by Shauna Hahn It is estimated sleep disturbances occur in 30-70% of all individuals who have suffered a TBI. Unfortunately, insomnia, fatigue, and daytime sleepiness are all common problems associated with brain injuries. Interestingly, those with mild TBIs are more likely to report sleep problems than those with severe brain ...
Read moreby JoAnne Silver Jones Inaugurations are times that mark a significant change or achievement, a changing of the guard or the opening of a new structure. For me, the first inauguration of President Obama has bifurcated my life. I went to Washington, D.C., in January 2009 with a carefully-planned wardrobe ...
Read moreBy JoAnne Silver Jones I’m an expert on fatigue. Living with TBI for 12 years, I know fatigues ebbs and flows, what mitigates and what exacerbates its intensity. I have an intimate understanding of the terrain of my fatigue and the ways in which tiredness reveals itself during the course ...
Read moreby Deborah Zelinsky, O.D. Eyeglasses may improve eyesight, but will they reduce the impact traumatic brain injury can have on a patient’s sleep? Based on a growing amount of global research, including studies and clinical experience at the Mind-Eye Institute in Northbrook, Ill., the answer is “yes.” But, to understand ...
Read moreArticle and photos by Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief In June 2009, Kate D’Orazio flew to Mississippi to visit her husband, who was at Air Force Reserves training. After an evening of dining out and celebrating their time together, her husband found her on the floor of their room. She was unconscious ...
Read moreby Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief As I am typing this, we are nearing the one-year mark since the US (and entire world) went into lockdown in an effort to control the spread of COVID-19. My birthday in 2020 was celebrated with a friend I was visiting in South Carolina, as she ...
Read moreBy James Heuer, PA After suffering a TBI it is common to experience trouble with your memory. Whether your TBI was moderate or severe, you will have difficulty remembering things, finding the right words when speaking, and getting organized. These brain functions are all types of cognition. Symptoms including anger, ...
Read moreBy Ed Roth Cazoshay Marie is a familiar face in the brain health community. As a brain injury survivor, she actively participates in survivor groups, caregiver conferences, and empowerment events in Arizona. As a result of her advocacy and speaking, many in the community know the story of that horrific ...
Read moreBy Ed Roth While October is set aside as Domestic Violence Awareness, every month of the year you can find Janice Podzimek doing everything she can to make sure those in danger are safe. This is particularly pressing as the spread of COVID-19 has led to a surge in domestic ...
Read moreby Dr. Elizabeth McNally One in four. One in seven. Without any context, those numbers probably mean nothing to you. What happens when you find out that they represent the individuals in the United States who suffer severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime? Does one in ...
Read moreBy Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief Yoga is a powerful tool for neuroplasticity. Contrary to some beliefs, everyone can do yoga — you don’t need to be super flexible, be able to balance, or even be able to stand up. The beauty of yoga is every pose can be modified to accommodate anyone. An important aspect of […]
By Dr. Shane Steadman, DC, DACNB, DCBCN, CNS Recovery after a brain injury can be a long journey. Working hard and hoping to get back to baseline often can be frustrating, and for some, unattainable. With the many doctor visits, exercises, rehab appointments, medications, and supplements, goals can become lost. However, amid recovering from a […]
By James A. Heuer, PA As a personal injury attorney for over 45 years, I have witnessed many of my clients successfully recover from a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Whether the TBI occurs from a car crash, a slip and fall, or blow to the head, the resiliency of the human body and brain is […]
By Deborah Zelinsky, O.D. The term resiliency encompasses “the range of personal protective factors, environmental supports, and resources, as well as self-regulatory processes, engaged in response to adversity,” according to investigators writing about recovery from traumatic brain injury (TBI) for the publication Disability and Rehabilitation. Indeed, author Mike Norton said it best when he wrote, […]
By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief A complementary tool that can help you achieve a healthy lifestyle, essential oils are easy to use and smell great, with a variety of uses. All oils are not created equal. I personally only trust the Young Living brand because I know they maintain complete control over their product from seed […]
By Jeff Heller Resiliency is one of the greatest attributes anyone can have. From an early age, parents teach their children, “if you get knocked down, you get back up.” Coaches teach their players, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” And one of the cornerstones of the underdog mentality is to “never […]
by Shauna Hahn Sometime in 2019, in the weekly “Healing and Recovery” therapy group I lead, we discussed the topic of the quality of “resilience.” When it came time for a patient to contribute, he said, “I don’t want to be resilient. I get tired of being resilient all the f**king time.” And I heard […]
By Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief What You Need: 1 cup (250g) full-fat Greek yogurt 2 tbsp. peanut butter or almond butter 2 tsp. stevia Favorite garnish (banana, granola, blueberries) Add the yogurt, nut butter and stevia into a small mixing bowl and whisk together using a hand mixer, until fluffy. Transfer the mix into a bowl […]
By Ed Roth Randy Elston is finally living his best life, which may be an odd thing to say about a Marine Corps veteran with three traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Recently named as the Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona’s new Adaptive Recreation & Activities Coordinator, Randy’s tours of duty in Iraq left him with a […]
