June 12, 2025 • 27 mins
Meet James Brown. In his first year of law school he began experiencing noticeable neurological symptoms. An MRI scan revealed a massive brain tumor. Though doctors anticipated a smooth recovery after surgery, James faced serious complications that left him in a coma for two months and dealing with lasting disabilities. But instead of giving up, he chose to fight back. He returned to Colorado, became a father, and boldly started a new career in web programming. Along the way he earned a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Illinois.
Now living in Texas, James dedicates his time to leading multiple support groups, helping others navigate life after brain injury. He shares practical tips for managing day-to-day life, the value of having a structured routine, and the vital role support groups play in recovery. He also reflects on the emotional and philosophical aspects of living with a brain injury, offering wisdom, hope, and encouragement to anyone facing their own "new normal."
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Bernard (00:11):
Opinions shared by the guests of the show are their own
and do not necessarily representthe views of the hosts buying
waves or the Brain injurynetwork.
This podcast is forinformational purposes only, and
it's not a substitute forprofessional medical advice, the
diagnosis or treatment.
Always seek the advice of ahealthcare provider with any
(00:32):
questions you may have regardinga medical condition.
Thank you.
Brittany (00:38):
Hi, I'm Brittany and I'm brain injury survivor and
member of BIND.
Carrie (00:42):
And hi, I'm Carrie, a stroke survivor, and a member of
BIND as well.
And today we welcome JamesBrown.
Um, I know we've met James.
I know we've met several times,but I'm pretty excited to get to
know more about you and for ourlisteners to meet.
James is a traumatic braininjury survivor.
He has an MA philosophy from theUniversity of Illinois and has
also published several papers onTBIs.
(01:05):
So.
Welcome.
Brian (01:07):
Welcome to BIND Waves, the official podcast of the
Brain Injury Network of Dallas.
I'm Brian White, BINDs executivedirector.
On each episode, we'll beproviding insight into the brain
injury community.
We'll be talking to members andprofessionals regarding their
stories and the important roleof Binds Clubhouse.
We work as a team to inspirehope community and a sense of
(01:31):
purpose to survivors,caregivers, and the public.
Thank you for tuning intobindwaves.
Let's get on with the show.
James (01:38):
Thank you very much.
It's good to be here.
Carrie (01:41):
We're excited.
So to get started as James, justtell us a little bit about you
and then how you got yourinjury, how you sustained your
injury.
James (01:49):
Well, um, let's see.
I had a really normal childhoodin Colorado that's where I'm
from, I grew up being veryactive, and doing a lot of how
outdoor stuff.
Um.
See, I, I used to being veryactive.
I got a, I went through school.
(02:11):
I got a bachelor's degree inpolitical science from the
University of Colorado atBoulder, and then I got married
and we subsequently moved to St.
Southern California, LosAngeles, and.
I began law school out there andgoing to Pepperdine University.
(02:37):
I was in my first year of lawschool, started having these
strange neurological thingshappen to me.
I.
I could hear blood flowing in avest hall, which is kind of
weird.
Then I started getting thesereally intense headaches from
doing simple things like walkingupstairs.
Then it got really weird.
(02:58):
I went on a skiing trip for Iremember with my friends in law
school, and I was ordinarily areally good skier, but this time
I lost my balance a lot and Iwas getting sick and.
And then the final weird thingis I was later playing tennis
(03:20):
just for fun with that friend ofmine and I was trying, I was
trying to hit the ball, youknow, like you do.
And I couldn't make the ball hitthe racket that I was holding,
and I'm not a great tennisplayer, but I'm also
coordinated.
And so anyway, I was like, allright, something's wrong.
(03:41):
So anyway, after much innegotiation with the insurance
companies and back and forth,um, they decided that I need to
go in and get a CT scan or a CATscan, and they found a large
golfball size mass in the middleof my brain.
And he said, you need toemergency go over to this
(04:02):
hospital.
I get this new cutting edgetechnology thing called the MRI
and uh, so I did.
And um, they said, turn up, yougotta golf ball size his brain
tumor and.
They didn't know what type itwas or anything, and I was kind
(04:23):
of shortsighted.
I was like, oh, good.
I don't need to finish myhardcore project in law school,
have a few dates off.
I can only watch the Olympics ontv.
And that was going on at thatpoint.
And, um, then I, uh, laid inbed, watched the Olympics for a
(04:44):
few days, and they had me onmedication to make you feel
better and all of that.
And then they did the surgery onme, and the surgeon told me that
you'll be, it's like plucking apickle outta a jar and the
tumor.
Mm-hmm.
You'll be back to law school inwe, or in a month.
(05:05):
I'm sorry.
So that's kind of my, the way Ilooked at it.
Well, uh, there were, it wasnot, like plucking a pickle a
out of jar, several hours ofsurgery, and I.
There were complications and it,uh, made, made a lot of bleeding
(05:25):
happen.
And, and basically it, I endedup in a coma for two months and
my hospital stay was fourmonths.
I ended up with a prettysignificant disability.
It's, uh, um, the way my braincontrols my body is, is not
(05:45):
right and, uh.
But you know, this is reallykey.
Uh, when I kind of came to formy coma, I'm like, no, I'm not
gonna accept this thing.
I'm 24 years old.
(06:05):
I've got life ahead of me.
And I didn't know what it wasgonna look like, but I'm like,
no.
And that's been my attitude for33 years since.
And.
Uh, we moved from SouthernCalifornia back to Colorado, and
I mean, and like two weekslater, my wife was pregnant with
(06:28):
our child and I didn't quiteknow how I was gonna work in
disabled body and, uh, so awayway.
I'm glad, uh, to announce thatSo my daughter's great.
She's a physician assistant inNorth Carolina doing really
well.
Um.
She's done really, reallynicely.
(06:50):
I, in, well, I worked as a, a,um, web programmer mm-hmm.
For a while.
I've learned how an internetprogram and do some stuff like
that.
And I did that for a number ofyears and kind of, kind of, you
know, I did that and I gotfairly decent at it, but I was
(07:12):
kind of, I didn't like it thatmuch.
And I kind of decided I wantedto go back to something I was
interested and that wasphilosophy.
And so I found this brand newprogram online from the
University of Illinois to get amaster's degree in philosophy.
(07:32):
So to see if I could hackacademic work, I.
Uh, I took some communitycolleges courses locally at the
community college and I alreadyhad a four year degree, so I
mean, it was pretty low stakesand I, I, um, took those
(07:58):
courses, did really well withthem.
I ended up also taking somecomputer network certification
course and then got certified insome of that stuff.
But I always kind of kept likethe main part of it was, um,
philosophy.
Mm-hmm.
Some history and things liketraditional academic stuff.
(08:21):
And I did really well in thatand I said, okay, I think we're
gonna go to master's degree.
'cause I wanted to teachphilosophy.
Brittany (08:30):
Hmm.
James (08:30):
And so I did, and I, it took me three years to get a two
year degree in philosophy, but Iwas fine.
Got done in 2010 andsubsequently got a job teaching,
uh, one class online and oneclass in a classroom.
(08:53):
And, uh.
I went ahead and taught for 11years.
Oh wow.
And um, then because of familythings I needed to, to move and
kind of consolidate my family,so that led me.
(09:13):
To Texas and uh, so here I livein Frisco, Texas.
Oh, we're
Carrie (09:19):
glad you're here in Texas.
Yeah.
I have a real quick question,Brittany.
Sure.
Yeah.
Did you ever find out what kindof tumor you had?
James (09:26):
Yes, it was an astrocytoma grade two.
Carrie (09:29):
Okay.
Wow.
James (09:31):
And they told me at the time that it did not respond to
chemo and radiation, so I didnot have that.
Okay.
So, and I go back for an MRIevery year.
Yeah.
To make sure it hasn't gottenback and there's hasn't been the
whole time.
So That's great.
That's wonderful.
That's good.
Yeah.
Brittany (09:49):
Yeah.
Um, so throughout your braininjury, so did you have a
supportive foundation during thebeginning of your brain injury?
James (09:56):
Very, I was married.
At the time, and my wife, Pam,was really instrumental.
I mean, I was released from thehospital in a wheelchair,
couldn't walk.
My balance was messed up, andPam would take me to the park
(10:18):
where there's grass and I wouldsit there and walk and we had,
and she, I still to this day onmy office, well, mm-hmm.
I have this medal that she gotme and it says, you know, 784
steps, congratulations.
Oh, that's cool.
(10:38):
So anyway, Pam was justinstrumental in, in helping me,
not only with that, but alsowith, uh, just day to day life
things.
And, um, of course the mother ofour daughter and Right.
We were married until, well, for22 years.
(11:00):
And, uh, then we, we parted waysand, um, and she lives out in
Las Vegas.
Oh, fun for her.
Carrie (11:10):
Yeah.
So with, I mean, that's greatthat you had a wonderful,
supportive background.
Not, I know not everybody has,has that, um.
And I know one of the reasonsthat we brought you here today
is'cause you're veryinstrumental with support
groups.
So did you have, were you ableto find support groups when you
had your injury?
I, is that what led you intowant to leading support groups
or getting into it?
James (11:30):
I, I, you know, honestly what led me into leading support
groups is my study in philosophyand how that kind of connects to
psychology.
And human experience.
And actually one of the papers,well, two of the papers that I
put together and one I publishedwas regarding traumatic brain
(11:51):
injury and philosophy andextent, a strange corona nerve
philosophy and mm-hmm havetraumatic brain injury
intersects with that.
Carrie (12:03):
Okay.
So that's what got you started.
So yeah.
James (12:06):
The little, I mean, you know, this is 33 years ago, so
the support group environmentwas non-existent.
I mean, you know, it's kind offunny because I talk about MRI
being this cutting edge weirdthing, you know, and it was like
on the trailer in the back of ahospital, you know, just, it was
just kind of a, kind of a sillything.
(12:28):
But yeah, I did do some smartgroups, but most of my recovery
was just.
My, my, oh no, I'm not gonnalive this way.
I've got a life to live.
And I still approach things likethat and sometimes to my
(12:49):
detriment, but
Brittany (12:52):
So with the support groups that you lead, how many
do you actually lead?
James (12:57):
I lead one in New Mexico.
Mm-hmm.
Online of course.
And then one in Fort Worth.
Yeah.
And then here.
Okay.
In Plano.
So three right now's.
Carrie (13:12):
Have you done, did you, have you done others elsewhere
as well, or?
James (13:15):
No, that's the only, I've only done these three, actually.
I hooked up with the Albuquerquegroup.
Mm-hmm.
I was in Albuquerque doing somefurther studying in philosophy.
Mm-hmm.
And I connected with the BrainInjury group and until I work
with them Nice.
And then Covid put everythingonline.
(13:35):
Right.
So I jumped right in after Imoved and, and, uh, yeah.
Carrie (13:41):
So, well, how did you hear about Brain Injury Network?
James (13:45):
Um, I'm trying to think.
When I was in Albuquerque, Iknew I was moving out here.
I started looking and I found.
BIND.
Mm-hmm.
And I also found the GreyMatters.
Okay.
Tumor support group.
And so I reached out to each oneand I came here to visit.
(14:09):
And, um, so I just, I knew itexisted and I thought, okay, I
need to get my feet on theground and then reach out.
And the Plano or the, uh, GreyMatters group has been great.
Mm-hmm.
And, um, of course the BrainInjury Network has been
(14:30):
wonderful as well.
And I look forward to cominghere each week and every other
week with, uh, Fort Worth.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Brittany (14:40):
On Zoom.
Yeah, I know.
Yeah.
So, um, so I know in Fort Worthone our support group, but you
know, we talk about wellbeing.
But that's all I can say.
cause, you know, confidential.
But what do you do for yourwellbeing?
James (14:57):
Well, I mean, one, the one huge thing I've done
throughout my life is, uh, I, Ihave a three three wheel
recumbient trike, I guess.
Mm-hmm.
And, uh, I had, I had that inprobably 2005 or something until
(15:17):
just here recently.
And I have another one, but, um,I done a lot of bike riding and
I mean, I would just keep myselfin in shape.
I, of course had a body thatdidn't respond to the brain
signals very well at all, andum, but I would get outside and
(15:38):
ride and it was much easier whenI was in Colorado because just
the nature of where I lived, Icould get out where there was
not many cars and things.
And so I, you know, thatculminated with a 75 mile ride
Carrie (15:56):
Oh wow.
Race thing
James (15:57):
in the mountains of Colorado.
And, uh, I did that twice and,and, uh, it, it kept me in good
shape and it's just kept mementally, I don't know.
I, you know, one thing fromhaving a child is that there is.
Always a whole lot of stuffgoing on.
Mm-hmm.
It's always just busy sensoryoverload kind of things.
(16:22):
And, uh, that, that gave mepeace.
It was just me and the bike outand the ducks or the cows or
whatever, you know.
Brittany (16:31):
So you said sensory overload, which I know I get a
lot of sensory overload.
So what do you do, like, morespecific for when you have like
sensory overload, like when youcan't go biking or something?
Like what do you do like.
James (16:44):
Honestly, like I live by myself, which is good.
I kind of choose how much I, I,I get.
Um.
But you know, one simple thing Idid when my daughter was playing
soccer and you know, stuff likethat is I just wore a baseball
(17:05):
hat and that kept the lightsfrom shining down on me as much.
And I found that to be, I stilldo that to this day when I am
out anywhere I wear a baseballhat.
And, uh,
Brittany (17:20):
I know, and then
James (17:20):
also I, throughout my whole.
Life have maintained my ownoffice where I work and do this,
that and the other.
And it's kind of my littlesanctuary and my little escape.
And I mean, now living on myown, I don't need to worry about
that as much'cause the, but Istill do have my office where I
(17:44):
do things.
Carrie (17:46):
Sure.
Do you, now I'm curious, I'mgonna kind of go off script.
Um.
Like, we haven't really have ascript.
I'm just kidding.
But um, so do you still dabblein philosophy and teach classes?
I
James (17:57):
do.
I don't teach right now.
I've found that taking care ofmy mother and I also do some
stock trading and some thingsand some web stuff, and that
kind of takes all my time and sonot as much.
And, um.
But I still do read philosophyand you know, I understand
(18:21):
certain things.
I enjoy that.
Carrie (18:23):
Okay.
James (18:24):
And, uh,
Carrie (18:25):
do you, do you think having that background of
philosophy helps you in thesupport group especially Yes.
With brain injured survivors?
Yes, very much.
Because it's a very unique group
James (18:36):
because what certain aspects of philosophy teach you
is the, they kind of mess withthe nedro reality.
Like what and I, what realityis, and that may be pretty
similar for most people, butwhen you throw a brain injury
(18:56):
and do that, in reality, comestweak a little bit
Brittany (18:59):
and it
James (18:59):
affects how we
Carrie (19:02):
Right.
Deal
James (19:03):
with life.
I guess
Carrie (19:04):
our reality a little different than everyone else's
reality.
Definitely.
And
James (19:08):
so when I talk to folks and you know, and support
groups, I just.
Have them talk about how thingsseem and this and that and the
other, and what's going on.
And, you know, tactics that I'veused, I try and teach.
I mean my, the support grouphere is entitled Problem Solver
(19:30):
Support Group.
Mm-hmm.
And like so much of the way I'veaddressed things has to do with.
Managing my time.
I mean, it makes life kind ofpredictable and boring in a lot
of ways.
But it, you know, I found thatjust get up in the morning.
I know right.
What I'm doing, I just, and it'skind of silly.
(19:51):
My dog knows what, what, whatI'm doing.
So it's kind, it's kind offunny, but I use a calendar on
my computer.
Mm-hmm.
And it, it is through iCloud.
Hmm.
It sends that to my phone so Ican pull up my calendar when I'm
(20:13):
here, when I'm there, when I'mhome, wherever.
And I've just gotten in thehabit of whenever I think of
something I'll, I know I'llforget.
So I just like fact, I buycoffee beans, so I go put that
on my list right away and I havemy life set up like that.
And then also one thing I do isabout two o'clock, maybe three
(20:38):
o'clock in the afternoon, I justshut down.
And I'm like, all right, timefor me to go take a shower and
take a nap and just do low stakestuff and watch tv.
And you know, it culminates withme watching some pretty junky
tv.
Yeah.
That last hour was like, oh mygoodness, I can't believe I
(20:59):
watched that.
Brittany (21:00):
Yeah.
So, um, the support group hereyou said, talking about problem
solving.
So in the support group, what'sthe most common issues that you
see with brain injury Survivors?
James (21:11):
People like get tired.
Mm-hmm.
Or have trouble managing time.
Mm-hmm.
I mean, it goes back to, youknow, the calendar and people,
maybe they'll write down thingson sticky notes and you have a
wall of sticky notes and it is amess, you know?
And so one I'm trying to teachis like con consolidate it into
(21:33):
one calendar and that's likeyour go-to thing.
Brittany (21:36):
Mm-hmm.
Which I think on one of our, um.
Support groups that we had inFort Worth.
You're talking about timemanagement and then I keep
forgetting to take the pictureof it, but I told you that I put
a dry erase board calendar on mygarage door, the door that like
I exit out of.
And so I just changed thecalendar each month and I put
(21:56):
little magnets on there, likewhat times I have to do what
BIND cluhouse stuff use since Igo to Fort Worth and Plano, so
Perfect.
James (22:03):
Yeah.
And it's really, yeah.
That's when Another, anotherthing is, like I was saying, I
just have organized my life towhere I live, kind of a quote
unquote, part-time lifestyle,and I just have to accept that.
And I know that society is notbig on that kind of thing, but
(22:25):
you know, I mean, hey.
Carrie (22:27):
No, I mean, but I get it.
I mean, we do, you know.
Mm-hmm.
Brain injured survivors have tohave a little bit more routine
and structure program into theirlife.
But so what do you feel is, um,some of the benefits of support
group for new survivors?
For those that maybe are tryingto consider considering a
support group for me or not?
James (22:47):
Just to, to listen to them, to understand, to listen
to what they're going throughand provide some gentle.
Encouragement as to how theymight deal with this, and I
understand what you're goingthrough, kind of thing.
(23:08):
And I, you know, and I can say,you know, I was brain injured 33
years ago and here's how I dealtwith A, B, or C, you know, and,
uh, just little stuff.
Carrie (23:22):
Yeah, throughout mean that's good because we all kind
of need that little reminderthat mm-hmm.
James (23:27):
But, and then to, you know, convey to them, hey,
reality is you know, withoutsending to space age or
religious or any kind of thingsaying, Hey, reality is kind of
a little bit skewed, you know,and so, and yeah, you're
probably going to get tired, youknow, in the afternoon.
Taking a nap is absolutely fine,you know?
Sure.
Carrie (23:48):
Absolutely.
Um, well.
I know that that's good.
I mean, we say that all thetime, you know, no one gets a
brain injured, like a braininjured.
So I think support groups, Imean, like when I, I mean my
stroke was 15 years ago andthere was no, there was no BIND,
there were no stroke.
The only stroke support group orbrain injury support group was
(24:09):
through the day neuro programthat I was a part of.
And I don't even think that Iwent to that because it was
just, I was like, eh, I don'tneed that.
James (24:18):
Well, I mean, we're all passed.
The medical intervention stuff.
Right.
And you know, I work for longhaul, having to go through
living with this thing thatdoesn't go away.
And it's like, you know, so Ithink BIND is really important
(24:39):
and organizations such as thatto help each person live their
life, you know?
For instance, falling.
Like that's something that'seasy for me to do and like I've
had to kind of organize where Ilive and you know, things like
that with those things in mind.
Brittany (24:58):
Mm-hmm.
Yeah,
Carrie (25:00):
totally.
Brittany (25:01):
Yeah.
So, um, what words of wisdomwould you give new survivors?
James (25:09):
I would just, uh, tell them to, hey.
Understand that this issomething that happens to many,
many people.
And um, it's not that strangethat there are places like Brain
(25:34):
Injury Network that Where peopleare, are that are dealing with
brain injury.
And there, there are resourcesout there and I wanna encourage
them to connect with otherpeople because I, I feel I.
So good when I interact with youguys because like you guys get
(25:58):
it, even though I don't know youdeeply.
I mean, you guys get me on alevel that no one else does and
like I get you the same way.
Carrie (26:08):
Right, exactly.
Well, James, we thank you somuch for joining us today and
I'm glad that I got to learn alittle bit more about your
background.
Like I said, I, I see you hereand there and your support group
here and there.
Didn't really know what broughtyou to us, so thank you so much
for joining us.
James (26:24):
Thank you very much.
Carrie (26:25):
And listers, we thank you for joining us too, and I
hope you learned something newas well.
Yeah.
Brittany (26:29):
And then if you would like to contact us, you can
email us atbindwaves@thebind.org or follow
us on Instagram at bindwaves, orvisit our website,
thebind.org/bindwaves
Carrie (26:45):
And again, don't forget to like, share, click the like
button, the share button and thesubscribe button, and I think
it's notify on YouTube so thatyou can get updated when we have
a new episode.
And continue listening whereveryou'd like.
And again, you can watch us onYouTube
Brittany (27:01):
and remember, you can find our new episodes on all
your favorite platforms.
Until next time.
Carrie (27:07):
Until next time.
We hope you've enjoyed listeningto bindwaves and continue to
support BIND in our nonprofitmission.
We support brain injurysurvivors as they reconnect into
the life, the community, andtheir workplace, and we couldn't
do that without great listenerslike you.
We appreciate each and every oneof you.
Continue watching.
Until next time.
Until next time.
Opinions shared by the guests of the show are their own
and do not necessarily representthe views of the hosts buying
waves or the Brain injurynetwork.
This podcast is forinformational purposes only, and
it's not a substitute forprofessional medical advice, the
diagnosis or treatment.
Always seek the advice of ahealthcare provider with any
(00:32):
questions you may have regardinga medical condition.
Thank you.
Brittany (00:38):
Hi, I'm Brittany and I'm brain injury survivor and
member of BIND.
Carrie (00:42):
And hi, I'm Carrie, a stroke survivor, and a member of
BIND as well.
And today we welcome JamesBrown.
Um, I know we've met James.
I know we've met several times,but I'm pretty excited to get to
know more about you and for ourlisteners to meet.
James is a traumatic braininjury survivor.
He has an MA philosophy from theUniversity of Illinois and has
also published several papers onTBIs.
(01:05):
So.
Welcome.
Brian (01:07):
Welcome to BIND Waves, the official podcast of the
Brain Injury Network of Dallas.
I'm Brian White, BINDs executivedirector.
On each episode, we'll beproviding insight into the brain
injury community.
We'll be talking to members andprofessionals regarding their
stories and the important roleof Binds Clubhouse.
We work as a team to inspirehope community and a sense of
(01:31):
purpose to survivors,caregivers, and the public.
Thank you for tuning intobindwaves.
Let's get on with the show.
James (01:38):
Thank you very much.
It's good to be here.
Carrie (01:41):
We're excited.
So to get started as James, justtell us a little bit about you
and then how you got yourinjury, how you sustained your
injury.
James (01:49):
Well, um, let's see.
I had a really normal childhoodin Colorado that's where I'm
from, I grew up being veryactive, and doing a lot of how
outdoor stuff.
Um.
See, I, I used to being veryactive.
I got a, I went through school.
(02:11):
I got a bachelor's degree inpolitical science from the
University of Colorado atBoulder, and then I got married
and we subsequently moved to St.
Southern California, LosAngeles, and.
I began law school out there andgoing to Pepperdine University.
(02:37):
I was in my first year of lawschool, started having these
strange neurological thingshappen to me.
I.
I could hear blood flowing in avest hall, which is kind of
weird.
Then I started getting thesereally intense headaches from
doing simple things like walkingupstairs.
Then it got really weird.
(02:58):
I went on a skiing trip for Iremember with my friends in law
school, and I was ordinarily areally good skier, but this time
I lost my balance a lot and Iwas getting sick and.
And then the final weird thingis I was later playing tennis
(03:20):
just for fun with that friend ofmine and I was trying, I was
trying to hit the ball, youknow, like you do.
And I couldn't make the ball hitthe racket that I was holding,
and I'm not a great tennisplayer, but I'm also
coordinated.
And so anyway, I was like, allright, something's wrong.
(03:41):
So anyway, after much innegotiation with the insurance
companies and back and forth,um, they decided that I need to
go in and get a CT scan or a CATscan, and they found a large
golfball size mass in the middleof my brain.
And he said, you need toemergency go over to this
(04:02):
hospital.
I get this new cutting edgetechnology thing called the MRI
and uh, so I did.
And um, they said, turn up, yougotta golf ball size his brain
tumor and.
They didn't know what type itwas or anything, and I was kind
(04:23):
of shortsighted.
I was like, oh, good.
I don't need to finish myhardcore project in law school,
have a few dates off.
I can only watch the Olympics ontv.
And that was going on at thatpoint.
And, um, then I, uh, laid inbed, watched the Olympics for a
(04:44):
few days, and they had me onmedication to make you feel
better and all of that.
And then they did the surgery onme, and the surgeon told me that
you'll be, it's like plucking apickle outta a jar and the
tumor.
Mm-hmm.
You'll be back to law school inwe, or in a month.
(05:05):
I'm sorry.
So that's kind of my, the way Ilooked at it.
Well, uh, there were, it wasnot, like plucking a pickle a
out of jar, several hours ofsurgery, and I.
There were complications and it,uh, made, made a lot of bleeding
(05:25):
happen.
And, and basically it, I endedup in a coma for two months and
my hospital stay was fourmonths.
I ended up with a prettysignificant disability.
It's, uh, um, the way my braincontrols my body is, is not
(05:45):
right and, uh.
But you know, this is reallykey.
Uh, when I kind of came to formy coma, I'm like, no, I'm not
gonna accept this thing.
I'm 24 years old.
(06:05):
I've got life ahead of me.
And I didn't know what it wasgonna look like, but I'm like,
no.
And that's been my attitude for33 years since.
And.
Uh, we moved from SouthernCalifornia back to Colorado, and
I mean, and like two weekslater, my wife was pregnant with
(06:28):
our child and I didn't quiteknow how I was gonna work in
disabled body and, uh, so awayway.
I'm glad, uh, to announce thatSo my daughter's great.
She's a physician assistant inNorth Carolina doing really
well.
Um.
She's done really, reallynicely.
(06:50):
I, in, well, I worked as a, a,um, web programmer mm-hmm.
For a while.
I've learned how an internetprogram and do some stuff like
that.
And I did that for a number ofyears and kind of, kind of, you
know, I did that and I gotfairly decent at it, but I was
(07:12):
kind of, I didn't like it thatmuch.
And I kind of decided I wantedto go back to something I was
interested and that wasphilosophy.
And so I found this brand newprogram online from the
University of Illinois to get amaster's degree in philosophy.
(07:32):
So to see if I could hackacademic work, I.
Uh, I took some communitycolleges courses locally at the
community college and I alreadyhad a four year degree, so I
mean, it was pretty low stakesand I, I, um, took those
(07:58):
courses, did really well withthem.
I ended up also taking somecomputer network certification
course and then got certified insome of that stuff.
But I always kind of kept likethe main part of it was, um,
philosophy.
Mm-hmm.
Some history and things liketraditional academic stuff.
(08:21):
And I did really well in thatand I said, okay, I think we're
gonna go to master's degree.
'cause I wanted to teachphilosophy.
Brittany (08:30):
Hmm.
James (08:30):
And so I did, and I, it took me three years to get a two
year degree in philosophy, but Iwas fine.
Got done in 2010 andsubsequently got a job teaching,
uh, one class online and oneclass in a classroom.
(08:53):
And, uh.
I went ahead and taught for 11years.
Oh wow.
And um, then because of familythings I needed to, to move and
kind of consolidate my family,so that led me.
(09:13):
To Texas and uh, so here I livein Frisco, Texas.
Oh, we're
Carrie (09:19):
glad you're here in Texas.
Yeah.
I have a real quick question,Brittany.
Sure.
Yeah.
Did you ever find out what kindof tumor you had?
James (09:26):
Yes, it was an astrocytoma grade two.
Carrie (09:29):
Okay.
Wow.
James (09:31):
And they told me at the time that it did not respond to
chemo and radiation, so I didnot have that.
Okay.
So, and I go back for an MRIevery year.
Yeah.
To make sure it hasn't gottenback and there's hasn't been the
whole time.
So That's great.
That's wonderful.
That's good.
Yeah.
Brittany (09:49):
Yeah.
Um, so throughout your braininjury, so did you have a
supportive foundation during thebeginning of your brain injury?
James (09:56):
Very, I was married.
At the time, and my wife, Pam,was really instrumental.
I mean, I was released from thehospital in a wheelchair,
couldn't walk.
My balance was messed up, andPam would take me to the park
(10:18):
where there's grass and I wouldsit there and walk and we had,
and she, I still to this day onmy office, well, mm-hmm.
I have this medal that she gotme and it says, you know, 784
steps, congratulations.
Oh, that's cool.
(10:38):
So anyway, Pam was justinstrumental in, in helping me,
not only with that, but alsowith, uh, just day to day life
things.
And, um, of course the mother ofour daughter and Right.
We were married until, well, for22 years.
(11:00):
And, uh, then we, we parted waysand, um, and she lives out in
Las Vegas.
Oh, fun for her.
Carrie (11:10):
Yeah.
So with, I mean, that's greatthat you had a wonderful,
supportive background.
Not, I know not everybody has,has that, um.
And I know one of the reasonsthat we brought you here today
is'cause you're veryinstrumental with support
groups.
So did you have, were you ableto find support groups when you
had your injury?
I, is that what led you intowant to leading support groups
or getting into it?
James (11:30):
I, I, you know, honestly what led me into leading support
groups is my study in philosophyand how that kind of connects to
psychology.
And human experience.
And actually one of the papers,well, two of the papers that I
put together and one I publishedwas regarding traumatic brain
(11:51):
injury and philosophy andextent, a strange corona nerve
philosophy and mm-hmm havetraumatic brain injury
intersects with that.
Carrie (12:03):
Okay.
So that's what got you started.
So yeah.
James (12:06):
The little, I mean, you know, this is 33 years ago, so
the support group environmentwas non-existent.
I mean, you know, it's kind offunny because I talk about MRI
being this cutting edge weirdthing, you know, and it was like
on the trailer in the back of ahospital, you know, just, it was
just kind of a, kind of a sillything.
(12:28):
But yeah, I did do some smartgroups, but most of my recovery
was just.
My, my, oh no, I'm not gonnalive this way.
I've got a life to live.
And I still approach things likethat and sometimes to my
(12:49):
detriment, but
Brittany (12:52):
So with the support groups that you lead, how many
do you actually lead?
James (12:57):
I lead one in New Mexico.
Mm-hmm.
Online of course.
And then one in Fort Worth.
Yeah.
And then here.
Okay.
In Plano.
So three right now's.
Carrie (13:12):
Have you done, did you, have you done others elsewhere
as well, or?
James (13:15):
No, that's the only, I've only done these three, actually.
I hooked up with the Albuquerquegroup.
Mm-hmm.
I was in Albuquerque doing somefurther studying in philosophy.
Mm-hmm.
And I connected with the BrainInjury group and until I work
with them Nice.
And then Covid put everythingonline.
(13:35):
Right.
So I jumped right in after Imoved and, and, uh, yeah.
Carrie (13:41):
So, well, how did you hear about Brain Injury Network?
James (13:45):
Um, I'm trying to think.
When I was in Albuquerque, Iknew I was moving out here.
I started looking and I found.
BIND.
Mm-hmm.
And I also found the GreyMatters.
Okay.
Tumor support group.
And so I reached out to each oneand I came here to visit.
(14:09):
And, um, so I just, I knew itexisted and I thought, okay, I
need to get my feet on theground and then reach out.
And the Plano or the, uh, GreyMatters group has been great.
Mm-hmm.
And, um, of course the BrainInjury Network has been
(14:30):
wonderful as well.
And I look forward to cominghere each week and every other
week with, uh, Fort Worth.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Brittany (14:40):
On Zoom.
Yeah, I know.
Yeah.
So, um, so I know in Fort Worthone our support group, but you
know, we talk about wellbeing.
But that's all I can say.
cause, you know, confidential.
But what do you do for yourwellbeing?
James (14:57):
Well, I mean, one, the one huge thing I've done
throughout my life is, uh, I, Ihave a three three wheel
recumbient trike, I guess.
Mm-hmm.
And, uh, I had, I had that inprobably 2005 or something until
(15:17):
just here recently.
And I have another one, but, um,I done a lot of bike riding and
I mean, I would just keep myselfin in shape.
I, of course had a body thatdidn't respond to the brain
signals very well at all, andum, but I would get outside and
(15:38):
ride and it was much easier whenI was in Colorado because just
the nature of where I lived, Icould get out where there was
not many cars and things.
And so I, you know, thatculminated with a 75 mile ride
Carrie (15:56):
Oh wow.
Race thing
James (15:57):
in the mountains of Colorado.
And, uh, I did that twice and,and, uh, it, it kept me in good
shape and it's just kept mementally, I don't know.
I, you know, one thing fromhaving a child is that there is.
Always a whole lot of stuffgoing on.
Mm-hmm.
It's always just busy sensoryoverload kind of things.
(16:22):
And, uh, that, that gave mepeace.
It was just me and the bike outand the ducks or the cows or
whatever, you know.
Brittany (16:31):
So you said sensory overload, which I know I get a
lot of sensory overload.
So what do you do, like, morespecific for when you have like
sensory overload, like when youcan't go biking or something?
Like what do you do like.
James (16:44):
Honestly, like I live by myself, which is good.
I kind of choose how much I, I,I get.
Um.
But you know, one simple thing Idid when my daughter was playing
soccer and you know, stuff likethat is I just wore a baseball
(17:05):
hat and that kept the lightsfrom shining down on me as much.
And I found that to be, I stilldo that to this day when I am
out anywhere I wear a baseballhat.
And, uh,
Brittany (17:20):
I know, and then
James (17:20):
also I, throughout my whole.
Life have maintained my ownoffice where I work and do this,
that and the other.
And it's kind of my littlesanctuary and my little escape.
And I mean, now living on myown, I don't need to worry about
that as much'cause the, but Istill do have my office where I
(17:44):
do things.
Carrie (17:46):
Sure.
Do you, now I'm curious, I'mgonna kind of go off script.
Um.
Like, we haven't really have ascript.
I'm just kidding.
But um, so do you still dabblein philosophy and teach classes?
I
James (17:57):
do.
I don't teach right now.
I've found that taking care ofmy mother and I also do some
stock trading and some thingsand some web stuff, and that
kind of takes all my time and sonot as much.
And, um.
But I still do read philosophyand you know, I understand
(18:21):
certain things.
I enjoy that.
Carrie (18:23):
Okay.
James (18:24):
And, uh,
Carrie (18:25):
do you, do you think having that background of
philosophy helps you in thesupport group especially Yes.
With brain injured survivors?
Yes, very much.
Because it's a very unique group
James (18:36):
because what certain aspects of philosophy teach you
is the, they kind of mess withthe nedro reality.
Like what and I, what realityis, and that may be pretty
similar for most people, butwhen you throw a brain injury
(18:56):
and do that, in reality, comestweak a little bit
Brittany (18:59):
and it
James (18:59):
affects how we
Carrie (19:02):
Right.
Deal
James (19:03):
with life.
I guess
Carrie (19:04):
our reality a little different than everyone else's
reality.
Definitely.
And
James (19:08):
so when I talk to folks and you know, and support
groups, I just.
Have them talk about how thingsseem and this and that and the
other, and what's going on.
And, you know, tactics that I'veused, I try and teach.
I mean my, the support grouphere is entitled Problem Solver
(19:30):
Support Group.
Mm-hmm.
And like so much of the way I'veaddressed things has to do with.
Managing my time.
I mean, it makes life kind ofpredictable and boring in a lot
of ways.
But it, you know, I found thatjust get up in the morning.
I know right.
What I'm doing, I just, and it'skind of silly.
(19:51):
My dog knows what, what, whatI'm doing.
So it's kind, it's kind offunny, but I use a calendar on
my computer.
Mm-hmm.
And it, it is through iCloud.
Hmm.
It sends that to my phone so Ican pull up my calendar when I'm
(20:13):
here, when I'm there, when I'mhome, wherever.
And I've just gotten in thehabit of whenever I think of
something I'll, I know I'llforget.
So I just like fact, I buycoffee beans, so I go put that
on my list right away and I havemy life set up like that.
And then also one thing I do isabout two o'clock, maybe three
(20:38):
o'clock in the afternoon, I justshut down.
And I'm like, all right, timefor me to go take a shower and
take a nap and just do low stakestuff and watch tv.
And you know, it culminates withme watching some pretty junky
tv.
Yeah.
That last hour was like, oh mygoodness, I can't believe I
(20:59):
watched that.
Brittany (21:00):
Yeah.
So, um, the support group hereyou said, talking about problem
solving.
So in the support group, what'sthe most common issues that you
see with brain injury Survivors?
James (21:11):
People like get tired.
Mm-hmm.
Or have trouble managing time.
Mm-hmm.
I mean, it goes back to, youknow, the calendar and people,
maybe they'll write down thingson sticky notes and you have a
wall of sticky notes and it is amess, you know?
And so one I'm trying to teachis like con consolidate it into
(21:33):
one calendar and that's likeyour go-to thing.
Brittany (21:36):
Mm-hmm.
Which I think on one of our, um.
Support groups that we had inFort Worth.
You're talking about timemanagement and then I keep
forgetting to take the pictureof it, but I told you that I put
a dry erase board calendar on mygarage door, the door that like
I exit out of.
And so I just changed thecalendar each month and I put
(21:56):
little magnets on there, likewhat times I have to do what
BIND cluhouse stuff use since Igo to Fort Worth and Plano, so
Perfect.
James (22:03):
Yeah.
And it's really, yeah.
That's when Another, anotherthing is, like I was saying, I
just have organized my life towhere I live, kind of a quote
unquote, part-time lifestyle,and I just have to accept that.
And I know that society is notbig on that kind of thing, but
(22:25):
you know, I mean, hey.
Carrie (22:27):
No, I mean, but I get it.
I mean, we do, you know.
Mm-hmm.
Brain injured survivors have tohave a little bit more routine
and structure program into theirlife.
But so what do you feel is, um,some of the benefits of support
group for new survivors?
For those that maybe are tryingto consider considering a
support group for me or not?
James (22:47):
Just to, to listen to them, to understand, to listen
to what they're going throughand provide some gentle.
Encouragement as to how theymight deal with this, and I
understand what you're goingthrough, kind of thing.
(23:08):
And I, you know, and I can say,you know, I was brain injured 33
years ago and here's how I dealtwith A, B, or C, you know, and,
uh, just little stuff.
Carrie (23:22):
Yeah, throughout mean that's good because we all kind
of need that little reminderthat mm-hmm.
James (23:27):
But, and then to, you know, convey to them, hey,
reality is you know, withoutsending to space age or
religious or any kind of thingsaying, Hey, reality is kind of
a little bit skewed, you know,and so, and yeah, you're
probably going to get tired, youknow, in the afternoon.
Taking a nap is absolutely fine,you know?
Sure.
Carrie (23:48):
Absolutely.
Um, well.
I know that that's good.
I mean, we say that all thetime, you know, no one gets a
brain injured, like a braininjured.
So I think support groups, Imean, like when I, I mean my
stroke was 15 years ago andthere was no, there was no BIND,
there were no stroke.
The only stroke support group orbrain injury support group was
(24:09):
through the day neuro programthat I was a part of.
And I don't even think that Iwent to that because it was
just, I was like, eh, I don'tneed that.
James (24:18):
Well, I mean, we're all passed.
The medical intervention stuff.
Right.
And you know, I work for longhaul, having to go through
living with this thing thatdoesn't go away.
And it's like, you know, so Ithink BIND is really important
(24:39):
and organizations such as thatto help each person live their
life, you know?
For instance, falling.
Like that's something that'seasy for me to do and like I've
had to kind of organize where Ilive and you know, things like
that with those things in mind.
Brittany (24:58):
Mm-hmm.
Yeah,
Carrie (25:00):
totally.
Brittany (25:01):
Yeah.
So, um, what words of wisdomwould you give new survivors?
James (25:09):
I would just, uh, tell them to, hey.
Understand that this issomething that happens to many,
many people.
And um, it's not that strangethat there are places like Brain
(25:34):
Injury Network that Where peopleare, are that are dealing with
brain injury.
And there, there are resourcesout there and I wanna encourage
them to connect with otherpeople because I, I feel I.
So good when I interact with youguys because like you guys get
(25:58):
it, even though I don't know youdeeply.
I mean, you guys get me on alevel that no one else does and
like I get you the same way.
Carrie (26:08):
Right, exactly.
Well, James, we thank you somuch for joining us today and
I'm glad that I got to learn alittle bit more about your
background.
Like I said, I, I see you hereand there and your support group
here and there.
Didn't really know what broughtyou to us, so thank you so much
for joining us.
James (26:24):
Thank you very much.
Carrie (26:25):
And listers, we thank you for joining us too, and I
hope you learned something newas well.
Yeah.
Brittany (26:29):
And then if you would like to contact us, you can
email us atbindwaves@thebind.org or follow
us on Instagram at bindwaves, orvisit our website,
thebind.org/bindwaves
Carrie (26:45):
And again, don't forget to like, share, click the like
button, the share button and thesubscribe button, and I think
it's notify on YouTube so thatyou can get updated when we have
a new episode.
And continue listening whereveryou'd like.
And again, you can watch us onYouTube
Brittany (27:01):
and remember, you can find our new episodes on all
your favorite platforms.
Until next time.
Carrie (27:07):
Until next time.
We hope you've enjoyed listeningto bindwaves and continue to
support BIND in our nonprofitmission.
We support brain injurysurvivors as they reconnect into
the life, the community, andtheir workplace, and we couldn't
do that without great listenerslike you.
We appreciate each and every oneof you.
Continue watching.
Until next time.
Until next time.
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