Brain damage can be lingering scourge of opioid overdoses – WCVB Boston

Sports was life for Cory Palazzi.

He and his mother, Lori, were always on the move from one game to another.

Since he was a little boy, he always had a love of sports. He always wanted to keep busy and always wanted to play sports -- sports was like his number one, said Lori Gonsalves. What a great time it was in his life and in my life.

His biggest passion was baseball. He was a talented pitcher, often making headlines in the newspaper. Scouts were taking notice as Cory got closer to college.

But today, just standing on his own is a challenge. His brain damage, the result of an injury followed by a battle with addiction, is extensive.

Lori Palazzi explained, His junior year going into senior year, he was pitching a game and he felt that his arm wasn't right, so we went and had that check and he had a torn labrum.so he had shoulder surgery on his right pitching arm.

Cory Palazzi was a star athlete before injury, and then addiction.

He was prescribed Percocet after the surgery. That was in 2005. Corey graduated from high school and went to college, but he never really bounced back from the injury.

It was upsetting to him because he couldn't play baseball in college because it was really a dream of his, Lori Palazzi said. Percocet not only took away his physical pain but it took away the emotional pain, so he started to buy them on campus.

His mother noticed changes in his personality, but she never gave drugs a thought.

On Christmas Eve, the family discovered just how serious Palazzis addiction had become.

He was upstairs in the bathroom. My husband Dave went (upstairs) and the door was locked, he knew something was up, so I push the door in and he was in there with a needle," Lori Gonsalves said.

I just couldn't even believe that our life had reached this point, said his stepfather, Dave Gonsalves. Our own son is in a bathroom with a needle in his arm and he's doing heroin.

Cory went to treatment again and again. He was on his 13th trip on July 15, 2013.

My cellphone rang and it was one of his friends that lived in the sober house with him, and he told me that Cory had relapsed and that he overdosed, Lori Gonsalves said.

Cory was on life support, not able to breathe on his own.

When we arrived at the hospital in Falmouth, we were met by the hospital chaplain, Lori Gonsalves said. I'm standing there, my only child is getting the last rites.

handout photo

After five days in a coma, Cory woke up. That's when doctors and his family learned of the life-changing damage to his brain.

He had to relearn how to swallow how to eat how to talk, Lori Gonsalves said. The majority of his brain injury has affected his motor skills and his walking, so those normal everyday things like tying his shoes, buttoning a shirt, he can't do. So I have to help him get dressed.

Cases like Cory's are becoming more and more common, according to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospitals Dr. Ross Zafonte.

So often we will see somebody with a brain injury from opioids, he said. What we have is a large and growing group of people who are dependent in some form of either natural or synthetic opioids and the problems from that both long-term and short-term are very significant.

Zafonte said the damage develops during overdoses when oxygen to the brain is cut off. The damage that opioid users suffer is different than the typical trauma or car crash patient.

Dr. Ross Zafonte of Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital said brain injury from opioids is often more severe than from trauma.

Injuries affect the whole brain and reach into deeper areas, proving much more challenging to treat.

The prognosis for that group is not as good as the trauma group even among the younger (patients), Zafonte said.

Four years after that fateful overdose, Cory requires around-the-clock care from his family.

In weekly physical and occupational therapy, he's working to gain stability on his feet and reduce his fall risk while walking.

He's learning simple tasks we take for granted, like cutting his own food, and hopes to become more independent. Today, Cory is determined to make a difference by sharing his story.

When I first woke up in the hospital, I kept saying to my mom, Why am I alive, why am I alive? Because I am going to be nothing but a burden to you guys for the rest of my life,' Palazzi said.

Cory Palazzi gets help trying to hit a ball with a foam bat during a rehabilitation session.

While his speech has suffered, Cory's memory of his life and his time in addiction is fully intact.

Most of the time when you use like a lot you don't even care if that is the last time that you ever usebecause sometimes you just think you might just be better off dead, he said. I don't think people realize that with addiction it's not so easy to just stop.

His family founded Cory's Cause, a non-profit focused on prevention, support and fighting stigma.

My whole life, I had this vision of what I thought a heroin addict was, that it was a homeless person someone under bridge or in an alley shooting up probably someone that didn't come from a good home, Lori Gonsalves said. To sit there and realize that my son who was an honor student and an athlete and a college nursing major is shooting heroin, it was a difficult thing to grasp.

We didn't tell any of our relatives friends or co-workers, we were kind of a little embarrassed, we didn't know where to turn, Dave Gonsalves said.

Those feelings and that experience are something they talk about publicly now with families and students.

We went through his journey of addiction together as a family, and it was a rough road, but now we're going through this journey together of going out and helping out those, and it's really been great for us, Lori Gonsalves said.

Cory said: It wasn't until the first speaking engagement that we ever did that I said to my mother, This is why lived.

Cory Palazzi and his family now speaks publicly about his addiction.

WEBVTT TAKE A LOOK.>> SINCE HE WAS A LITTLE BOY,HE ALWAYS HAD A LOVE OF SPORTS>> SPORTS WAS LIFE FOR CORYPALAZZI.HE AND MOM LORI WERE ALWAYS ONTHE MOVE FROM ONE GAME TOANOTHER.>> WHAT A GREAT TIME IT WAS INHIS LIFE AND IN MY LIFE.>> HIS BIGGEST PASSION WASBASEBALL.A TALENTED PITCHER. ANAN MVP OFTEN MAKING HEADLINES INTHE NEWSPAPER.SCOUTS WERE TAKING NOTICE ASCORY GOT CLOSER TO COLLEGE.BUT TODAY --STANDING ON HIS OWN, SWINGING --IT'S ALL A CHALLENGE.THE RESULT OF AN INJURY FOLLOWEDBY A BATTLE WITH ADDICTION.>> HIS JUNIOR YEAR GOING INTOSENIOR YEAR HE WAS PITCHING AGAME AND HE FELT THAT HIS ARMWASN'T RIGHT THAT SO WE WENT HADTHAT CHECK AND HAD A TORN LABRUMSO HE HAD SHOULDER SURGERY ONHIS RIGHT PITCHING ARM.>> AND THAT'S WHEN HE WASPRESCRIBED PERCOCET WAS AFTERTHE SURGERY.THAT WAS 2005.CORY GRADUATED THE NEXT YEAR ANDHEADED TO COLLEGE, BUT HE NEVERREALLY BOUNCED BACK FROM THATINJURY.>> IT WAS UPSETTING TO HIMBECAUSE HE COULDN'T PLAYBASEBALL IN COLLEGE CUZ IT WASREALLY A DREAM OF HIS.>> PERCOCET NOT ONLY TOOK AWAYHIS PHYSICAL PAIN BUT IT TOOKAWAY THE EMOTIONAL PAIN SO HESTARTED TO BUY THEM ON CAMPUS.HIS PERSONALITY CHANGED AND YOUKNOW IN MY MIND I NEVER EVENGAVE DRUGS A THOUGHT.>> ON CHRISTMAS EVE, THE FAMILYDISCOVERED JUST HOW SERIOUSCORY'S ADDICTION HAD BECOME.>> AND HE WAS UPSTAIRS IN THEBATHROOM MY HUSBAND DAVE WENTAND THE DOOR WAS LOCKED HE KNEWSOMETHING WAS UP SO I PUSH THEDOOR IN AND HE WAS IN THERE WITHA NEEDLE.>> I JUST COULDN'T EVEN BELIEVETHAT OUR LIFE HAD REACHED THISPOINT, YOU KNOW OUR OWN SON YOUKNOW IS IN A BATHROOM WITH ANEEDLE IN HIS ARM AND HE'S DOINGHEROIN>> CORY WENT TO TREATMENT AGAINAND AGAIN.HE WAS ON HIS 13TH TRIP ON JULY15TH, 2013>> MY CELL PHONE RANG AND ITWAS ONE OF HIS FRIENDS THATLIVED IN THE SOBER HOUSE WITHHIM AND YOU KNOW HE TOLD ME THATCOREY HAD RELAPSED AND THAT HEOVERDOSED.>> THEY HAVE THEM ON LIFESUPPORT HE'S NOT BREATHING ONHIS OWN.>> SO WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THEHOSPITAL ON FALMOUTH WE WERE METBY THE HOSPITAL CHAPLAIN>> I'M STANDING THERE MY ONLYCHILD IS GETTING THE LASTRITES.>> AFTER FIVE DAYS IN A COMA,CORY WOKE UP.THAT' WHEN DOCTORS AND HISFAMILY LEARNED OF THELIFE-CHANGING DAMAGE TO HISBRAIN.>> HE HAD TO RELEARN HOW TOSWALLOW HOW TO EAT HOW TO TALK>> THE MAJORITY OF HIS BRAININJURY HAS AFFECTED HIS MOTORSKILLS AND IS WALKING SO THOSENORMAL EVERYDAY THINGS LIKETYING HIS SHOES, BUTTONING ASHIRT HE CAN'T DO SO YOU KNOW IHAVE TO HELP HIM GET DRESSE>> SO OFTEN WE WILL SEE SOMEBODYWITH A BRAIN INJURY FROMCASES LIKE CORY'S ARE BECOMINGMORE AND MORE COMMON, ACCORDINGTO SPAULDING REHABILITATIONDOCTOR ROSS ZAFONTE.>> WHAT WE HAVE IS A LARGE ANDGROWING GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO AREDEPENDENT IN SOME FORM OF EITHERNATURAL OR SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS ANDTHE PROBLEMS FROM THAT BOTHLONG-TERM AND SHORT-TERM AREVERY SIGNIFICANT.DR. ZAFONTE SAYS THE DAMAGEDEVELOPS DURING OVERDOSES WHENOXYGEN TO THE BRAIN IS CUT OFF.THE DAMAGE OPIOID USERSSUFFER IS DIFFERENT THAN THETYPICAL TRAUMA OR CAR CRASHPATIENT.>> I THINK YOU SEE A DIFFERENTPATTERN OF INJURIES.INJURIES EFFECTING THE WHOLEBRAIN AND REACHING INTO DEEPERAREAS MUCH MORE CHALLENGING TOTREAT.>> AND THE PROGNOSIS FOR THATGROUP IS NOT AS GOOD AS THETRAUMA GROUP.SITTING DOWN NICE AND SLOW,FOUR YEARS AFTER THAT FATEFULOVERDOSE, CORY REQUIRES AROUNDTHE CLOCK CARE FROM HIS FAMILY.IN WEEKLY PHYSICAL ANDOCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, HE'SWORKING TO GAIN STABILITY ON HISFEET AND REDUCE HIS FALL RISKWHILE WALKING.>> WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOUCUT YOUR OWN FOOD?>> PROBABLY FOUR YEARS AGO.>> HE'S LEARNING SIMPLE TASKS WETAKE FOR GRANTED HOPING TOBECOME MORE INDEPENDENT.AND TODAY, CORY IS DETERMINED TOMAKE A DIFFERENCE, BY SHARINGHIS STORY.>> WHEN I FIRST WOKE UP IN THEHOSPITAL I KEPT SAYING TO MYMOM, WHY AM I ALIVE, WHY AM IALIVE BECAUSE I AM GOING TO BENOTHING BUT A BURDEN TO YOU GUYSFOR THE REST OF MY LIFE 1:32:04)WHILE HIS SPEECH HAS SUFFERED,CORY'S MEMORY OF LIFE, OFADDICTION IS FULLY INTACT.>> MOST OF THE TIME WHEN YOUUSE LIKE A LOT YOU DON'T EVENCARE IF THAT IS THE LAST TIMETHAT YOU EVER USE.BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU JUST THINKYOU MIGHT JUST BE BETTER OFFDEAD.>> I DON'T THINK PEOPLE REALIZETHAT WITH ADDICTION IT'S NOT SOEASY TO JUST STO>> HIS FAMILY FOUNDED "CORY'SCAUSE" A NON-PROFIT FOCUSED ONPREVENTION, SUPPORT AND FIGHTINGSTIGMA.>> MY WHOLE LIFE I HAD THISVISION OF WHAT I THOUGHT AHEROIN ADDICT WAS, THAT IT WAS AHOMELESS PERSON SOMEONE UNDERBRIDGE OR IN AN ALLEY SHOOTINGUP PROBABLY SOMEONE THAT DIDN'TCOME FROM A GOOD HOME.>> TO SIT THERE AND REALIZETHAT MY SON WHO WAS AN HONORSTUDENT AND AN ATHLETE ANDCOLLEGE NURSING MAJOR ISSHOOTING HEROIN.IT WAS A DIFFICULT THING TOGRASP.>> WE DIDN'T TELL ANY OF OURRELATIVES FRIENDS OR CO-WORKERS,WE WERE KIND OF A LITTLEEMBARRASSED WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERETO TURN.>> THOSE FEELINGS AND THATEXPERIENCE ARE SOMETHING THEYTALK ABOUT PUBLICLY NOW WITHFAMILIES AND STUDENTS.>> WE WENT THROUGH HIS JOURNEYOF ADDICTION TOGETHER AS AFAMILY AND IT WAS A ROUGH ROADBUT NOW WE'RE GOING THROUGH THISJOURNEY TOGETHER OF GOING OUTAND HELPING OUT THOSE, AND IT'SREALLY BEEN GREAT FOR US.>> IT WASN'T UNTIL THE FIRSTSPEAKING ENGAGEMENT THAT WE EVERDID THAT I SAID TO MY MOTHER, ISAID, THIS IS WHY LIVED, THIS ISWHY I LIVED.>> I SEE MYSELF AS LIKE A HOPEFOR A BEACON FOR OTHER PEOPLEWHO MIGHT BE STRUGGLING ORACTUALLY FOR THE KIDS OUT THERETO THINK ABOUT ME EVERY TIME ANOPPORTUNITY MIGHT COME UP FORTHEM TO USE DRUGS THEY'LL THINKABOUT ME.ED: A BRIGHT BEACON.CORY'S STEP-FATHER DAVE SAID HEFEELS LIKE TALKING TO STUDENTSAND OTHER FAMILIES HAS REALLYGIVEN CORY A NEW PURPOSE INLIFE.TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THEIRNON-PROFIT WORK, HEAD TO THE

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Brain damage can be lingering scourge of opioid overdoses - WCVB Boston