**If you don’t have time, or don’t enjoy reading, scroll to bottom for summary
One of The Odee Company’s long time print clients put it best by sending me the below text message after the Labor Day weekend:
“I ordered newsletters, not a seizure“
He then followed with:
“I am confident you will come out the other side somehow better for this experience as painful and gut-wrenching as it probably is right now…I simply wouldn’t expect anything less from you”.
Back in the fall of ’97 I started my college football career with the Mighty Fightin’ Kangaroos of Austin College in Sherman, TX. Being a QB, at what many claim to be “Quarterback U of North Central Texas DIII Schools” meant I wouldn’t see the field for sometime. But what that didn’t keep me from, was the practice field and playing scout team QB. For those not familiar with scout team, the Defensive Coordinator tells your scout team what play to run and what count to snap the ball on…in front of his starting defense. Here’s where the concussions come into play. I suffered 2 during the scout team days and 4-5 more from High School and remaining college years. Never thought much of them, just that it was a miserable experience for 4-5 days. If you said something or it was noticeable you would sit that week and couldn’t play. So only 2 were brought to the trainer’s attention and the school did the right thing in sitting me. I was no different than my teammates. If you ask a former football player if he has ever had a concussion, he would surely hesitate while formulating his total.
Glory Days 2000
Moving on, Father’s Day of ’09 I spent the weekend with Brother Russ and my Pops playing golf at a resort in Central Texas. Our ladies were on vacation in Ireland which allowed us the freedom to take our time in golfing and enjoying the weekend. Our last day at the resort was a hot one, so hot that the other 2 turned it in after the front 9 and I continued on. They drove back to Austin and I finished the back 9.
Not Central Texas
That afternoon I returned to Dallas. Sitting on my couch I began to have an aura like spell. I had suffered from these auras 2-3 times a year maybe…starting back around my Junior year at Austin College. How I best describe the auras; imagine recalling a dream you had from either the night before or several nights ago. You focus on it and it becomes more vivid and soon you begin to question if it really took place, or if you’re just imagining things. I would suddenly get nauseous and would have to sit down. It almost felt as if I was levitating and looking down onto my body. I can’t describe how sick and helpless I would feel. That night, I woke up around midnight in excruciating pain. I passed out from the shoulder pain and woke up again @ 2am, then 4am. I had shattered my scapula in 4 places.
Ouch
I mentioned the aura spell with my shoulder specialist. He shared with me that he had authored 4 text books on the scapula and that “shattering your scapula in 4 places, doesn’t happen in your sleep“. So I either had a tumor, or a seizure. At this point I was a wreck since I didn’t have a seizure. Numerous tests turned out that I was cancer free. So why the shattered scapula? Again, didn’t even fathom I could of had a seizure.
2 incident free years had passed and along came Labor Day weekend of 2011. Our final night at The Homestead in Hot Springs, VA. The day consisted of fly fishing the Orvis sponsored stream. An active pool session catapulting the wife from one side of the pool to the other. An afternoon nap before the Labor Day picnic and fireworks from the lawn. An aura when I woke from my nap. A shower. Shampoo in the hair, another aura…that’s all I remember.
Home of my last seizure
I can only recall a few images when I regained sensible consciousness. 6-8 people in the bathroom with me and for some reason I was outside of the shower on the floor between the toilet and bathtub. Still seems like a dream. Bath County Hospital was only a minute away. I have an image of the head EMT. Apparently a doctor was staying next door to our room and rushed in to handle the situation. My wife protected my head after I had banged it on the tile floor numerous times. Fortunately for me, family was there and I was safe.
Now a week after the drama, I’m medicated and diagnosed as having a tiny scar on my brain from one of my numerous concussions which causes the short circuit. The auras I have experienced are mini seizures as well. Not fun. Keppra is the drug of choice and is said to combat my migraines as well…win, win. After mentioning to my Neuro how I feel as if I played a full game yesterday, she responded by saying I exerted the same amount of energy as running a marathon, but in only 2 minutes.
Why am I blogging about this?
1) I want you to know that the exceptional customer service you’ve received in the past, will not change.
2) I cannot drive for 6 months, this just means you will see me and another Odee employee of your choosing. We’re versatile and like to hit the road.
3) Getting this off my chest and behind me feels good and hopefully I can assist at least 1 other individual out there who is going through a similar scenario.
4) It’s been painful, but we all know “Pain” is just weakness leaving the body.
5) Lastly, don’t worry about me. I’m medicated.
Lost a week but now I’m back at it, better than before. See you soon.
-Trav
Travis Stein
Principal Partner
The Odee Company; est. 1923
travis@odeecompany.com
