An open letter from a survivor.

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Please enjoy your trip your trip and thank you for caring for and bringing those you care about to enjoy this special program.

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My name is Tom Schuck.  I started coming this remarkable program in 2013.  I am also a survivor of a VAD (Vertebral Arterial Dissection) and multiple strokes, and lasting brain damage.  Now I volunteer at Sail CT Access by helping with the web page design and other activities. I also co-facilitate two support groups for survivors of brain injuries.

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For me, sailing and the freedom and enjoyment of being on the water provides a therapeutical experience in "feeling alive" like nothing else I experience, and the crew and staff of Sail CT Access are very special and gifted people who really care.

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So, I would like to offer a little unsolicited advice: Many individuals with brain injuries, regardless of high functioning they may seem, often have lower sensitivities to overstimulation.

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Overstimulation can come in many forms, noise, light, heat, excitement, heat, too many people talking at once, etc., or worse, a combination of many of these elements at the same time.

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When an individual experiences these periods of overstimulation, they, we, I, may not realize or immediately understand what is happening to ourselves in order to properly care for themselves.  

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In short, they may not know enough to ASK for help, or agree to receive help when it is offered (but desperately needed).  As a caregiver, provider or group leader, please be attentive and proactive in having and using supplies to keep those you care for hydrated and cool, especially during the summer months.

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If you have other questions about being a survivor and enjoying sailing with SailCTAccess, you can contact us by email (info@sailctaccess.org) with your phone number and we'll be happy to call back.

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Have a great sail!

Tom Schuck

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