Hi everyone. My name is Jeffrey Brown, but most people just call me Jeff—it’s easier, only one syllable, which makes it simpler to say. I started this blog mainly because not many people realize how much “brain trauma” affects a person’s life, even after the initial onset. It literally changes you physically as well as mentally. It’s like starting over from square one! I know now that brain trauma affects pretty much everyone who has had one or more incidents differently; but there is also a similarity about them as well.
My experience with strokes started on February 3, 1982. What I can remember about that day is that it was cold, and I think it was raining, but I really can’t remember. I had gotten out of the Navy recently and had been living in a town called Willits, CA. I remember going to work that afternoon, I was working the swing shift at Advanced Manufacturing & Development. It’s a precision sheet metal/machine shop. The group of people who owned it were from San Jose. They had been visiting the area, fell in love with the mountains and fresh air, so they moved their whole shop to the town of Willits. I had been working there for around a year, and it was my dream job. I was working on the Amada 2000 turret punch press, which at the time was a VERY cutting-edge piece of machinery. I had been in the shop, I think, for about an hour when I thought I heard a “pop,” but I could have imagined that—who knows. All of a sudden, I couldn’t do anything… I couldn’t talk, couldn’t walk, couldn’t think, couldn’t reason… nothing. I don’t remember anything except that. I think I just fell down and blacked out, because I don’t remember how I got to the hospital, or even leaving the shop. It’s as if my mind went blank or something—I remember NOTHING after this, and that is probably a good thing…
So, I guess that’s enough for now. I’ll see you in my next post.