Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Every Day Help at your Fingertips
Don't think of this book--written by a medical doctor who ultimately learned to live well with her brain injury--as a guide to read once and set aside. Rather, Brain Injury Survival Kit is a resource brain injury survivors will turn to over and over again as they strive to cope with the cognitive deficits caused by their brain trauma. Written in a sparse easy-to-read manner, this book is ideal for teaching survivors (and their caregivers) how to use specific and concrete strategies and assistive devices to address their impaired attention, memory, organization, communication, and other executive functioning skills. Survivors of both minor and severe brain injuries will find this book to be an invaluable guide to overcoming the challenges they face every day. This book will be particularly helpful to survivors who did not benefit from formal rehabilitation.

If someone has a TBI, this is perfect.
This book is perfect.I had a TBI, and I have an aphasia.This should be the first book in the libary. From memory to parking, diet to finance, speech to energy.One of the best is that book has a bunch of quotes.I do like quotes. Buy it or borrow it.Good book.

Concise & utterly useful guide
The physician who wrote this book suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury herself, and is thus intimately familiar with the myriad effects a severe concussion and worse can have on memory, organization, thinking, and on and on.She does a truly fantastic job of concisely explaining strategies and techniques for coping with all sorts of difficulties following a brain injury.

Her sparse writing style is particularly useful to the brain injured, who frequently have difficulty with reading dense prose.The reader can easily use the book section by section; each chapter and section stands alone, so that there is no need to read chapter 2 in order to make sense of chapter 4, etc. Every page of this slim volume is packed with extremely valuable tips.

Of all of the books I've read since my mild brain injury several years ago, this is amongst the very best.

Excellent resource book !
Even if you dont' have a brain injury this book is well worth reading, it has helped me organize my life and get things organized!

Helped my client with TBI and furthered my education!
I very much appreciated this book. I began to read it to see if it might have some ideas for a client of mine who has brain injury impairments. I was hooked when I found that it was written by an MD who both has and treats folks with TBI (traumatic brain injury). But my client and I continued to be launched into it's organized, clearly expressed ideas: it is so easy to read (early high school and up) and yet idea-provoking and empowering, propelling folks with TBI toward self-care actions and awareness. This might just be a 'must' for those of us working with folks with TBI, whether you're a professional - doctor, nurse, visiting aide, counselor, therapist, or family or friend. I am proud to have it on my shelf.

I would have liked to have seen more on coping with the emotional impact and changes of TBI on both the patient and those around them, as well as the medical tools and medications now being developed. Maybe the next book the author writes?

In sum, I strongly recommend the pennies for the book, and still turn to it again and again to get the concrete, practical and compassionate ideas it offers.

... Read more

Product Description
In this guide to living with problems associated with brain trauma, the authors set out to help victims help themselves. They provide information on what questions to ask and how to cope with various symptoms and offer advice and coping skills for everyday situations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Best Book on Topic I Have Found
I had a car accident when I was 16 years old. I had a head injury but was told that everything was fine and that I'd be OK. That is how I returned to my life. I did not find this book until I was older. I wish it had been available for me when I was first dealing with the complications of my injury. I did not understand a lot of what was happening to me and it was difficult to express what the problems were. I was able to see myself in the stories of the people in the book. I was moved to tears several times because the stories were so familar to me. I understood for the first time some of the problems I had experienced. It was a huge relief for me and I believe it would be helpful and healing for anyone who has had a head injury. Very few people know anyhing about head injuries, unfortunately including many in the medical field. This book provided information I had never been given and I cannot recommend it enough.

Well organized, comprehensive, informative, and motivating
Like many, I knew nothing about MTBI or its effects until I suffered a concussion a month ago.My doctor was helpful and properly diagnosed the condition but frankly his style was terse, to the point, and directed only at the largest symptoms I've experienced.A half hour consultation is not sufficient to explore each of the dozen symptoms I experienced.

This book was a godsend for me.The authors first provide an overview of the brain, it's various regions, and how they can be impacted by different types of impacts.Then they explore each of the many symptoms that may surface - organized by physical, mental, and emotional categories - with each symptom having its own chapter.I found this to be very helpful - I could easily skip over chapters that were not applicable to my condition.

Each chapter offers a brief case study, which I found very helpful in feeling connected to others with a similar condition (when you have MTBI it is easy to feel that others simply do not and can not understand what you are going through).For each aspect, the authors explain how this aspect is diagnosed, the treatment options available, and practical action oriented steps the reader can take to mitigate or improve their condition.

Stoler and Hill have helped me to understand the whole of my current condition, and have given me the information and encouragement I need to make progress day by day.I thank them.

Helpful for Mild TBI patients & families
This was clearly laid out, with some sample stories and helpful hints for everyday situations you deal with with Mild to Moderate TBI.The information is pretty acurate - would like to see a new, updated version.

Coping With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
This is a must-have book for therapists, family members and the victim of TBI, as well.It is easy to read for layman, as well as most informative for the practicioner.

So many unusual incidents and behaviours are revealed to be "normal" TBI reactions to common occurances.

Read it.Have your patient read it.Have the patient's family read it.And order the workbook, too.

A "must read" for anyone who suffered a MTBI/Concussion
This book is vital for anyone who has suffered a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury because no one can truly understand these symptoms unless they personally experienced them themselves. Hats off to Dr. Stoler for all her efforts in putting this information together in an easy to read and understandable format. This book has helped me beyond words. I even bought a copy for my Primary Care Physician. ... Read more

Product Description
The new, updated edition of the renowned classic—complete with cutting edge neuroplaticity and exciting experimental rehabilitation research!Living with Brain Injury will help readers—both families of patients and professionals alike—through new, uncharted territory of brain rehabilitation, a world where people we love may change before our eyes, physically, mentally, and emotionally. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Amazon must read for anyone with or dealing with someone with a brain injury, should also buy "Where is the Mango Princess"
This book should be required reading for anyone working with patients that have suffered any type of brain injury. I read this before my own brain injury and what I learned helped me recover faster then anyone has in the rehab I was in. As a matter of fact the shortest 'normal' stay is 3 to 6 months, I was only there a month. I have a long way to go to full recovery but with the help of these books I feel I will do more then anyone expected, actully I am already doing that.

Another great book to read for families or loved ones is "where is the Mango Princess"If you can read this to the person that suffered the brain injury, it will help everyone understand that the person that had the injury is not doing things to hurt anyone, that even a 'minor' brain injury has effects that are not totally understood. This book was written by the wife of a man that suffered a tramatic brain injury. Reading this book has helped me to understand the reasons for many of my problems, and actions. Of course knowing is not a cure but it helps to know that there is hope.

I have bought and sent copies to the rehab I was in for them to read and share that is how much these books impressed me.

An Excellent but Outdated Resource
While this book is excellent, it is ten years old. I prefer the much newer Mindstorms: The Complete Guide for Families Living with Traumatic Brain Injury (2009). Living with Brain Injury answers most of the questions asked by those new to brain injury. It's easy to read (with one exception) and can be digested in small portions. This is important because this book should be read by families as soon as possible after an injury. When I first picked up Living with a Brain Injury a few days after my wife's accident, I found much of Chapter 1, "An Anatomy Lesson," rough going. I'm not sure any writer could explain the complex operations of the brain in a manner that is understood easily by traumatized family members. I quickly moved on to the other more accessible chapters. Chapters 2-4 describe what happens to the brain when it's injured and the types and degrees of brain injury. Chapter 5 introduces the diagnostic and predictive tools used by medical personnel. When Jessica's doctors told me she would be changed forever by her brain injury, I turned to Chapters 6-8, which describe, in lay language, the most common physical, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms suffered by survivors. Chapter 9, "How to Pick the Right Rehabilitation Hospital" lists the fifteen components every rehabilitation program should include. Chapters 10 and 11 describe the rehabilitation personnel and processes that will help your survivor recover as well as possible. Chapter 12 provides even more hope in its explanation of the amazing ability of the brain to rewire itself around damaged areas. Returning home from the hospital presents new challenges to both survivors and caregivers. The final two chapters address these issues. Throughout Living with Brain Injury, Senelick and Dougherty assure their readers that people can recover well from a brain injury, something that we all can't hear too often.

Great Resource for Family of Brain Injured Loved One
I've purchased 5 of these books for family memebers - we each refer to it often.But don't wait for long - buy it as soon as you need it so you will know better what's ahead.And you will want to keep it around for a while.I also got the video, but find the book easier to manuever in.

The author, Richard C Senelick, MD, must be a very caring person, as he personally answered my email regarding the video.

Again, many decisions may have to be made, and you will be more aware of
some of them if you get this book as soon as you need it....

Also, start taking pictures immediately, and if your loved one has to be moved from one place to another, take more pictures, especially in rehab.Plan a meeting with the new rehab immediately and present facts and figures about how your family member is doing.Therapy departments are not the best at forwarding information, and may want to do tests over and over again, or may not believe how your person is doing.You will save time and money and effort by being prepared with your information.


A. Kimball

Probably nothing you didn't already know.
If you are living with someone with a brain injury, there is probably very little in this book that you didn't already know.Having said that, it still is worth the read.It's a long process and reading things you heard in the hospital or rehab months before is reassuring and comforting.Knowing that when things start manifesting, you aren't crazy is a help too.You can read that others have gone through the same or worse.

The Best Layman's TBI Book
Of all the traumatic brain injury books designed for laymen that I have read, this is the best -- from both understanding the medical aspects to dealing with the personality changes in a TBI patient.I only wish that a more recent edition was available and that a chapter dealing with the wild ride that occurs with elderly patients was included. ... Read more

Product Description
It happens in an instant—squealing breaks, a ladder that gives way, a pool cue swung in a moment of rage—but the affects of a blunt-force trauma to the head can last a lifetime. One of the more common injuries that can affect cognitive function, mild traumatic brain injury, or MTBI, affects more that half a million Americans each year, and research suggests that as many as 6.5 million Americans are living with the effects of MTBI. For the first time ever, this book assembles facts about MTBI together with a research-based program that readers can use to overcome the disadvantages of traumatic brain injury.

The book addresses the emotional issues that often accompany MTBI, especially anxiety and depression. Readers learn basic self-help strategies to counteract problems that may be caused by the injury. The later chapters discuss the four major domains of cognitive function and ways in which individuals can challenge their limitations and repair specific brain functions. The book concludes with an exploration of the various potential long-term affects of MTBI and the outside resources available to assist readers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Finally a Comprehensive Innovative Treatment for Mild Head Injury - Whooaaa!
Being in the military, we are currently using Dr. Mason's book to treat soldiers who have sustained a brain trauma in theatre. We have found it to be an essential tool in assisting the soldier and the soldier's family to both understand head injury and to actually begin the process of healing. The book actually takes you through well thought out exercises to improve cognitive functioning thus utilizing specific strategies to enhance the plasticity and resiliency of the brain. You dont have to compensate for or live with the effects of mild head injury, the brain can and will heal with a well thought out approach. Whooaaa!

Innovative and Effective
First book to combine education and specific steps to address cogntive deficits.The book is challenging and requires a committment to health but the results are proportionate to effort.Highly recommend!

Helpful Workbook
I do recommend this book to anyone working with TBI. The suggestions in the book are very workable and helpful.

NOT FOR AN ADOLESCENT INJURY
This work book may be helpful to an older person with a Brain Injury but my son was 12 when his happened . Also, he has Complex Partial Seizure Disorder as a result of his MTBI. This book doesn't even touch that subject so if you are looking for help with seizures after an MTBI and helping Cognitive skills, this is NOT the place to look.
He looks EXACTLY the same but he lost like 30 IQ points and acts like a child 1/2 his age alot of the time. He is getting better slowly and regaining much of what he lost (even with the Epilepsy) but he wasn't interested in this WorkBook at all.. I will try again further into his recovery but I don't think this is really going to interest him until he is much OLDER. Oh well,as the parent of a child with Special Needs now I will try anything but if you are like me with a younger child I don't really think this book is a good fit at all.

Great for Mild TBI
This book not only explained the biology and physiology behind brain injury but also offered excellent exercises to remediate problem areas.The book also included a self-assessment tool.Having a mild TBI, I found the exercises challenging but appropriate.It's easy to read and entertaining, too! ... Read more

Product Description
Someone you love has suffered a brain injury. The doctors can not yet make a prognosis. Every brain injury is unique and unpredictable, they say. You have been told to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. What do you do now? Successfully Surviving a Brain Injury is an easy-to-read guidebook for families suddenly thrust into the painful and confusing world of brain injury. It teaches readers the basics of brain trauma. It guides them step-by-step through the recovery process. It provides the practical information they need to handle the insurance, financial, legal, emotional, family, and personal issues that accompany a brain injury. It also describes the wide range of impairments caused by brain trauma and the factors that influence how well someone recovers. This book is not only a practical and essential roadmap to a successful recovery, it also is an inspirational story of how one couple overcame profound changes in the ir relationship and created a fulfilling new life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

A Must Have Resource!
Brain injury--something no one thinks they will ever have to deal with. But, we are all just one accident or assault away from what could potentially end the life you now lead today. Brain injury is the most difficult type of injury to understand and to recover from--not only for the person injured, but for all those surrounding that person--most especially the primary caregiver (usually a spouse, partner, or parent).

If someone you knew was injured in this way, what would you do? How would you ensure that you could provide the best possible care and recovery outlook for your loved one? How would you ensure you were able to take good care of yourself and were able to seek the kinds of help you needed while tending to the constant needs of a brain injured person?

Garry Prowe has provided such a resource not only from his own experiences with his wife's car accident and her severe brain injury; but he also obtained surveys from hundreds of other families who are dealing with this devastating life-altering experience. From the shock of dealing with a family member who has been in a serious car accident, to waiting for them to awaken from their coma (not knowing what the outcome will be), to ensuring they receive adequate care and attention while in intensive care, helping them through their rehabilitation struggles, to possibly having to select the proper care facility or provide full-time care in your home after they are released from hospital. This is a recovery process that takes many years to navigate--and your loved one will never be the same afterward. It is possible to live successfully after a brain injury, but it takes patience, courage, compassion, and knowledge of what you are up against. "Successfully Surviving a Brain Injury: A Family Guidebook" is a valuable resource to have with you while awaiting the outcome of your family member's accident. It is imperative that you also share this book with all other family members and friends so they too will understand what it is you are up against.

This book is well-written and easy to understand with limited medical jargon and real heart-felt emotion to what others have experienced while coping with this unimaginable change in your family life. It is important to know that every brain injury is different and the medical community does not necessarily have all the answers. It greatly helps to read what other families have gone through and to know you are not alone.

D Angus
Alberta, Canada
Mild Brain Injured 9 years

If you're a family caregiver for someone with a TBI, you need this book
Since my husband's TBI nearly seven years ago (and now the recent stroke of another loved one), I've read many books about brain injury. Back then, I wish I'd had a book that came out only this year: Garry Prowe's "Successfully Surviving a Brain Injury: A Family Guidebook." It is an excellent guide to negotiating the rough territory ahead after someone in the family sustains a brain injury, combined with the story of Garry and his wife, Jessica, whose TBI was severe.

When someone dear suffers a terrible brain injury, most of us have no prior experience and no previous education in this area. Garry had to find his own way through the maze with much trial and error--and later he created this book for other family caregivers to help lessen their confusion as they attend to a terrible situation. Many other books explain the same things that "Successfully Surviving a Brain Injury" does, yet Garry took a unique path in writing his: He put together a panel of 300 TBI survivors, family members, and healthcare professionals to find out what they had learned, and then used that information in the context of his and Jessica's story to produce this informative guide to the early post-injury days--from the ER to selecting a rehab facility. (See more about this panel on his website at [...])

Among the topics Garry covers: basic education in brain injury, overview of the early recovery process, info on health insurance and disability pay, legal information, preparing for the further stages of recovery, and information on factors that influence how well someone might recover from a TBI. His writing is easy to understand, even when dealing with complex subjects, and his knowledge and empathy come through on every page.

Jessica is not the only survivor here. So is Garry. In this book, he also offers the lessons he learned the hard way about self-care for the caregiver. He reminds us that we caregivers must also be sure to care for ourselves. I wholeheartedly agree. If we run ourselves into the ground, we can't do the caregiving required by our loved one, and we will only add needless suffering to the pain we're already going through. If someone close to you ever sustains a traumatic brain injury, you would be well-advised to have this book.

An Outstanding Book
This is an outstanding book. I highly recommend it.
It should be in acute care hospitals intensive care and rehabilitation units, in public libraries, in hospital libraries, and brain injury support groups.
The format of this book is well designed for the persons who will be reading it a time of crisis. It is packed with very useful information, both practical and clinical, and provides excellent resources. It has room for notes.
The author's use of alternating chapters, personal experiences and information, allows the readers to focus on the parts of the book that are most useful them at the time.
The check lists, "the questions that you might not have thought of," the real problems faced and addressed,and the practical specific suggestions are just a few of the strengths of this book.
Garry Prowe not only captures overall tone of uncertainty, fear, not being able to know the future, the problems from TBI and the hard work of rehabilitation; he helps the reader to experience them.
The last chapter, "Eleven Years Later, The Future Can Be Bright" is crucially important. Improvement can continue, it requires hard work and some realistic accommodation to the reality of the TBI.
Since my own "mild" TBI, I've read many books on TBI. This is 1 of the very best.
Please read it if you have a family member or a friend who has sustained a TBI and give a copy to the other persons who care.
Tom Tatlock, MD

Extremely impressed
I must say I am extremely impressed with this book.It covers the most disturbing, frustrating and sticky issues and situations that families, caregivers and brain injury survivors encounter and provides wonderfully insightful solutions and suggestions.Rebuilding a life after brain injury or stroke is one of the most challenging tasks there can be. This book is an invaluable resource and help for that. It is especially useful for navigating the maze of Medicaid, disability and government programs as well as hospital and rehabilitation services and for the emotional traumas and psychological problems that accompany brain injury.I highly recommend it to both brain injured and stroke families.

Barbara Dean Schacker
Founder
[...]

Very informative resource- TBI survivor
I am a 22 yr. survivor of horrific severe traumatic brain injury (TBI.)Information was scarce for my parents back in 1987, and doctors still today are surprised at where I am at.I have read many textbooks, survivor stories, and so-called resource books.I am usually disappointed or frustrated at the lack of information or "doom and gloom" attitude with the books.Yes, having a TBI will forever change a person and there is nothing one can do to change that.I think what survivors and family members need to do is get as much information as possible, and build on that.I think this book is a good begining.The word spacing in the book makes it easier to read for the TBI victim.The words aren't all together, becuase that is a common problem with brain injuries.This book is complete with listing resources.I liked that the author gave examples of his wife or other TBI victims.I love that each chapter ended with a blank "note page."I read, re-read, highlight, and just make notes in books and having a blank page to turn to was GENIUS.I also really like the "anatomy" chapter (family members need to be aware of where, how, what is happening to a victims brain during the injury and recovery.)I do think however, it could have been a little more in layman's terms, maybe that is becuase I have already read some textbooks.I LOVE that he had a panel helping him- I think a true resource book needs to have many survivors, Dr.'s, case workers, and families input to make it good.The glossary at the end was also a plus.

I love on page 48, the line "With a trauma of this magnitude, the woman you knew this morning is gone."I am that person.On page 46, "recovering from a serious brain injury is a mammoth undertaking."I love that.I am still making leaps and strides, and to have validity from an author, is outstanding!!!!"The conections among billions of neurons in thier brain have been severed.Messages cannot pass."I think this will help survivor's families understand that during recovery (which will be life long) the brain has to re-learn.

Pg 101, I think is about the most important page of this entire book:How Well Will My Survivor Recover?"One of the unsettling realities of brain injury is the uncertainty.""the family should prepare for the worst and be pleased with anything that exceeds a catastrophic outcome."I think that will prevent depression.If families deal with it is really bad, and then good comes about then they will be pleasantly surprised instead of being frustrated with shortcommings.Pg. 103 "Use if or lose it."That is entirely true especially with the brain.Finally, pg 192 "All survivors of serious brain injury acquire a mix of lifelong impairments, but throug hard work they can regain some abilities lost to thier injuries."I still can't follow a receipe, however I finished a half-marathon last year.I ran 13.1 miles.I had brain surgery with my TBI and even a peice of my brain was removed.Yes, game over when one gets a TBI, but life doesn't completely end and it could have some really good things happen.

My time reading this book was not wasted (it takes a while to read.)Thank you for giving me the opportunity.
TBI survivor in Michigan.
... Read more

Product Description


Never Give Up!

Brain Injury Survivor's Guide: Welcome to Our World is written for Brain Injury Victims and their families by a Brain Injury Survivor and her family. INTRODUCING B.R.A.I.N.-an innovative strategy for memory improvement. Learn the strategies Beth used to overcome memory, cognitive and behavioral problems after her brain injury. Dozens of lists and planning pages provide a way to compensate for a brain that is not performing "as it once did". "Knowledge is Power to a Brain Injured Person." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Great!
This book is very well written for those with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) as well as family members.I was in a motor vehicle accident June 2009 and am still recovering from TBI.This book was of great value to me.I wish I had had it to read a year ago.I would have had strategies sooner that would have assisted in my recovery.I highly recommend this book for those suffering from brain injury as well as their family members.

Brain Injury Survivors Guide
We borrowed this book from a support group and decided we would like to have it as a reference at our disposal
when needed, so we purchased it from Amazon.It has proved very helpful to us to be able to refer to it.
It really tells it like it is in respect to daily life, in language you can understand, which is what it's all about.

no justice
This is a great book for MTBI that are high-level, but it does nothing for a person with a moderate to severe brain injury.

This book is the straight from the heart!
I know Larry personally and have heard him tell the amazing story of he and his wife. It's incredible to see his story now in print! He and his wife are class acts and very personable.

Their concern for others with brain injuries is very obvious and the thing that impresses me the most is that I know they have a very keen and sincere empathy for brain injury survivors...

--
Best Regards,
Curtis Arnold
[...]Author of "How You can Profit from Credit Cards"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0132353776 (FT Press, 2008)
Coauthor of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Person-to-Person Lending"
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Person-Person-Lending/dp/1592578829
(Penguin, 2009)

Just what I needed
This book was just what I needed to help me understand what my son is going through and how I may be better able to help him.Thank you so much Larry & Beth!!It's only been 8 months but he's doing great and I love the lists the book uses to help keep things organized and remembered.I also love your website!For anyone who is going through TBI or any form of brain injury this book is a must. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (4)

MindStorms: Living with Traumatic Brain Injury
This book is brilliant, very well written and easy to understand.When a loved one suddenly has a catastrophic accident and has TBI (traumatic brain injury), you life is suddenly out of kilter.There's a whole new language being spoken, and you really need something like this book to be informed during a chaotic time. I'd recommend it to anyone with a brain injury.

As for the seller, they got the book out to me in record time, it was in excellant condition, and I couldn't be more pleased.My copy was even signed by the author!

Thanks so much for making this an affordable investment!

Karen Z

The Best Overview Available
It's unfortunate that Mindstorms has so few reviews here. In my opinion, it is the best overview of brain injury available today. In just over 200 pages, it covers every aspect of brain injury, from the emergency room through rehabilitation to reentering the real world. It even has a chapter that reminds family members to take care of themselves. Mindstorms is clearly written. Vignettes of real-life patients treated by the author--who as a neuropsychiatrist is intimately acquainted with brain injury--illustrate and humanize the topics addressed. At times, however, the reader is challenged by medical discussions and terminology. Perhaps most importantly, this book paints a realistic picture of the permanent life-altering aspects of brain injury, while offering the hope that comes from knowing that countless survivors of a brain injury live full, happy, and productive lives.

a great overview of TBI care
This book provides a great overview of the progression of TBI.It also explains the process of good TBI care and the sequence of facilities that a patient moves through, from an ER to the rehabilitation center.Reading the book helps set realistic expectations for the timetable for patient improvement.

Traumatic Brain Injury
My daughter suffered a traumatic brain injury last September.She has made tremendous progress since then however, there are still many issues she is faced with.Her courage and determination is astounding.

Mindstorms is informative, well written, and yes, encouraging.The author goes into the many facets of brain injury in simple language.He explains the hardships that the patient endures to reach his or her greatest potential. The author brings understanding to the lay person and care giver from the medical and patient perspective.

For those whose loved ones or friends have gone through traumatic brain injury this book gives great insight into the issues involved with TBI. ... Read more

Product Description

Head Cases takes us into the dark side of the brain in an astonishing sequence of stories, at once true and strange, from the world of brain damage. Michael Paul Mason is one of an elite group of experts who coordinate care in the complicated aftermath of tragic injuries that can last a lifetime. On the road with Mason, we encounter survivors of brain injuries as they struggle to map and make sense of the new worlds they inhabit.

Underlying each of these survivors’ stories is an exploration of the brain and its mysteries. When injured, the brain must figure out how to heal itself, reorganizing its physiology in order to do the job. Mason gives us a series of vivid glimpses into brain science, the last frontier of medicine, and we come away in awe of the miracles of the brain’s workings and astonished at the fragility of the brain and the sense of self, life, and order that resides there. Head Cases “[achieves] through sympathy and curiosity insight like that which pulses through genuine literature” (The New York Sun); it is at once illuminating and deeply affecting.

Customer Reviews (21)

Realized just how lucky I was.
I am into reading anything I can get my hands on about Traumatic Brain Injury. Approximately four years ago (Nov.'06) I received a very debilitating brain injury in an automobile wreck. While I have trouble walking, my mental state seems to not be bothered quite as much (Thank the heavens). I've read somewhere around sixty-three books on brain injury, even strokes. This book is one that I highly recommend. The cases in the book are very tragic. The outcomes, even more so. While the injured individuals could most likely run circles around me, it was very startling to hear about some of their actions.

Forgive me if it sounds terrible, but it really made me feel lucky that my case wasn't more severe. It has made me understand and even accept my situation better. It made me realize how important it is to ALWAYS look at the bright side of things.

This is one of those books, once you start a chapter... You have got to finish it before you can put it down! I think I finished it in 2 days (Which is pretty fast for me... Even before my injury;) My thanks to Michael Paul Mason for giving me the reason to look at my own situation a little differently, and not be so depressed about the changes, although negative, that have occured. It really brought me a whole new perspective of things. Thanks so much for that!!!

"Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath" Does Exactly as it Promises.
"Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath" comes through on all of its promises, telling the heartbreaking stories of brain injury survivors, describing the difficulties in finding adequate care and adjusting back to `life as usual.'The stories are told from the vantage point of a brain injury case manager who travels the country, meets with people on the receiving end of traumatic brain injuries, and acts as an advocate for their treatment and recovery. From the cases resulting from natural causes, to those caused by disastrous sports injuries, to the full recoveries, and the patients still toiling in the endless circles of confusion and pain:Michael Mason covers it all and opens your eyes to the daily reality of living with a traumatic brain injury.

Mason, a brain injury case manager, paints his life as a man who is forever in his car -- fighting constantly to get brain injury survivors into rehabilitation facilities capable of managing the catastrophic effects yielded by such injuries."Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath" is an intimate look into the stories heard from the survivors and families of survivors outlining the utter lack of resources available and the hardships in obtaining care for a condition that affects 1.4 million USAmericans each year.The book tells the story of 12 brain injury survivors coming from all walks of life: athletes, children, and soldiers.Soon after beginning you'll see just how unforgiving brain injuries are as the survivors tell stories of severe epilepsy, unraveling families, and diminishing careers.And with each story bits of science are strewn about, mentioning the dangers of swelling in closed head injuries and describing the effects of axonal shearing.At the core, however, each story is a tragedy.Mr. Mason is careful to remind the reader that each survivor led a radically different life prior to their injury and feels stifled by the limitations placed upon them by their damaged brain.

Style:

The style of the book is nearly autobiographical.Mason tells not only the story from the vantage point of the survivor, but also offers up his own first-person encounters with (near) brain injury and his personal stories that attach him to the people he works with.The book is not written as a dry medical record; the subjects are people rather than patients and their tales are stories not medical charts filled with scientific jargon.

Examples and Opinions (spoiler alert):

The story of Mellissa Felteau was one that struck me as particularly extraordinary.Melissa suffered a traumatic brain injury after a winter car crash and, even after treatment, the former public relations director found herself unable to remember names or write complete sentences.The changes led a self-described "healthy northern girl" to withdraw from friendships and step down from her managerial position.However, in a moment of clarity Melissa realized that comparing herself to her preinjury self was not worthwhile and began focusing her energy on living with her deficits.Melissa slowly regained abilities to interact with friends and has even started research programs applying mindfulness-based therapy on brain injury survivors.Her successes reflect the necessity for brain injury survivors to accept a new view of life post-injury and while there will, invariably, need to be changes made to their lifestyles, functionality and success are viable options despite deficits caused by an injury.

Another story demonstrating the potential severity of a brain injury is that of Doug Bearden, who was convinced he was dead.The Bearden family noticed Doug had been acting strangely (olfactory hallucinations, confusion, etc) but let it go without much regard.Later, Doug went missing and was hospitalized after being found sleeping under bushes.It was determined that Doug was suffering from herpes encephalitis, a viral infection of the central nervous system usually caused by herpes simplex virus 1.The damage done by the infection to Doug's brain left him impulsive and overcome with the belief that he had died no matter how many times he was told otherwise.The bizarre effects of Doug's injury serve as an example of how varied and all encompassing the effects of traumatic brain injuries can be--a theme explored on several occasions throughout the book.

Access to Quality Care:

Another theme carried throughout the book is the difficulty survivors have procuring sufficient treatment for their injuries.It is brought to the reader's attention in nearly every chapter that not only is the recovery process long and arduous, but it is also incredibly expensive.It seems that an integral part of every story recounted is not only the fight to finance rehabilitation services, but also to merely gain access to suitable rehabilitation centers.Mason points out early on that over 90% of the beds at specialty brain injury rehabilitation centers are occupied at any time, further decreasing the chances of a survivor receiving the care they need.Also noted by Mason is that a traumatic brain injury will cost over four million dollars to treat over a lifetime, creating an enormous financial burden on the families of traumatic brain injury survivors.

Quotes from "Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath":

"Traumatic brain injury strikes with the concussive ferocity of a bomb; woe to those near its epicenter."

"We come to realize we are whole, no matter the deficits, and that there is more right with us than there is wrong.To really embrace that is transformative."

"Daniel's brain injury forced Shane to devote and inordinate amount of time challenging Nebraska's health and human services system.He likened it to taking on a full-time job on top of the one he already had..."

Summary:

In "Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath" Mason demonstrates an amazing ability to humanize the survivors of traumatic brain injuries and allow the reader to relate to people and their families who have suffered an innumerable loss, often with little assistance during the recovery process.He takes the stories that often go unheard and tells them eloquently, while simultaneously advocating for better treatment options to be made available to survivors of traumatic brain injury. I would recommend the book to anyone looking to be amazed by the complexity and fragility of the human mind (and doubly to anyone looking for inspiration to wear a helmet.)

Great book
The stories in this book are written really well. I read the book twice, that's how good it is. There are 13 stories in this book. If you just get to read one story and become busy, you can go back to it later. That was a good option to have.

Engaging and sobering
Another book that called out to me from the airport bookshelf, Head Cases is a sobering but important read. We often don't think about the effects of TBI, or even TBI itself, because it is so often invisible. Mason writes about the psychology and physiology of brain injury with impassioned prose and a ton of compassion; you can feel his frustration with the limits of the health care system in every chapter. There is both hope and frustration as he discusses how TBI creates profound changes in the lives of people who have experienced it and helps the reader to understand their worldview.
Highly recommended.

Starkly depressing
As the other reviewer have stated, this book is "frightening and sobering", with "horrific truths" delivered with "stark honesty" and it's way more than "a little gloomy".

Most writers pick cases that have some uplift at the end, or an intriguing insight into the human mind. These are just depressing. I have no doubt that this is an accurate portrayal of life with a brain injury, but it doesn't make for interesting reading.

If this doesn't sound like your cup of tea, try Oliver Sacks, or Atul Gawande for a much more interesting read.

... Read more

Product Description
This book--the first comprehensive, accessible book on traumatic brain injury--explains what it is, how it is caused, and what can be done to treat, cope with, and prevent it. The book includes illuminating case studies, key ethical and legal issues, public policy proposals, and practical steps we can take to protect ourselves from brain trauma.Amazon.com Review
Author William J. Winslade suffered from a traumatic braininjury (TBI) as a 2-year-old, when he fell from his second-story porchand landed straight on his head. He's one of the lucky ones who'srecovered fully, both physically and emotionally; his only souvenirsof the fall are a three-inch scar and a dent in his skull. He warnsthat of the 2 million Americans who suffer from TBI each year (most ofthem from car and motorcycle accidents), up to 100,000 of them willdie prematurely. More than 90,000 of them will face up to a decade ofextensive rehabilitation, at a cost of up to $4 million each. Even aTBI as seemingly minor as a concussion can have devastating long-termphysical consequences, causing seizures, memory loss, learningdisabilities, and more. However sorry these problems may be, hewrites, "the truly debilitating deficits" are theless-obvious emotional effects, "such as social isolation,[which] take their own insidious toll."

Winslade is on mission to spur massive attention to TBI, both from thepublic and the government, to increase awareness to prevent theseinjuries, and to improve resources for when injuries do occur. And theprofiles of TBI victims in this sobering book should move anyone witha soul to action. Without slipping into melodrama, he presentsharrowing tales of the dramatic personality changes that can resultfrom TBI. Winslade ends on a practical, moving note, advocatingseveral ways that TBI can be prevented from raising the driving age tobanning pro boxing. "Consider the misery and money that we wouldsave by cutting in half the number of Americans killed or severelydisabled by brain trauma every year," he writes. Until simplepreventive measures are taken and until the "long nationalslumber" of ignorance ends, he warns, TBI will continue to be theleading cause of disability and death in children and young adults. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Easy to understand
THis book is great because it is a quick read with interesting information and case studies in language anyone can understand.
On a side note, the author is one of my professors, and he knows a lot about this topic.

This book started a fire in me
After caregiving my spouse well into the 7th year, I found this highly informative book, which treats of Traumatic Brain Injury from several angles including public medicine.It was such smooth reading, I didn't want to put it down, and wrote down several page numbers to read again (which I did).I'm getting a copy for my grown children to read and understand their father's situation better.Winslade's book makes me want to get organized and speak to youth, PTAs,--everyone about preventing TBI which kills so many in the US and destroys so many more.With more effort, like we did in the cigarette wars, perhaps we'd no longer have a 1-every-15 seconds Traumatic Brain Injury rate in the U.S.

great at being what it is
While obvious that there was never an intent or attempt to delve into the technical details of treating TBIs, this book is amazingly well written so that it achieves precisely what was inteded: a readable and relatable journey through the recovery process. The use of both an intimate and widely known examples for the reader to relate to the topic is just one of the many attributes that makes this book an excelent resource for a broad audience

Excellent Information
A well written and informative book on brain injury.Many personal examples are provided which helped me understand the phases of recovery and difficulties along the way.Note that the material is dealt with in a realistic fashion, which does not always translate into a positive or uplifting description of the variable recovery outcomes.

My sister was severly injured an an auto accident.I appreciated the realistic examples provided, as opposed to other treatments of the subject with poetry and quaint hopeful phrases.My sister may never be the same, but I am optimistic that the information will help me to understand her recovery process.

traumatic brain injury
This book addresses the topic of traumatic brain injury from several viewpoints: the personal experience of the author, case histories of others and their immediate and long term treatment. The legal, moral, ethical and medical aspects of these cases are discussed and the progress made in the 1990s in knowledge, treatment and dissemination of information to the professional community.

Straightforward and readable, it recognizes the needs and considerations of the survivor and the family. The political forces influencing the issue and recognition of traumatic brain injury are considered as well as the financial bearing on rehabilitation and social responsibility. The ethics of quality of life and death is examined and presented to the reader.

The book is altogether thought provoking to anyone interested in the field of traumatic brain injury and propects for recovery. ... Read more

Product Description
Realistic Hope:Aspirations for Survivors of Traumatic Brain Injury is a concise, helpful book for survivors of TBI—or any life-threatening trauma or illness—and their family members, friends, and healthcare practitioners.Written by a TBI survivor and coach, the book cautions against expectations of a “return to normal” in favor of a more realistic hope: start where you are and strive to be a little better every day.Moving personal stories and practical tips help survivors and their families weather the acute crisis and understand the lifelong journey ahead. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Anyone struggling with a traumatic event should read this book
Whether you have experienced a traumatic event or you know someone who has, Mark's book will help you deal with the practical reality of your situation. Although Mark focuses on traumatic brain injury, his book is a practical guide for anyone struggling to find a "new normal".Most often, we are so focused on our injured loved one that we forget how much the pain of a traumatic event extends to everyone around the one who is injured. Mark reminds us that everyone who has weathered the acute crisis still has a long journey ahead.He provides us with a great roadmap to travel that road successfully. Mark has inspired a much greater understanding of how family, friends, and the medical profession can help the survivor of any trauma to accomplish realistic dreams.

An important read
Mark Palmer's book is an important read for anyone recovering from a traumatic brain injury & just as important for his or her caretaker's. His first hand account of recovery is a poignant story that left me (a caretaker to my adult son) with the hope that his new normal will one day be filled with hope and a new bright future. Unlike the vagueness of doctor's words of what lies ahead, he is brutally honest without leaving you in despair. His story is inspiring, touching, occasionally sad, deeply personal, never leaving you in despair his words have renewed my optimism and faith in what lies ahead for my son and for our family.

A must read for the patient, friend or family of a life altering illness or injury.
I wish I could have read this book 15 years ago; my life would be much different today. Mark's grasp of the denial and reality of a catastrophic or life threatening illness or injury surpasses TBI and is applicable to any major life altering illness or injury.An easy read, and a book to be shared with all, Mark's words are from the heart and his personal experience makes a profound effect on the reader.I highly recommend it as a gift for friends and family faced with the challenges and anguish of a serious health issue.It quickly becomes a grounding reference for dealing with the difficult journey of healing and recovery for the patient and everyone involved with the patient.

An eloquent voice of experience
This excellent booklet shows the wisdom and insight that enabled Mark to overcome significant injury and become a successful business executive. This is a wonderful resource for anyone who has suffered signicant brain injury as well as theirfriends, family and caregivers. A logical,clear, concise perspective that shows genuine understanding, compassion and knowledge.

A "must" read!
This book is a "must" read for everybody.You may think it just has to do with traumatic brain injury when in fact I think this book is a broad and necessary tool to handle life's curve balls.This book takes a very realistic approach to a new beginning not only for the patient but all those that are a part of it.It is a journey of discovery while giving you the tools to live a life of success and satisfaction even when your faced with significant illness or injury directly or indirectly.This book should be in "every" hospital waiting room, as well as distributed among doctors, social workers,
health care providers, victims, and their family and friends. ... Read more

Product Description

Since the bestselling second edition was published almost a decade ago, the field of brain injury treatment has undergone tremendous change, largely impacting access to treatment. But, while the healthcare marketplace has evolved, the needs of brain injury victims remain the same. With updated and expanded clinical coverage, Traumatic Brain Injury: Rehabilitation, Treatment, and Case Management, Third Edition delineates a broad spectrum of advanced theoretical clinical constructs and detailed diagnostic and treatment interventions for traumatic brain injury.

Details Specific Diagnostic and Treatment Approaches for Nearly All Aspects of Dysfunction Observed Following Brain Injury

With contributions from more than 50 authorities in both academia and industry, this highly respected text stands apart as a clinical guide to rehabilitative treatment of persons with traumatic brain injury following the acute phase of treatment. It provides a concise source of information about the scientific and therapeutic realms involved in the rehabilitation of a person with traumatic brain injury, specifically as they relate to persistent deficits. The book also details long-term consequences of brain injury and effective approaches to vocational rehabilitation and case management.

Widening coverage from the previous edition, this book includes details on:

• Metabolic and bioenergetic factors in brain injury
• Neuroendocrine dysfunction following brain injury
• Blast injury
• Ethical issues in treatment of brain injury
• Neuropharmacological and neuropsychological interventions following brain injury
• Interventions for the minimally conscious patient
• Dietary and exercise considerations after brain injury

Traumatic Brain Injury: Rehabilitation, Treatment, and Case Management, Third Edition is a complete source of pharmacological, anatomical, and physiological information for basic therapeutic rationales that are often not well understood in the field. It is an ideal reference for both new and experienced clinicians.

Customer Reviews (1)

Must have for TBI survivors/family members
I think this book and Brain Injury Medicine by Zasler,Katz, and Zafonte are must haves for a tbi survivor and/or thier family members.It cover just about everyting you would ever need to look up.I like the book also becuase it is just that, a book.I am able to read, re-read and highlight areas and come back to the place I just left off.New learning is a major problem with TBI survivors, and as quick and useful a computer might be, sometimes a book wins out in my world. ... Read more

Product Description
Written by acknowledged leaders in the field, this book is for all neurologist, psychiatrist, and rehabilitationist working with TBI patients. This book provides a comprehensive and unique neuromedical view of care for the person with brain injury. The focus is on assesment and treatment of a variety of problems confronting TBI patients during the post-acute period and later. Chapters cover important topics such as epidemiology, preventions, legal issues, life care planning and much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Must have
I have many books on TBI (traumatic Brain Injury) including some textbooks, and this is the best.It has everything you need to know about the brain and more importantly what happens when there is damage.It doesn't cover first hand experience, it is more of a encyclopedia of brain injury.Everyone who deals with patients should have one and I highly recommend survivors and thier families have one. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the first neuropsychology book to translate exciting findings from the recent explosion of research on sport-related concussion to the broader context of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) and post-concussive syndrome (PCS) in the general population. In addition, it includes a Continuing Education (CE) component administered by the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology.

Traumatic brain injuries constitute a major global public health problem, but until now, MTBIs, which constitute up to 90 percent of all treated TBIs, have been difficult to evaluate and manage clinically because of the absence of a viable model.Dr. McCrea's book thus provides a welcome evidence base for all clinicians - including psychologists, neuropsychologists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, rehabilitation medicine physicians, physiatrists, and nurses - involved in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of MTBI, as well as attorneys involved in personal injury litigation and personal injury defense. Each section of the book ends with a helpful summary of the 'Top 10 Conclusions.'Instructions for earning AACN-administered CE credit are included. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Masking as fact
The first 73 pages of this book are a good review of the fairly recent literature on the subject, though already outdated to some extent.It is a quick read and will bring the reader up to date through the literature published before 2008.After the first third of the book the quality drops precipitously.

The remainder of the book presents the theory that residual dysfunction is due to a psychological disorder without an organic basis.The argument masks science, twisting circumstantial findings and opinions as facts, without presenting any real foundation for this position.The argument of whether a post-concussive syndrome is a psychological disorder or represents organic dysfunction is in my opinion outdated and until there is an objective way to measure this question, it is not with debating.For now, we know that a mild brain injury can result in both cognitive and behavioral complaints.These sequalae are not mutually exclusive of one another.Patients suffering from such unfortunate injuries deserve to be treated holistically and with an absence of bias.Ultimately, Dr. MCrea undermines his credibility with his biased perspective.

laying myths to rest
Fabulous book!Outcome in mild traumatic brain injury has been the subject of many unfortunate myths that have actually served to harm mild TBI patients.I have seen many mild traumatic brain injury patients who came to believe that they were disabled by their injury, and and as a result were robbed of their quality of life (e.g., left jobs that they were capable of still doing and as a result suffered financial reversals, etc.).This book carefully, thoroughly, and convincinglysummarizes the literature showing no longterm cognitive changes in this population.Hopefully, medical professionals will now start acccurately educating their patients as to true outcome in this condition.

Biased and disturbing
This is a nice book for insurance companies and the lawyers and physicians who work for them.This book is a waste of paper.

Interesting summary
The previous reviews tend to take sides.Any editor of any book must make choices, whether its the "Best Short Stories of 2009" or a lead author summarizing certain studies in the field Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Postconcussion Syndrome.

I thought the book was a good way for me to keep up to speed on what some people in the field are doing and saying.As with any book, the reader is responsible for remaining active and, when appropriate, skeptical of what is written.Nevertheless, I appreciated that I could slip the book in my travel bag and read up on the subject area while on vacation.

Jeff Merrick, Oregon Trial Attorney
Injury & Employment Law
[...]

Propaganda Disguised as Research
Using all the prestige of ABCN and Oxford University Press, this work systematically reviews Mild Head Injury with prejudice and an appalling lack of objectivity. Quite literally, it is like having a lower ranking administrator from the NRA write about gun related violence. That the author is siding with defense oriented, insurance subsidized research is obvious. Not only is the bibliography of this work highly biased, but the author has a grossly inflated, nearly awesome regard for what are often pseudoscientists. At minimum, they could have given lip service to the alternative point of view and cited some of the far more prestigious research. Overall, I am not sure whether to describe this work as pathetic or disturbing. ... Read more

Product Description

It is difficult to imagine what it must be like for someone following the personal crisis and catastrophe that ensues as a result of a serious traumatic brain injury (TBI). The individual is confronted with a huge range of alterations in his or her normal functioning, operating at the biological, psychological and social levels. All of these changes are also occurring to an individual who has just had a near-death experience, culminating not too surprisingly in the reflections "Who am I?" and "Why am I here?"

As a result, these individuals can develop a wide range of behavioural, emotional, and psychiatric conditions following the injury, including depression, bipolar disorder, secondary mania, psychotic states, posttraumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobic disorders, and generalized anxiety disorders, to name a few. In addition, these individuals can also be subject to a number of neuropsychiatric syndromes, including disorders of drive, disorders of impulse control, and disturbance of neurovegetative functioning.

This book presents the current state of our knowledge of the behavioural and emotional effects that can occur as sequelae of TBI, and addresses issues associated with their differential diagnosis and the neurobiological mechanisms by which these might occur.

The book will prove an excellent resource not only for clinicians who practice as psychiatrists, behavioural neurologists, clinical neuropsychologists and clinical psychologists, but also for psychologists in advanced training and for anyone who is involved in caring for or working with individuals with TBI.

Product Description

Product Description
First shocked with horror and despair after her son's traumatic brain injury, Dixie Fremont-Smith Coskie and her family grow to find hope, healing, and even greater love.Dixie's narrative of how she came to appreciate the simplest of things-when her son is able to blink his eyelids, lift his finger, utter a word-is powerfully moving. It will bring you into a realm where body, mind, and spirit are pushed to their limits.UNTHINKABLE is about perseverance, filled with universal lessons of struggle and triumph. Dixie follows each chapter of the harrowing journey with vital insights to assist others through their tragedies.A Companion for Caregivers - Powerful tips and tools to help any parent faced with a child's traumatic injury or illness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Very Helpfull
My child recently suffered TBI as well.I read this book, while still in the early days of her recovery.There weren't many answer I could look too, I had no idea what to expect.This book helped me a lot to get through those tough days.

Very Powerful, and great with chapter ending to-do lists...
I am a 22 yr survivor of severe TBI.I wish my parents had this book or something like it back in 1987.When I was reading this book I could imagine my mom acting certain ways like Dixie did.I have been telling everyone I know about this book, including the Brain Injury Association of Michigan and the Univeristy of Michigan Pediatric Neurosurgery Department.I know parents must be completely overwhelmed if this were to happen to them, but please take some time to read this.MUST HAVE FOR ANYONE WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.....

A book any caregiver would find extremely helpful
The story of Mrs. Coskie's journey through the hell of her son's accident and recovery is gripping and emotional. Although it is also touted as "Caregiver's Companion" with a concentration on families of those patients who have had brain injuries, I believe anyone who has a family member with any kind of catastrophic illness would benefit from this book. Her advice is practical, specific and quite comprehensive.

But although this is a harrowing story, for sure, it is also written with a tremendous amount of grace and poetry, as Mrs. Coskie is a gifted writer. There is no false pity, glossing over of painful details or attempts to cast herself as "saintly mother." She never shies away from realism and honesty, especially during her narration of accounts which must have been so painful to revisit during the writing of this book. As such, she gives her readers a beautiful gift of hope and inspiration.Her message comes through loud and clear - Nothing in life can ever stay the same, but with love and courage, there can definitely be "triumph over tragedy and terror."

Brain Injury and a Mother's Caregiving
In addition to the harrowing story of how she fought to help her son survive a severe brain injury, Dixie Coskie's "Unthinkable" offers something else: valuable lists of questions and coping strategies for different stages of the journey. As someone who lived a similar journey with her husband, I can say that these lists would have been invaluable at that time. Since there is no way to be prepared for a loved one having a brain injury, these lists are the next best thing. Following their guidance could provide at least tiny bit of sanity and clarity when your world is spinning off its axis.

Dixie spares no detail of the horrors of the days and months after an accident left Paul, one of her eight children, with a severe traumatic brain injury. Several times, the intensity of her emotion almost caused me to stop reading--but I couldn't put the book down. Her story pulled me along. I had to know what happened to Paul and her and the rest of their family.

Dixie is equally honest about her own reactions and emotions. She, too, suffered greatly from Paul's injury. When she finally breaks under the strain for a time and is diagnosed with PTSD and a debilitating physical condition, she reveals the often-hidden story of family caregivers. They, too, must cope with unwanted, terrible changes, and sometimes the strain is too much. Family caregivers like Dixie are the unsung heroes of this kind of story, and they often do not receive the attention they need to sustain their own well-being. In her excellent list for family caregivers, she writes, "It is not a weakness to know your limits and to ask for help." Fortunately, Dixie learned how to better care for herself and was able to recover and keep going.

Unbelievable....a must read!


You may never know what you would do when you are presented with a true life and death situation.In "Unthinkable," Dixie Coskie shares her most intimate andhonest feelings as well as her fears as she walks through her son Paul's harrowing journey as he recovers from a brain injury.As I read the book, I held my breath praying that Dixie, Paul and the entire Coskie family would make it through this horrific experience.I marvel at Dixie's strength to begin again each day. And I am touched by Paul's courage to keep going no matter how difficult the process became or how bad the odds of recovery were.
This is a must read for anyone dealing with or touched by someone dealing with a brain injury or difficult medical illness. You will find some sanity as you read Dixie's no-nonsense and honest approach to dealing with one of life's most difficult moments.She will give you the courage to get up and keep going when you might otherwise want to give up!Dixie's honesty and compassionate love for her son and her family will indeed touch your heart. ... Read more

Product Description
West Florida Regional Medical Center, Pensacola, FL. Introductory text on traumatic brain injury rehabilitation, for speech pathology graduate students or new clinicians. DNLM: Brain injuries complications. ... 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 Survivors discusses medical care and goes beyond that to help the survivor heal spiritually, emotionally, cognitively, physically, socially, and vocationally through traditional and complementary medicine and good nutrition.
Brain Injury Rewiring for Survivors is one of two well-received books designed to help survivors of brain injuries. The companion book, Brain Injury Rewiring for Loved Ones, describes how family and friends of the survivor can help the survivor during recovery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Anxiously Awaiting the Arrival of these books
I work at Courage Center and we work with a large population of brain injury survivors. We think these books will be very helpful for our patients and their caregivers. One of our speech therapists has heard nothing but great things about these books. We are looking forward to reading them!

Brain Injury Rewiring for Survivors
I just finished this book and it was the 2nd book I have been able to read completely since my brain injury and surgery.This itself was a huge accomplishment.I found many parts of the book wonderful.I was able to connect with someone who had gone through what I had and had written it down.Some of the parts did not conect with me, but I figured it was because we all recouperate differently in some areas.The concept that the brain will get better and be able to do what it needs to do, sometimes using slightly different pathways than previously traveled, was a huge step for me to understand. ... Read more

Product Description
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability in children and adolescents around the world and represents a global public health issue. Major improvements in the medical treatment of the initial injury have increased survival rates resulting in the focus shifting to consider the subsequent and longer-term cognitive, emotional and behavioral consequences for the recovering child or adolescent. These disabilities, if left untreated, continue into adulthood with consequent economic and societal costs. This book reviews the research into the consequences of TBI emphasizing the translation of new understanding into effective treatments and interventions, and identifying promising areas for further study. This will be essential reading for neuropsychologists, neurologists, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and pediatricians. ... Read more