Unbelievable Story of SF 49er Super Bowler George Visger, Brain Damage, and NFL Callousness

There are a million concussion stories in the Naked City, and this blog can’t possibly tell more than a tiny fraction of them. But it is perversely appropriate to repeat over and over again the story of George Visger, whose football brain injury turned him into a real-life version of the protagonist of the 2000 cult movie Memento — someone robbed of the basic human function of short-term memory. Fortunately for all of us, Visger attacks his plight with grace, zest, and educational meticulousness.

Visger isn’t hunting for the murderer of his wife – he just seeks a scrap of justice for himself. So far, going on 30 years, there has been none from the $10-billion-a-year National Football League. (I think it’s safe to upgrade from the “$9-billion-a-year NFL” after yesterday’s announcement of a ten-year extension of ESPN broadcast rights at a raise of nearly $1 billion annually.)

I originally referenced Visger’s case after he posted a long comment in response to a blog item. See https://concussioninc.net/?p=4146.

Yesterday Dave Pear’s Independent Football Veterans blog republished my report on confronting DeMaurice Smith, executive director of the NFL Players Association, at the Santa Clara University Sports Law Symposium.

John Hogan, the wise and indefatigable attorney for disabled players, added in a comment under my post that Smith also had failed to answer the specific question in Hogan’s own talk at the symposium about crater-sized loopholes in the new “neuro-cognitive benefit” the union is hyping in its collective bargaining agreement with the league. Hogan:: “I don’t see it helping many guys. You have to be vested, under 55 and not on Line-of-Duty or Total & Permanent. That pretty much leaves out all guys who are working. But how do you perform sustained, competitive work if you have a significant neuro-cognitive impairment?”

That’s when George Visger jumped in again. The floor belongs to him:

John,

To answer your question, “But how do you perform sustained, competitive work if you have a significant neuro-cognitive impairment?”

I developed hydrocephalus (water on the brain) while playing DT with the 81 SF 49ers, and underwent emergency VP shunt brain surgery. Four months after we won Super Bowl XVI my shunt failed and I had two more brain surgeries 10 hours apart and was given last rites. Virtually no memory for nearly a year after. My first recollection was of receiving bills for the brain surgeries from the 49ers front office with the total circled “YOU OWE THIS AMOUNT.” (I was hoping for at least flowers and a cheesy card.)

After fighting off creditors for four years, the 49ers counsel forced me to take the stand while he grilled me at my Workers Comp hearing on what I did my last day of practice (we’re not talking malpractice or liability claim, just a simple Work Comp claim like ANY injured employee is entitled to). I won my case in 86 and they offered me $35 k to disappear. It sounded appealing as I was living in a dirt bag apartment, swinging a hammer for $12/hr and bouncing at nights for $10k to survive. I told them to keep their money and I kept my medical claim open AND asked to finish my Biology degree through Vocational Rehab. All injured employees are entitled to Voc Rehab. I had 4 yrs of Bio at Colorado before being drafted in 80 and wanted to finish. Thank God I kept the medical open and didn’t take the cash.

I completed my degree in Biological Conservation in 1990 while surviving 4 more brain surgeries (in 87) and multiple gran mal seizures. During the 4 1/2 years it took to complete my degree, the 49ers Work Comp was responsible for every bill associated with my being retrained (books, tutition, mileage to school each day, mileage to Drs appts, Drs, meds, counseling), and I received disability while I was in school full time or recovering from my surgeries. I had 2 additional knee surgeries during this time, including a Gore Tex ACL transplant, repairing the sloppy job the 49ers did in 81. Everything covered but still not worth the price my family continues to pay for my having played 2 years in the NFL.

Twenty nine years later I have now survived 9 emergency VP shunt brain surgeries, multiple gran mal seizures, suffer from major short term memory deficeits, and have been diagnosed by Dr Amen and Dr Claydon as suffering from early onset dementia. I was on 4 different dementia medicines at once last year, to help me continue functioning as a self employed environmental consultant. The side effects were worse than the treatment so I upped my hyerbarics and Omega 3’s and only take 2 Arricept/day to increase my neurotransmitters. I am functioning better than I have in years.

HOW TO SURVIVE WITH AN NFL CAUSED TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

1. I literally write down everything in my Rite-In-The Rain notebooks. Waterproof, fit in your back pocket. I have 30 years of these, 12 -15 pgs/day. Each phone call, conversation etc goes in with time, who, what we spoke about, what I did at each project, when I left the office, mileage when left, time.

Here’s an example from today. I’m on a Caltrans project I have been working on 14-19 hrs/day out of town the last 2 months.

9/9/11 Spent nite at Copelands. 267,092 (mileage) left @ 5:42

6:21 Site T-7A. 267,111. Traffic crew setting out signs, data

7:09 7A bell hole dug, contact ETIC for BMPs (DI protection)

7:21 7D 267,112 Done, no paint

7:29 7E 267,113 by Chevron, almost complete.

7:31 Called ARB – Clay sched?

7:33 called Reynoldo vm

7:34 – 7:42 Called Phil Woltze – Arch. Survey L & M during
const, spot check A & D, pre con survey F & I before exca.
CALL PHIL BEFORE BREAK GROUND F 09/10

7:52 Site 7 F 267,118- started box, PGE onsite

8:08 Site 7 G 267,220- saw cut, exca. Dump, front load.

8:14 called Jeff E, Snelson Con Cord. T 44 not theirs. Thinks
ARB

8:16 called Clay con cord Snel. rec’d Carlile.

8:17 Carlile, onsite in pm with backhoe, ex if USA’d.

8:20 – 8:47 Called Chris P – ARB super. Moving tanks in am
T44 to 7/9. Need arborist at 44, cultural at 7/9. Discharge @
100 gpm 9-5, 50gpm 5 – 9. Coord Lauren/Clay – ARB. Brkdwn
tanks now. Need RTC, Encroach permit, discharge permit. Have

ETIC install DI protect prior to mobe. Traffic control?? CONDUCT ENVIRO TRAINING FOR CREWS AT 7A TOMORROW 7:00. GET MIKE P FOR CULTURAL, REYNALDO H&S, KEITH FOR SWPPP TRAINING.

You get the picture. Some days I have 22+ pages of notes to read through before doing my data reports.

Every couple nights I read through the prior weeks work/life. After reading what I did last week 3-4 times I know what I did even If I don’t really remember doing it. I will high lite important items w/ various colored pens I need to come back to (red = work, yellow = home, blue = other). This eliminates wasted time reading impertinent information.

2. For appointments I use Post-Its on my dash, my bathroom
mirror, desk and screen of computer. When done crumple up and toss on floor (very cathartic). Computer alarms go off at 14,7,4,3,2,1 day intervals prior to appts. The day of the appt at 5,4,3,2,1 hr intervals, then at 15, 10, 5 minute intervals prior. Despite all this, I will get busy on a report and even with 5 minute reminders still miss meetings.

3. Tell people you work with or for to remind you of things. Everyone who works with me (clients included) knows to ask “Do you have your notebook handy?” when they call.

I’m not shy about letting people know what I’m dealing with (as you all can tell by now). Clients who are hesitant to use my services will quickly learn I plain and simply outwork others and cover their tails with my detailed notes. I have been subpeoned for lawsuits years later, brought out minute by minute detailed information that even the regulatory agencies don’t have. No one remembers like they think they do. My notebooks are my memory banks.

4. Investigate anti-seizure/psychotic or other meds you may be on. My experience has been the side effects are usually worse than the symptoms. Many Drs will prescribe drugs as a “cover your ass” rather than what is best for the patient. If the drug is “standard of care” and you have problems, it relieves them of liability. Be proactive, don’t rely totally on professionals, Drs and attorneys (sorry John) are humans (at least some are). They’re not God and make mistakes. Look out for yourself or your loved one.

5. Hyperbaric oxygen treatments (HBOT). No drugs involved, just oxygen. I’m into my 90+ treatments at 1+ hrs treatments, and began remembering things on my daily schedule after 7-9 treatments. I am a firm believer in HBOT – best thing to happen to me in 30 years regarding my TBI.

6. Mega doses of Omega 3 fish oils and anti-oxidant fruit juices. I use Dr Barry Sears Omega 3s as they are industrial grade purified and his SeaHealth Plus anti oxidant. Two capsules of the anti oxidant/day reduces inflamation in all your tissues, especially neurons in your brain. Inflamation of neurons due to repeated head trauma (not just concussions but the 1,000s of sub concussive hits) causes early death of the neurons = dementia.

W/ Omega fish oil make sure they are purified. Fatty fish store heavy metals and toxins in their oil. Ensure it’s been cleaned.

7. Work your brain. We worked our bodies to keep in shape and you need to do the same for your brain. New buzz work “NEURO-PLASTICITY” . Old school was once brain damaged that’s it. Recent research has proven by working your brain you can literally grow new neurons into areas of your brain we don’t use and are not damaged. Humans only use 5 % of our brains. Exercises such as using your left hand if right handed, changing your routines, playing kids memory games causes you to concentrate more which stress your brain which causes it to grow new neurons or activate existing neurons which aren’t being used.

There are ways to function with TBI. The NFL certainly doesn’t want to take responsibility for putting their ex employees in these situations as it’s not only bad PR but costly.

Think what we could do if we all functioned at the capacity we are capable of. I hate to say it, but the last thing the NFL wants to see is a bunch of highly motivated players and families operating at optimum levels, calling them on their criminal handling of their injured employees.

Those of you in my situation and those family members dealing with a TBI surviver try these techniques. It’s the only way I have learned how to function.

We need to take control of our lives again.

FYI: I have cc’d De Smith on this and will request he send his response to me via Dave Pears blog. The man works for the players (though we are no longer considered a player even though we pay dues.) There’s is no reason he didn’t address questions at the Symposium. I am looking forward to your comments De.

George Visger
SF 49ers 80 & 81
Survivor of 9 NFL Caused Emergency VP Shunt Brain Surgeries
Benefactor of ZERO NFL Benefits