Living with brain injury, whether it is caused by a traumatic injury, stroke, tumor, infection, or illness, is a lifelong journey for survivors, families, and caregivers. The Brain Injury Blog is about more than the care, treatment and rehabilitation of those who survive brain injury. It is about the journey of brain injury from the perspectives of those who live with it as well as those who provide care, treatment and support. Survival is just the first step in living with brain injury. Please join us in the journey of hope after brain injury.
William Jarvis has lived as a person with a brain injury for many years. While he admits that he is different and that his injury is permanent, and that there are no easy answers, he still hopes on to hope and compassion. He explores the contradictions of of so many survivors who appear “normal” while still balancing the cognitive and physical challenges that can persist over years and even a lifetime.
HBOT is used to treat brain injury from trauma or another cause such as stroke. While the number of people who have used HBOT for brain injury is unknown, its popularity is growing. When a trauma occurs, the brain often swells, so the injured tissue does not receive enough oxygen. The area that needs the most oxygen gets the least. HBOT drives oxygen into the cerebrospinal fluid, which carries it to the brain and permits healing.
The VA estimates more than 300,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. Shad Meshad explores why “homelessness is the last stop on this PTSD/TBI train ride, not the first.” Since the symptoms of PTSD and TBI are similar and often overlap, PTSD can be the initial incorrect or incomplete diagnosis where TBI is present. Both these conditions can manifest as depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, irritability, aggression, and increasing social isolation. But TBI can also include memory loss, migraines, seizures, problems with language, and trouble making what might seem like simple decisions. Vets with brain injury need different treatment.
When William jarvis sustained a serious brain injury, he was uncertain whether he could return to his position as a college professor, a job requiring complex cognitive skills, He reflects on how he used his past academic and artistic experiences, as well as prior learning, to build his cognitive improvement. Now retired, he admits that though his difficulties never go away, he has been able to achieve success in other aspects of life. His message to other survivors of brain injury is to never give up trying.
Honey I Smell the Flowers were the last words Ruth Ann Bartels spoke to her husband as they were traveling to warmer climates for their winter vacation. That was just before she got the phone call that her daughter Michelle had been badly injured in a car crash and was in an ambulance. The book title chosen by Bartels reflects the journey of this mother – and so many other families – to find hope and beauty again after witnessing the devastation that brain trauma can cause.
Changes in behavior after a brain injury can result in problems in the classroom for the student, along with frustration and confusion not only for the student but for teachers and parents as well. Dr. Katherine Kimes explains the importance of person-centered approaches for effective behavior management techniques. She provides examples of the antecedent-behavior-consequence approach, commonly known as the A-B-C Model of benavior management. Her behavioral checklist will help educators and therapists develop educational and behavioral plans for students with brain injuries.
Impulsive spending, poor judgement and cognitive impairments mean that brain injury finances can spiral out of control leading to financial disaster for TBI survivors. Thomas Henson and Carol Svec share legal advice and steps that families can take to protect survivors from financial ruin.
Grief after brain injury is a journey for families, survivors and caregivers. It involves loss, bereavement, grieving and mourning and life can feel suspended during the early stages of shock and grief. Janelle Breese Biagioni explains various types of grief and mourning, including ambiguous grief and extraordinary mourning. By understanding the grief process, families can regain a sense of hope.
Now an advocate for brain injury survivors after her misdiagnosis when she had an aneurysm, Kim Justus is now an author and radio host featuring interviews with survivors, families, caregivers, and clinicians. She interviews survivors and provides educational information on “life after brain injury” and issues related to caregiving. She discusses the problems she and other survivors face as well as the solutions they have found.
Ambiguous loss can not be seen but it is real and felt by combat veterans, their families and caregivers who struggle with the invisible wounds of war. The story of a World War 2 veteran Louis Zamperini illustrates how even the most strong willed and courageous combat veteran found another war at home with chronic PTSD that almost destroyed him. How much has changed with our returning veterans today?
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