Twenty years ago Jim Vyhnak was almost 30, living in Maine, newly married, and in graduate school pursuing studies in statistics. At that time he would never have anticipated that today he would be a successful entrepreneur making ukuleles!
A dramatic turning point came one week after his wedding, when a car accident (he was rear ended by a truck going 40 mph) left him with a moderate brain injury. The next five years were a frustrating period as he attempted to find the medical and professional support he needed to recover from his injury.
At that time there was a limited understanding of brain injury and little medical appreciation of how to diagnose and treat a moderate brain injury like Jim's. Most of the medical professionals - and many of his friends - thought of his injury as a mild brain injury, like a concussion, which he should recover from within a few weeks. His reality, however, was much different.
These are just some of the symptoms Jim had to learn to manage:
- blurred vision
- jittery eyes that darted back and forth
- a loss of peripheral vision
- a loss of the sense of smell
- poor balance
- stuttering and slurred speech
- poor memory and difficulty in processing data
- headaches
- numbness down his arms and legs
- loss of heat and cold sensitivity in his arms.
His brain processed things differently - very literally. He initially couldn't remember to wash daily. He knew he had a major medical problem and kept probing for answers. To his frustration the messages he got back from medical professionals and insurance companies were along the lines of these:
- Support groups will only teach you how to be brain injured or a loser
- Tough it out and shut up
- You're just lazy or depressed
- Your only problem is that you don't have a job
Finally, five years later Jim heard about a chapter of the Brain Injury Association in Rhode Island which sent him a lot of information on brain injury. He realized to his frustration that most of the suffering he had experienced since his accident had been unnecessary. Then he went to the Maine Medical Center which had begun to have great success in working with individuals with misdiagnosed brain injuries. They had some tests which confirmed his traumatic brain injury; they began treating his symptoms and helping him learn how to manage them.
With the significant support and treatment he was finally receiving, Jim was ready to return to school and the work world. By this time he and his wife had relocated to Vermont. Jim went back to graduate school at The University of Vermont for his MS in Statistics. He then went to work at UVM's College of Medicine as a number cruncher. While he was successful at the job, he also was realizing that the stress of the job and a long commute was taking a toll on him physically and a career redirection was in order.
At this point Jim went to work with a counselor at Vermont's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, where he got the support he needed to launch the Brain Injury Gazette, a newsletter designed to provide crucial information and resources to brain injury survivors. He also belonged to some support groups that were beginning to discuss how to start a brain injury association in Vermont. Over time, people saw how well he was doing with the newsletter and asked him to be the new Executive Director of the Brain Injury Association of Vermont.
Jim embraced this new role - creating the organization, obtaining funding, setting up support groups, working with medical professionals, speaking to groups around the state, etc. However, as the organization grew, so too did its complexity, and Jim began to realize that the job wasn't working well for his body. He was grappling with fatigue, dizziness, bouts of poor vision, and stress symptoms. While he felt he was working in the right area for him, he knew he was no longer in the right role.
Then serendipity stepped in. Resuming his work with Voc Rehab, Jim devoted himself to re-launching his Brain Injury Gazette but this time doing it on a for profit basis. Unfortunately, the financial melt down of the recent "great recession" resulted in the loss of advertisers and the ultimate demise of the newsletter. Jim then turned to his other grand idea - making ukuleles - a choice he seemed to be led to.
On a Hawaiian vacation Jim and his wife had taken a stretch break from a long drive and just happened to pull over in front of a music store. They went inside, where the owner happened to show them a ukulele. They couldn't stop thinking about the ukulele, and the next day they returned to the store and purchased it. It should be noted that Jim had never successfully played any instrument.
The following Christmas Jim received a kit for assembling partially-made ukuleles. Applying the craft skills he learned during his youth from his father, a master carpenter, Jim put his unique touch and fine finishes on these ukuleles. Soon he was getting kudos and raves for his high quality work as well as purchase requests from both friends and professional musicians. The message was coming to him from all quarters that this was the work he should be doing.
Jim gave this idea serious thought. He already knew from research that ukulele sales were growing at a pace of 70 to 80% each year and that manufacturers were having a hard time keeping up with the demand. He consulted with his counselor at Vocational Rehabilitation and professionals at the Micro Business Development Program. Soon he was on his way. He considered questions of quantity, quality, and niche and thought about the kind of ukuleles he wanted to make. Soon the Vermont Ukulele Company (www.vermontukulele.com) was born.
Now Jim produces fine, high end ukuleles from his home shop. He sources all of his wood from sustainable forests in Vermont. As his father did years ago, Jim goes directly to the wood mills himself and hand selects the right wood. He believes in supporting renewable and wise-use forestry practices.
Jim also uses hand tools to craft the ukuleles - much as they did 100 years ago - as he feels that high speed and high vibration tools can have a significant, negative effect on the tone and integrity of the wood. He feels good about what he is making, and proud to know that he is crafting a high quality ukulele that could be passed down for generations from parent to child. And using the skills he garnered while established the Brain Injury Association of Vermont, he is now able to profitably run his own business.
When asked why he thought there was such an upsurge in ukulele sales, Jim replied that he feels there is something about the high, happy tone that draws people, especially in times of great strife. Also they are easier to learn and play than a guitar and many other instruments.
And of particular note - ukuleles are great for brain injury survivors because learning and playing music is a great way to work parts of your brain that are otherwise hard to exercise.
So in 20 years Jim has moved full circle from being a misdiagnosed brain injury sufferer to a craftsperson whose labors of love help promote brain health. He has found a professional, entrepreneurial niche that honors his interests and values. It is also a niche that seems helpful for managing his own health.
There are still a number of side effects of his injury that may never go away. He is hypersensitive to light and sounds, which can give him headaches and queasiness or cause him to fall and become disoriented. Sunglasses and earplugs can help but he still can't do certain things he loved such as go bowling, dancing, or to a movie. Rather, he has to go places where there aren't a lot of people or noise.
He says that good nutrition and exercise help. He avoids foods and beverages that cause inflammation in the brain such as artificial colors and sweeteners - especially Aspartame and yellow dye #5. He has learned how to pace himself and manage his day to maximize his mental clarity. Cognitive therapy is helpful as well.
As Jim says, TBI is a lifelong thing that you have to learn to deal with - some symptoms improve over time, some worsen with aging. He has learned to avoid, adapt, or accommodate. Now, after twenty years of perseverance to find the right adaptation, Jim's life is now one of making beautiful music.
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