This is a testimonial from a parent, about the work I am destined to do.

This is a copy of an email that was sent to me last week….

Dear Ernie,

You are Andrew’s earthly angel.  God put you in our path for a very good reason.  I think we were kinda stuck in a rut not knowing what to do next with his treatment.  Arturo would say let’s wait until he’s more ready but I would think how can he be more ready if he’s not getting aggressive therapy and I think It’s because we have had bad experience every place we have taken Andrew but … along comes you and guess what everything is moving..  Arturo is not saying anything and he’s going right along thanks to you. 

I have also schedule an appointment with Access.  Do you know how this transportation works?  We have an appointment next Thursday for their evaluation.

On the appointment system, you will need to walk me through once we get started.

I keep reminding Andrew what you said work, work and more work   

 

Maybe I misunderstood Marisa moving somewhere else with her vacation.

 

Rancho hasn’t called me. I left her message but no call back.  I’ll bug them tomorrow..

 

 

 

Thank You Ms. Marisa Mendez for allowing me to help, Andrew Mendez (no relation) who has had a Traumatic Brain Injury from a Snowboarding Accident as well. I met Andrew with you last Tuesday evening. Called some of my contacts….and Andrew is scheduled to go back to Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Hospital in Downey, CA….He has been confined to that Wheelchair, unable to stand for almost 4 years. Needless to say, he truly believed his life was over. I have given him a renewed sense of HOPE & CONFIDENCE for the future. I CAN DRAMATICALLY EFFECT LIVES OF OTHER PEOPLE W/ Traumatic Brain Injury. FEEL SOOOO GOOD.

I have made the contacts during the last 14 years of my own Rehabilitation and then those contacts which I have made beneficial Personal Relationships can DIRECTLY influence Andrews Recovery process.

 

Very fitting picture….

I believe that this is a very fitting picture to accompany this ‘Blog’, because Rehabilitation from Traumatic Brain Injury, mimics this picture perfectly.

You have embarked on a road that has NO end, but you are traveling down that road at your own pace, hopefully safely and securely.

You never know just what is beyond the next curve in the road!

It may be a new opportunity to better yourself or of people close to you. It may be a gain in functionality, or it may be that you have gotten free of that ‘momentary plateau’, and are headed toward your next advance.

There seems to be NO end in sight.

It can become rather disheartening at times, concentrating all your time into doing something for which, you ‘took totally for granted’, before you became a victim of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). You CANNOT give up! You have to FIGHT for everything!

Everyone  has different capabilities,  that’s not to say that things cannot be re-learned.

 

Fitness is the KEY, to overcoming Traumatic Brain Injury.

There is no doubt in my mind, that a Traumatic Brain Injury can be a Huge obstacle to scale. A large majority of your time is spend learning a specific skill or task, over a long period of time……I am not talking about minutes or hours, but days, months even years. This is a continual process of relearning, but there is a warm, soft, light at the end of this tunnel

Its a lot like becoming a newborn baby, again. Just like you had to learn to walk, talk, eat and drink, gaining Muscle strength the entire time. The old adage remains true, “Practice makes perfect”. I have learned so much worthwhile information recovering from this injury.  You will have the emotional strength to persevere through those many disheartening moments. There WILL be a lot of FAILURES, those failures will appear minute in comparison to living a functional life, for oneself again and everything gained in functionality.

I have also learned a great deal from the working professionals/Instructors about Recovery and ‘listening’ to my own body, both at USC’s Graduate School, and at the local gym, located less than 5 minute-drive from my home.

I have become rather fanatical about Health, Fitness and working out. I attempt to visit a local Fitness Center approximately 5-6 times a week for 3 hours at a time. I attempt on training a major muscle group (i.e. back, chest, shoulders, legs, abdominal muscles) as well as the musculature systems that support the movement of that main muscle group (i.e. biceps, triceps, obliques, hamstring & calves).  I also spend at least one hour doing Cardiovascular exercise.

I have never kept a journal, and know I should because it can be helpful, especially for monitoring your own progress. The functionality capacity of the human body is nothing but amazing. It has the ability to remember ALMOST EVERYTHING.  Some might agree with me, while are always those who strongly disagree. Do whatever works for you, but do it correctly!

My workout  schedule most usually looks like this:

Monday- Back, Biceps, Abdominals, 1 hour cycling (spinning) or elliptical.

Tuesday- Shoulders, Triceps, Pullups, Obliques, 1 hour elliptical

Wednesday- 1 hour of cycling, Glutes, Legs (Quads, Hamstrings, Calves). (less weight, more repitition…. 4 sets of 20)

Thursday- Day off OR Abdominals, Biceps, Triceps

Friday- Legs, Glutes, Hips

Saturday- Incline Bench press, Flat Bench Press, Butterflys, Triceps, abdominals

Sunday- Day off/ Church day

This is what I normally do, however there are times when life gets in the way. Nothing is set in stone….

I have to advise everyone to contact their Physician or Doctor BEFORE beginning any exercise regimen. Just because it has worked phenomenally well for me, this  doesn’t mean it will work for you, with same results. I don’t want to be held legally liable if someone gets injured following my ‘workout plan’.

Invitation to see Dr. Chris Powers at his newly established Private Clinic.

On 1/16/2012, I was asked to spend the morning hours at Dr. Chris Powers’ Private Physical Therapy Clinic. I had that meeting in the morning, then meeting my USC mentor Mr. Bruce Birkeland for lunch, that same afternoon. I first became aware of Dr. Chris Powers as I worked with one of his colleagues on USC’s HSC (Health Sciences Campus) Campus. Dr. Powers is an expert in his knowledge of GAIT dynamics, He is a ‘GuRu’.

Dr. Powers knows of me rather well, he has asked for my participation in quite a few Clinical Classroom Applications. He also knows of my past willingness to advance his cause of actively passing on his knowledge to the entire USC Physical Therapy program including staff and students, alike. There are only a select number of days that he is at that clinic since he is also a USC Professor.

This was the second time I had been asked to be a ‘patient’ there. I was a bit excited because videotapes where going to be made of me walking. Then those videotapes sent ‘out-of-state’ to another facility, in order to determine ways I could improve upon my present state of functionality.

Here are copies of the videotapes, made on 1/16/2012…..

………I am having some difficulty uploading that info. I will get this to you, just as soon as I find a remedy, I apologize.

 

 

DONT get overwhelmed….Its all about making ‘baby steps’ of improvement.

We have all heard the saying……’Rome wasn’t built in a single day.’ Well, the same thing holds true/apparent with your Rehabilitation, you have to re-learn the functional complexities of life. Because of my lengthy comatose state (45 days) It would take me some time to recover enough function to enjoy the same type of life I was accustomed to. During that time, my body completely ‘shut-down’, so when I awoke from my coma, EVERYTHING had to be re-learned. From the most basic, such as being able to use the Restroom independently, to the MORE dangerous; Emotionally taxing such as Time Management issues and the self inclusion of certain functions by the University of Southern California & independently crossing a ‘busy’ street in Downtown Los Angeles. I will never forget the look on my Mothers face the very first time I was handed a ‘fresh razor’ to give myself a shave, w/ Hospital staff supervision, of course. That sight almost gave my Mother a Coranary

You have to become a extremely patient person…This may be extremely difficult for certain ‘goal oriented’ persons, like myself. I would quite often ask myself, Did you work as Hard as you possibly could? YES Where you able to recognize a change in your functionality or Human function? NO. Well there was a very simple explanation for this……the movement (function) was something newly introduced to your brain, and therefore that particular movement/function has to be practiced so it becomes something you demonstrate without thinking about it, This takes an immense amount of time/dedication and personal commitment. Most are not up to the immense challenge. PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE……and then PRACTICE AGAIN.

It took me about 3 years for me to realize this fact. That was about the time when it really became ‘crystal clear’ to me….to be somewhat successful, I was going to have to work harder than I ever had before. It meant from “sun-up” at 5;00am until “sun-down” at 7:00pm, I would be going to some facility to forward my own Rehabilitation. But I was so overly motivated, that I seldom stopped the ‘reinforcement’ of movements until 10:00pm. Then I went to sleep, and got up the next day with the same sort of agenda….defying all odds set against me.

Baby-Steps add up

It may seem like a very insignificant progression forward, and in the ‘grand scheme of things’ it probably is very insignificant. BUT ITS A START, You remember as an infaant, forward progression began with a crawl, then a assisted walk, and finally you could perform the activity yourself w/o supervision. You have conquered the most difficult obstacle; having a sedentary lifestyle. The greatest obstacle is ‘sitting at home, feeling sorry for yourself’, CONFIDENT & FULLY realizing that you have the ability do this for yourself.

I always wanted to see VERY dramatic changes in myself, because nothing else seemed like it was not good enough. BUT IT WAS, Perhaps in week 1. you practice standing w/o an assist. Then in week 2 you practice that ‘weight shift’ onto that trailing limb. Then during week 3 you attempt your first step.Then in week 4 you are NO longer reliant on a wheelchair. As you gain increased levels of confidence, you will become more acclimated to societies mainstream. You began to realize that you are so much more than a broken, invalid inside a wheelchair. YOU ARE A WINNER, & I WANT YOU TO HAVE A FRUITFUL LIFE with a loving family by your side.

If you see how far an infant can walk over time,,,,it is a great amount of distance. Just add up all of your tiny ‘baby-steps’ of forward progression and I just know you can bring yourself farther.

 

‘New Beginning……make it the best it can be’.

For me, I wanted to obtain EVERYTHING that I had before having an accident of such overwhelming severity. I was very self-centered, before my accident totally changed my entire life. IT WAS ALL ABOUT ME & What that person could do to forward my career or social status. I can remember becoming a ‘regular’ at BOTH the neighborhood gym AND the “on-campus Fitness Center”, housed inside the Lyon Center at the University of Southern California.

I was so misguided in those days, I went to the gym purely for the attention I received by the other members/students, especially the female population….Not to ‘toot my own horn’, but I had been able to develop a very good Physical Stature for myself….and I relished every minute of it.

This all came to a ‘screeching halt’, after my accident. When discharged from the National Rehabilitation Hospital I weighed only 127 pounds. NOW, THE WHOLE GAME HAD CHANGED  WITH SUCH UNPRECEDENTED VELOCITY. I weighed in at 192 lbs when admitted to Loma Linda University Medical Center, after the ‘life-flight’ (helicopter flight) from the Mountains of Big Bear, CA.

I LOST 65 lbs of Muscle, which isn’t at all surprising because I did NO WEIGHT TRAINING or Cardiovascular work…..My ONLY concern was to work hard in my different therapies and to stay alive (NO COMPLICATIONS i.e. Phenomena, Cardiac complications). It was a ‘good thing’ that I had that 65 excess pounds of muscle, because I believe it sustained me throughout my intensive bouts with Rehabilitation.

I still continue to work-out on a daily basis, I just do it A LITTLE differently, than I used to. I have been asked to do a demonstration of some useful exercises by the facilitator of the BRAIN organization, later this month.

 

We are ALL the same……

While going through my educational pursuits, I learned that one of the most difficult is turning a one-time customer into a repeat customer.

I then thought, “what do I do on a daily basis, to overcome my accident”. Answer: Exercise, Exercise, Exercise.

I began to recognize the similarities between ‘Rehabilitation of TBI patients’ and the average training methods of an average Fitness Enthusiast, whether it be through resistance training or cardio-vascular training..

They are identical, both are at that gym facility to make themselves stronger and more self sufficient. But Gaining Muscular strength is at the heart of each.

I have also learned that a large part of my Neurological Rehabilitation was creating NEW connections or synapses  in my brain. This can be achieved by creating a ‘repetition of movement scenario’, for yourself. By making yourself do the exercise or movement once, then again, and again…. so much so, that it becomes like second nature to yourself. This is identical to what a Bodybuilder does to increase his strength level & muscle size.

 

I have something that is VERY difficult to duplicate….

Hello Friends,

With the ‘Holiday Rush’ it became rather difficult for me to ‘post’ messages to  all of you. I had an ‘a-ha moment’, while going through USC’s Marshall School of Business.

• I was constantly trying to search myself, for a characteristic that was different and provide myself with a competitive advantage, over my competition.

Just the fact that I was able to survive an severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) AND simultaneously earn a Bachelors of Science from one of this countries most favorable Institutions of higher learning, is a feat NOT easily duplicated.

What I can provide to someone battling a similar injury is almost unmatched. Please remember that only 0.5% to 1.0% of TBI victims Rehabilitate to reach my state of high functionality.

THAT WILL PROVE TO BE MY ‘COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE’, I will be able to give the ‘patients perspective’ to overcoming Traumatic Brain Injury.

I am also extremely knowledgeable in the fields of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitative Neurological Medicine. Having been introduced to Dr. Beth Fisher who is a Professor of Neurological Disorders on the Health Sciences Campus of USC. USC has consistently been rated #1 in the entire country in the teaching techniques used for Physical Therapy.

 

 

 

Resume and cover letter

Dear Sir/Madam:

While attending USC in 1998, I had a severe snowboarding accident, leaving me in a ‘coma’ for 45 days, with a severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).  Because I know firsthand how difficult it is to recover from a severe injury, and how much work it takes to accomplish one’s goals, I am certain that I can provide the support and motivation necessary to help others advance in their own recovery

After being in a comma for 45 days, my physical strength had deteriorated at an alarming rate, and I had to learn how to do everything all over again.  Individuals who have been able to attain significant improvement from a TBI accident such as mine have been estimated at 0.5% to 1.0%.

What I can bring to the employer:

• Motivational techniques
• Hope
• Many contacts that I made at/on the Health Sciences Campus of the University of Southern California
• The benefits of being:
• Determined
• Driven to succeed
• Goal Oriented
• Perseverance

 

I was fortunate that I had people in my life who gave me encouragement and emotional support so that I wouldn’t give up on my recovery, or my dreams. Both inside the atmosphere of a Physical Therapy clinic, and more importantly having a peaceful and stable home life, outside of that environment.  I was also extremely fortunate  that I was introduced to people who offered their assistance and worked extensively with me so that I could improve.

As part of my lengthy Rehabilitation I have had to become extremely knowledgeable about certain conditions, and how best to treat those conditions. I am routinely asked back to the Health Sciences Campus, The University of Southern California’s Graduate School, to assist the Director of Neurologic Disorders, Dr. Beth Fisher, in administering the ‘Final Exam’ to her many Graduate students. This establishes me as being knowledgeable in this area of recovery/this expertise, and it adds a great deal of credibility to my future pursuits. Dr. Beth Fisher is world renowned as one of the preeminent experts, in her field of knowledge. The Health Sciences Campus of USC has been regarded by many as  #1, in the entire nation for the premier learning experience it gives to its many Graduate Students.

I have worked alongside more than 700 aspiring Doctors of Physical Therapy, building a name for myself and have nurtured many of my ‘personal relationships’, I continue to hold very dear.

I work on my recovery every day – determined that I will continue to make serious improvements.

It is my hope and my strong belief that as a part of your organization I will be able to pass this on to others.

Sincerely,

Ernest Sickenberger

ERNEST L. SICKENBERGER

2036 Stonewood Court

San Pedro, California 90732

e.sickenberger@att.net

CAREER OBJECTIVE

It is my overall objective to offer hope, emotional support, inspiration and guidance for individuals who are struggling with recovery from mental/physical disability, including traumatic brain injury, stroke and spinal cord injuries inside a post-physical therapy environment.  By achieving a pre-determined set of parameters from a  Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), it is my objective to motivate and work with the client to achieve his/her personal goals, and  advance to his/her next level of recovery. Having the ultimate goal of achieving independent living, for oneself.

EDUCATION

University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business                              Fall 2006 – Spring 2009

Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies

Bachelors of Science in Business Administration

Los Angeles Harbor College – Advancing My own TBI Recovery                         Spring 1999-Dec, 2005

Various Adapted Physical Education Courses, including

Cardiovascular Fitness and Strength Training.

Coop Ed/Speech and Argumentation Speech Classes

Business Law I & II

University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business                              Fall 1996 – Spring 1998

Los Angeles Harbor College                                                                         Fall 1992- Spring 1996

Associates of Art in Liberal Arts

CERTIFICATION

American Council on Exercise (ACE)                       Personal Trainer                                    2009-present

EXPERIENCE

Los Angeles Harbor College-Adapted Physical Education Gym                              Volunteer Assistant       Motivate, support and work with clients with disabilities

USC Health Sciences Campus                                                                                   Volunteer Assistant

Work with Graduate Physical Therapy students to assist them in improving their

Therapeutic techniques.

In return, I receive the benefits of their knowledge and expertise.

 

HONORS & AWARDS

University of Southern California, Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneur Studies

            -2009 Marcia Israel Entrepreneurial Spirit Award

ACTIVITIES

Member of University of Southern California Entrepreneur Club