BrainLine: Traumatic Brain Injury Defined by the People who are Living with It...

Click the Picture to Visit BrainLine.org for More!While those living with traumatic brain injuries feel similar symptoms and effects, the particular challenges they experience are their own. BrainLine.org recently asked those recovering from TBI in its online community to define the experience in their own words. Here are some of the responses… 

“Brain fog, confusion, difficulty learning new things, being able to be “high-functioning” but being very slow at it.” -Mary

“A puzzle…all the pieces are there but in the wrong order.” -Barbara

“An invisible thief” -Lisa 

“Devastating. Exhausting. Widely misunderstood.” -Jules

“Thinking with speed bumps.” -John 

“Like an earthquake in my brain that knocked down bridges and damaged highways and knocked out some – but not all – lines of communication. Some of these things get rebuilt more quickly than others, and some are easily re-damaged.” -Alison

“Unpredictable and extremely misunderstood” -Ronda

“Trying to catch clouds in a windstorm.” -Mary

Do you have your own definition of TBI you’d like to share? Click here to visit BrainLine.org and post your definition in the comment section. Follow BrainLine on Twitter for more articles like this one...

“Ten Ways to Stay Financially Afloat after TBI,” by Rosemary Rawlins

After Rosemary Rawlins’ husband, Hugh, sustained a traumatic brain injury, her family faced a financial crunch. Hugh’s previously solid corporate salary was cut to 60% on disability pay and Rosemary found little time to work while being his main caregiver. On top of $800 a month to keep Hugh’s medical insurance, there was a growing pile of co-pays for rehab, perscriptions, and doctor office visits.

As Rosemary writes, “When TBI strikes a family, causing income to disappear and expenses to soar, a plan is needed to ensure financial stability. It’s hard enough to deal with the crushing emotional burden of TBI without worrying about going broke.” In her blog post, “Ten Ways to Stay Financially Afloat After TBI,” she recommends strategies she found useful in staying financially afloat…

1.     If you are not good at managing finances, look to your network of family and friends for solid advice.

2.     Take a close look at your monthly expenses and figure out what can be cut and what must be spent to maintain a reasonable standard of living.

3.     Can any bills you pay now be renegotiated?

4.     Enlist the help of any friends with special talents, we benefited from a friend that was a physical therapist.

5.     Make use of social services.

6.     If recommended, apply for Social Security Disability as soon as possible if your loved one may not return to work.

7.     Use generic prescriptions when possible.

8.     Start clipping coupons and planning meals.

9.     Encourage your kids to earn some money of their own.

10. Be open and honest without whining.

11. Keep a family fun jar for change.

As she concludes with her most important note, try to avoid incurring debt if all possible.

Click here to read Rosemary’s post on BrainLine.org where she includes more details with each recommendation…

Current Trials Test the Benefits of Administering the Progesterone Hormone to TBI Patients

A 3-D model of the Progesterone molecule (Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 1.7 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury annually. Breaking this down further, 1.4 million of them are treated and released from Emergency Departments, 275,000 are hospitalized, 80,000 suffer long term disabilities, and 52,000 are killed. 

While there is an alarming number of TBIs occurring each year, there are no approved medications that have been shown to improve a partient's outcome. In recent years, however, progesterone, the natural human hormone often associated with pregnancy, has shown some promise in improving patients' conditions if immediately administered after a TBI. It is believed that progesterone has neuroprotective properties that can reduce the swelling of the brain, a main cause of cell death after injury. 

Currently, two trials are being conducted by researchers at Emory Univeristy and BHR Pharma to further explore the benefits of progesterone in treating TBI patients. Along with Dr. David Gordon, an assistant professor of neurosurgery at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, we await the results of these trials with "some measure of cautious optimism."* 

To learn more, check out the below links used to write up this post... 
  
*David Tuller (NYTimes): "A Hormonal Remedy for Brain Injuries Is Explored" 

Denise Dador (ABC Los Angeles): "Hormone Could Help Heal Traumatic Brain Injuries" 

BHR Pharma, LLC: The SyNAPSe Trial Website

New Book Provides Thorough Analysis of Head and Neck Injury...

In his recent book, “Practical Management of Head and Neck Injury,” physician Jeffrey Rosenfeld makes a valuable addition to the literature on head and neck injuries. Rosenfeld, a renowned Australian neurosurgeon and professor, provides an all-encompassing analysis of these injuries from the initial emergency care administered through the long roads of rehabilitation. The text combines Rosenfeld’s own research and 40 years of experience with the work done by experts around the world investigating new and effective treatments.

According to Rosenfeld, “Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major global health problem…It is my fervent hope that this book improves the management of head and neck injury at all types of healthcare facilities, including low-income countries where services are sparse and generalists do their best with limited resources.”

We commend him in his effort to help teach health professionals worldwide how to best care for their patients recovering from head and neck injuries. To read about his new book on MedicalXpress.com, click here.

"Teen speaks out about texting crash"

When Jeffrey Pula was only 17 years old he was seriously injured in a car accident caused by a distracted driver sending a text. After spending nine grueling months in a coma, Jeffrey emerged to discover that his injuries would leave him blind for the rest of his life.

Now, 3 years after the accident, Jeffrey is telling his story to discourage others from texting while driving. The dangers are real and, by raising awareness, hopefully he can help prevent similar tragedies from happening.

For his story as reported by Elysia Rodriguez on 22 New click here or check out the video below...

Teen speaks out about texting crash