By the time Keck was 25, he had lost the ability to work and had become completely dependent on his wife. But because of the brain shift, Statzer’s ventricles were a lot farther away, and when the catheter reached seven centimeters, there was no fluid coming out yet. “But I don’t think that any research, and not the [new] case report, necessarily correlates with football participation at a young age. … In my opinion, it is more likely that the exposure that he got in high school or college, or even doing other activities, led to the accrual of CTE changes.”, Related: Will Soccer's New Header Rules Make Kids Safer. This team had a C – 17 ready to leave, and they just came by the hospital to check to see if we happened to have any patients who needed to go. “Mr. Brain Injury Fatigue. He felt like he was failing. Aug 14, 2015 - Inspiration for those whose lives have been touched by brain injury. These effects are listed from the least severe to the most severe. The most injured man I’d ever seen alive had a normal blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature when he left our tent hospital. Half of all TBIs are from motor vehicle accidents. The Brain-Damage Stages are different effects occurred from hitting your head at a different speed or other reasons. Keck died from a congenital heart defect at the age of 25 in 2013. Even if it’s a small percentage, “we still need to do something about it,” Hovda said. Trauma to the head can cause several types of head and brain injuries, also called traumatic brain injury (TBI). Michael Keck at Missouri State University. Military personnel in combat zones are also at risk. “I saw the scan,” he said. The left side of his face and forehead were gone. I was sweating because I knew that if I couldn’t get the catheter in and relieve the pressure, he was done for. He was having trouble concentrating and he’d become uncharacteristically emotional and short-fused. Just as I was starting the incision, Tim backed into the room, his arms dripping the yellow iodine soap we scrubbed with before surgery. #Brain Injury Association of Virginia www.biav.net. Cassandra Keck with Justin, her and Michael's son. From thousands of miles away, I heard Mr. Statzer suck in a breath, and when he spoke next, his voice shook. A brain injury study conducted at the Boston University School of Medicine showed that 33 of 34 players tested post-mortem showed clear signs of CTE, and additional … A cognitive disorder is when your brain does not work correctly after a traumatic brain injury (TBI). And get Tim. I felt the pop, and spinal fluid gushed above my head, under so much pressure that it hit the ceiling and dripped back down onto my neck. If he could avoid infection, I thought, he just might survive. I pushed the catheter a centimeter deeper. She suspects that Michael may have had something in his genetics that predisposed him to a worse outcome from concussions. They occur when the brain is shaken or twisted inside the skull. Cassandra Keck took some comfort in hearing the diagnosis. Little by little, as we stopped the bleeding and replaced his blood with new units donated by hospital personnel, Statzer’s pressure and vital signs began to improve. We had become robotic and lifeless, waiting for the next wave of inevitable horror. 'Concussion' Shines Light on Brain Injuries and Football. The 47-Day Raft Ride from Hell. Getting Stuck Under Water... For an Hour. Because of the damage of electrical flow between cells, the affected individual often appears comatose with no evidence of bleeding within the brain. Diffuse axonal injuries are one of the most severe types of traumatic brain injury. Whatever it was, I had to do it right now, or he would be dead in minutes. Brain Injury Fatigue is the Biggest Common Denominator; Consequence of “Over-Attending” Often Most Disabling Symptom; Hardest to Accommodate in Workplace; Many sources talk about brain injury fatigue as an issue. “Can’t understand why he’s still alive.”. Whether Keck was playing youth, or high school or college football, the message was “if you’re hurt, you just get out there and play — don’t be a wuss,” Cassandra said. Linda Carroll is a regular health contributor to NBC News and Reuters Health. Vascular surgeon Todd explored Statzer’s neck to gain control of the jugular vein. What are the Symptoms of TBI? More-serious traumatic brain injury can result in bruising, torn tissues, bleeding and other physical damage to the brain. Following Michael's wishes, his wife, Cassandra, asked doctors to send his brain off to BU. Robert P. Lehr Jr., Ph.D. What are the symptoms of a cognitive disorder? The jolt to the brain had left him with excruciating headaches and unable to play. Skull fracture — A Every year, millions of people in the U.S. suffer brain injuries. Though his vision would return eventually, it was frightening and Keck told his coaches he couldn’t come back. I chose a trajectory and slid the catheter into Statzer’s brain. The operator connected me to the number on Sergeant Statzer’s Red Cross form. Doctors refer to … Problems from head injury include: Skull fracture — A skull fracture is a crack or break in one of the skull's bones. “You said he’s alive, right, Doctor?”, I heard Mr. Statzer repeating what I’d said to his wife. “Your trajectory is good, Lee. Statzer, my name is Dr. Lee Warren and I’m a neurosurgeon at the 332nd Air Force Theater Hospital in Balad, Iraq. I shook my head and wondered what I would have to do to help this young man. Tim placed Statzer’s skull fragments into his abdomen, and Joe from ENT performed a tracheostomy while Todd finished repairing the torn veins and arteries in Statzer’s neck. 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