As a survivor of a TBI (traumatic brain injury), I never thought I’d share my journey—until I realized my experiences could help others in similar circumstances. My TBI didn’t stem from one dramatic event, but from a lifetime of impacts that I barely noticed at the time.
In high school I played tackle football using “spearing,” diving head-first into opponents helmet-to-helmet. We called the dizzy spells “bell ringing” and wore the scuffs on our helmets as badges of honor. No one talked about concussions back then, and I certainly didn’t.
After graduation I spent four years in the military, often in close proximity to training blasts. I also walked away from car crashes and street fights without any confirmed concussions. In every case I seemed unscathed—and yet, the damage was accumulating.
By 1984 I was plagued by sudden, debilitating migraine headaches that landed me in the emergency room. An MRI came back “normal,” and I was diagnosed with cluster migraines. My neurologist prescribed Fiorinal—a barbiturate-based remedy—that I took daily to function.
I battled nearly constant headaches for over 20 years. When I moved to Arizona in 2012, the Fiorinal kept the pain at bay, so I kept taking it—until 2023, when confusion, depression, and anxiety crept in.
At my wife’s urging I tried neurofeedback at the Scottsdale Neurofeedback Institute under Robert Gurney. After 90 sessions, not only did my symptoms improve, but I learned that long-term Fiorinal use actually worsens TBI. I immediately stopped the medication.
“I was surprised by my TBI diagnosis—I didn’t recall any single head injury, but the evidence was clear.”
Next, the Amen Clinics in Scottsdale used Brain SPECT imaging to confirm my TBI and chart a path forward. They prescribed targeted vitamins and 40 days of daily HBOT to support real brain healing.
Clinic sessions cost $150 each—too steep for twice-daily treatments—so I discovered the FDA-approved Summit to Sea home chambers. For a one-time investment, I brought HBOT home and now treat myself 1 hour a day with remarkable results.
I remain a patient at the Amen Clinics and continue to improve. I’m profoundly grateful for my wife’s support, my care team, and the technology that helped me reclaim my life.
Today, I share this story not for sympathy, but to offer hope. If you or a loved one face the hidden challenges of TBI, know that healing is possible—sometimes in the very place you call home.
