Scene 10 - My Classmates / The Question

**********Scene 10 - My Classmates / The Question**************************************

Ryan is my best friend, and he was at the high school football game the night of the accident,

and we noticed the rescue ’helicopter pass overhead, but…

and the next day was the SAT test, and we see Lethan isn't there,
but its a Saturday, so who knows, right?

And after the testing we we go to the breezeway of the school -
It’s got benches
windows on both sides - you see out to the parking lot…
and we’re meeting there so we can go out to Denny’s Restaurant for coffee,
conversation,
cigarettes,

and I look out the window and I see my mom walking across the parking lot -

The hell was she doing here!?
Mom’s are not supposed part of the coffee and cigarettes…

but there’s something on her face - she looks worried -
What’s up mom?

She told them about the accident.

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I’ll start by stating that the article commenting upon this scene has not been completed yet.  Instead, when thinking about this scene, I realized a question - this article presents how I came to the question, the question itself, and why I think it is important.

To begin, the character of Ryan - introduced in this scene - is an amalgamation of people - a representation of the community of friends that supported my recovery - Ryan’s characteristics are based on a specific person, but his experiences are taken from multiple interviews.  That said, it must be recognized that my family and I were blessed (see footnote) to have had such a strong group of friends that supported us in a time of need.  My group of high school student friends displayed what - in retrospect - seems to be enormous maturity by surrounding, supporting, and helping me to complete the 12th grade.  I am grateful to have been surrounded by such an upstanding group of friends and classmates.


That said, as I contemplated this gratitude, I realized that I don’t actually know how my friends reacted to learning about my accident or observing my recovery - I believe there must have been some reaction - (Fear?- Anger?- Confusion?- Sympathy?- Eh, shit happens…) - but I do not know what that reaction was.  So I pose the question:

How do teens react to watching a peer recover from brain injury?

With this question as a Google search, I look for articles or with this focus, but - as of yet - have found nothing.

Why not?

This seems like it could be a valuable question - to slightly modify it: How do teens react to interacting with a peer after a near-death, traumatic incident or disease?

I believe that study in this area could help teen/young adult survivors return to a community after an injury -  to look at what questions arise in young adults (16 - 20 years old) and how to provide appropriate information to such peer groups.  By better understanding what might frighten and/or discourage active participation in a recovery, a community can be better prepared to support the survivor.

In my mind, this seems like an area ripe for study - and some part of me believes that there must already be some research somewhere - but as of yet, my search engine has revealed nothing. 

I want to study this.

To begin, I have reached out to my friends from that time in my life (high school classmates) - to hear the story from their perspective (future article) and discover the teen communities.  These interviews, however, are just the beginning and I am interested in organizing a study on this topic - but I have no idea how to even begin organizing such a thing.  That said, I am in no rush - but if anyone has suggestions of how to begin and/or to find organizations to work with, please leave notes.

Also, if anyone happens to know any research on this topic, please let me know - I find it an interesting question and am eager for more information.


Thanks for reading, and please let me know any thoughts you about this question.

**(FOOTNOTE)**
Please note, by blessed I do not mean to imply any religious connotation, but I do mean we were spiritually loved by many people, and this provided a positive energy - see My Spiritual Beliefs.