It never ceases to amaze me how ignorant some people are when it comes to brain injuries. There has been so much news over the past few years detailing the effects of these injuries. The devastating stories of servicepersons suffering from injuries as well as athletes learning to function with the effects of concussions have brought this issue to the front lines. Yes, the pun was intended.
It still shocks me when off the cuff comments are made when these injuries are discussed. President Trump’s commented during his trip to Davos, Switzerland the servicemen who were hurt in the Iranian attacks were not seriously injured. He went on to say they had headaches. However, the Pentagon has stated all the servicemen were being analyzed for possible traumatic brain injuries. There are so many elements to this story I could discuss but I am going to stick to the one near and dear to my heart.
President Trump said, “No, I don’t consider them very serious injuries, relative to other injuries that I’ve seen.” Excuse me? Since when are brain injuries not serious? The effects of a brain injury can take months to appear. Once the initial fog, aches, and pains subside other abnormalities are more obvious. Eyesight, memory, language, and many more symptoms can develop after the initial impact. I have told many friends who have been involved in falls or accidents to watch over their loved ones and be aware of any symptoms that seem to appear out of nowhere. It happens more often than not. This is exactly how my injuries presented.
The Brain Injury Association of America and the Brain Injury Association of Virginia released statements regarding the President’s comments https://www.biausa.org/public-affairs/public-awareness/news/biaa-responds-to-trumps-disregard-for-service-members-with-traumatic-brain-injury https://www.biav.net/press-release/ .
I am proud to be involved with both of these organizations and the stance they have taken to defend all survivors, caregivers, and brain injury survivors and professionals.
For more on this issue read an article from the New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/22/world/middleeast/trump-iraq-brain-injuries.html.
