Product Description
The multi-disability nature of acquired brain injury and its complex effects make the return to employment particularly problematic. This book provides a clear overview of the cognitive and psychological difficulties associated with brain injury and discusses how people affected by it can prepare for and remain in employment. The author offers effective occupational techniques to address impaired memory, attention and executive functions, and difficulties with organisation and planning skills, as well as the speech impairments commonly associated with acquired brain injury. He also examines the environmental, emotional, physical and psychological barriers to work reintegration and offers a range of solutions to these problems, including mentoring relationships with colleagues. ... Read more

Product Description
This is one of those rare books that comes along to answer all you wanted to know about head injuries, concussions and mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) but didn't know who to ask. It clearly describes the signs and symptoms as they show up in everyday life. There is a Functional Symptom Questionnaire that helps to bring an awareness to changes in memory, thinking, attention, language and communication skills, as well as balance, coordination, visual perception, and difficulties managing emotions.There are helpful tips for family, friends and loved ones, "brain-saving" decisions to prevent sports-related concussions, and a list of medical professionals who treat this "invisible" injury. Since MTBI is often unidentified and misunderstood, this book is also an essential reference for health care professionals, teachers, athletic coaches and employers to expand their knowledge of the physical and behavioral symptoms. The intention of the authors is to create a better awareness about this injury and to inspire hope that brain injury survivors will get better, learn strategies to compensate and discovery their own resiliency and resourcefulness. ... Read more

Product Description
Practitioners today see increasing numbers of brain injuries across the country and around the globe. The causes run the gamut of human endeavor, from frailty associated with aging, military activity, sports, and motor vehicle accidents of all kinds. With a growing awareness of the effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the need for early intervention to ameliorate these effects and improve patient outcomes have come demand for practical information for clinicians on the frontlines

Traumatic Brain Injury: Rehabilitation Medicine Quick Reference provides the necessary knowledge the busy practitioner needs to deliver quality care to TBI patients. Addressing one hundred varied topics presented in a consistent two-page format for maximum clinical utility, this nuts and bolts resource is organized in three sections. The first focuses on assessment of acute or chronic TBI, covering physical examination and diagnostic testing. The bulk of the book provides an alphabetically arranged catalog of brain injury conditions and sequelae commonly seen by practitioners, as well as specialized areas of TBI care for unique patient populations such as sports or military injury, and sequelae, such as post-traumatic stress disorder or neuroendocrine disorders. The final section outlines treatment interventions and expected functional outcomes.

Features of Rehabilitation Medicine Quick Reference series titles include

• Comprehensive coverage of all important topics in PM&R
• Multi-specialty editorship and authorship
• Chapters are organized into succinct facts, presented in a bullet point format
• Laid out for easy look up by syndrome, complication and treatment
• Focus on clinical management provides readers with hands-on, practical guidance for all types of interventions and therapies
• Consistent approach allows readers to know exactly where to find the information they need rapidly
• Pitfalls , Red Flags , Complications , and Helpful Hints help guard against unwanted sequelae ... Read more

Product Description
Since the original publication of Traumatic Brain Injury: Methods for Clinical & Forensic Neuropsychiatric Assessment, new clinical findings concerning traumatic brain injury have improved our ability to evaluate and treat individuals with TBI. Unfortunately, the dramatic rise in the occurrence of brain injuries over the same time period demands improved proficiency in evaluation and treatment. In an effort to improve forensic and medical examinations of the victims of traumatic brain injury, this volume provides new research, practical guidelines, and the latest advances and applications in structural and functional imaging assessment techniques.

New Case Studies, Images, and Clinical Findings

With updated case studies and new images from functional MRI, PET scans, and MR Spectroscopy, this edition places more emphasis on mild traumatic brain injury, including expanded information on sports injuries in children and athletes. It brings up-to-date the neuroanatomical and neuroimaging bases of cognitive domains of the brain and includes new findings on the epidemiology and pathophysiology of brain injury, as well as acquired psychopathology following injury. It also investigates the physical effects and psychiatric ramifications of blast over-pressure as seen in combat veterans and civilians in Kosovo, Lebanon, and Iraq.

Practical, Applicable Guidelines

Providing practical guidelines for using state-of-the-art, brain-based assessment techniques, this volume establishes a neuropsychiatric schema for the evaluation of traumatic brain injury and provides tools for designing a treatment plan. Although geared toward forensic evaluation with chapters on the detection of brain-injury malingering, determination of impairment, methods of neurobehavioral analysis, and the presentation of evidence at trial, the methods in this book can be used to evaluate and treat any neuropsychiatric disorder with the addition of appropriate laboratory studies and pathology specific treatment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This book should be required reading for all psychiatrists.
Dr. Granacher obviously has a grasp on the difficult problem of distinguishing genuine disability from faked disability. The reader will enjoy the easy readability of this work. How he makes sense to the reader of this complex and difficult to understand area of neuroscience is most admirable. Colorful clinical tips like Ribot's Law and other bedside pearls remind one of the Russian methods used by the great Luria. At the same time the author uses the statistical scores of American neuropsych testing to a good end as well. The new area of high tech neuroimaging is explained in understandable ways which is clearly the need for this second edition. I give Dr. Grancher's text an A+.

Submitted by Stephen Michael Cox, M.D. President of the National Anxiety Foundation. Asst Clin Professor of Psychiatry, Unversity of Kentucky Colege of Medicine. ... Read more

Product Description
chemical brain injury Kaye H. Kilburn, M.D. The idea that the brain is the most susceptible body organ to the adverse effects of chemicals seemed a remote possibility a decade or two ago. Among the skeptics was Dr. Kaye H. Kilburn. Well-known in Environmental Medicine and Occupational Health, he had demonstrated that airways-obstruction caused the Monday-morning asthma from cotton dust in textile workers that led to the Cotton Dust Standard. He showed how asbestos scarred the lungs’ small airways to trap air and reduce vital capacity, and that welding fumes, aluminum refining, diesel exhaust, and formaldehyde caused asthma by narrowing small airways. These workers’ complaints of memory loss, inability to concentrate, dizziness, lightheadedness, and loss of balance led Dr. Kilburn to consider how to measure brain functions. He borrowed and adapted tests and built devices to measure key brain activities, and learned to find out how symptoms predicted losses of balance, quickness, and strength, and loss of vision for color and form. Nearly 300 patients who had been exposed to chemicals were evaluated for diagnosis and nearly 4,000 people who had been exposed in groups were evaluated for chemical effects. Statistical analysis of patients gathered from individuals and groups in cities, towns, and rural areas provided complementary insights into the effects of chemicals. Chemical Brain Injury focuses on how common and abundant chemicals affect the brain. It synthesizes endeavors to assess the effects of chemicals that were gathered over 15 years and published in 30 widely-scattered papers. Included are effects of chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, chlordane, arsenic, trichoroethylene, PCBs, hydrochloric acid, and diesel exhaust. To understand how individuals and populations respond to chemicals, it considers the effects of aging, of years of school completed, and of sex, height, weight, and other factors. The book addresses such issues as:

• The infrequency of chemically unaffected populations in the United States
• Mechanisms of brain damage from chemicals
• Prognosis and therapy

Product Description
Each year in the United States, more than 3 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Associated annual costs exceed $48 billion, yet media and policy makers have largely ignored this major public health problem. Moreover, most clinicians lack experience in treating and evaluating patients with TBI and thus are unaware of its many subtle but disabling psychiatric symptoms.

This critically important textbook—the timely successor to the popular 1994 compilation by the same editors—fills that void, providing a wealth of scientific, yet easy-to-understand information on the complex neuropsychiatric sequelae of TBI. Written by recognized experts and designed to help treat patients in the clinical setting, this volume presents a truly comprehensive, clinically relevant approach based on current research and clinical practice. As such, it is the ideal tool for helping to educate mental health care professionals about the devastating consequences of TBI.

This thoroughly updated and expanded textbook contains 40 chapters and more than 100 clinically-relevant figures and illustrations. It is organized into seven sections that address epidemiology/pathophysiology, neuropsychiatric disorders and symptomatologies, special populations and social issues, and treatment and prevention, covering topics such as aggressive disorders, cognitive changes, fatigue and sleep problems, chronic pain, mood disorders, family systems, pharmacological therapy, and—of critical importance—prevention. Updates from the 1994 predecessor work include

• Separate chapters addressing structural imaging, functional imaging, and electrophysiologic techniques (the 1994 volume contained just one chapter on neuropsychiatric assessment)
• A chapter dedicated to specific issues that arise during neuropsychological assessment
• Extensive revisions to all chapters covering neuropsychiatric disorders
• Chapters discussing the multiple neuropsychiatric sequelae experienced by patients but not encompassed by the usual psychiatric syndromes—including apathy, reduced awareness of deficits, fatigue, pain, headaches, balance problems, visual difficulties, and sequelae of sports injuries
• New chapters on social issues and systems of care
• The full range of treatment modalities, including a chapter on alternative therapies

These distinguished editors have brought together the leading-edge work of a stellar group of renowned contributors in a practical, deeply informative textbook that will be welcomed as a "must read" by psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, clinical psychiatrists, physiatrists, neurologists, and other professionals, including residents and trainees, involved in brain injury rehabilitation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Personal Expert
This is a very good book covering just about everything you need to know about TBI.

Buy it immediately.
Agree with above.The book is excellent.It captures the essence of traumatic brain injuries.In its brilliantly edited 771 pages, it provides a comprehensive, yet captivating perusal of this essential topic.

Fantastic
I purchased this book for a needed couse for my PhD in Clinical Psychology. The book provided an indepth look at Traumatic Brain Injury from causes, to differentiation in type to treatment. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
Musical improvisation is an increasingly recognised rehabilitative therapy for people who have experienced traumatic brain injury initially thought to be 'unreachable' or 'non-responsive'."Music Therapy and Traumatic Brain Injury" demonstrates how music therapy can be used to attend to the holistic, rather than purely functional, needs of people affected by severe head trauma. Divided into three parts, the first section provides an introduction to the effects brain injury has on a person's livelihood. The second is a comprehensive review of available literature on the use of music therapy in the neurorehabilitative setting. The final section examines three case studies designed according to 'therapeutic narrative analysis', an adaptive research method that uses interviewing and video, which focuses on the unique relationship between the professional and the patient.This book will give clinicians key notes for practice and a vision of the integral role music therapy can have in the successful rehabilitation from brain injury. ... Read more

Product Description
"I didn't even recongize my own face in the mirror. Nothingfelt right. Dazed. Paralyzed by fear, my first instince was to run butI had nowhere to hide... Voices echoed, rococheting across the room. Iwished they sounded familiar."

At the age of 14, Lynsey Calderwood suffered a traumatic brain injury that left her physically unmarked but destroyed her memory. Thrust back into an apparently nonsensical world of which she had no recollection, Lynsey spiralled downwards into depression and eating disorders as she became socially ostracized.

This is the story, in her own words, of Lynsey's quest to discover her identity and, eventually, to come to terms with her disability. She faces devastating setbacks and her sense of loss, grief and rage is movingly recalled. Courage and perseverance, coupled with her engaging sense of humor, see her through. Her tale will be an inspiration to anyone who has faced similar obstacles. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Cracked, Well Worth Reading
In 1992, Lynsey Calderwood fell from a chair and banged her head. In a flash, she lost all memory of her short fourteen-year life. Eleven years later, she published this clever, funny, insightful, sometimes cruel, sometimes profane memoir of her struggles to create a new self-image. This was a difficult process as the "new Lynsey" was constantly bumping up against the expectations of her family and friends to be the "old Lynsey." When she returned to school, Calderwood realized the severity of her memory loss and her impaired ability to learn new material. She also struggled socially, constantly fearful of the hostility she sometimes encountered. Things began to improve when Calderwood learned to use stress management and relaxation techniques. But more importantly, Calderwood finally found a purpose in life. She discovered that she wanted to be a writer, a poet, and an actor, just like the "old Lynsey." Learning new material was still a considerable challenge for her, but now she was motivated by a passion. Her confidence and enthusiasm for life began to grow. As we reach the end of Cracked, we find Calderwood busy, "holed up in her bedroom writing poetry and setting goals and limits for herself." By her own account, she still finds it difficult to relax and she "rarely finishes the tasks she begins." She did, however, finish Cracked, and I'm glad she did. The story of her passage from a 14-year-old with a new, but impaired, lease on life to that of a 25-year-old published author is well worth reading.

Not so good
This book was difficult to read because it is so disjointed and un-clear.It has some good experience information, but is more like her personal discombobulated diary than a clear story.

Cracked and cracking
Why is this book important? Many reasons - but one is that it's by and about disability, and it proves beyond doubt that people generally considered 'crackers' have much to say, and much to offer.

More than that, it's a cracking story - full of pain, courage sadness, and hilarious moments of comedy.

The author tells her story in broken bits of narrative, fragments of memory, and simple heartfelt poems (that get more complex and sophisticated as time passes)Like Humpty Dumpty she has to pick up the broken pieces of her mind as the kings' horses - psychiatry, education and state 'care' - try to trample her into the ground.

It's an internal and an external journey that should shatter all our beliefs, if we have them, that there's anyone out there to help if the same thing happened to us.

Not just an interesting autobiography, but the first work by a major new author, Cracked will have your brain reeling. ... Read more

Product Description
Rehabilitation For Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a state-of-the-science review of the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions.Leading experts conduct evidence-based reviews of specific areas of brain injury rehabilitation summarizing what is known in each area, critiquing the methodoligicalproblems of studies in the area, and then outlining new directions for research.The book begins with a review of the history of rehabilitation for TBI from World War I until the present.The second section of the book examines the rehabilitationof specific cognitive impairments in awareness, memory, executive functioning, communication, and emotion and behavior.The third section investigates special topics in rehabilitation of persons with TBI including substance abuse, interventions for caregivers, and vocational rehabilitation.The fourth section of the book covers rehabilitation with specific populations: children, older adults, and persons from diverse cultures.The final section examines topics in medical rehabilitation including treatment of spasticity, minimally conscious patients, and the contribution of neuroimaging to rehabilitation. ... Read more

Product Description
Drawing on the expertise of several well-known figures in the medical, neuropsychological, and legal professions, Forensic Evaluation of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Handbook for Clinicians and Attorneys, Second Edition provides a concise, general overview of the forensic assessment process and the issues surrounding Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The book identifies key topics involved in forensic assessment, including definitions and select medical diagnostic terminology, and reviews the neurologic, neuropsychiatric, neuropsychological, and psychological assessment processes specific to brain injury cases.

The second edition is updated and revised to include a new chapter on neuropsychiatric evaluation as performed by a clinical or forensic neuropsychiatrist. It delineates the distinct differences between the forensic neurological and neuropsychiatric assessments, acknowledging the overlaps and defining the separate focus of each discipline. New information on forensic testimony and the forensic examiner as an expert witness covers the qualifications and credibility of the forensic expert and the admissibility of expert testimony in TBI cases. The handbook highlights the most recent court rulings and possible modification to the admissibility of forensic testimony. Also new to this edition is a chapter on neuropsychological rehabilitation issues after TBI. It outlines crucial information on treatments, services, and facilities that may be required temporarily or ongoing and thus have bearing during litigation and on the outcome of a traumatic brain injury case.

Forensic Evaluation of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Handbook for Clinicians and Attorneys, Second Edition offers clinically useful and practical tables and reference pages that are indispensable for forensic examiners, expert witnesses, and legal professionals alike. ... Read more

Product Description
...update of basic mechanisms of injury and how to assess such deficits toa thorough discussion and clinical guide on managing resulting behavior problems,implenting school and social programs and providing community support ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Another Great brain rehab book from Siles
I'm a caregiver to my husband, Patrick, who has had a stroke around 1 and half year ago, and is still staying in rehab hospital.

Around a year ago Patrick had barely passed the swallowing test, to finish up a cup of milk or oatmeal took him at least 45 mins. He couldn't walk nor talk (the tracheotomy was just weaned), cognitive level was close to zero, let alone having any interaction or communication with me. Then I came across Siles' Brain - heal thyself, and it had helped me go through the toughest time of my life.

Eureka! is the 2nd book from Siles, and it's just as good as the previous one.

I'm not going to sugarcoat the whole thing. Stroke is a brutal disease and most of the times, it's beyond our control to have it recovered or not. It's brutal not only to the patient but also to his/her loved ones, after all, our lives have completely changed because of it and we caregivers require additional love and strength to go through each day. To become a better caregiver so that our loved ones can be healed better:we need to eat well, sleep well and pray hard for our strength and power, and read the right books for our mental nutrition - Bible or any Spiritual book works wonders, and so does this one.

Eureka! has taught me how to relax myself from the hectic caregiver's schedule. My intuition and creativity are generated ONLY during my relaxation mode. They can help to pick up my husband's signals faster and stimulate his minds and memories for better recovery, but most importantly, to have fun and worry free together on this recovery journey. Fun is something often will be disregarded of when it comes to rehabilitate severe illness like stroke and have it replaced with anxiety. But on the contrary, we need to incorporate fun to our daily routines of the rehabilitation treatments; because the brain only learns and recreates better through games and relaxation. Everyone is different when it comes to have fun and creative, you need to develop your own ways to help your loved one. And this book teaches you how.

Now, a year later, by the time I finished "Eureka!" not long ago, Patrick is able to walk with one person aiding, make phone calls and communicate with single word, do some simple math (grade 3 or 4 level), watch the entire movie in the theater with full comprehension and sing his favorite songs all the time. Eating is not a problem anymore, trust me, he eats more than I do and even was asked to maintain his weight(a.k.a. diet) so that he can walk better later.

If you ever want a good brain injury rehab book to help out(from the bottom of my heart, you won't ever need that), or simply want to relax and have a good fun read, you can't go wrong with Eureka!

Good luck to you all caregivers out there.

A strong pick for those concerned about brain damage and recovery from those incidents
Brain injuries are no thing to deal with lightly. "Eureka!: Memories and Motivations" is a guide for those who have found themselves caring for a brain injured patient and want to help them face their injury the best way possible. Memory loss is a common effect and Madonna Siles hopes to give readers what they need to reverse that loss. "Eureka!" is a strong pick for those concerned about brain damage and recovery from those incidents.

Powerful Caregiver Guide
Eurkea! Not only a great title for a book but Eureka! I found a guide that is not only a must-read for caregivers but is also relevant for anyone raising a child especially a teenager or having to interact with an elder parent.The book is very easy to read, gives great examples for what to do, and is chocked full of humor. This should be on everyone's reference bookshelf even if you're not a caregiver now. You'll be well prepared whenever that happens and will enjoy a well-written and funny book in the meantime.

Compassionate, empathetic, candid, and conversational-in-style
WHY I LIKE THIS BOOK: It is written and presented with a crisp, concise, tough-love and very conversational theme that should be easily understood by all readers, Survivors and Caregivers alike.

"Compassionate, empathetic, candid, and conversational-in-style, this work is enlightening for caregiver and survivor alike. Time and again, the author highlights the criticality of "authentic action" as moving the Eureka process from fiction to fact, from theory into reality. The caregiver and survivor will survive and thrive!" (Walter H. Steinlauf, ED, The Stroke Survivors Advocacy Network)

Help for Caregivers
I was searching for practical assistance after bringing my eighty-nine year old mother home from a lengthy hospital stay.

She had suffered serious oxygen deprivation as the result of severe COPD and pneumonia and we were hoping to be able to help her back to a reasonable level of independent living.

Madonna's book not only provided helpful suggestions to assist in Mom's recovery; it also gave us support.Madonna gave us "permission" to accept all of our emotions (even the not so altruistic ones). Madonna explains why it is not just OK to be good to yourself but that it is absolutely necessary.She provides practical everyday ways to keep the spirit of the caregiver from totally tanking.

At a time when both the patient and the caregiver are in one of the most difficult situations of their lives this book may offer a little help and hope! ... Read more

Product Description
This manual gives a basic overview of the consequences that traumatiac brain injuries can have on a student's learning and behavior. It sorts out myths from facts, explains common changes at home and in school, and gives strategies for use at home and in the classroom. There are detailed worksheets to transfer information as the student moves from teacher to teacher, grade to grade, and school to school. This is a must have book for educators and families with any child or student who has had a traumatic brain injury. ... Read more

Product Description
"If I Only Had a Brain Injury is a page-turner and a must-read. It is a testimony of the power of believing in oneself, a true survival story."
--Alina Oswald

"The 'Oz' analogy is something I had never thought of and it is perfect. ... The book will be a great resource. ... I especially like that you offer ways to deal with the emotional impact on survivors, friends and family members. Your book will be of great help to families. I see it all the time, people with TBI are looking for anything that will help, and conventional medicine can only do so much."
-----Karen Ruppert--Nurse Manager, trauma rehabilitation unit at Harborview Medical Center

Unlike other books on healing from so-called "Medical Mysteries," If I Only Had a Brain Injury encourages readers to chart their own inspirational journeys.The book's structure follows The Wizard of Oz storyline (Dorothy's journey begins with a concussion), guiding readers to a "yellow brick road through recovery."A collection of personal examples, alternative treatments and spiritual growth exercises, this book also offers wisdom from thirteen contributors, includingRobin Cohn (Vice President of New York State Brain Injury Association), Dr. William Padula (Neuro-Optometric Rehabilitation Association), Dana Reeve, and Kay Strom. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Doesn't live up to the hype
This self-published book promises a lot it doesn't deliver.The author's account of how she recovered from a brain injury would be better if it stopped there.Instead she proselytizes on everything from raw food diets, her myriad of health problems to spirituality with her then-husband.It is extremely short and focused on her experience with the American medical system - for instance detailing her insurance claims - and takes no account that other countries have other systems.

If you really do have a brain injury then you need much better help than this book delivers.I would recommend a book published by someone with more credentials and by a reputable publisher, where at least there is a 'quality control' - books needs to be of a certain length, and stick to the subject.I wouldn't recommend this author's story.Incidentally, the other glowingreviews seem to be by people known to the author.

A wealth of research and information, and an enjoyable read
There's a lot of good information in this book, even for healthy people, some good insights and motivation, common sense and many useful and diverse resources.Well written, with skillful analogies to the Wizard of Oz. I think it has the potential to help a lot of people. If I was injured, I wouldn't hesitate to pass it on to everyone who knew me.

A great blessing!
This book, I gave to a family member as a GIFT. I did skim through parts of it,and found it to be heaven sent. Thank You!!!!

A Great Resource for Traumatic Brain Injuries
If I Only Had a Brain Injury is a delightful, powerful and highly informative book.Beautifully written, Laura Bruno draws upon her experiences with her own Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) from a car accident.Her descriptions are vivid, deeply and personal. The book is very supportive and is an excellent resource for those dealing with Traumatic Brain Injuries and their caregivers.The book is also vitally important for those dealing with challenging and mysterious health issues like Chronic Fatigue, Lyme Disease and Migraines.

Bruno tells her own story while expertly weaving her insights within the context of the Wizard of Oz.I loved the humor, playfulness and utter seriousness in the book in the chapter titles and content.In the chapter, Somewhere Over the Rainbow Bruno states that her aim is, "...to inspire you and to guide you to resources that will empower you to take control over your own health and wellbeing."

Gradually after Bruno's own accident she began to realize that she had entered into a new land, and needed to learn anew. She recounts these realizations in the chapter, We're not in Kansas Anymore.Bruno says, " Like Dorothy, I knew I could not return the way I arrived.Like Dorothy, I eventually found my way "back home," but I took the Technicolor journey with me.I wrote this book to help others to do so, to."

And, like Dorothy following the yellow brick road to find her way back home to Kansas, the book emphasizes actions you can take in your recovery from the symptoms of these various illnesses that are so mysterious to the medical community.Bruno says in the chapter titled "Glinda," that "This chapter suggests ways to find the Glinda's along your journey...Even in the Wizard of Oz, Glinda prefers to help Dorothy help herself."She includes an excellent listing of resources to contact. For instance, she notes that you might want to contact a Behavioral optometrist that specializes in connections in mind, body and vision because "...a majority of people with neurological issues suffer from visual impairment. If you have any of the flowing symptoms, you may benefit from visual therapy or prism lenses:Concentration problems; Double vision; Headaches; Difficulty reading; Balance disorders; Clumsiness; Eyestrain; Intolerance of flickering lights; Intolerance to varied backgrounds; Panic Attacks; Easily becoming overwhelmed; Vertigo.

If I Only Had a Brain Injury is like a breath of fresh air as it offers hope where typically there is none. As Bruno notes, so many head injuries and their effects are not detected, diagnosed or treated. Many people are told that they do not show any medical evidence of a medical injury even though they are experiencing severe difficulties in daily functioning since the time of their accident or since the onset of their illness. And, even when a brain injury and trauma is recognized, there have been very limited resources to assist in continued rehabilitation.

My level of awareness about the nature of head injuries and its effects has risen dramatically from reading this book.This includes helping me to understand some of my own experiences from knocking my head with numerous falls off of horses, minor car accidents and some of my own hard to diagnose symptoms.I now keep this book by my bedside for personal quick reference and I also have a copy available in my office for those clients who have had head injuries.

If I only Had a Brain Injury is an excellent resource that I very highly recommend for anyone who has experienced a Traumatic Brain Injury as well as their family members, caregivers, medical professional and therapists. For anyone whose life has been touched in some manner with a Traumatic Brain Injury or by any illness that has been a medical mystery, this book will be of great value.

Lyme Disease help here too!

I got this book yesterday afternoon and I have been gobbling it up! Right from the start I identified with the writing. I, too, had a feeling that my evening at the outdoor amphitheater that July 26th night in 2005 could change my life. I didn't know how and so I ignored my irrational feelings. I went to the ballet and although we were sitting inside I must have picked up the tick as we walked across the lawn to the amphitheater. 10 days later, almost to the hour, I was very, very sick. The Lyme crossed the blood brain barrier and I have had neurological and emotional problems. My stupid neurologist says I am "in the normal range" even when I have vertigo and was falling back on my head walking down the street, have huge memory gaps, sometimes make no sense, etc. I told him it wasn't normal for me, but ended up getting nowhere and leaving his office in tears.
My boyfriend of 12 years (with whom I attended the ballet that night) became very frustrated and angry. I am no longer the same woman he signed up for. We separated in the Fall of 2007. He felt I was not "trying hard enough" to get better.
My family thinks I am mentally ill. In fact over the last 9 months I have been misdiagnosed with either depression or Bipolar II disorder and mis-medicated, which DID make me pretty crazy. I am now convinced I ought not to be on any medications but treat myself holistically. I have been medication free for one month and that has made a huge difference for me.
So, I am so thankful for the book! I am finding out that I need to listen to myself and not depend on doctors to be able to fix me or even diagnose me correctly. I have been changing my diet and using it as my medicine. I have been making sure to get outside and walk or recently I can bicycle again! Soak in some sun. Surround myself with positive people--no angry boyfriend--as much as possible. I am painting again.
I think I was already headed in this direction -- after 11 months of putting my hope and trust in, then floundering in, medical offices, hitting my head against (figurative) wall after wall. Laura Bruno's book gives me such strength and hope for this journey.

... Read more

Product Description


"By the time I was 21-years-old, everything about me--my soul, if you will--had changed not once, but twice."

In an instant, her world changed forever. While on active duty in the U.S. Army, Lori Williams-just your average American young woman-sustained a severe traumatic brain injury in an automobile accident. For the next 22 years, what would occur is a transformation. In her memoir, the author discusses the ways-cognitive, physical, emotional, and spiritual-in which she was affected by a brain injury, discussing the ramifications of this incomprehensible tragedy, and bringing us through her process of transformation.

"Portrays her journey of hope, renewal, and redemption with courage and vulnerability."
- Ellen Lord, MA, RN, CACII ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Light Is Still There
Survivors of serious brain injuries inevitably suffer lifelong impairment. The most difficult obstacle they encounter is learning to live well with these challenges. In this courageous book, Lori Williams describes how she struggled with shame, depression, social isolation, and a dependency on sugary foods and alcohol as she battled the cognitive, physical, emotional, and behavioral sequelae of her brain injury. With the support of both her faith and a husband who approached her brain injury with "grace and understanding," the author ultimately transcended her brain injury, overcoming some of her deficits and learning to live well with others. Williams ultimately discovers that "the light is still there," that brain injury survivors can live full and rewarding lives. While My New Brain would have benefited from some professional editing, this book will inspire others living with a brain injury to persevere until they discover their own light.

An unexpected book
I really liked this book.I started reading and couldn't put it down.In chronicling her life, her accident, recovery and present, Lori brings a refreshing journal-like approach; introspective yet interpretive.She also quite adequately manages to bring issues of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) back to earth, less clinical and more pragmatic.It's personal and developmental; just as satisfying a read for those who enjoy memoirs as well as for those who live and/or work with TBI.

Informative
I found this book to be very informative and poignant.Having a sister who suffered a severe brain injury from a horseback riding accident many years ago, I feel I can finally understand certain aspects. This is an excellent book for anyone who has sustained a head injury or knows some who has. The author really takes you through the healing process, the changes and the emotion involved.

Hope...
Hope...
Lori Williams was in the military when an automobile accident changed her life forever. She courageously reveals the trials and struggles she faced and still faces. This book brings tears, but it also brings hope.

Lori was stationed in Germany when her tiny VW Beetle was hit in the driver's side by a large truck. Life would never be the same. Not only was her cognitive ability affected, there were physical changes. Some the hardest changes came in her emotions. However, nothing stopped Lori.

She enrolled in college and received her Master's in Social Work. Lori is proof that life goes on, and the human spirit perseveres.

enlightening;)
I purchased this book because I like to read.I also have an 11 year old son and 2 good friends with head injuries.In searching of enlightenment into their worlds, I realized the opposite. I found that I too related to Lori's struggles. It was very enlightening:).
Couldn't put down. Quick read. ... Read more

Product Description
A comprehensive and structured approach to the development and impleme ntation of treatment plans and the documentation of progress. Focuses on the cognitive-linguistic problems that are unique to TBI patients a s wellas a framework on which subsequent evaluation and treatment gui delines are based. ... Read more

Product Description
Traumatic brain injury causes damage to the connections in many parts of the brain besides the focal point of the injury. It's not enough to heal medically. Brain Injury Rewiring for Loved Ones has extensive information about what happens in the brain when it is injured, and goes on to describe the medical care required during the initial stages of recovery. After that, the book makes it clear how loved ones can continue to help the survivor heal spiritually, emotionally, cognitively, physically, socially, and vocationally through traditional and complementary medicine and good nutrition.
Brain Injury Rewiring for Loved Ones is one of two well-received books designed to help survivors of brain injuries. The companion book, Brain Injury Rewiring for Survivors, describes a complementary set of options a survivor has for recovery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Extra Ordinary
This pair of testimonial based guides to life after brain injury; are fantastic!

The coupling of both healing approaches is extraordinary in their depth & berth.

The lay out & the delivery of this vital information flows easily & succinctly.

Sage Cochran
Support Group Coordinator

"No head injury is too severe to despair of, nor too trivial to ignore." Hippocrates

Brain Injury Association of Connecticut

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Customer Reviews (11)

Much better books are available
I really did not like this book.Gail Denton, suffered a brain injury in 1991 - that is almost 20 years ago!TBIs were not well understood. There has been a tremendous amount of research; significant changes in diagnosis; and vast improvements in treatment in the past 20 years.This book has not kept up!

Because brain injuries were still so misunderstood and under-diagnosed back in 1991 the author received virtually no diagnosis or treatment for her brain injury.She had to figure things out for herself.She was (and sounds like she still is) very ANGRY about it.Her anger at the injustices done to her is a very strong current throughout the book.I do not find reading about someone's anger to be helpful to my own healing.

The book is a very personal account of the author's individual path of healing from her specific brain trauma.Brain trauma varies from person to person.I did not feel like her book took that breadth into consideration; this is about HER injury.This book is a mostly a journal of her journey.

At the time that this book first came out, there were very few books available about Brain Injuries.Now there are numerous GOOD books out about brain injuries.Most of them are sold on Amazon.I have read many, and frankly, I put this one at the bottom of my list.

Joy Joy Joy
My daughter was in a rear-end accident three years ago.All of her medical tests were negative, however she is not the "same person she used to be". This book of symptoms describes her to a "T". She is still under medical care and on medications.After reading parts of this book we now undertand what no one else has been able to tell us.Thanks!

This book is my BIBLE...............
I feel that this book literally saved my soul.I am recovering from a mild TBI.My discovery of BRAINLASH was actually the greatest force in my healing process, and still is.It is not a book a TBI survivor reads once, I have read and re-read the pertinent parts.It is a blessing for family members trying to understand.(Although my own family members refused to read it; denial of what I was going through seemed a safer ground for them.) I am sure I am not alone in trying to heal on my own, with the help of a loving son, and Brainlash.

Part of the "polarization-of-healing" seems to me to be an incredible sense of isolation.NO ONE, except for the person with the brain injury truly knows what it is now like to function in their world with their new limitations, and the emotional feelings associated with that.It seems most injuries are unique, but there are many common threads.If not for this book, I would have questioned my sanity and my ability to heal every step of the way.Gail Denton's BRAINLASH has given me hope and understanding, resources and comfort...............when the going got tough.......her words were always by my side.Thank you Gail L. Denton!

Phenomenal resource for victims and their supporters.
"Brainlash" by Gail L. Denton is the book my neurologist, my PT, my neuro-psych, my chiropractor, etc. should have recommended immediately so my family and other supporters would have known what might happen during my (now) 4 year ordeal as a MTBI victim. It's written with a sense of humour and it is written to be easily understood. I strongly feel this book would have made it much easier for my family to understand what I no longer had the ability to explain and that knowledge would have made it possible for them to better support the healing process which still continues for me today. This is not only about her recovery but how to enhance my own recovery. Hallalejuah!!Brainlash: Maximize Your Recovery from Mild Brain Injury

For families and friends of brain trauma patients
This book is a must have for patients and families of brain trauma.It clearly states symptoms and stages of the trauma.It tells you what to expect.It isn't a medical description but a patient to patient description in terms that anyone can comprehend.It is one excellent book.Thank you Gail Denton for writing this book. ... Read more

Product Description
On June 3, 1989, Rebekah Vandergriff's life changed forever when her car was struck, resulting in a catastrophic accident. In one summer, she went from the runway of a fashion show to a wheelchair in the recovery unit of a hospital. "What Day Is It?" is her triumphant story of recovery from a traumatic brain injury. Not expected to recover, she has accomplished the long journey from having to learn how to walk and talk again, to achieving a Master's degree and raising a family. Rebekah's story is one of encouragement that shows what persons with disabilities can do when they don't accept our limitations.Rebekah's life became an unending series of adventures as upon her release, she took her doctor's words to heart that "life would be her therapy now." Straight out of the hospital, we travel with her and her family on a vacation to Florida where her stepfather lives, stopping first in New Orleans, where their car gets stolen, and after Florida, on to camping in Colorado. Faced with unexpected circumstances, Rebekah finds the humor in things. Back home, for example, when she and her younger sister find themselves waiting at an inner-city bus stop with "several six-foot-one [prostitutes] dressed in bright, shiny clothes" she quips, "Obviously, we hadn’t been filled in on the dress code for this corner on a hot summer day." "What Day Is It?" is a rare book that is packed with useful information, and yet will often have you laughing and rolling on the floor.Advance Praise for "What Day Is It?" "Rebekah Vandergriff is a traumatic brain injury survivor. Today she has a title, Licensed Master of Social Work. 'What Day Is It?' is a journey of hope, encouragement and inspiration for any family that has been affected by brain injury. Equally important is its explanation of how the medical community views brain injury rehabilitation and how it should view rehabilitative therapies. 'What Day Is It?' explains the value of a family caregiver and includes commentary from many family members expressing their feelings along Rebekah's journey toward recovery. 'What Day Is It?' should be studied by families living with brain injury and the medical, insurance and government agencies who are heavily involved in treatment procedures. This book provides great insight about the thoughts and emotions of a brain injury survivor."Larry and Beth Jameson, Authors of Brain Injury Survivors Guide: Welcome to Our World "A lot of people write about brain injury rehabilitation—but most of these writings are abstract and academic. Rebekah Vandergriff has written a powerful, personal exploration that weaves some of these academic facts with the perspective of reality." Al Condeluci, PhDCEO - UCP of Pittsburgh "The instant I met Rebekah Vandergriff, I knew she was a teacher. Her chosen profession was social work but she was clearly a woman full of lessons. Lessons learned and lessons to teach. When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. I am eternally grateful to Rebekah for showing up at the right moment to be my teacher. I believe readers will be grateful she showed up to teach you as well. Her experience, brilliance and humor shine through." Janet Willams, PhDCEO communityworks inc. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Before reading "What Day Is It?" ask yourself this same question.
If you know the answer to the question, then thank your lucky stars. Rebekah Vandergriff's book touches the core of what it is like to die and come back to life. She was hit by a drunk driver at the peak of her young career, and her entire persona changed as a result.It's a must read for anyone who thinks it is okay to drive intoxicated. Moreso, it is a good opportunity to understand the perspective of a head injured person, and to know the healing process although painfully slow is not impossible.

Inspirational account
Rebekah's journey is a lesson in perseverance. Both those who know Rebekah/Becky and those who don't should always remember just how lucky we are to have our health and how quickly it can disappear. What she says here is also a good reminder of how people with "different abilities" are human beings and deserve to be treated with patience and dignity.The author is an advocate for those who are learning or re-learning to advocate for themselves.Here's to her!

An inspiring true story from a promising writer!
"What Day Is It?" is a gift of a book for anyone interested in triumph over life challenges and what a person is capable of; it's not just a book for people with experience with/interest in TBI.I never knew about TBI and what it takes to recover from it and this book sheds much light on the topic in a straightforward way.The author survives a car crash that forever changes her life in every way.She sustains injuries to her brain and body such that she must learn to walk, eat, behave appropriately, etc. again. She never invokes self-pity but asks instead what can I do with my life now, and indeed, sees the experience as a gift.The details of her rehabilitation are peppered with many moments of hilarity as her family reacts in different ways and she regains her footing in the world.She even goes on to have 3 daughters and earn a Master of Social Welfare degree as she recovers. She still lives with the effects of the accident to this day.Rebekah will surely go on to write more great things!

And what a journey it is. . . .
"What Day Is It?" is packed full of information and stories about recovery from TBI.Rebekah has a unique perspective.She being a survivor, and then a therapist in the field of rehabilitation, which gives validity to her opinions.She allows a person to experience recovery from both perspectives.This adds depth to her experience."What Day Is It?" should be read by anyone, especially those that work in the field of rehabilitation, families of, or survivors, who daily deal w/ brain injury in their lives.What an inspiration! ... Read more

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Keywords: Occupational Therapy, Occupational Therapist, OT ... Read more