit
the Brain Injury Association of Minnesota for getting the ball rolling,” said
Winick. “I felt like my life was falling apart and they helped
me put it back together by connecting me to the right rehabilitation
programs.”
Over the next few years, Winick went through a Community Reintegration
Program at the Courage Center, speech therapy and occupational therapy.
She learned several compensation strategies that she still uses today.
Winick uses a Franklin planner to help her organize, an assistive
listening device to block side noise in large gatherings and a tape
recorder to help her remember doctor visits and meetings. She also
uses a MotiveAider, a pager-sized device clipped to her belt that vibrates
at programmed times to keep her on-task.
By using compensation strategies and tools, Winick has come along
way over the past sixteen years. She graduated in May 2006 with a B.A.
in social work, works two days a week at a local hardware store, sits
on the Minnesota Department of Human Services TBI Advisory Committee
and the Brain Injury Association of Minnesota Board of Directors, and
interns for Ramsey County.
Looking forward, Winick
plans to take the state licensure exam for social work and start
a career in brain injury policy. “My biggest
passion is addressing the issue of those with brain injury who fall
through the cracks,” said Winick. “I’m especially
interested in getting support to the Iraq vets returning from combat
with undiagnosed brain injuries.”
Coming from someone
who’s been there and back, Winick reminds
those navigating life after brain injury to “Just remember
that it gets better.” ![]()
Nissa French is the Public
Awareness Director for the Brain Injury Assoc. of MN.
