Actions, Balance, and Caring for TBI Patients

By: Barbara Irvin

Hospitals can be tricky places to navigate, even during the least serious of times. How do you figure it out, then, when a loved one is suffering from a Traumatic Brain Injury? Barbara Irvin had to figure it out all on her own when her husband contracted such a serious brain injury that he had to have half of his skull plate removed. He wasn’t expected to make it, but luckily he did. Barbara took it upon herself to help all of those other loved ones of TBI patients by writing a book. This book, Actions, Balance, and Caring for TBI Patients, is a guide for all parts of the hospitalization and recovery process. Starting in the ER with tips from “find out when the doctors are making their rounds  [and] reviewing [your loved one’s] chart,” to “if the person is a male and usually has facial hair, make sure to let the staff know” so they don’t shave him. She goes on to give information about how to navigate the rehabilitation process, about what to do when the person gets home, and about medication. Short and concise, this book offers a helpful list of things to keep track of so that the technical things don’t add to the emotional stress of a loved one suffering from a TBI. 

Book review by Caroline Karalias

Purchase Book on Amazon

I Am the Central Park Jogger: A Story of Hope and Possibility

 By: Trisha Meili

On April 19, 1989, Trisha Meili was out for a nighttime jog in New York City when she was brutally attacked, raped, and left for dead. Trisha, who became known worldwide as “The Central Park Jogger,” was beaten so severely that she could only be identified by a ring with a golden bow she always wore. With a 75-80% loss of blood volume, she was given less than a 50% chance of survival and last rites were administered. Miraculously, Trisha clung to life and made a recovery that was against all odds. In her book, I Am the Central Park Jogger, Trisha recounts the story of her recovery to “…turn something truly horrible into something positive,” and to use her experience “as the basis for inspiration” for a world that once comforted her with prayers, letters, gifts, and kindness.

Walking us through the immediate aftermath of the attack, Trisha notes how crucial it was for her to remain entirely focused on her recovery, rather than letting self-pity, anger, or the daunting road ahead discourage her. As she writes, “Each sign of improvement, no matter how minuscule, spurred me forward… I held on to them firmly, focusing on what I had achieved rather than on how insignificant the achievement was.” Her recovery was not defined by one major breakthrough, but rather the accumulation of all the small victories. Whether it was buttoning her shirt all by herself or being able to recall what she had eaten for breakfast, these achievements made her strive for more.

Nevertheless, for having sustained such severe brain trauma, setbacks and complications were inevitable. Trisha describes the terror she felt while she was reading a book during rehabilitation and could not remember anything she read on the previous page. It was in moments like this where the encouragement from those around her helped most. Everyone from doctors, nurses, and therapists, to family, friends, and even strangers gave her hope “and from hope there emerges possibility.”

The combination of hard work, a focus on the present, and encouragement from others helped Trisha to recover far beyond anyone’s expectations. Through her struggles and triumphs, Trisha learned that “healing is as much a function of the heart as it is of medicine.” Breaking 14 years of anonymity, I Am the Central Park Jogger introduces Trisha to those whose hearts she can inspire with hope. As she concludes, “I realized: I could make a difference in the lives of others, just as others had made a difference in my recovery. I am a woman who has been inspired by the capacity of the human spirit to be well. Now I wanted to reach other peoples’ spirits, other peoples’ hearts. I started my book.”

Review by Greg McGee, contact him at gmcgee@minutesformemories.org

Purchase Book on Amazon.com

PROFESSOR CROMER LEARNS TO READ: A COUPLE'S NEW LIFE AFTER BRAIN INJURY

 By:  Janet M. Cromer

In Professor Cromer Learns to Read, Janet Cromer introduces us to her husband Alan. Once an accomplished physics professor and author, Alan lost his treasured abilities after a heart attack deprived his brain of oxygen for almost an hour. Alan’s well-trained mind could no longer read or write and nearly all of his all memories were wiped clean. Through Janet’s lens, we’re given a firsthand account of their struggles and triumphs during Alan’s rehabilitation.

The prognosis of Alan’s cognitive abilities was grim when he woke up in the hospital. Alan was unable to understand where he was or why he was there. Everything around him, from closing elevator doors to his unfamiliar wife, seemed to scare him. Whenever Alan tried to speak, all that came out was a “pressured gibberish” and when he attempted to write, he did so using a fork. Every doctor that met with Alan seemed to have little hope for improvement.

In the wake of Alan’s injury, Janet found herself suddenly thrust into the role of a caregiver. Even though she was a practicing psychiatric nurse, these day to day obstacles were foreign to her and she doubted her ability to effectively help Alan. As she notes, “I had to quickly master one of the hardest and most necessary tasks family members face…to simultaneously grieve inside while showing up ready to participate resolutely in Alan’s rehabilitation.”

Despite all she faced, Janet did not give up on Alan and she refused to let him give up on himself. As Alan got better physically, Janet made sure they did not neglect his mental recovery. Janet understood that Alan, always the academic, had to relearn reading and writing in order to live a life that was fulfilling by his standards. With this in mind, teaching Alan to read and write again became their shared goal.

Professor Cromer Learns to Read provides tangible advice and experience to anyone affected by injuries. Janet and Alan’s journey to reclaim Alan’s skills and reinvent their marriage demonstrates the power of determination and the true value of support from family and friends. In re-teaching Alan everything from reading and writing to walking his dog and taking the subway, Janet helped Alan remain independent and productive and to enjoy a dignified life.

Review by Greg McGee, contact him at gmcgee@minutesformemories.org

Purchase Book on Amazon.com

Eleven Seconds: A Story of Tragedy, Courage, & Triumph

By:  Travis Roy with E.M. Smith

As far as Travis Roy was concerned, he was born to play hockey. Growing up with a Dad who coached and managed a rink, Travis began playing when he was only four. His talents—developed through years of slap shots, skating drills, and face offs—landed Travis a coveted spot with the reigning national championship team at Boston University. When Travis stepped out onto the ice in his first game as a BU Terrier he was truly living his dream. Little did he know, 11 seconds was all it would last. At full speed, Travis went head first into the boards and shattered his fourth and fifth vertebrae, severing his spinal cord. In the blink of an eye, this freak accident forever changed life as he knew it.

Written only a year and a half after his injury, Eleven Seconds recounts the many challenges Travis faced adjusting to life as a quadriplegic. Even after grueling surgeries and months of therapy, Travis was essentially incapable of moving any part of his body below the shoulders. His goal of playing professional hockey had been cut short and he was confronted with the reality that he would never walk again. From his perspective, we witness that the psychological transitions were sometimes harder than the physical. As Travis writes, “The fundamental problem was that I didn’t know who I was anymore.”

However, through the process of grieving the identity and life that he lost, Travis found a new sense of hope and determination. Over time, he realized that “… the pre-accident Travis Roy wasn’t really so very different from the paralyzed Travis Roy.” When Travis began to look past the things that he couldn't do and focus on the things he could, it didn’t matter so much that he was no longer a hockey player. Travis found ways to pursue old passions and even discovered his new one for painting. It was with this determination that Travis returned to Boston University and continued to lead a fulfilling life. Today, Travis is a college graduate, a highly-regarded motivational speaker, and the founder of a non-profit organization aimed at helping survivors of spinal cord injuries. His successes are undeniable.

Travis is a living testament to the power of hope. He provides a voice of encouragement for those in similar situations to remain active in their pursuits. Through his story, he teaches us all to be more understanding of paralysis and makes us aware of the many ways we can help. Eleven Seconds is an inspirational book that will leave a tremendous impact on anyone who reads it.

Review by Greg McGee, contact him at gmcgee@minutesformemories.org

Purchase Book on Amazon.com