Note to Caregivers | sail-access-ct

An open letter from a survivor.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Have a great sail!

Tom Schuck