Brain Injury

By recounting the untold story of the most influential sports campaign in British newspaper history, which turned concussion in professional rugby from a niche issue into front and back page news, Concussed poses the questions all sports lovers need answering as evidence grows linking sports-related concussions to premature deaths and dementia. Written by Sam Peters, the journalist who spearheaded the Mail on Sunday's Cudlipp Prize nominated concussion campaign, Concussed reveals one man's attempts to blow the whistle on a mounting head injury crisis.

Sarah Nickerson is like any other career-driven supermom in Welmont, the affluent Boston suburb where she leads a hectic but charmed life with her husband Bob, faithful nanny, and three children—Lucy, Charlie, and nine-month-old Linus.

This is the story of the degenerative brain disease, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), concussive and sub-concussive trauma. It is also a story of power, of science and sport, and of the bodies that society deems worth sacrificing. It is an investigation that explores the truth about concussion in sport and beyond it, from the social dynamics that send young men into violent sports, to the scientists searching for truth and the families living with consequences. This story belongs to those families.

Kelly Bouldin Darmofal suffered a severe TBI in 1992; currently, she holds a Masters in Special Education from Salem College, NC. Her memoir, Lost in My Mind: Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), tells her story of tragedy and triumph. Kelly will be teaching "TBI: An Overview for Educators" at Salem College. Kelly's "tips" were learned during two decades of recovery and perseverance.

In Concussion Rescue, Dr. Kabran Chapek shares the programs and protocols that he uses at the Amen Clinics to put patients on the pathway to healing from traumatic brain injury. From general assessment using sophisticated tools (SPECT imaging, MRIs, and CAT scans) to very specific blood tests (out-of-balance lab values in blood can point to symptoms of brain injury and may explain why the brain is not healing), Dr. Chapek guides listeners to getting the proper medical care.

It's October of 1993 in Hawaii. A drunk driver hurtles toward a bend in the road. From the opposite direction, accomplished advertising creative and triathlete Phil Slott takes a routine drive. As he eases into the bend, he meets the drunk driver skidding into the wrong lane and, in one second, Phil's life takes a dramatic turn. As he struggles to stay alive in the ICU, Phil's organs, bones, and much of his brain are broken. What he and everyone else come to realize is that his creative drive and passion remain intact.

Recovering from Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) is a clearly written guide for our Wounded Warriors and their families to recognize and understand the symptoms of MTBI, in regards to the frequency and intensity, as they show up in everyday life. Since this “invisible injury” is often misunderstood and undiagnosed, it is important to be proactive and arm yourself with the knowledge of the latest treatment options to expedite your healing process.

Who hasn't had a rough day? What if that 'rough day' ended up spanning the course of years? And, it was invisible to others? Hannah's life was going great. She was a stylist with high profile clients in Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, and Miami. Her talk show host career was taking off, but in one split second, everything changed. She was in a serious auto accident, left with a traumatic brain injury - and post-concussion syndrome, which results in threatening depression.

Annie Liontas suffered multiple concussions in her thirties. In Sex with a Brain Injury, she writes about what it means to be one of the “walking wounded,” facing her fear, her rage, her physical suffering, and the effects of head trauma on her marriage and other relationships. Forced to reckon with her own queer mother’s battle with addiction, Liontas finds echoes in their pain. Liontas weaves history, philosophy, and personal accounts to interrogate and expand representations of mental health, ability, and disability—particularly in relation to women and the LGBT community.

Lost in My Mind is a stunning memoir describing Kelly Bouldin Darmofal's journey from adolescent girl to special education teacher, wife and mother - despite severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Spanning three decades, Kelly's journey is unique in its focus on TBI education in America (or lack thereof).

In Tell Me the Planets, Ben Platts-Mills tells stories about his work with survivors of brain injury, offering a rare glimpse into the world as seen through their eyes: charismatic Danny, whose criminal past has left him paralysed down one side, but who now helps others worse off than himself; Sid, whose memory for the present lasts only moments; and Liah, who is caught in a battle with the care system threatening to make her homeless.

Encephalitis almost ended Chris Maxwell's life. The scar tissue in his brain and life with epilepsy made him - and his family and friends - feel like the life they'd known changed suddenly and permanently. For Maxwell and the staggering number of people facing traumatic brain injuries, epilepsy, or other painful encounters, life is experienced through a different lens.

A traumatic brain injury is a life-changing event, affecting an individual's lifestyle, ability to work, relationships - even personality. A severe blow to the head results in acute and, often, lasting symptoms. People with brain injury benefit from understanding, patience, and assistance in recovering their bearings and functioning to their full abilities. Neuropsychiatrists Drs. Vani Rao and Sandeep Vaishnavi - experts in helping people heal after head trauma - explain how traumatic brain injury, whether mild, moderate, or severe, affects the brain.

When PhD candidate Sarah Vallance is thrown from a horse and suffers a jarring blow to the head, she believes she walks away unscathed. The next morning, things take a sharp turn as she’s quickly led from work to the emergency room. By the end of the week, a neurologist delivers a devastating prognosis: Sarah suffered a traumatic brain injury that has caused her IQ to plummet, with no hope of recovery. Her brain has irrevocably changed.

Reveals the truth behind the controversial issue of vaccine-related injuries. Proponents declare that vaccines have saved millions of lives. Critics claim that the success is overstated and that vaccines may even be dangerous. Many consider mandatory vaccinations a violation of individual rights or religious principles. Many in public health argue that vaccine mandates are critical and justified and that antivaccination sentiment has resulted in outbreaks of preventable childhood illnesses.

For decades, modern medicine has predominantly focused on restoring health to a conventionally “normal” state for our age and medical history. But shouldn’t we aim to go beyond normal? Whether you’re twenty or eighty years old, have experienced a stroke, battle PTSD, or want to excel as an athlete or top executive, recent breakthroughs in molecular biology have granted us the means not just to repair but to enhance our physical and mental capacities.

The Concussion Repair Manual is created as a user’s guide for those suffering after head traumas and those who support them. It is one-part “textbook”, packed with the leading research on medical technologies for healing the injured brain, and one-part “workbook”, offering a step-by-step method for making and tracking a personalized recovery regimen.

Following her stroke, she felt unsupported by the systems in place to care for post-stroke victims. She knew there were resources available but with an inability to hold a thought or comprehend written words, Julianne became frustrated with her search for information. Aside from her family doctor, she seemed to be alone in her struggle to find information about therapies, services, and policies.

Now, in his most powerful and important book yet, Game Change, Ken Dryden tells the riveting story of one player’s life, examines the intersection between science and sport, and expertly documents the progression of the game of hockey—where it began, how it got to where it is, where it can go from here and, just as exciting to play and watch, how it can get there.

In October 2016, Udo Kischka suffered a severe stroke. A large intra-cerebral bleed, a bleed deep in the right side of his brain. He was not a typical stroke patient: Professor Kischka was a Neurologist and specialist in stroke rehabilitation. Like all stroke patients, he embarked on a journey of recovery. In his case, it was a re-education in his field of expertise. When he uttered the words, 'This is a life-changing event' to his wife a few hours after the stroke, he had no idea just how life-changing it would be or that there would be still be a good life to be had.