Gabe suffered a traumatic brain injury, and due to complications, relies on tube feeding and TPN. Yet, his resilience shines through as he turns to online support groups—not just for help, but to uplift others. Keep reading to learn more about Gabe’s journey and discover his recommended support groups on Facebook and Reddit.
Gabe suffered a traumatic brain injury, and due to complications, relies on tube feeding and TPN. Yet, his resilience shines through as he turns to online support groups—not just for help, but to uplift others.
Keep reading to learn more about Gabe’s journey and discover his recommended support groups on Facebook and Reddit.
At 14, Gabe suffered a mild traumatic brain injury in an accident. Several months later, he had a shunt placed, which lasted eight years but caused severe optic nerve damage, leaving him nearly blind.
In 2023, his shunt malfunctioned, requiring surgery that led to complications, including a stroke and severe brain injury. Gabe awoke unable to talk, swallow, or use the left side of his body and was placed on IV nutrition for months.
Following his surgery, Gabe recovered at Shepherd Center—a top rehab center for brain injury. After a successful, productive stay, he no longer suffered from complete paralysis on the left side! Gabe was discharged and sent home on a GJ Tube to transition to tube feeding.
Due to complications with gastric delayed emptying, Gabe struggled with severe weight loss while on enteral nutrition. Today, Gabe still has a GJ Tube, but he gets 100% of his nutrition through a central line—leveraging his G Tube for training and rinsing and his J Tube for medications.
In early January, following a bout of double pneumonia, Gabe had severe leakage around his J Tube. In fact, he had to change his gauze every hour, and developed granulation tissue around both stomas. He even went to see wound care and the general surgeon tried to clear his skin with no success.
So, Gabe took to support groups to do his own research. That’s when he found StomaEase™ and StomaDisc™ .
“I was using it for my G Tube at first and it helped a lot,” he said. “I no longer had to change the gauze every few hours. My skin went from raw to healed in about a month.”
Gabe added that he also uses the StomaDisc™ , which proved helpful in absorbing the leakage and keeping it off of his skin.
Without the support groups, Gabe wouldn’t have discovered LumaClean products. He noted that it has been a “blessing” to have met so many wonderful people in these groups.
Gabe said: “My family and friends don't understand what I'm going through. Being able to have these support groups has helped me a lot. If you’re going through a hard time, you can’t hold that in. Find some kind of outlet. The more you hold things in, the harder they will be to deal with.”
Below is a list of groups that Gabe recommends, if you’re looking to join a community of like-minded tubies.
Facebook Groups:
Reddit Groups
Gabe uses his experiences to uplift others, saying, “I cope best by helping others.” His journey is a testament to resilience and the power of community. We hope these support groups provide you with strength, guidance, and a positive step forward in your own journey.
For more on Gabe’s story, read about his recovery on the Shepherd Center newsroom.
