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Home My WebLink AboutThe Huron Expositor, 1995-08-23, Page 5News and Views Head injury families share pain By Nelik Evans SSP News Staff Comforting words were _extended between 20 head injury survivors, their par- ents and spouses at Huron County's first support meet- ing August 17. People from Dashwood, Hensall, Bayfield, Vanastra, Goderich, Seaforth, Exeter and Teeswater discovered they have a lot in common, yet reaffirmed what they already knew -that two head injuries are not the same. The meeting was presented by the Head Injury Association of London and District at the Hensall United Church. At one end of the scale was an Exeter teen who suffered what he called a "minor head injury" about a year ago. As he prepares for Grade 12, he copes with short term memo- ry loss. At the other end, a young Goderich woman. Penny, completely lost her memory of life before she was 13 years old when she suffered a head injury. She was unconscious for 90 days. Her father, Don, told the group she understands every word spoken but becomes frustrated when she can't find the words to communi- cate, "We came through it...well...we think, just beau- tiful: Penny has no past. it's all future." said Don. "1 can remember the god -awful times in the hospital when I had to raise hell. They called me an overprotective father." "I was called the same." said Ruth Denomme of Dashwood, the mother of a son with a head injury. "Who else will do it if you don't," said a Hensall arca mother. A Goderich family told of stress and uncertainty, cop- ing with their son's brain stem injury which occurred June 11, 1995. He lies at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital, Goderich, able to make throat sounds and blink his eyes. "You will find that speech and swallowing will be the last thing to recover," said speech pathologist Guloo Austin, who chaired the meeting. "The pressure you are feel- ing yourself is beyond imagi- nation," said Don. And that's exactly the rea- son these people travelled up to 45 minutes to come to Hensall. They simply need emotional support. While association founder Austin and executive direc- tor Gary Davies said the association works closely with the medical profession, they also admitted doctors are sometimes unable to encourage families. Knowledge about the brain is still limited, they said. "Don't ever take that they 'plateaued' from doctors," said Austin. "(Doctors) don't give you any hope at all so you're happy with everything that happens," said Denomme, who's 21 -year-old son Wayne is a head injury sur- vivor. He was in a coma for several weeks and didn't speak for three months after the accident, but now is able to ride a bicycle. The Huron County group planned another meeting September 21 at 7 p.m. at the Hensall United Church. The meeting is part of a renewed effort by the association to serve the needs of its district including Huron, , Perth, Elgin, Middlesex and Oxford counties. For more information, con- tact the Head injury Association of London and District at Suite 307, 111 Waterloo.St., London, N6B 2M4 or 519-642-4539. JUNGLE BUDDIES - At the Seaforth library last week, brothers Michael Wolfe, 4, and Derek Wolfe, 7, show off their jungle buddy puppets to Chrissy O'Toole, organizer of Give gift of life in Seaforth The Red Cross needs your blood. On August 24, at the Seaforth and District Commun- ity Centres, a Blood Donor Clinic will be held from 5-8:30 p.m. Here are some of the reasons your help is needed: • Every 20 seconds, someone in Canada needs blood or blood products. •An accident victim can require as many as three body replace- ments of blood within 24 hours (approximately 15 litres). *Burn victims need the compo- nent plasma and will need end- less transfusions. • Leukemia patients need platelets because their bone marrow can't product enough and the cancer treatments destroy what few platelets they have. •Organ transplant patients can use 60 units or more of blood cells and components. Please bring two pieces of I.D. to the blood donor clinic. Congratulations to committee Homecoming '95 was a huge success, Mayor Irwin Johnston said to Seaforth Council on Aug. 8. "The Homecoming committee did an excellent job organizing this event," he said. "The com- mittee deserves all the con- gratulations wo can give them on a job well-done." Some people have suggested there be another reunion as the next five or ten years, accord- ing to the Mayor. Bill Teall stood up at the Council meeting to thank Dave Dale and members of the Seaforth Youth Group for their help taking chairs down during the weekend. PAUL QUFo PHOTO the Huron County Library Summer Reading Program. Derek's buddy was an elephant and Michael's was an imaginary animal. IN THE SHOW - Mark Franken, 13, of Brussels, hoses down the yearliHANK NYMAN PHOTO ng heifer Lockme Broker Darlene at the Huron County Holstein Show in Seaforth on Friday evening. Stanley Township Recreation Committee WIN A NEW TRUCK ELIMINATION DRAW AND DANCE Owner of the last ticket drawn has his/her choice of one of the three trucks listed below: 1995 Dodge 1/2 Ton - Supplied By The New Goderkh Chrysler Jeep 1995 Ford 1/2 Ton - Supplied By Hart Ford Mercury - Seaforth 5 Chev 1/2 Ton - Supplied By McLaughlin Chev Olds - Seaforth PHO E NOW! ONLY A FEW TICKETS REMAINING $100 A TICKET PRIZES: ELIMINATION DRAW TO BE HELD AT STANLEY RECREATION COMMITTEE DANCE SEPT. 2,1995 AT TOWNSHIP COMPLEX, VARNA Prizes awarded as drawn, no substitutions. Ticket purchase includes. Dance and Lunch for two people 19 years or over. ' Dance 8:30 p.m. - 1 a.m. ist Ticket Out S100 00 200th Ticket Out 5100.00 398th Ticket Out 1500 00 50th Ticket Out 5100 00 250th Ticket Out 5100.00 399th Ticket Out 51000.00 100th Ticket Out 1100.00 300th Ticket Out 5100.00 400th Ticket CM Truck 150th Ticket Out 8100.00 350th Ticket Out 5100.00 FOR TICKETS CALL: Lowell Mount 233-5876 or Jim Kirton 233-7103 PROCEEDS FOR LIGHTS AT STANLEY TWP. BASEBALL. 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