Please scroll to the bottom if you're not in for a bit of a read!
Hey there folks, Guriin here. Something that I wanted to discuss from when I started in the ISFL is concussions and brain injuries. There's been a lot of news in the media in the past decade about the dangers of brain injuries, and how American football has a higher rate of brain injuries compared to other sports. I'm assuming that the ISFL has more users that enjoy football than other sim leagues, so I thought it might be appropriate to post here. This is a personal account and something that has affected me for quite awhile, so while it's not necessarily the best media piece for a draftee to be investing their time and energy on I already have good vibes about this community and would love to share my experiences and words of advice. If anyone has any concussions or would like clarification or to even dispute what I've said in this article, please don't hesitate to reach out either in the comments or in my DMs!
So to start off, I am a TBI survivor. There's a couple of words right in that sentence than can either draw an eyebrow or a confused expression, but stick with me! TBI means Traumatic Brain Injury, which includes concussions; and a survivor is simply someone who received one. Now I know what you're thinking, 'Survivor? Really?'. The thing with brain injuries and really any event that can cause long lasting trauma (physical or otherwise) is that said event can really dominate your life. The term 'survivor' is used in many, many communities to describe the person who received such trauma because it takes power from the trauma and empowers the person dealing with said condition. I'm really hit or miss on using it to describe myself (I've been doing very little surviving since my injury, mostly just existing) but because the TBI community is so committed to making that the vernacular I'm on board. So with all that being said, I am a TBI survivor.
It was a Friday night high school football game and I was a junior playing for my small-town team; the kind of team where almost everyone plays because there's not all that many people on the roster. I wasn't very good but I enjoyed playing with my friends and I had a neat little sidestep that allowed me to get the separation needed from the undersized DB to give my quarterback the space to at least attempt to heave the ball in my general vicinity. For that reason I managed to keep steady spot on the field as a wide receiver. I couldn't even tell you who we were playing or what happened, I'm telling these events from a third person perspective because I only remember them through other people telling me. I was split out to the left and cut towards the middle of the field. My quarterback threw me a beautiful hospital pass that might as well been a beachball with the speed at which it floated towards me. Apparently I was rocked, thank goodness it wasn't caught on tape or it would have undoubtedly been quite the clip in a Youtube big hits compilation video. I was only unconscious for a small period of time and walked off the field on my own power. Apparently I was puking but that didn't seem to concern my teammates or coaches, it was 2010 after-all and the football field was surrounded by pasture and cornfields. Brain health and concussion protocol wasn't particularly on the minds of everyone like it is today.
I sat out the rest of the game and, due to it being a home-game; I either got dropped off or walked home after showering with the team. My parents were out of town so I have no idea what transpired that weekend, but on Monday I met with the school physical therapist and she immediately sent me to the hospital with concussion-like symptoms. I was in rough shape. It was after meeting with a sports-medicine physician and some more details coming to light that I received my diagnosis. I had gotten a concussion in a practice a day prior to the game, and then received another concussion in that Friday game while my brain was already swelled and recovering from the initial impact. The doctor had also predicted that I had received an additional 10-30 concussions just based on prior trauma (detected by MRI and a vast experience working with concussions and athletes). As a short aside, I've been told before that I or that doctor were lying because if one were to receive 10 or more concussions they'd be dead. I'm not sure what that person was thinking when they told me this, but it's completely a falsehood. People receive concussions all the time and it's not uncommon for an athlete (especially a football athlete) to sustain 2 or 3 concussions a season. The brain is a remarkable thing of beauty that is capable of repairing incredible amounts of tissue damage provided you give it the resources and time it needs to work its magic. The severity of the impact matters, as does the time between impacts and how you treat it; but more on that later.
The results were that I missed school, and a lot of it. For you COVID schoolers this may not seem like a big deal, but back in my day (shakes fist) missing 4 months of school was huge! While I can't really recollect anything from high school anymore, from what I've been told I was basically a bedroom hermit that always had to have the lights off, was very irritable and acted drunk all the time. Not much different from how I am now come to think of it! When I returned to school, it was clear that something wasn't right. 85% of people who receive a concussion are recovered after 3 months. When I returned to school all those months later, I was not in good shape. I would wear dark sunglasses at all times, would need to have headphones in to dampen the surrounding noise; and you can forget about schoolwork. The school seemed to be more worried about the prospect of me going after the school for my injury (which is something I was well in my rights of doing, the school had helmets from the 90s and spent a massive amount of money on getting brand new, state-of-the-art helmets for the entire team the following season). Teachers were told to pass me regardless of coursework or participation in my classes, and I essentially just skated on by for my remaining year and a half of high school.
During the summer following my senior year, I was accepted into the university of my dreams; due to taking my ACTs (basically the equivalent to the SATs for you southerners) early my junior year and a damn good essay about how my life experiences... or something. My symptoms had succumbed a bit, but they were still quite disabling. If somebody doesn't recover from a concussion after 9 months, they're diagnosed with something called 'Post Concussion Syndrome', which is essentially an umbrella term to describe a vast array of symptoms that can be present in said individual due to the concussion. I most definitely had Post Concussion Syndrome, and in hindsight attending college was a terrible idea.
7 1/2 years, 15 semesters, no degree. I took out a king's ransom in student loans and struggled my way through gen eds and other easier graduation-requirement courses but despite my best efforts, when it came to the more advanced major specific required classes; I no longer had the cognitive capacity to complete these courses. I received every accommodation the school could provide. Applied and was accepted for disability (a relatively rare occurrence for a college aged person like myself) and hired a personal assistant/caretaker with my student loan money, but to no avail. Despite changing majors numerous times and enlisting all the help I could get; I couldn't get over that hump. In December of 2019 following a breakup with my longterm girlfriend of 5 years and being diagnosed with severe depression, I dropped out of college. My life has been pretty shitty since then.
I apologize for the novel and if you're still with me thus far, thank you! I think depicting all of this is necessary to truly convey my perspective, so I appreciate y'all hanging in there. I had to get two neuropsychological evaluations, one in 2014 and one in 2016; for my ongoing medical care and to be approved for disability. Fortunately my symptoms have remained stable, but here's the damage. According to 8 hours worth of strenuous evaluation by my university hospital's neuropsych department, my decision to play in a football game after receiving a concussion has resulted in the following pervasive symptoms:
Long term memory loss
Short term memory loss
Accelerated forgetting
Moderate cognitive impairment (IQ of high 70s, low 80s)
Sensitivity to light and sound
Chronic Fatigue
Chronic Pain
Exponentially increased risk for various conditions such as Alzheimer's and CTE
A few key notes on this fun list. The chronic pain is a result of a perpetual headache that varies in severity and type but is never actually gone, and can range from being an annoyance to being completely debilitating; though I think my pain tolerance from dealing with it for so many years has made it much much more manageable. Also my risk for CTE is fortunately low as I stopped playing football in high school (not that I would've been good enough to play at a higher level mind you!) so there are relatively few concerns due to that.
My brain injury has essentially defined my life since I received it a decade ago, and to this day I'm still disabled from it. I cannot work a normal job, I cannot do many of the things I once loved to do, I'm in constantly in pain or completely exhausted... but worst of all is the effects it had on my brain. I have had countless memories robbed from me, countless opportunities missed. I am constantly feeling mentally foggy, like I've had one too many to drink; and my inability to process information or remember things has caused significant stress and pain not only to me, but my loved ones as well. Everything and anything that I might interact with or hold dear is significantly impacted by my brain injury, and I can only attempt to minimize the significance that it has on these things; I can never truly 'fix' it.
Despite all these problems and still working on my depression (one day it will be gone, I have confidence!), I haven't given up hope. My life isn't the kind of life my parents nor I wanted for me, nor will it ever be; but that doesn't mean I need to stop trying to live a life that I can be happy with. I continue to strive (when I can) to achieve lasting happiness, and I am optimistic that one day that will happen.
Please listen to what I have to say regarding to concussions and sports in relation to you and your loved ones. After numerous discussions with medical professionals and after having lived the nightmare that is a brain injury; if I ever am blessed with the opportunity to have children I will not be putting them in football. The sport is too dangerous for children (or anyone for that matter) and brain injuries are far too great a risk. Improper form tackling and illegal head-to-head impacts; particularly on the line, is something that no amount of coaching or discussions on safety can prevent in youth football. Mistakes happen, and they happen a lot. I've heard that sports like soccer with 'heading' the ball can be equally as bad, though from my understanding they've now banned heading in youth soccer which is a great step forward. If you looking into how the modernization of the sport of boxing has greatly increased the risk of brain injuries or long-term trauma due to the gloves, you'll understand why the football itself as a sport is so dangerous. While the helmet can protect the head from a lot of different things; it also puts the wearer and surrounding players in a very dangerous position. With our current technology, we simply can't make a helmet that's good enough to keep up with the false sense of security that it provides. Removing it altogether would be absolutely devastating as well. There's really no winning, the safe option is to not participate at all.
Please let my story be a warning to everyone. I love the sport of football and I love my Packers, but football is dangerous; and it will continue to be dangerous for the foreseeable future. Please proceed with caution. If you or a loved one does play football or any other sport that has a high risk for head impacts; please for the love of God follow concussion protocol. If you have a concussion, follow the advice of your trainer or doctor. Do not put yourself at risk for another impact. Your brain is most vulnerable when it's still healing from damage and being struck again while it's in the midst of that process can have catastrophic consequences. This process can also take longer if you're not staying hydrated or eating properly or engaging in activities that can be detrimental to the healing process (like staring at your phone the day following a concussion when you should be in bed resting, I've seen this happen with young people all too often!) Listen to your doctor and follow their advice! This cannot be stressed enough! Additionally, in this time of isolation and confusion, that last thing somebody needs is a scary brain injury! Get a solid support circle that you feel safe and confident to confide in if you're stuck at home and in pain/experiencing symptoms. You don't have to go through a brain injury alone!
That's it! Please feel free to ask me if you have any questions, I'm not a doctor but I certainly know my stuff regarding head injuries! If I don't know the answer, I'll know where to direct you to somebody who does! Thanks so much for reading guys!
Hey there folks, Guriin here. Something that I wanted to discuss from when I started in the ISFL is concussions and brain injuries. There's been a lot of news in the media in the past decade about the dangers of brain injuries, and how American football has a higher rate of brain injuries compared to other sports. I'm assuming that the ISFL has more users that enjoy football than other sim leagues, so I thought it might be appropriate to post here. This is a personal account and something that has affected me for quite awhile, so while it's not necessarily the best media piece for a draftee to be investing their time and energy on I already have good vibes about this community and would love to share my experiences and words of advice. If anyone has any concussions or would like clarification or to even dispute what I've said in this article, please don't hesitate to reach out either in the comments or in my DMs!
So to start off, I am a TBI survivor. There's a couple of words right in that sentence than can either draw an eyebrow or a confused expression, but stick with me! TBI means Traumatic Brain Injury, which includes concussions; and a survivor is simply someone who received one. Now I know what you're thinking, 'Survivor? Really?'. The thing with brain injuries and really any event that can cause long lasting trauma (physical or otherwise) is that said event can really dominate your life. The term 'survivor' is used in many, many communities to describe the person who received such trauma because it takes power from the trauma and empowers the person dealing with said condition. I'm really hit or miss on using it to describe myself (I've been doing very little surviving since my injury, mostly just existing) but because the TBI community is so committed to making that the vernacular I'm on board. So with all that being said, I am a TBI survivor.
It was a Friday night high school football game and I was a junior playing for my small-town team; the kind of team where almost everyone plays because there's not all that many people on the roster. I wasn't very good but I enjoyed playing with my friends and I had a neat little sidestep that allowed me to get the separation needed from the undersized DB to give my quarterback the space to at least attempt to heave the ball in my general vicinity. For that reason I managed to keep steady spot on the field as a wide receiver. I couldn't even tell you who we were playing or what happened, I'm telling these events from a third person perspective because I only remember them through other people telling me. I was split out to the left and cut towards the middle of the field. My quarterback threw me a beautiful hospital pass that might as well been a beachball with the speed at which it floated towards me. Apparently I was rocked, thank goodness it wasn't caught on tape or it would have undoubtedly been quite the clip in a Youtube big hits compilation video. I was only unconscious for a small period of time and walked off the field on my own power. Apparently I was puking but that didn't seem to concern my teammates or coaches, it was 2010 after-all and the football field was surrounded by pasture and cornfields. Brain health and concussion protocol wasn't particularly on the minds of everyone like it is today.
I sat out the rest of the game and, due to it being a home-game; I either got dropped off or walked home after showering with the team. My parents were out of town so I have no idea what transpired that weekend, but on Monday I met with the school physical therapist and she immediately sent me to the hospital with concussion-like symptoms. I was in rough shape. It was after meeting with a sports-medicine physician and some more details coming to light that I received my diagnosis. I had gotten a concussion in a practice a day prior to the game, and then received another concussion in that Friday game while my brain was already swelled and recovering from the initial impact. The doctor had also predicted that I had received an additional 10-30 concussions just based on prior trauma (detected by MRI and a vast experience working with concussions and athletes). As a short aside, I've been told before that I or that doctor were lying because if one were to receive 10 or more concussions they'd be dead. I'm not sure what that person was thinking when they told me this, but it's completely a falsehood. People receive concussions all the time and it's not uncommon for an athlete (especially a football athlete) to sustain 2 or 3 concussions a season. The brain is a remarkable thing of beauty that is capable of repairing incredible amounts of tissue damage provided you give it the resources and time it needs to work its magic. The severity of the impact matters, as does the time between impacts and how you treat it; but more on that later.
The results were that I missed school, and a lot of it. For you COVID schoolers this may not seem like a big deal, but back in my day (shakes fist) missing 4 months of school was huge! While I can't really recollect anything from high school anymore, from what I've been told I was basically a bedroom hermit that always had to have the lights off, was very irritable and acted drunk all the time. Not much different from how I am now come to think of it! When I returned to school, it was clear that something wasn't right. 85% of people who receive a concussion are recovered after 3 months. When I returned to school all those months later, I was not in good shape. I would wear dark sunglasses at all times, would need to have headphones in to dampen the surrounding noise; and you can forget about schoolwork. The school seemed to be more worried about the prospect of me going after the school for my injury (which is something I was well in my rights of doing, the school had helmets from the 90s and spent a massive amount of money on getting brand new, state-of-the-art helmets for the entire team the following season). Teachers were told to pass me regardless of coursework or participation in my classes, and I essentially just skated on by for my remaining year and a half of high school.
During the summer following my senior year, I was accepted into the university of my dreams; due to taking my ACTs (basically the equivalent to the SATs for you southerners) early my junior year and a damn good essay about how my life experiences... or something. My symptoms had succumbed a bit, but they were still quite disabling. If somebody doesn't recover from a concussion after 9 months, they're diagnosed with something called 'Post Concussion Syndrome', which is essentially an umbrella term to describe a vast array of symptoms that can be present in said individual due to the concussion. I most definitely had Post Concussion Syndrome, and in hindsight attending college was a terrible idea.
7 1/2 years, 15 semesters, no degree. I took out a king's ransom in student loans and struggled my way through gen eds and other easier graduation-requirement courses but despite my best efforts, when it came to the more advanced major specific required classes; I no longer had the cognitive capacity to complete these courses. I received every accommodation the school could provide. Applied and was accepted for disability (a relatively rare occurrence for a college aged person like myself) and hired a personal assistant/caretaker with my student loan money, but to no avail. Despite changing majors numerous times and enlisting all the help I could get; I couldn't get over that hump. In December of 2019 following a breakup with my longterm girlfriend of 5 years and being diagnosed with severe depression, I dropped out of college. My life has been pretty shitty since then.
I apologize for the novel and if you're still with me thus far, thank you! I think depicting all of this is necessary to truly convey my perspective, so I appreciate y'all hanging in there. I had to get two neuropsychological evaluations, one in 2014 and one in 2016; for my ongoing medical care and to be approved for disability. Fortunately my symptoms have remained stable, but here's the damage. According to 8 hours worth of strenuous evaluation by my university hospital's neuropsych department, my decision to play in a football game after receiving a concussion has resulted in the following pervasive symptoms:
Long term memory loss
Short term memory loss
Accelerated forgetting
Moderate cognitive impairment (IQ of high 70s, low 80s)
Sensitivity to light and sound
Chronic Fatigue
Chronic Pain
Exponentially increased risk for various conditions such as Alzheimer's and CTE
A few key notes on this fun list. The chronic pain is a result of a perpetual headache that varies in severity and type but is never actually gone, and can range from being an annoyance to being completely debilitating; though I think my pain tolerance from dealing with it for so many years has made it much much more manageable. Also my risk for CTE is fortunately low as I stopped playing football in high school (not that I would've been good enough to play at a higher level mind you!) so there are relatively few concerns due to that.
My brain injury has essentially defined my life since I received it a decade ago, and to this day I'm still disabled from it. I cannot work a normal job, I cannot do many of the things I once loved to do, I'm in constantly in pain or completely exhausted... but worst of all is the effects it had on my brain. I have had countless memories robbed from me, countless opportunities missed. I am constantly feeling mentally foggy, like I've had one too many to drink; and my inability to process information or remember things has caused significant stress and pain not only to me, but my loved ones as well. Everything and anything that I might interact with or hold dear is significantly impacted by my brain injury, and I can only attempt to minimize the significance that it has on these things; I can never truly 'fix' it.
Despite all these problems and still working on my depression (one day it will be gone, I have confidence!), I haven't given up hope. My life isn't the kind of life my parents nor I wanted for me, nor will it ever be; but that doesn't mean I need to stop trying to live a life that I can be happy with. I continue to strive (when I can) to achieve lasting happiness, and I am optimistic that one day that will happen.
Please listen to what I have to say regarding to concussions and sports in relation to you and your loved ones. After numerous discussions with medical professionals and after having lived the nightmare that is a brain injury; if I ever am blessed with the opportunity to have children I will not be putting them in football. The sport is too dangerous for children (or anyone for that matter) and brain injuries are far too great a risk. Improper form tackling and illegal head-to-head impacts; particularly on the line, is something that no amount of coaching or discussions on safety can prevent in youth football. Mistakes happen, and they happen a lot. I've heard that sports like soccer with 'heading' the ball can be equally as bad, though from my understanding they've now banned heading in youth soccer which is a great step forward. If you looking into how the modernization of the sport of boxing has greatly increased the risk of brain injuries or long-term trauma due to the gloves, you'll understand why the football itself as a sport is so dangerous. While the helmet can protect the head from a lot of different things; it also puts the wearer and surrounding players in a very dangerous position. With our current technology, we simply can't make a helmet that's good enough to keep up with the false sense of security that it provides. Removing it altogether would be absolutely devastating as well. There's really no winning, the safe option is to not participate at all.
Please let my story be a warning to everyone. I love the sport of football and I love my Packers, but football is dangerous; and it will continue to be dangerous for the foreseeable future. Please proceed with caution. If you or a loved one does play football or any other sport that has a high risk for head impacts; please for the love of God follow concussion protocol. If you have a concussion, follow the advice of your trainer or doctor. Do not put yourself at risk for another impact. Your brain is most vulnerable when it's still healing from damage and being struck again while it's in the midst of that process can have catastrophic consequences. This process can also take longer if you're not staying hydrated or eating properly or engaging in activities that can be detrimental to the healing process (like staring at your phone the day following a concussion when you should be in bed resting, I've seen this happen with young people all too often!) Listen to your doctor and follow their advice! This cannot be stressed enough! Additionally, in this time of isolation and confusion, that last thing somebody needs is a scary brain injury! Get a solid support circle that you feel safe and confident to confide in if you're stuck at home and in pain/experiencing symptoms. You don't have to go through a brain injury alone!
That's it! Please feel free to ask me if you have any questions, I'm not a doctor but I certainly know my stuff regarding head injuries! If I don't know the answer, I'll know where to direct you to somebody who does! Thanks so much for reading guys!
Code:
2413 words
| 
![[Image: Ace86dX.png]](https://i.imgur.com/Ace86dX.png)
