In this episode, ADJUSTED welcomes Jamie Odom. Jamie shares his experience recovering from a catastrophic injury and the effect of a positive mindset on recovery.
Season 3 is brought to you by Berkley Industrial Comp. This episode is hosted by Greg Hamlin and guest co-host Hope Remetta, Catastrophic Resolution Manager at Berkley Industrial Comp.
Visit the Berkley Industrial Comp blog for more!
Got questions? Send them to marketing@berkindcomp.com
For music inquiries, contact Cameron Runyan at camrunyan9@gmail.com
In this episode, ADJUSTED welcomes Jamie Odom. Jamie shares his experience recovering from a catastrophic injury and the effect of a positive mindset on recovery.
Season 3 is brought to you by Berkley Industrial Comp. This episode is hosted by Greg Hamlin and guest co-host Hope Remetta, Catastrophic Resolution Manager at Berkley Industrial Comp.
Visit the Berkley Industrial Comp blog for more!
Got questions? Send them to marketing@berkindcomp.com
For music inquiries, contact Cameron Runyan at camrunyan9@gmail.com
Hello everybody and welcome to adjusted. I'm your host Greg Hamlin coming at you from Sweet Home Alabama. And with me is my co host for the day Hope Remetta, who is our manager of catastrophic claims for our team. Hope you want to introduce yourself a little bit for anyone who doesn't know you.
Hope Remetta:Yeah. Hi, everybody. Thanks for having me, Greg. I am the catastrophic resolution manager here at Berkley industrial calm.Excited to get to talk to Jamie today.
Greg Hamlin:And hope is in Lexington, Kentucky, which is a place that's near and dear to my heart, probably one of most beautiful places you can go in the country. So if you have a bed, you need to roll through those green hills. We're all those horse farms are so glad to have you home. We have a special guest with us today, Jamie Odom, and actually really excited about doing this episode because Jamie is actually one of our injured workers who's gone through a difficult injury and come through on the other side. So we wanted to have him share his story with us today. Because that is one of the things we've gotten feedback on in the past is boy, I would really love to hear the story from the other perspective. So today, we're going to have the opportunity to hear the other side of what it's like to go through a difficult injury and recover. So before we get too deep into that, though, I thought Jamie, you could just tell us a little bit about yourself.
Jamie Odom:Presets, I'll have Jamie Odom. raised in Mississippi myself outside of my place to be like outdoors.
Greg Hamlin:That's great. I moved to Alabama about three and a half years ago, and the South has some really amazing things. I love the weather, the food, and the people. So all those things are great. I haven't spent a lot of time in Mississippi though. How does it compare to Alabama?
Jamie Odom:It's just about the same. Just about.
Greg Hamlin:That's great. So if you could, Jamie, I thought we'd start by you just sharing a little bit about how I know probably you can't remember all of it because of just everything that happened. But if you could tell us a little bit about your injury that you sustained at work back in December of 2020. Well, that was like right in the middle of the pandemic
Jamie Odom:to the smack dab in the middle. I actually have zero memory of myself, but basic just another day at work really, from them telling me it's just another day at work and things happen. I guess I'm not really sure. I don't think they ever come with a actual conclusion as to what happened. Exactly. But good morning turned bad pretty quick. From what I gathered.
Hope Remetta:What exactly were you doing? Like what type of work do you do? And what machine were you buy when all this occurred?
Jamie Odom:We were were the underground boring company doing gas lines, power lines, and we were and another joiner drill pipe on the other side of the of the river we're drilling under. And that's about the time everything happened somehow, some way. I don't think they ever come up with a full conclusion on what actually happened. It was so fast and so quick.
Greg Hamlin:So when it actually happened, did you lose consciousness at that time, then?
Jamie Odom:Yes, sir. How do you, I guess you could say got knocked out pretty quick. And I stayed out for a while I have zero memory of that day at all.
Greg Hamlin:So what was that like waking up in the hospital?
Jamie Odom:Ah, well, I don't really have a whole lot of memory in the hospital myself. I don't really have much memory until after I got home, everything being done happened and then went to the hospital and all that.
Hope Remetta:So just to kind of fill in a little bit of this that the theory is is that potentially he was hit by a long pole and he had been hit on the left side of your head is that right upside your head and suffered a pretty significant traumatic brain injury. Hence why Jamie was not super conscious of anything that was happening for several weeks post injury and spent several weeks in the hospital recovering. Do you want to talk about any of that about any of the medical treatment just broad?
Jamie Odom:Yeah, like she said, I don't have much memory as far as open till I had right after I got home. I've got bits and pieces, but it's slim to none. I got home and I had me under Home Health for a while. I don't remember all that. No problem. But as far as the accident, or shortly after I woke up from the hospital. I don't have very much remember that at all.
Hope Remetta:So you had a hemorrhage of sorts, and you ended up having to have a craniotomy. Is that right? Yes, ma'am. Today actually removed part of the skull and put a plate in just pretty significant.
Jamie Odom:Yeah, it was pretty rough. Yeah. Let's out of my head word. I got hit. Theyremoved the broken skull, I guess you could say. It was all broke up, put a nice little plate in there from
Hope Remetta:a parting gift. Yeah,
Jamie Odom:yeah, it was several injuries to go along with just that, as far as the compression fracture my neck and a few fractured or broken bones and my facer, but wanting to
Hope Remetta:talk to me about your recovery. I've been doing this for 17 years. And you stand out to me because of your mindset and your constant positive attitude and optimistic outlook. So talk to me about that. How do you feel like that's impacted your recovery?
Jamie Odom:Oh, it's pretty much it drew out a line for the recovery. As far as getting better quit. When Oh, the way you're saying everything, I'll just say it. As far as the brain injury, the brush on my neck, all the things I did have wrong, I didn't see it in a way of just like that. I just looked at it. Like, you know, I had a little scratching my head. I knew that one true information, but I just didn't look at the way everybody else seen it. And every day on the recovery, of course, I was down and out for a while. I didn't just wake up trying to be on poor pitiful me, you know, I try to set a goal for the day. And therefore while that was my goal, just to get up and walk to the recliner from my bed. If that's all I did that day, that was my goal. And I made it and therefore Wow, that's all I could do. I don't know, it's hard for me to give you a Don't worry about a positive mindset, just because I've been that way my whole life. And that's all I know how to do. So that's what I did. I didn't look at it, like it was just oh, you know, well, I got a plate in my head now. And I can I can have all this against me. And this is this is what I do gotta get me. I just looked at it. Like another goal I'm about to meet, you know?
Greg Hamlin:So did you get frustrated during any of those times? Because I know, like, my wife had a baby recently and his or her six C section. So like, sometimes it's frustrating when you want to do things and you just can't do them. Did you face any of that through your recovery, where you're like, man, like I really want to be able to do these other things. And I just can't yet.
Jamie Odom:Yes, sir, I got frustrated a lot. Because, of course, I'm just wanting always not ever asked for help. Or if I do, it's nice. But it frustrated me a lot not being able to go there for a while. And I'll see you for three weeks on it three weeks, my body didn't get down. And now you know, I got weak, not doing just letting his beta stone do that. And I couldn't really physically I couldn't do really much at all. And that bothered me it frustrated me. But then I guess I come back down the earth a little bit and got to realization and I'd set small goals. You know, don't don't reach for the dollar just set a small goal reached it, that's fine. If I did, as always the more try better that day.
Hope Remetta:Love that. So you said you've always been like this, you've always had a positive mindset, is there something that you can think back to you that really kind of set that tone for you growing up? And then to adulthood?
Jamie Odom:Oh, I don't guess there's nothing really I can refer. So that's just the way I've always been, I've always tried to see the glass half full instead of half empty, you know, just trying to think positive about things I could be in the most negative situation ever. And I'm going to try to find best my ability, something positive in that situation myself.
Hope Remetta:You don't have a crystal ball. So I get this, but how do you think that your recovery would have been different? Have you been somebody that, you know, woke up after being unconscious for three weeks and finding out your situation and having what feels like everything against you? And then not choosing to have that positive mindset? How do you think that that would have been?
Jamie Odom:I feel like it impacted me a good bit, just trying to be positive. And I thank you allow me not to get down without the scope times. But I'd always go back to the positive mindset because it worked for me, you know, but if I wasn't positive, I mean, I easily could have laid in the bed or just sat in a recliner and just not really done a whole lot of nothing to try to better myself and try to get better. It would have been a more long drawn out process as far as the recovery when physically I know for sure. And the mindset that mindset is, to me that's more powerful than a physical because I mean, I did get down on myself. And there was plenty times I've just been sitting there in a slump you know poor pitiful me and the positive, pick you back up because mentally it can take you places you don't ever want to meet. I'm quite sure.
Greg Hamlin:Should you do you have like family and friends to help support you through your recovery?
Jamie Odom:Yes, so that's, that's one of the big reasons I did get through just to family friends and Dan reach out. Land man hand here. They're just whatever I needed. That was one of the big things for me, and I wouldn't I wouldn't ask for anything throughout any of it. But yes, I just knew I wasn't gonna ask but if they would, they'd be there. But even if I did ask, you know, they'd be their family. They stayed with me. Brought me Food, you know, I like that. And just the morale just friends family coming into the house, you know, they kept my morale up and kept me going, trying to stay, you know, keep me positive, because I did get that, I guess compliment a lot throughout the process. Now how are you? How are you staying? So Paul's family, friends, and my faith is what got me to where I am. And I solely believe that 100%
Hope Remetta:Do you want to talk about where you're at in your recovery and how far you've come?
Jamie Odom:In recovery? I'm, I'm pretty much 100%. From what I gather in the way off the only stay out of work for four months, and just a few days from the injuries we talked about a while ago. And that mind blowing to me myself, as well. JB so you tough work, too.
Greg Hamlin:So I mean, it's not like I mean, I'm sitting in an office right now doing the talking through a mic. Working on a heavy equipment. What are you doing now, Jamie, for work?
Jamie Odom:I'm currently working offshore again, in the oil field. I've done that since I was 19.
Greg Hamlin:I gotta imagine that's very physical work. Oh, yeah, it is very physical. And it's mental, but mainly physical, that I mean, I'm just floored by the fact that you were in a situation where you were in the ICU for three weeks. And then four and a half months later, you're back to work. I think a lot of people would use that as a pass, like now that I've been hurt this bad. I'm gonna take my time and maybe even maybe never do those jobs again. For you why? Why did you decide that you wanted to get back to doing what you do?
Jamie Odom:I asked myself that same question for a while. But I finally got an answer out of myself. For a while I told myself, I won't never go back and do it. You know, this is what happened. And it was just a catastrophic event. And I like it was planned or it never had to, you know, I asked myself why why do you want to go back? Then? Why do you want to go back? I guess I had to prove something to myself. Of course, it scared the crap out of me. You know, that would scare anybody having those kinds of injuries at a job. But I told myself if you don't go back, you'd be scared for. And I guess it just picked up myself up. And I went back and showed myself I could do it. It was scary. But just as a personal perspective, it was scary to me just because no one went I just went through and all that I went back and just show myself, you know, you can do nothing to be scared. I guess it was just a mental thing as far as it went for me. But I went back. No,
Greg Hamlin:that's huge. You inspire me in that kind of commitments and know that you could go through something as difficult as you did. And then to come out of it still doing work. That's I mean, I've never been out on an oil rig. But I gotta imagine that that's, you know, a different kind of work, I'm sure. Also, you're probably away from people when you're out there, I assume, right?
Jamie Odom:Yes, sir. I work 2121 hitch work 21 or 21. But I only work communications cell phone, which just is tough. But uh, I've done it since high school myself. So I'm kind of used to it, I guess you could say it's still like, it's still like no phone. But, sure. I mean,
Hope Remetta:I think that not just the fact that you can maintain the positive attitude, but recognizing that it's okay to not be in that state of mine. 100% of the time, right. But it's normal to feel down at some points. But it's about that rebound, as you described earlier. Just that while I get down, I'm able to talk myself back to that positive mindset and really looking at the future.
Jamie Odom:Oh, yeah, anybody can be just as positive. They can be just positive and I'm, I'm just going in person, but they can be super positive about everything they're gonna get down. They might not say it or show it very much, but they're gonna get down. They'll pick them back up, they'll get
Greg Hamlin:so I haven't gone through this experience. How do you feel like you know, this work injuries impacted your life or changed your life? Or what did what have you learned through this whole experience that you didn't ask for, but you had to work through?
Jamie Odom:I've learned a lot through it myself. And a lot of people would think, you know, that's bad, you probably could learn I thought I learned a lot of good stuff. Myself, being down and out like I was, I had plenty of time on my hands. And me, I've never had a incident myself to keep me out of work or had an incident. It made me realize a lot as far as your help and how much it does impact your daily routines, just just routine period, not not nothing new at work. All it takes just a little bit to get down hills wise and it don't take much, you know, get you in a bad state.
Greg Hamlin:I heard a quote once that said, it's later than you think. And I think about that a lot. Like we feel like we have all the time in the world. And sometimes, you know, when we look at the bigger picture, we don't realize how limited our time here is. And I think sometimes you have these kinds of moments and you realize it's later than you think like you need to enjoy every moment as it calm because you're right, like, sometime, you may have trouble getting up from your bed to the bathroom. And it could happen sooner than you think. Oh, yeah. Yeah, not just the amount of time but the quality of the time. Yeah, you're right.
Jamie Odom:That's a big thing. real big thing, if they're the quality, for sure. But it made me spend more time not necessarily with family and friends. But just in my case, of course, it was pretty bad. I never looked at it that way, though. It was pretty rough, I guess reaching out and keeping in touch. Because the jobs I've had in the past 10 years, I've always been Go, go go on the road, you know, have lost hooks not necessarily lost touch, but didn't communicate and keep in touch. Like I should have been, I guess you could say,
Hope Remetta:you realize the importance of it.
Jamie Odom:Yes. And if it's not nothing, but just a phone call or a simple message to somebody, you know, Hey, man, or something, you know, joking around or something because you never know who you're sending the message to how bad of a mood they're in there, how much they just need to see it.
Hope Remetta:So being somebody that has gone through a catastrophic event like this, and has had an outcome better than anybody could have imagined? What are a couple things that you would tell somebody else that may be in the same position as you or similar position? What What would you tell them to focus on
Jamie Odom:safety for sure, once my legs met was just a little? What nothing, I don't think out of the way it was. Take care of take care of yourself. Not nervous. I don't mean that in a bad way. It's just take care of know you're doing the right thing. Don't second guess yourself. And just always think, what if what if this does happen to you got something in place or a mitigation to keep that from happening? Just so nothing bad? does happen? Because it can and it will? No doubt?
Hope Remetta:You mean more from from a work safety perspective? What about from a, like, from a recovery perspective, or any life changing event? Right? It doesn't necessarily have to be a catastrophic injury. It could be anything like shifting and death of somebody a divorce something, something that is life changing? And they're down and out? What would you tell them? What would what would be your recommendation,
Jamie Odom:or recommendation would be, it's hard to say. But first and foremost, stay positive, think about the good things. And not just all the bad because, of course, the bad is gonna be there, try to see the good and something if it ain't but one little piece of good trying to find some kind of good. Take care if somebody helps, like,
Hope Remetta:that's a big one I can resonate with that is you don't want to ask for help, but then showing the gratitude for it. Right?
Jamie Odom:Think about? I mean, of course, if they get hurt at work, they're working. They're working for some reason, think about what's at home. What are you working for? Like, for me, that was one of my biggest reasons why I tried to stay my best positive and get better as quickly as I could I have, at that time, she was right. At five months old, I have a Little Girl Daughter, oh, that was one of my biggest pushes, to try to get better. Because right after I got home from the hospital myself, I couldn't even pick her up. And she's not but five, five and a half months old, you know, and that that got me down. Because, I mean, I couldn't even pick my little girl. And that made me strive more, you know, what's at home, if that don't give you enough drive, which normally it will, like, there's a reason everybody's working just like all of us, right here. We're all there's a reason we're all here, you know, let that let that be the drive. You know, that's a good nuggets to take away.
Greg Hamlin:Yeah, I think you know, staying positive, making sure that you, you're willing to accept help when it's given, which I think I'm not always great at, then remember why you're doing it, that the reason why you're working and the reason why you're going through stuff, and that really resonates with me, you know, I've got six kids on my own. And that's why I'm here. It is why I'm here. So you know, I could be doing something different, but it's those guys, you know, and the dreams that they're gonna have and the things that they're gonna do that I want to make sure that, that I'm there for them, and that they have those opportunities. So I think those are good reminders. And I think that would be a good advice for really anybody that's going through something hard.
Jamie Odom:Yeah. It worked. For me. That was my soul. I mean, that was I'm just, I'm just being honest. And that's what drove me just, of course, I'm a positive person and a little girl. I wanted to be there for her just and to do that I had to get better and that was all the way I was gonna get better. try my best. Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of spots down the road of recovery that I got the results I didn't want or thought they were been better or you know, physically, it got me down. But at the end of the day, I still had the same goal. You know, you fighting for this. You got to get better for that. To be able to do this with or whatever, you know, what am I?
Greg Hamlin:Absolutely. Absolutely. Jamie, I've really enjoyed having you on the podcast today. And I think I've definitely learned some things that I plan to take home with me after this and just think about and let them kind of sink in. I appreciate your candid conversation with us just talking about what it's been like to go through it and would remind our audience to first and foremost do right, think differently. And don't forget to care. And I would ask you guys, if you want to follow us in future podcasts they release every two weeks, and we'd love to have you on our journey as we explore new topics and thanks again, Jamie for being with us today.