Well, I will say two things first off. One, I believe with all my heart that all of you were doing the best you could with what you knew. Our job—my job for these 34 years—is to bring that awareness so that people will do things differently. I will tell you that the second thing that's most important to remember is that hope begins with a heartbeat for every family member. I felt it: hope until there is no hope.
If we can have a proper framework, like the cancer care model, where people know they're going to be cared for and they have hope that their loved one and their family will be able to go through the process and receive the services and supports they need—regardless of what the outcome is, because you may not know that—if you have that sense of care, you can then focus on your family and your loved one to get them through what they need to get through. That's what I would pray that everybody would have.
I received those calls: “Ms. Biagioni, we've read your husband's file, and we know this and this and this. This is what I'm providing, and the next person who calls you will be from this department, and this is what they provide.” That's what happened. They all said to me, “I have read your husband's file.” That doesn't happen in brain injury. Families and the survivors are put into the place of having to prove over and over why they need the support.
I see this as being a prayer answered for everyone. If that framework is there, they know what services and supports they need. They'll be guided to that, and they can focus on recovery and begin to thrive in life.
Again, I applaud all of you. I know you've been doing the best you can with what you know. My job is to bring you more information so that you can now do it differently.
Thank you.