Local Woman With Brain Injury Turns To Concussion Doctor
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Toni Scribner is at her best first thing in the morning. It's when she walks around the neighborhood, makes her own breakfast or even gets dressed –- all things she couldn't do three months ago.
"This is when my head is most clear," she said from her Richfield home. "This is when I can think at all."
But, she still has a cold compress behind her neck to dull the severe pain. And, she still sits without hardly moving because she's so afraid her spinning will start again. The longest episode lasted 11 straight days.
"It feels like your body is going in circles and circles, you just can't get any ground," she said. "You can't find the ground. You can't figure out where you are in space. You're very scared because no one can tell you how long it's going to last."
All the time, Scribner feels like she's rafting -- or constantly moving on a boat. Any noise, light or movement makes it worse. For long stretches of time over the past nine years, she couldn't even be around her kids. School events, dance recitals and sporting events are out of the question. Most of her time is spent between home and doctors' offices.
"People were taking care of my children, driving them to where they needed to go," she said. "Matt became a single parent for many years."
All of this started nine years ago, when a car running a red light hit Scribner's car in Bloomington, just off of 35W. She had a bad neck injury that ultimately meant her brain can't perceive where she is in space.
"It's been really, really hard, but I love Toni and I just don't know what else to do," said her husband, Matt.
And, now, after dozens of helpful doctors, medications, needles, ultrasounds and treatments later, Scribner and her family are taking the next step. At the end of this month, they'll visit Atlanta chiropractic neurologist Dr. Ted Carrick. He's most well-known for his work with NHL players with concussions, including Sidney Crosby.
One of her doctors in Minnesota, chiropractic neurologist Jeremy Schmoe, studied under Dr. Carrick and will accompany Toni Scribner and Matt Scribner to Georgia. The treatment is aggressive. Toni Scribner will be tested, then they'll determine her treatment, which often means being seen by a specialist four or five times a day for a week.
"(I'm) extremely confident," said Dr. Schmoe. "I've brought multiple patients down there and basically everyone has some improvement."
Despite lots of help from family and friends, the trip will be financially tough for the Scribner's. Dr. Carrick charges $1,000/day for the testing and treatment. The Scribner's hope to raise $10,000 for the trip and will hold a fundraiser this Saturday night.
"I hope he can fix this. That's my ultimate hope," she said. "I want him to have a healthy wife and I want them to have a healthy mom and I don't want their memories of me to be not healthy, so that's one of my big hopes."
This Saturday's benefit will be held at the Evergreen Church, 2300 E. 88th St., Bloomington, from 5-8 p.m. There will be a pulled pork dinner, silent auction, kids' activities and a live music by Third Wheel and Anthony "Little Blues."
Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for kids ages 3-12. For more information about the this Saturday's benefit, click here.
