Video: Multiple head traumas ignored, soldier takes own life
Soldier suffering head trauma was ignored, then he killed himself
Nearly three years after surviving the last of a series of explosions in Iraq, Retired Army Reserve Lt. Col. Raymond Trejo Rivas, 53, of New Braunfels, Texas, was buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. Rivas committed suicide after struggling with multiple traumatic brain injuries (TBI) that had been repeatedly misdiagnose
More..d.
Rivas was sent back to the battlefield after each bomb blast until doctors realized that his brain was slowly being destroyed. After a 2006 mortar blast during a tour of duty in Iraq, he was sent home for good. At Walter Reed Medical Center, the full extent of his brain injuries seemed to elude doctors.
Rivas couldn’t do simple things like get dressed and feed himself. In written testimony to Congress, Rivas said even when he was sent to Brooke Army Medical Center he was pretty much on his own for two to three months. When the military finally assigned a case worker, Rivas received massive amounts of therapy. Although he seemed to be improving, he was found dead in his car on April 15th, of an apparent suicide.
Colleen Rivas said her husband was devoted to serving his country. “He always put duty and his country first,” she said. But after sustaining eight concussions, he changed dramatically.
“He was like two different people,” she said. “When he came back (from Iraq), we had to re-teach him everything … He wrote like a second grader … He couldn’t add or subtract. He had to relearn so much.”
“This was a man with a master’s degree in engineering,” Brian said.
Doctors told Colleen her husband would be in a nursing home by 2011. His death came as a shock, she said.
A study at Walter Reed Medical Center found that 52 percent of soldiers severely injured in Iraq and Afghanistan were diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries.
“TBI is caused by the supersonic shockwave produced by an explosion — often from an IED — which damages or destroys brain cells,’ says a report in Japan’s Mainichi Daily. “A soldier caught in the blast may not even know he or she has been injured.”
This video is from CNN’s Situation Room, broadcast July 28, 2009. Less..
Added: Jul 30 2009 In: news_politics,middle_east
By: 4341Marine 
- Tags:
- trejo,
- rivas,
- army,
- tbi,
- brain,
- injury,
- suicide,
- Iraq,
- afghanistan,
- war,
- health,
- care
- Views: 2876 |
- Votes: 1 |
- Recommendations: 2 |
- Comments: 64
Comments - sort by newest to oldest
For more information about traumatic brain injury, call the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center toll free: 1 800 870 9244.
Posted Jul-30-2009 by "4341Marine" (R)
the best country in the world.... i bet he he was a jew he wouldnt end like this
Posted Jul-30-2009 by "PashtunPowa" (R)
Great support for your soldiers ;)
Posted Jul-30-2009 by "snade" (R)
Perfect reason why I DON'T want the government handling my health care. This is the QUALITY health care that Obama is talking about.
Posted Jul-30-2009 by "MarkusMarone" (R)
Shit happens when you occupy
Posted Jul-30-2009 by "Hefni" (R)
Exactly right.
Posted Jul-30-2009 by "vicsemprini" (R)
And here come the drive by comments. Walter Reed Hospital would love to have you all come down and volunteer instead of making crass comments.
Head trauma patients in the private sector suffer just as much. Its the worst form of violent injury to deal with.
Posted Jul-30-2009 by "yorba" (R)
Surprised to see that CNN took 5 minutes away from their African American crusades to report on a soldier's death. Don't they need to get ready for the sequal to the sequal of Black in America??
Posted Jul-30-2009 by "yorba" (R)
this is a sad story.....you would think the doctors would have figered out the extent of his injurys even though at times he was telling them he was ok.....they need to make sure that they take better care of these guys......hopefully they will learn from this....
Posted Jul-30-2009 by "keithgeorge1" (R)
African American Crusades??
Soldier with head trauma kills himself and all you can do is come up with the race card??
Really quite pathetic and not a surprise.
Posted Jul-30-2009 by "WillyWillKill" (B)
The USA is the best country in the world. This is sad. I wish they could have caught this and diagnosed this earlier. God Forgive him any crime against himself and rest his soul. Thank you all soldiers for your service and me and my families freedom.
Posted Jul-30-2009 by "JKMOTO46" (R)
What goes around comes around.
Posted Jul-30-2009 by "skee360" (R)
Because people under private health insurance never commit suicide.
Well thought out...again.
Posted Jul-30-2009 by "PH-DEE" (R)
African American Crusades??
Soldier with head trauma kills himself and all you can do is come up with the race card??
Really quite pathetic and not a surprise.
No, read my first comment you clown. Not surprising. Do you need a contact at Walter Reed to arrange a time to volunteer?
Posted Jul-30-2009 by "yorba" (R)
wow suicide among american soldiers is the highest in the world
Posted Jul-30-2009 by "ReligionIsGay" (R)