Overcoming All Challenges

Roger Daniel Rizzo

June 30, 1995 was an overwhelmingly fateful day for me. Before that day, I had overcome challenge after challenge. These included: (1) leaving home when I was fifteen years old; (2) attending approximately ten years of college and obtaining Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, Masters of Business Administration, and Juris Doctor degrees; (3) visiting approximately 90 countries and traveling around the world twice; and (4) being an extremely successful civil trial attorney for 13 years and winning several of the largest cases in the United States.

Then on June 30, 1995 every aspect of my life drastically changed. I was the passenger on the back of a motorcycle in Tiburon, California. For some unknown reason, the driver of the motorcycle went off the road overlooking the San Francisco Bay. I was not wearing a helmet at the time. My head and body hit large wooden posts and boulders. Then I slid hundreds of feet on the left side of my face along the paved street.

I was hospitalized for over six months. The vast majority of the doctors who treated me predicted that I would die. I suffered severe, traumatic brain injury, damaged internal organs, broken bones, torn ligaments, and battered and bloodied muscle and skin tissue. I was in a coma for six weeks and in a vegetative state for five and one-half months.

My recovery took a long, long, long time. Because it was my lifetime habit of overcoming all challenges, I approached my catastrophic physical and mental state in the same way. I was facing my ultimate challenge though. Through unyielding resolve and determination, I returned to being almost normal again. My life completely changed though as a result of my horrendous accident. My wife divorced me. I lost my job and career. I no longer had the friends which I did before June 30, 1995.

Nevertheless, I believe my life has dramatically improved since my horrendous accident. I believe that I am really living my life now wholly consistent with my principles. I have been doing volunteer work for over a decade helping others. During that time frame, I have provided volunteer assistance to others for in excess of 20,000 hours.

I have authored a book entitled Overcoming All Challenges. My book discusses in detail all of the subjects summarized above. Throughout the book I emphasize to readers that if I can overcome the challenges which I did, including my severe, traumatic brain injury that they can do the same. They just need to develop the attitude to achieve that goal.

An overriding motivation for the author to write Overcoming All Challenges was to benefit as many brain injury victims as possible. That is why the book costs only $1.95 in E-book and $9.95 in soft cover forms.

Overcoming All Challenges

By Roger Daniel Rizzo

To order your E-book version today; click here.

For the soft cover please email your request to: rogerrizzo47@yahoo.com or call 1-208-345-1860.

Rewiring for Loved Ones and Survivors

By Carolyn E. Dolen

Not only are the “Rewiring” manuals the only paired set of guidebooks for recovery from brain injury available today, but they are the most comprehensive! And they’re survivor-written!

Well-received by health-care professionals, some examples of their praise include: “This is exactly what I’ve needed for my patients!” and “Perfect. I want a million copies” (Joanne Hein, speech-Language therapist); “During my career as a neuropsychologist I have often wished for books like “Brain Injury Rewiring” to provide my patients the answers they seek and the inspiration to continue their own journeys” (Christine Baser, Ph.D.).

Nathan Zasler, MD, CEO and Medical Director, Concussion Care Centre of Virginia, says, ” … a must-read manual for person with brain injury…Ms. Dolen not only gives readers the tools to move forward productively, but just as importantly, [fills] them with feelings of empowerment and hope.”

Husband of 2003 stroke survivor, Neal Schleimer says,” This is THE book I wish I had when my wife was first injured. If you’re a loved one… buy this volume RIGHT NOW. Believe me, you need it.”

“Brain Injury Rewiring for Survivors: A Lifeline to New Connections After Brain Injury” and “Brain Injury Rewiring For Loved Ones…” are inspirational guidebooks that empower readers to transform lives damaged by brain injury.

Using reader-friendly language, Ms. Dolen engages readers by interweaving her decades-long personal journey throughout these manuals and offers reflective quotations and sorely-needed humor as she shows how to recover from brain injury.

Rewiring throws-out a lifeline to both survivors and caregivers that enables survivors to make New Connections to themselves and to others so they can successfully reenter their communities and resume productive activity after Brain Injury.

Strategies are revealed to rewire each human “operating system”: spiritual, cognitive, emotional, nutritional, physical, social, and vocational. Both traditional and non-traditional (complementary-alternative) medical approaches to healing are unveiled to enlighten readers to the many “circuits” on the pathway to wellness.

By refusing to embrace the concept “can’t,” Ms. Dolen shares how she grapples with challenges as she dares other survivors to “Just Do It!” too. From the unique perspective of a 30+ year survivor, readers learn how to overcome obstacles in both internal and external environments–whether over, under, around, or through–to heal hearts, minds, and bodies.

Survivors agree: “This injury…is like sailing the ocean in a thick fog during a storm…full of fear…All you are looking for is that lighthouse to guide you through the awful storm. The “Rewiring” books are that light…for all survivors and anyone connected with their recoveries.” (Susan Hale-Abrams, PI, QM, TBI Survivor).

Rewiring proves that recovery is possible–with a spark and some hot wires!
 

About the Author

Ever the Viking warrior, Carolyn E. Dolen clearly defied the prognosis of “suicide or psych ward” following her brain injury from a 1976 auto accident in a Minnesota snowstorm.  Befitting her feisty personality, within twenty years of her trauma she earned two master’s degrees with high honors and cycled (self-contained) from San Francisco to Santa Barbara in four days and San Diego to Cabo San Lucas in 13 days, in addition to learning to board and kayak-surf—all with a lot of help and only a few ER visits! Now she defies the concept of “aging” by competing in triathlons and seeking new adventures.

Rewiring chronicles her continued feisty defiance in this expansion of her award-winning thesis about brain injury recovery. Carolyn’s climb up the mountain required rehabilitation in virtually all areas of life, including mental, emotional, physical, vocational, and social domains. As current friends can attest, she’s still working on this last area!

Carolyn’s other work has appeared in print over 100 times, in both authored and edited pieces. Previous publications include a short story, “A Christmas Communion of Chocolate” (Grit: American Life and Traditions, November 1997), and a series of children’s holiday readings (published in several educational journals from 1996-1999), that include two cover features in Today’s Catholic Teacher in 1998.  Additionally, she co-authored two national skin-care newsletters, edited several health/fitness pieces, and wrote newsletter columns for Christ Presbyterian Church of Rancho La Costa and the San Diego Brain Injury Foundation. In addition to presenting at a national ataxia conference, Carolyn chaired the 1991 San Diego Disability Awareness Week Network (DAWN) activities that received commendation letters and extensive media coverage.

Professionally, she’s taught language arts, math, special education, physical education and health in the Midwest and California to students who range in age from three to forty-three. Currently, Carolyn coaches a stroke survivor at the YMCA and substitutes for teachers of a variety of adult education courses for Ventura Unified School District.

Besides spreading the word about Rewiring, current goals for this Baby-Boomer author-athlete include improving her surfing skills and earning an age group slot on Team USA for sprint triathlons.  To balance body, mind, and spirit, Carolyn bicycles, runs, swims, weight-trains, practices yoga, competes in various races, sings with the Master Chorale of Ventura County, greets visitors at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and volunteers at numerous athletic and performing arts events.  Obviously, this rewired survivor doesn’t “do” idleness!

You, too, can thrive –“Just Do It!”

Rewiring for Loved Ones

By Carolyn E. Dolen

To order your personally inscribed copy directly from the author, click here!

Rewiring for Survivors

By Carolyn E. Dolen

To order your personally inscribed copy directly from the author, click here!

By Mhairi Collins

In my past life, prior to 22nd February 1996, I was a newly fledged teacher and part of a family of four. Since this time I have been through a journey of a lifetime because on my way to school that day my family and I experienced a devastating head on collision with a double trailer Mac truck. My partner and eldest son were killed, my youngest son and I survived. I have written briefly of my past life and the results of the crash then I give you insight into what one will often go through after receiving a severe traumatic brain injury.

The writing of this book was a healing aid for me and was published in 2009, thirteen years after the crash. I gifted it to the Brain Injury Association of Northland (New Zealand) to help raise needed funds. My main aim though was and still is to create more awareness and understanding of the struggles (often hidden ones) that we live with after a brain injury.

The Brain Injury Association of Northland is a not for profit orgainsation and a Registered Charity. They provide free support, information, and advocacy to persons living with the effects and consequences of brain injury. They rely on grants and donations to provide these services and 100% of the proceeds from the sale of my book go to them for the hard work that they do.

No Going Back

By Mhairi Collins

For sale inquiries contact Vanessa Gray at northland@brain-injury-org.nz

For further information on the Brain Injury Association of Northland click here.

By William C. Jarvis Ed.D. 

After traditional therapies at the hospital are done and the survivor is ready to go home or be semi-independent, he she should be ready to implement the Jarvis Rehabilitation Method.  Ideally, he will meet with a coach several times on an out-patient basis to begin implementation. 

Dimensions are introduced and discussed separately by Skype or phone.   Objectives and goals will be established for each Dimension by the Survivor and his/her coach.

The survivor will record daily progress in either time spent working on the objective or recording a tally mark that the activity was accomplished. This may represent each attempt for the day.  There is also an opportunity to make daily written comments concerning progress.

The survivor must keep focused on working on present objectives and begin new ones as appropriate to his/her situation.  Improvement may not be recognized day to day; however, the Survivor will see and feel improvement within four to five months.  Instead of a single focus for improvement, a multiple approach has benefits that are personal encouragement as well as improving in one dimension has a positive effect on other dimensions.  Therefore, the Survivor us motivated to continue strategies for improvement and psychologically affirms he/she is getting better.

After participating in this program for six months, the Survivor is administered the same Assessment Test for engagement in life.  It is evident by contrasting scores on an Excel bar graph and a personal experience that improvement is affirmed.

Each participant will be provided conclusive charts to represent the representative scores from the beginning of participation in this program to the ending scores of improvement.  This basic concept is encouraged in subsequent months or years.  Improvement is maximized by continual effort and commitment.

About the author

Dr. Jarvis has been awarded both the 2002 Achiever of the Year by the New Jersey Speech-Language-Hearing Association for Outstanding Communication Improvement and the 2010 Perseverance Award  by the Brain Injury Association of Indiana  in recognition of his courage, hard work, optimistic outlook and dedication to recovery. 

Traumatic Brain Injury Improvement through Motivation

By William C. Jarvis, Ed.D.

To purchase this package email wljarvis57@hotmail.com or call 260 438 7400

Package A – Includes the Improvement through Motivation – Jarvis Rehabilitation Method Manual for $49.75

Six Phone or Skype 30 minute coaching sessions for $60.00

Shipping of Manual - in the Continental US (USPS First Class) $6.00

                                                                                                           Total $115.75

For more information go to http://billjarvis,.org/

by

Rosemary Rawlins

 Learning by Accident depicts the slow unraveling of a caregiver after her husband suffers a life-altering head trauma. It is the true story of Rosemary and Hugh Rawlins, and their teenage daughters, cushioned by a community of family and friends, during two tumultuous years that began in April, 2002.

After the phone call, the rush to the hospital, two emergency brain surgeries, and a coma, Rosemary is determined to help Hugh find his way back home to his children. But everything Rosemary learns about brain injury shocks her system anew. A large chunk of Hugh’s skull has been removed and put on ice in the hospital freezer. Once an athletic business executive, her husband must now relearn the most basic activities like brushing his teeth or putting on his clothes in the right order. He has no short-term memory and a myriad of symptoms she has never heard of before: pocketing, left neglect, and loss of executive function. With his strong character, management salary, and athletic resilience, Hugh once supported the family in nearly every way. Rosemary’s task of holding their lives together while helping him heal feels daunting enough, but she cannot counsel or lean on the one person she needs most—her husband.

Learning by Accident is a compelling story of family love and commitment, and the secondary trauma that remains with caregivers after all the hard work is done. Touching and triumphant, Learning by Accident shows how fear can be more debilitating than any injury—and that shedding fear can lead to peace and to living the possibilities we had once only imagined.

SYNOPSIS

Learning by Accident

On a sunny spring day, in an ordinary kitchen, Rosemary answers an unexpected phone call. A car has hit her husband, Hugh. He’s about to undergo emergency brain surgery. Plunged into twelve months of marathon caregiving, Rosemary works herself to exhaustion to bring him back home and back to himself. But just as Hugh begins to reclaim his life and ride his bike again, Rosemary falls apart. She can’t sleep. Her heart pounds. Her joy and trust in the world has dissolved into endless anxiety. 

How can she let go of fear? What can she learn from it?

Learning by Accident is a caregiver’s story of ambiguous loss, family love, and emotional healing. This compelling personal account demonstrates with heart and humor that fear can be more debilitating than any physical injury. Along the way, Rosemary discovers that starting over is exactly what we sometimes need.

In an odd twist of fate, the accident becomes her greatest teacher.

About the Author 

Rosemary Rawlins holds a Bachelor of Applied Studies in Human Resource Management from the University of Richmond, VA. She lives with her family in Glen Allen, Virginia.

Learning by Accident

By Rosemary Rawlins

To order your copy today, simply click here.

Reviews

“Learning by Accident is an amazing love story, brain injury story, family story, and inspirational story all in one.  The Rawlins’ difficult journey will leave you realizing that anything is possible if you have a strong family.” 
 
                                                 – Jeff Ruskan, Chief Executive Officer
                                                 Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Virginia

“After more than 25 years working in brain injury as an Occupational Therapist, and as much as I know about its aftermath, Learning by Accident provided me with a much richer understanding of the emotional devastation it causes. This book will make you cry, laugh,  give thanks, and believe in the power of love.”

                                                   – Anne McDonnell, Executive Director,
                                                   The Brain Injury Association of Virginia

By Janet Miller Rife

The year 2010 marks a quarter of a century since July 14, 1985, when we learned that Brian, our then 20-year-old son, had sustained a brain injury in a car accident. Injured Mind, Shattered Dreams tells of the first eight years of Brian’s journey and the intimately related journey of our family. Brian is the second oldest of our five children.

Janet and Brian

Many things have changed. Staples to close an incision are no longer new. The National Head Injury Foundation is now the Brain Injury Association of America. When I first heard Brian’s brain was injured, I frantically searched my bookshelf for information. Today we search the internet.

Many things have not changed. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a major cause of death and injury to thousands of men, women, and children. TBI is the “signature injury of the military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan,” according to a November 2009 article in Exceptional Parent magazine. Survivors of TBI and their families still struggle to secure the correct diagnosis and treatment; contending with insurance companies is nearly inevitable.

Injured Mind, Shattered Dreams covers, in personal and readable detail,  issues that are still very current. My daily journal entries will resonate with families and educate TBI survivors, families, chaplains, physicians (from neurosurgeon to general practitioner), therapists, and community integration specialists.

Chapter 1 - Panic, agony, confusion, despair, faith and hope. Brian is in a coma. We’ve entered a wholly foreign world, the shock trauma center in Baltimore. We find surprising sources of strength and support, even humor.

Chapter 2 – Life or death decisions, insurance dilemmas, petitions to the Governor of Virginia, therapists who unfailingly bring us hope. Friends visit Brian and help call him back into life. We decide to go public with a reporter from The Washington Post  (See “Patient No. 18,874,” four-part series, June 8-11, 1986). We celebrate Brian’s breakthroughs with our faith community.

Chapters 3 & 4 – Five months after his injury, Brian moves to Mount Vernon Hospital for rehabilitation. Under the guidance of physiatrist, Dr. Roger Gisolfi, months of painstaking speech therapy re-open his frozen jaw, physical therapists bring movement back to his legs.  Finally, he enters BRIDGE, a day program that ended with no transitional living program, still a scarce option for TBI survivors.

Chapter 5 - Our family prepares with predictable angst for Brian’s return home. We find a counselor to work with us and Brian’s younger siblings, Sheri 19, Eric 14, and Dan 10. Our oldest son, 23-year-old Scott, was then a senior at VirginiaTech. Eighteen months after his injury, Brian was coming home, needy as a newborn babe. Job trials and vocational training follow with disappointing outcomes.

Chapter 6 – Brian discovers a remarkable mission for himself, through a chance encounter with Bridget Wyrick. He gives talks to several thousand high school students. During the early 90’s, Brian never failed to captivate and educate his young audiences. He saved lives.  His business card announced:

BRIAN SAYS: SAVE YOUR BRAIN, BUCKLE UP!  DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE! 

Chapter 7 – Brian’s own revealing voice, interviewed by Theresa Rankin, a friend who also survived a TBI. Theresa is now a nationally known advocate and educator.

Much has happened in our story in the ensuing years since 1994, but Injured Mind, Shattered Dreams delivers a timeless and dynamic educational message for TBI survivors, their families, and all who walk with them on this arduous journey. 

Injured Mind, Shattered Dreams

By Janet Miller Rife

To order a personally signed copy, contact the author at  janet@rifes.org

or

Click here to order your copy today from Amazon.

By Carol Edwards

The little things count alot

“To those many who face the same challenges and heartache we faced, my advice to you is simple: learn to embrace the smallest of things in life, and you will come to realize life is indeed a marvelous adventure, and one well worth the journey. Those tiny victories are the very things that will fill your heart with love and contentment and joy.”

When their son was born severely brain injured, one young couple was determined to live a life as fulfilling as possible while helping their son grow beyond all expectations. With the help of family, friends, and God, they set out to learn all they could about the injury their son had sustained at the time of his birth and, ultimately, help him live a life as close to normalcy as possible.

Why Jeffrey? Why Us? is a heartwarming story of the unconditional love of a severely brain-injured child and the wealth of memories he left those who were truly blessed to have been part of his life.

About the Author

Carol Edwards is an elementary teacher in Central Indiana. The author of Why Jeffrey? Why Us?, Edwards writes a story to help children who have physical and mental challenges better understand why God chose to  make them just the way they are. Edwards also writes a column in her county newspaper. She and her husband are the parents of one grown daughter.

Why Jeffrey? Why Us?

By Carol Edwards

Click here to order your copy today!

By Carol Edwards

“‘God, are you there? Can you hear me? It’s Fuella, the firefly. I’m down here!’

The Firefly Who Asked Why is the heartwarming story of a young firefly in search of answers. With her bright light shining every night, Fuella wonders why she has been made differently. After all, no one else lights up the night!

With the help of her friends on the savannah, Fuella will find out the secret and the wonder of the things that make her different.”

Excerpt

Fuella the firefly lived quite contently with her mother, father, sisters, and brothers deep in the grasslands, far away from villages, huts, or even people. There were no dogs barking or babies crying or children laughing. There were only the endless windblown grasses and the animals that roamed there. Fuella had always been a very curious little firefly and was forever asking her mother and father “Why?” about just about everything. Why did the wind blow? Where did the pretty colors of the rainbow come from? Why did the flowers smell so nice?

About the Author

Carol Edwards is an elementary teacher in Central Indiana. The author of Why Jeffrey? Why Us?, Edwards writes a story to help children who have physical and mental challenges better understand why God chose to  make them just the way they are. Edwards also writes a column in her county newspaper. She and her husband are the parents of one grown daughter.

To read more of this great children’s book see below!

The Firefly Who Asked Why 

By Carol Edwards

Click here to order your today!

This book is dedicated to all of the very special children in the world who have struggled to understand why God chose to make them so different. Despite our physical or mental challenges, God has a very special place for all of us. Just like the giraffe with the extra long neck or the elephant with the unruly trunk, God loves us for who we are.

By Sonya Rulli

Sonya’s Story is a revolutionary, easy to use guidebook designed to help both the patient and caregiver. It begins with the truestory of Sonya’s learning experience as she overcame the obstacles of suddenly becoming the caregiver for her mother-in-law, a stroke patient. Sonya was overwhelmed by the gap in care and information available once they left the hospital and rehabilitation professionals. It was out of this frustration that she developed The Miracle Mind program.

As a caregiver you are not alone in asking, “What am I suppose to do for my loved one?” and “Isn’t there something out there that can help me?” Yes – this book is THAT SOMETHING.

The beginning chapters will:

• Empower you with knowledge and resources
• Provide step-by-step instructions to cut through the chaos
• Furnish easy to use forms to help organize the activities of your new role
• Give you THE checklist for “Information you need now!”
• Review critical safety challenges and how to overcome them
• Discuss the importance of taking care of yourself with creative tips on how to accomplish that goal

That is just the beginning. The Miracle Mind also provides hope for the patient. For the patient, isolation can be a serious issue. A lack of socialization can contribute to depression and slow the progress of recovery. Engaging the patient in conversation and activities with family and friends is a vital step to avoiding this problem.

However, we often do not know what to do or say when visiting a person who has gone through a serious illness.

The second part of this book will:

• Replace the awkwardness felt by visitors with positive, enjoyable experiences
• Provide worksheets that are designed to help the patient retrain their brain
• Give families cherished time with their loved one

The Miracle Mind program provides the tools needed to give you and your loved one a better quality of life.

To order your copy today, click here!

Sonya’s Story

By Sonya Rulli

By Geo Gosling

This is the follow-up book to TBI Hell, which was published in 2006. The author, Geo Gosling talks about life 14 years after sustaining a Traumatic Brain Injury. Few, if any, books regarding brain injuries give a perspective of what life may be like 14 years after suffering a brain injury, this one does. It is a male’s perspective who received a TBI at age 25 and is now 39 years old.

It is also rather humorous in spots, as humor is, in Geo’s opinion, the best way to deal with what life is like after suffering a TBI.

Just not the same

I had a Blackburn Trakstand to which I could attach my bicycle to make it a stationary bike. So I did. Now I could at least get on my new, cool looking bicycle and pedal it for some exercise. I would fill up my five-disc CD changer, get on my bicycle, and go for a “ride.” I would just sit on my bike, listen to some aggressive music (Metallica, Pantera, Godsmack, etc.) and pedal away for an hour or so. I didn’t like it at all. I now know what hamsters must feel like when they run on the little exercise wheel in their cage. They run, run, run, and work, work, work, but they don’t go anywhere.

That was me. I would pedal, pedal, pedal, and sweat, sweat, sweat but I kept looking at the same darn tree (through the window of course because I was inside.)

About the Author:

Geo Gosling was born in 1970 in Deer Park, CA which is very near the world famous Napa Valley. He attended the University of California, at Davis and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Fermentation Science. He survived a bicycle vs. pick-up truck collision but did receive a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), plus a lot of broken bones. His bicycle helmet saved his life. After he was released from the hospital, he wrote a book entitled TBI Hell: A Traumatic Brain Injury Really Sucks, which is about all of the trials and tribulations he has to endure as a result of having an injured brain. His second book, TBI Purgatory details his on-going trials and tribulations.

TBI Purgatory

By Gos Gosling

To order your copy now, click here.