The Real Lives of TBI Wives
Real Lives of TBI Wives is a heartfelt and empowering podcast that gives voice to the untold stories of women who are navigating life as caregivers to husbands with traumatic brain injuries. Hosted by Erika, a wife, mother, and advocate, this podcast offers a candid look at the highs and lows of caregiving, self-care, and balancing the complexities of family life. Each episode features real-life experiences, tips, and encouragement for those walking this difficult path. Whether you’re a fellow TBI wife or someone looking to better understand this journey, Real Lives of TBI Wives is a safe space for support, connection, and healing. Join Erika and other TBI wives as they share their stories, struggles, and triumphs, offering a glimmer of hope for all who listen.
Episodes
In this heartfelt episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, Kim Krajny opens up about the traumatic experience of her husband James’ severe brain injury and spinal cord damage following a devastating accident on December 10, 2020. Kim recounts the gut-wrenching day of the accident, the overwhelming chaos that followed, and the emotional toll it took on her as she navigated the complex healthcare system during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kim s...
In this powerful episode, Jill West shares her family's journey through the life-altering challenges following her husband's brain tumor diagnosis and subsequent brain injury. Jill takes us back to their college days when they met, started a family, and envisioned a bright future, only to have their lives forever changed by medical setbacks.
Jill opens up about the initial diagnosis, the transformative surgery at Duke University Ho...
In this deeply moving episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, host Erika Brouillette sits down with Karen Stone Fortune, whose husband suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) after a cycling accident in 2019. Karen shares the heartbreaking early moments of the injury, the long road to an accurate diagnosis, and the complications that led to emergency brain surgery—all amid the isolating challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Karen opens...
In this heartfelt episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, host Erika Brouillette welcomes Gloria Longsworth, who shares her powerful journey as the wife of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivor. Gloria recounts meeting her husband Gabe in Germany and how their life was turned upside down when he suffered a massive stroke while they were living in South Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic.
From navigating Gabe’s complex recovery abroad...
In this unforgettable episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, host Erika Brouillette speaks with Jacqui Taylor Hayward, whose husband Greg suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in October 2023 after falling down the stairs during an episode of sleepwalking. Jacqui takes us inside the night that changed everything—detailing the emergency response, ICU crisis, and multiple life-saving surgeries that followed.
With raw honesty, Jacqui s...
In this heartfelt episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, host Erika Brouillette is joined by Val Creager, who shares her moving journey through love, tragedy, and transformation after her husband’s life changed forever in a 2019 traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Val walks listeners through their love story, raising children together, and the devastating accident that reshaped everything. She opens up about navigating health crises, financ...
In this compelling episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, host Erika Brouillette sits down with Amanda Ryan Romo, who courageously shares her journey after her husband sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) from a work-related accident that triggered severe vertigo, a concussion, and complications from neck surgery.
Amanda speaks openly about the overwhelming toll caregiving took on her young family, the emotional and logistical bur...
In this heartfelt episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, host Erika Brouillette welcomes guest Brittiny Buckenberger, who opens up about her husband’s surgically induced traumatic brain injury (TBI) following the removal of a brain tumor. What began as a life-saving procedure quickly became the start of a life-changing caregiving journey.
Brittiny vulnerably shares the cognitive and emotional challenges her husband now faces, the ment...
In this eye-opening episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, host Erika Brouillette speaks with Robin Szymkowski, a devoted wife and caregiver who opens up about the life-altering moment her husband suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Robin recounts the shock of the accident, the relentless stream of medical complications, and the steep learning curve that came with managing her husband’s evolving care needs.
She offers an honest l...
In this gripping episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, host Erika Brouillette sits down with Kathleen Skeins, who recounts the unimaginable moment her husband suffered a severe traumatic brain injury while vacationing in Aruba. What began as a dream getaway spiraled into a life-altering medical crisis, forcing Kathleen into the roles of caregiver, medical advocate, and emergency planner—all in a matter of hours.
Kathleen takes listen...
In this deeply moving episode of Real Lives of TBI Wives, guest Corri Lewis shares her personal story after receiving the phone call no spouse ever expects—the one that marked the beginning of her husband's traumatic brain injury (TBI) journey.
From the moment life changed, Corri stepped into the overwhelming role of caregiver, navigating the emotional toll, medical complexities, and isolation made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. W...
In this powerful premiere of Real Lives of TBI Wives, host and caregiver Erika Brouillette opens up about the life-altering moment her husband Shelby suffered a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Erika shares the raw details of the accident, the agonizing weeks in the ICU during COVID lockdowns, and the uphill battle to secure proper rehabilitation and care.
More than a story of survival, this episode is a deeply personal reflec...
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