Hello, my name is Alicia Murie. I am an advocate and survivor of a Traumatic Brain Injury, which is also known as a TBI. On November 22, 19997 I sustained a Left-Right TBI from being broadsided at 60 mph on the driver's side. In 2002, while I was in college, I started TBI Raiders just to be an online club, TBI survivors across not just Oklahoma but other states as well as other countries began reaching out to me. I wanted to do more as an advocate. So I learned more about how the politics of things worked and how it affected those of us who live with a TBI. More needs to be done to help this next generation coming up who live with TBI, PTSD, and Disabilities...all three of which I live with.
In the last nearly thirty years I have networked with people and other organizations all over. There are other states and even someone in Australia wanting to start what I have created with TBI Raiders and the program I have laid out. They have mentioned they wanted me to come present and help get it started there. But I have told them I want to get it started in Oklahoma first, developed right and then spread it to other places. I learned so much as an advocate. Before I came to Stillwater where I would become involved in the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature and learn how to write bills. I know that there is more than that you learn in the organization. But I learned a lot of it by the volunteering I was doing with TBI Raiders along with being involved in:
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Abled Disabled Association
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College Republicans
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National Youth Leadership Network (5 yrs) & its governing board (1 yr)
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Oklahoma Association of Higher Education And Disabilities
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IDEA-B Advisory Panel
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United We Ride Advisory Committee
Those are the ones I can remember being involved in right off hand. The first two summers (‘04, ‘05) I was involved in NYLN, I was able to attend conferences in Washington D.C. I met those who worked in the current (at that time) as well as the previous two presidential administrations and got to talk to them about what I was working on doing in Oklahoma. They were very inspiring conversations that made me want to come home and create something for students and young adults with Traumatic Brain Injury.
Now is that the kind of inspiration you have had on the next generation? Or have you just been molding them into more of the same ol’ same ol’? Oklahoma may have moved up two spots from where we were but our state is still in the top 20 states with the most cases of Traumatic Brain Injury each year. Traumatic Brain Injury affects more Americans each year than Breast Cancer, HIV/AIDS, Spinal Cord Injuries, and Multiple Sclerosis. If you would like to know where the counties fall, I found a map of the counties that was in the Summary of Reportable Injuries in Oklahoma; Traumatic Brain Injury in Oklahoma 1992-2003. Below are what the map showed:
50 + % above state rate 25-49 % above state rate 1-24 % above state rate
Harper
Roger
Mills
Alfalfa
Ellis
Beckham
Major
Garvin
Harmon
Noble
Adair
Dewey
Craig
Kiowa
Ottawa
Caddo
Cherokee
Blaine
Creek
Kingfisher
Okmulgee
Jefferson
Okfuskee
McClain
Seminole
Pontotoc
Pottawatomie
Coal
Oklahoma
Pawnee
Washita
Mayes
Greer
Muskogee
Jackson
McIntosh
Stephens
Haskell
Carter
Hughes
Murray
Pushmataha
Marshall
Atoka
Bryan
Choctaw
McCurtain
Below State Rate:
Cimarron
Texas
Beaver
Woodward
Woods
Garfield
Kay
Osage
Washington
Tulsa
Nowata
Rogers
Wagoner
Delaware
Custer
Tillman
Comanche
Cotton
Grady
Canadian
Logan
Payne
Lincoln
Cleveland
Love
Johnston
Pittsburg
LeFlore
Sequoyah
We have all these states working to help those with Traumatic Brain Injury - California, Washington, Colorado, New York, Virginia to name some. Why can’t we? I’ll tell you why. People in this state care more about politics. If that isn’t the case then would you please answer the following questions. If you wouldn't mind, I would like to post your responses to these questions on the Survived to Vote & Raid Oklahoma Website, http://s-2-v.yolasite.com. I haven’t updated the page they will go on yet but this way those in Oklahoma living with a Traumatic Brain Injury can see where you stand. Attached is a confidentiality form I have for my organization.
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Do you know anyone who has sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury?
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What programs would you look into implementing once elected to help those with Traumatic Brain Injury?
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In the Report to Congress: The Management of Traumatic Brain Injury in Children: Opportunities for Action it states that “in 2003, there were approximately 640,000 TBI-related emergency department (ED) visits, 18,000 TBI-related hospitalizations, and 1,500 TBI-related deaths among children 14 years of age and younger. In this letter I stated Oklahoma is one of the top 10 leading states in the nation with the most cases. What do you propose can be done to start changing this stat?
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If you were to look at the website for the Center for Disease Control under Traumatic Brain Injury > Severe TBI it states “The estimated economic cost of TBI in 2010, including direct and indirect medical costs, is estimated to be approximately $76.5 billion. Additionally the cost of fatal TBIs and TBIs requiring hospitalization, many of which are severe, account for approximately 90% of the total TBI medical costs.” Is there any way you think it can be balanced here in the state?
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When it comes to traumatic brain injury related death, self-harm was the leading cause. Besides promoting getting professional help, I would really want to see something done on encouraging kids to build up their circle of friends & teaching them about who you surround yourself with defines you and can really build you up. My doctors greatly attribute a) the support I received & still do from my friends I knew growing up in Chandler when I had/still have flashbacks and being my rock b) Stillwater - community, athletes at OSU for helping to encourage me and to re-learn what it was like to be part of a unit. What type of awareness raising would you do?
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On the GOP’s website, on the platform page under the restoring the American Dream, it says “We are the party of a growing economy that gives everyone a chance in life, an opportunity to learn, work, and realize the prosperity freedom makes possible.” Do you believe this is in any way, shape, or form really true? When there are those with Traumatic Brain Injury and Disabilities who are fighting to have an equal chance and I know there are those in our party who believe Traumatic Brain Injury, Post Traumatic Brain Injury, and Disability are not important issues. What say you?
- On the Democrats website, it says that your mission is to elect democrats across the state of Oklahoma and to educate citizens about the cultural diversity, freedom and equality that the Oklahoma Democratic Party represents. Is that a little too much to assume about the party that all the candidates will be able to do this? How will you be able to ensure you have candidates that truly represent what you brag the party represents and then if elected what do you plan on doing to ensure you carry out that mission?
- How would the Libertarian party compared to the Republican and Democratic party be able to help ensure that those living with a Traumatic Brain Injury had a better quality of life and once they left the hospital were still able to gain access to services to providers who would best meet their needs to help them?
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Those with Traumatic Brain Injuries and Disabilities depend on both Social Security Insurance and Medicaid/Medicare. I was kicked off a few months after I was married. Even before I was married I was only allowed to make $80/mth before money started getting cut back. Since being kicked off I am working on doing something that will not only benefit those on SSI & Medicaid/Medicare but get the agencies talking to one another. What are you planning to do to help those with Traumatic Brain Injuries and Disabilities who depend on SSI and are either completely unable to work or can work some but not work the total time someone without disability does?
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Please answer these at your best convenience. I am only someone who is working to help others like me.
Sincerely,
Alicia Murie
Director, TBI Raiders
25 1/2 yr survivor, Left-Right Traumatic Brain Injury
Below you will find the links to the Republican, Democratic, as well as Independent candidates who have answered the questions. This page is to help advocate and make sure more is done to help those with Traumatic Brain Injury, here in the state and to encourage others in the PTSD and Disability to get active in advocacy. It can be something as simple as writing a letter, emailing them a letter, calling about your concerns or what you think about is being done at the capital as well as meeting with your lawmakers.