Student quotes regarding their hesitation in entering the ABI Program

“I was hesitant because, while I knew I wasn’t quite right anymore, I thought the program was going to be for more obviously severely disabled A.B.I. survivors. Instead, I found that the program was divided into three (now four) tiers, and I was put into a tier appropriate for my level.” – Tom P.

“I didn’t think that this program was for me. I thought it was tailored to people with severe brain injury. After talking to the staff and being at the introductory meeting, I realized it was the right place for people like me with mild brain injury.” – Anna D.

“Coastline’s ABI Program came highly recommended to me by my physical therapists as a next step in recovery. I really didn’t know what to expect short of “they were going to do some minor tweaking to the way that I think,” but I I had been convinced that this is where I needed to be. That was reinforced after my intake interview. I thought that they had placed me on the wrong team once I started in the computer lab with Michelle. Prior to my stroke I had very limited experience with computers, and my impression in class was that I was the only one that didn’t have a clue what she was talking about.” – Bill L.

“I didn’t think the program was right for me, because I thought that my condition was not severe enough and I did not want to have to go back to school again. After my interview and the first week of classes, I realized that the program was just what I needed to get myself back on track.”– Cody S.

“having just recently graduated from a University when the program was suggested to me; I insisted that everything the program would offer to help me with were things I would learn once I moved out and lived on my own. I was sure that even though I would always have to put more effort in to functioning in society than an uninjured person, I could still manage. After seeing the program a few times, having my parents preach it’s benefits to me repeatedly and finding no resources out there for continued recovery after being released from traditional physical and occupational therapy I decided Coastline was worth attending.” – Nicholas B.

“Although I had been referred to Coastline by 2 doctors and a vocational specialist, I was a little hesitant about even applying to the ABI Program due to my experience at Loma Linda. I was sent to Loma Linda for their speech therapy and cognitive rehab facilities. I felt like their rehab was set up for those individuals with more severe brain injuries than mine. We did some reading comprehension activities, but for the most part they kept telling me that I was ok and that they didn’t really know what else to do for me. They kind of left it up to me when I thought I should be discharged and the compromise that we came to was that when I could finish a Sudoku puzzle by myself, then I was ready to leave their program. I felt like I didn’t really get much from the time I spent there and I left Loma Linda feeling just as frustrated, if not more, than I was before I started there. I didn’t want the same thing to happen to me at Coastline. But, I was more than pleasantly surprised. I knew a few minutes into the ABI tour with Kim that Coastline was where I should have been all along.” – Kelly R.

“When I first started I was little frightened to he honest. I’m glad that my assumption were incorrect, because without the structure and the strategies I’m learning here, I would have not discovered the things that truly make me happy and to reach those goals.” – Erika V.

“My OT had mentioned the ABI program in passing but I didn’t think I needed it at the time. Had she said this is where you need to be I would have taken it more seriously. I remember after I did the testing that I said to my wife that I hope that I didn’t test myself out of the program by being too high functioning but the tests came back confirming my slow processing speed. I definitely feel that I was placed in the appropriate group for me.” – Neil C.

After I suffered my TBI I was searching for a place that could help me with my cognitive processes. I was finally referred to Coastline but after talking with a member of the staff I felt I was not ready for the program yet. I knew that I could not stay focused or awake 4 hours a day, 4 days a week for a lecture type of classroom. So I participated in a different program that had a small group setting with one on one speech and occupational therapy before coming to Coastline. After a few months my daily and weekly stamina was built up and I knew I was ready to move onto a classroom that would strengthen my cognitive processes. I am so happy that I didn’t just jump into Coastline for now I feel that I am in the perfect place at the perfect time. – Kristi P.

“I struggled with my limitations. All treating professionals felt I would not benefit from the ABI program. I tried to return to work and after a month was unsuccessful and further depressed. I came to ABI and felt “ambivalent” about being found eligible. I was glad to find somewhere I belonged and would learn strategies to cope…and sad that I was eligible as it validated I did have a mild ABI.” – Hortensia B.

“I was afraid the testing wouldn’t be able to detect my deficits. I’d been injured more than 25 years earlier, but went undiagnosed because of Post Concussion Syndrome. So I’d had a long time to figure out my own ‘work arounds’ for dealing with the dead zones, but knew there had to be better ways than what I’d come up with. ABI has turned out to be so much more than I had even hoped for. It has helped me define my goals for myself – really to discover that I could have goals – and focus on how to achieve them.” – Cathy E.