Help Stephen Brooks Heal After Traumatic Brain Injury

On July 15th our lives changed forever. Around 12:30 that afternoon, our friend Bo called to tell me that there had been an accident. Stephen had fallen 30 feet through the roof they had been working on to the concrete below. He was seriously hurt. All he could tell me was that he was bleeding from his head. He was in shock and combative. They had called 911. Upon arrival, the paramedics quickly determined that Stephen's injuries required care beyond what was available locally so he was airlifted to LSU Ochsner's Trauma Center in Shreveport.

It was nearly 3 pm before I was able to see him. The nurse ticked through what we knew at that point as we walked down the long hall in the ICU. A CT scan showed Stephen had sustained a traumatic brain injury. His head had hit the concrete as he landed on his left side. All but one of his ribs on that side were broken- some in multiple places. He had snapped his collar bone and he had fractures to his skull, face, and back. These injuries compromised his ability to breathe so they had been forced to intubate him. She was trying to prepare me for what I was about to see when in reality there was no way she could. What I saw was hard to comprehend. There beneath a jumble of tubes and lines was my best friend, my partner of over twenty years. Blood still dripped from his left ear. No one needed to tell me that he might not survive.

It has been two months since that horrible day. There have been glorius days since like the first time he saw his parents and was able to force a few words from his lips. It's hard not to cry now thinking of how beautiful that moment was. Of course, there have been equally terrifying moments as well. Like the night his brain bleed returned. He needed a craniectomy (a procedure where a piece of the skull is removed) to reduce the pressure building around his brain. Only the actions of a mindful nurse and the skilled hands of a Neurosurgeon kept him with us that evening-- that and Stephen's incredible will to survive.

Today, Stephen is at Touro Rehabilitation in New Orleans where a team of doctors, nurses and therapists are working to help him recover. He has come so far. His speech is almost back to normal. He is still a little unsteady on his feet but is getting stronger everyday. He is eating solid foods and is slowly gaining back the weight he never had to lose (almost 30 pounds). We are so thankful for each of these victories and are amazed by his strength everyday. Still, there is a long road ahead and that journey is fraught with danger. Presently, only a thin layer of skin lies between his brain and the world. The helmet they gave him after surgery offers some protection but only if he is wearing it. This fact coupled with his lack of impulse control (a consequence of his brain injury) and impaired short term memory make him a danger to himself. He requires constant supervision.

So far, there has been a team of trained professionals providing that safety net but that is about to change. Within the next two weeks, Stephen will be coming home. We are so grateful to everyone who has played a part in getting him to this point. We are also aware that there is a long road ahead of us. Your donation to this GoFundMe page will be used to make sure Stephen has all he needs as continues his journey to recovery. Thank you in advance.