All Brainline Content

Is TBI a Laughing Matter?

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT

As Rosemary knows, laughter is a natural anti-depressant, an anti-anxiety fix, a shot of oxygen, and a muscle relaxer … and, best of all, it doesn’t require a prescription.

Early Research on the Use of Neuroimaging for Tailoring TBI Rehabilitation

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT

A specific analytical technique used during MRI may help people choose among possible cognitive rehab interventions.

Creativity in Caregiving

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Loving wife and teacher Abby Maslin uses her creativity and teaching skills to help her husband recover from a severe TBI.

Unfreezing Grief

Mon, 20 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT

"Growing up with a father with a TBI is complicated, un-ending grief without closure. It’s the opposite of resolution. It’s missing someone like hell who’s still alive and with you."

Caregiving for Someone Whose Nose Doesn't Always Know

Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Traumatic brain injury makes quirky seem quirkier, especially when a person is in the initial months of recovery. Rosemary learned that Hugh's loss of his sense of smell came with both dangers and quirkiness.

Starting or Nourishing Romantic Relationships After TBI

Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Every relationship has its ups and downs, but when a partner or spouse sustains a brain injury, other problems can arise, too.

Reflections on Motherhood

Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Mother’s Day is a holiday that is meant to be full of love and appreciation, but Rosemary has found that the day itself varies intensely from year to year, depending on family dynamics, age, and life circumstances.

Brain Injury as a Chronic Disease: An Interview with Brent Masel, MD

Mon, 06 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Physicians spend a lot of time in school learning about obscure diseases and yet we’re not taught about a medical condition like TBI that every single medical specialist will encounter over and over. Chronic brain injury MUST be a part of every health care student’s curriculum.

Here’s What I’ve Learned by Accident … How About You?

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT

People often ask Rosemary what she has learned from Hugh's traumatic brain injury and all that has come after. In this week's blog post, she shares some of the lessons she has learned along the way.

Level of Executive Functioning Related to Outcome Post-TBI

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Measuring outcome after TBI can be tricky, but oftentimes the state of the injured person’s cognitive abilities can shed the most light.

Five Things Caregivers Wish You Would Say

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

During Hugh's recovery, Rosemary heard many family and friends say, "Let me know what I can do to help." They meant it, but here Rosemary shares five offers caregivers would be grateful to hear — and accept.

Challenges with Acts of Daily Living After a Brain Injury

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Problems with acts of daily living like dressing or washing can vary greatly and sometimes professional help is necessary.

Life Out of Order

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Rosemary talks with author and caregiver Sally Laux who lost her three brothers — two to death, one to a severe TBI.

Couples' Relationships After Traumatic Brain Injury

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

After TBI, many couples find that their relationship with each other changes dramatically. These changes are very personal and can be very emotional for both people in the relationship.

Sexuality After Traumatic Brain Injury

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Learn about the common sexual problems that can occur after a traumatic brain injury and ways to improve sexual functioning.

Can Hearing Aids Help with Tinnitus?

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, is a common symptom of TBI. Learn when hearing aids can help and what other treatments are available.

Banishing Caregiver’s Remorse

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Do you feel like no matter how much time you spend caregiving, you are not doing enough? Rosemary has felt that way, too, but realized she needed to do something about it.

Superman: Suzanne Laboy's Blog

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

In February 2013, police officer Peter Laboy was shot in the head. His wife, Suzanne, is chronicling the family's journey.

Succession Planning

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Rosemary talks about how planning for life’s unexpected emergencies is never easy or comfortable, but in the long run, it can save a lot of heartache.

Extending Use of Biomarkers to Pediatric Population with TBI

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Researchers and clinicians hope to make using biomarkers to diagnose TBI in infants or even in pre-natal cord blood a reality.

What the Future Might Hold for Treating Brain Injury

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Neuroscientist Dr. Ronald Hayes talks about how, in the future, doctors will be able to map a person's genome, which could help how treatments are developed for brain injury.

More Science and Insight into Biomarkers for TBI

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

The more developed biomarkers become through research, the more clinicians will know about an individual injury — biomechanically in the brain — and then, the better they can develop and offer effective treatments.

What Exactly Is a Biomarker?

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

A biomarker is any measurement that provides information on a patient's specific organ or organ system. A simple blood biomarker test like those used to test heart attack or liver function is greatly needed for brain injury.

The Future of Diagnosing Traumatic Brain Injury

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

No one can definitively predict the future, but neuroscientist Dr. Ronald Hayes offers his thoughts on how developing research will help diagnosing and treating brain injury more effectively.

The Need for an Objective TBI Test

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Neuroscientist Dr. Ronald Hayes talks about how a blood biomarker would be a powerful adjunct to imaging and in-person evaluations when testing someone for a brain injury.

Biomarkers for TBI: Still Moving from Bench to Bedside

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Getting an effective blood biomarker test for TBI from bench to bedside with FDA-approval along the way is no small feat. Dr. Ronald Hayes talks about two proteins for which researchers have high hopes.

What Does It Mean to Survive?

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 00:00:00 EDT

"Life and living is the very definition of surviving. It is what the living do. Definitions are meant to change. Able to change. For the brain injured, begging to change. What does it mean to you to have survived?"

Gifts

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:00:00 EDT

"Think for a moment about the best gift you have ever received. What made it so different from all the rest?" Rosemary shares one birthday present she will treasure forever.

Disability Benefits Through the Social Security Administration Are Available for People with Brain Injury

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Careful preparation of the disability application is crucial to obtaining appropriate benefits for people with TBI who cannot work.

Help for Couples After TBI

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Rosemary's sister once told her, “There’s the truth we tell others, the truth we tell ourselves, and the truth we won’t even tell ourselves.”It wasn't until she was in therapy after Hugh's crash that she fully understood her sister's words.