Ms. Rivard,

I am writing to follow-up on the results of my SPECT scan at the Amen Clinic in October. Thanks to the TBI Fund Application Review Committee, I was able to have the scans which were very illuminating in the injuries to my brain as a result of a car accident on January 10, 2022. This information has been vital to me and my doctors in understanding the depth of my injury, and how we can best move forward in my on-going treatment.

As you can see by the results, there were multiple areas of injury that all directly correlate to the symptoms that I have been experiencing for the last 11 months as a result of my TBI/PCS. I feel we have more than connected the dots in so many ways.

Considering the results and recommendations from Dr. Amen and Dr. Schaller, I have begun Hyperbaric Chamber Oxygen Therapy at the Mid-Atlantic Concussion Alliance twice per week. Additionally, I am incorporating the recommendations of mental and physical exercise and biweekly ocular therapy into my regime. I purchased a book for practicing my handwriting and we have a tabletop bean-bag game that I have started playing. I shared my scans with my vestibular therapist and he has added new exercises to my therapy to better challenge me with my balance, coordination and tracking. This is exciting for me because I will be able to see the things that I will be able to do with continued treatment. I am following a gluten-free diet and adding the recommended supplements into my diet, as well as my doses of Gabapetin and Ambien have been adjusted to help ensure that I get enough rest at night, which has been very hard for me since the accident.

I have already noticed that the Hyperbaric Chamber therapy is increasing my energy level and helping with my heachaches. I have actually had a few days when I didn’t have to take a nap in the afternoon, which has been a regular thing for me since the accident. Another small victory was that I recently drove for (2) 15-minute distances at night with a break with no after-effects. These changes are subtle, but if I can continue to move the needle in the right direction, that would be wonderful. As I write this letter, I have increased feelings of nausea from the time spent putting in the mental focus as well as looking at a computer screen. I am hopeful that as time goes on the way my brain perceives information, as well as light and sound, will continue to improve.

I can’t fully express my gratitude for having received this grant which allowed me to get my scans. It allowed me to fully understand my injury and how I can work with my doctor to try to improve as much as possible. This TBI has been such a life-changing thing for me which has placed such a hardship on my family, and affected me in so many ways. I want to do is my best to return to myself and my life before my brain injury. My best shot at knowing how to so this was because I was able to have the SPECT scan. Thank you to the committee for making that possible.

Warmest regards,
Leisa K