J’s Story: Conclusion

After my suicide attempt at UBH, the staff had me transported to a Denton hospital. After a friend of mine suggested I was Care Flighted to Parkland in Dallas where I was in ICU 8 days, that suggestion saved my life. After several operations I was moved to Zale Lipshy to begin rehab that would last a couple of years. The skill of Neuro Surgeon Howard Morgan minimized my brain damage. That was the only area minimized. I had severely diminished my cognitive skills. Weeks at Zale before I was released, several attempts as an outpatient, another attempted suicide, a couple of extended stays in psyche wards and finally a 5 month session at Center for Neuro Skills in Irving. My duration at CNS was the most productive and tedious. My friends and acquaintances fell to the wayside. My wife did the best she knew how. My children were traumatized and scared beyond words. Still are to this day. My lawyer Michael Hindman stood by my side with Blind Faith. He did the best he could in one of the toughest situations imaginable. My story began at my November 28th trial in Denton. Since July of 2015 my wife has filed for divorce, my children are splintered and I am trying to keep what family I have left together. I live on Disability which is reduced 50% by divorce support rulings. I’m making headway with my children and trying to reinvent my career after 33years in the field of athletic strength & conditioning. I’m working on my physical health with physical limitations from the building collapse. I’m managing my PTSD with therapy and medication. I learned first hand the poor state of mental health care and the negative connotations that follow it. In my rehabilitation process I watched a PBS broadcast about our mental health system. It was sponsored by the Haliburton family. In the broadcast they told a personal story that ended tragically. If a family with the means for unlimited help can’t find appropriate help, our country’s state of mental health illness is devastated.

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