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Introduction to Acquired Brain Injury |
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A Family Guide To Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, Aneurysm,
and the Early Recovery Process
This booklet was created to answer the questions most families have in the first few hours, days, and weeks after a loved one's traumatic brain injury, stroke, aneurysm, or anoxic event. Brain injury survivors and their relatives, doctors, nurses, and other health care experts from a leading catastrophic care hospital have consulted and contributed to the development of this booklet.
In an instant, lives are changed forever. It is the very suddenness with which a brain injury happens that often leaves a family with little time to prepare for, come to terms with, or adjust to the changes that such a catastrophe brings. Not knowing what to expect or how to help can make the first hours, days, and weeks very hard for you, your family, and your friends.
It's normal for you to feel overwhelmed by all of the new information you are getting at a time when you feel as if you just can't deal with anything more. But you have just become a very important member of your loved one's health care team. To help your loved one the most, you must learn as much as you can about his type of brain injury and how to choose the best medical care for him. If someone you love has had a brain injury, this booklet was written for you. It will help you understand what a brain injury is, what you may expect from your loved one during the early recovery process, and what you can do to help him, yourself, and others get through this very difficult time.
This booklet answers many of the questions asked most often about brain injury. It can help you understand what is happening to your loved one, as well as prepare yourself and your family for the next few days and weeks. If you or your family still have questions after reading this booklet, write them down in the back of this book, then ask one of the members of the health care team; they will be happy to answer your questions. Also, it will be helpful to write down their answers so you can refer to them later. There is comfort in understanding what is happening and what to expect. This understanding can help you become more comfortable working with the health care team and supporting your loved one's recovery.
Table of Contents:
- In the Blink of an Eye
- What Is an Acquired Brain Injury?
- How Bad Is It?
- Functions of the Brain
- Common Problems During the Early Recovery Process
- The Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
- Understanding Coma
- How Does an Injured Brain Heal?
- How You Can Help With Recovery?
- Where Will the Journey Go From Here?
- How Will I Ever Get Through This?
- Where Can I Go for Help?
- Books for Families Coping With Brain Injury
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