MIND MATTERS
Alamo Head Injury Association, Inc.
July 2010 – September 2010
In
our monthly meetings, we strive to provide speakers and/or programs that are
informative and will benefit our members and survivors in some way. However, if you have come to our meeting
seeking personal support or guidance and would prefer to speak with someone one
on one, please let it be known, as there will always be someone available to
talk with you.
PROGRAM: (Please note that the meetings and programs
of the
July Meeting
When: Wednesday, July 28, 5:45 – 7:45 p.m.
Where:
PROGRAM: Family members: Dr. Jonhenry “Jon” Grizzle, Clinical Psychologist, from
Survivors: July is National Ice Cream Month so the survivors will partake in an ice cream social. Forward suggestions or favorite flavors to Matt Kerr (416-7788)
or Lupe Armendariz (614-3911) no later than July 22nd.
August Meeting
When: Wednesday, August 25, 5:45 – 7:45 p.m.
Where:
Family members: Dr. Jonhenry “Jon” Grizzle, Clinical
Psychologist, from
Survivors: Cynthia Ann Delgado of Wells Fargo Bank will present key information to improve money management.
September Meeting
When: Wednesday, September 22, 5:45 – 7:45 p.m.
Where:
Family members: Dr. Jonhenry “Jon” Grizzle Clinical
Psychologist, from
Survivors: The topic for September’s survivor’s meeting will be “Social, Emotional and Behavioral Changes after TBI”.
Breaking
the silence on brain injury
By David
L. Goldin
October
17, 2007
What do Steve
Young, Troy Aikman, Stan Humphries, Eric Lindros, Pat LaFontain, Dale Ernhardt
Jr., Chris Irwin, George Clooney and probably 20 percent or more of our troops
returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, have in common? This is an increasingly
important question; please take a moment to think about it before reading on.
They all
suffered traumatic brain injury, or TBI. In addition to these
football, hockey and NASCAR stars, there are numerous sports celebrities
with TBI. Muhammed Ali is only the most famous. As the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention puts it: “Each year, about 300,000 sports-related
traumatic brain injuries occur in our country, and most can be classified as
concussions. Concussions can occur in any sport – and all are serious
injuries.”
Why is it then
that traumatic brain injury is still referred to as the “silent epidemic”? If
you were unsure of the answer to the question, you may realize there is not
much news about TBI. But even if you know that these stars, athletes and many
of our troops suffer from TBI, you may not recognize how prevalent and
secretive TBI is.
Each year at
least 1.4 million people in the
With so many
being struck down by this injury, it remains puzzling that more attention is
not given to the TBI epidemic. The brain-injury organizations across the
nation, including our San Diego Brain Injury Foundation, have been trying for
years to raise awareness. The tragedy of brain injuries suffered by our brave
troops affords a great opportunity to bring TBI out into the open to all
survivors of TBI can get the diagnosis and treatment they deserve. One of the
great tragedies of the war in
Government
statistics pertaining to TBI in the
No doubt this
is a large number as most TBI is “mild,” and sometimes the survivor does not
even recognize that TBI is the reason for the changes in cognition, emotions
and behavior. “Mild” TBI, as the term is often used in the medical profession,
is misleading because these injuries can cause life-changing deficits and
profound disabilities. As the term should be used, “mild” TBI means only that
the brain injuries are not life-threatening, in contrast with moderate or
severe TBI where without medical treatment the patient may die.
TBI statistics
mostly focus on our civilian population and do not address TBI suffered in
disproportionately large numbers by our soldiers in
Our returning
service members may not know they have been injured but cannot account for
changes in their cognition, behavior and personality. They may find themselves
confused, irritable, restless, unmotivated, angry, unable to focus their
attention, disorganized, lacking former judgment, slow in thinking, with memory
deficits, depressed, and feeling “like a different person,” and yet not realize
this is caused by TBI. To top it off, they are often embarrassed and ashamed by
their undiagnosed condition and desirous of returning to support their fellow
soldiers. Someone suffering from TBI is not fit to play sports let alone fight
a war.
According to
the Defense and
Clearly we owe
it to our returning troops to pay attention to the most prevalent injury they
suffer in fighting for our country. From a moral, economic and medical
standpoint, we must deal with the reality of this devastating injury. We cannot
ignore our returning troops and those other unfortunate survivors of TBI who
often go undiagnosed and untreated for years because their TBI is “invisible.”
It is time to
break the silence of the TBI epidemic.
ON THE MOVE
Congratulations to the following survivors for recent accomplishments:
Sherry O’Brien, employed
by Homewood Residence at
Stephanie Linam, volunteer at the Semmes Library
2010
Ann Cameron, President
Lupe Armendariz, Vice-President
Kay Dabney, Recording Secretary
Diana Najara, Treasurer
Dr. Douglas Cooper, Board Member at-large
Matt Kerr, Survivor Representatives
All
board meetings will be held at RIOSA, 9119 Cinnamon Hill,