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BrainLine News - February 2009

This month, we focus on brain injury research — what's happening in the field and how to make practical use of what we're learning. And with Valentine's Day around the corner, we have information on relationships and friendships — from the joys and challenges of a couple to the unconditional love of a mother.

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In This Issue

- News and Resources
- News for Caregivers
- Inspiring Stories

News and Resources

Positive Relationships Can Help Recovery After TBI
Red hearts, chocolates, roses ... it's hard not to think about love and friendship with Valentine's Day around the corner. Feeling loved and valued as a person can help with recovery in many ways — from building confidence to improving mood. Just talking with a close friend or relative can make coping easier.
Read more >>

Keep Track of Current Research on Brain Injury
Here's a good way to stay current on TBI research. The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) has a new website that summarizes research on TBI, spinal cord injury, and burn injury.
Read more >>

Mark Your Calendars: Brain Awareness Month Is Around the Corner
March is Brain Awareness Month and BrainLine will feature a national listing of events and meetings. If you'd like to add your event to our list, please email us at info@brainline.org. For information on recent brain research, visit the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives website. Their 2009 progress report covers topics from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury to perspectives on substance abuse research.
Read more >>

Culture and Customs Matter
Healthcare providers recognize that being aware of the cultural beliefs of their patients and their families can help them be more effective in their work. "Traumatic Brain Injury: Cultural Diversity and Communicating with Patients" — a resource from the TBI Toolkit produced by the Washington State Department of Social & Health Services, Aging & Disability Services Administration — offers tips and strategies for professionals working with patients and families from different cultures and backgrounds.
Read more >>

News for Caregivers

An Intimate Glimpse into One Marriage
From the Wounded Troops and Partners: Supporting Intimate Relationships Conference, 2008. Sponsored by the Morehouse School of Medicine Center of Excellence for Sexual Health, Disabilities, Chronic Conditions and Sexual Health Program. http://cesh.msm.edu. Transcript of this video.

Any marriage comes with its share of ups and downs. But for B.J. and Abby Jackson, intimacy has taken on a whole new set of challenges since B.J. sustained a TBI in combat. Watch the couple's presentation — at once honest, genuine, and funny — at the Wounded Troops and Partners Conference, an event sponsored by the Morehouse School of Medicine Center of Excellence for Sexual Health.
Watch video >>

Brain Interrupted: A Mother's Story
Mt. Sinai's Dr. Wayne Gordon introduces one mother's powerful story about the importance of accurate diagnosis. From Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 2008. Used with permission. All rights reserved. http://www.mssm.edu. Transcript of this video.

John was hit on the head by a swing when he was a toddler. Although his mother knew something was seriously wrong, doctors disagreed. For almost two decades, John's mother sought answers and solutions. "Brain Interrupted: The Story of John's Traumatic Brain Injury," produced by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, shows the tenacity of one loving mother and illuminates the importance of accurate diagnosis.
Watch video >>

Inspiring Stories

Read How a School Psychologist Learned to Ask for Help
School psychologist Debra Sanders believed she'd survived the crash in her pickup truck unscathed. After all, she had no bumps, breaks, or bruises. Then the trouble began — difficulty concentrating, poor memory, excessive sleeping, and extreme irritability. Suddenly, someone who had built a thriving career serving public school special education students was in great need of help herself. Visit BrainLine.org to read an excerpt from A Matter of Panache: A Career in Public Education. A Traumatic Brain Injury. A Memoir of Surviving Both.
Read more >>

For more information about TBI, please come visit us at BrainLine.org.

All the best from BrainLine.
Noel Gunther, Executive Director
Christian Lindstrom, Director, Learning Media
Victoria Youcha, EdD, Director, BrainLine
Matthew Bruce, Web Manager
Victoria Tilney McDonough, Associate Editor
Elaine Phillips, MSP, CCC/SLP, Research Consultant
Theresa Rankin, Outreach Consultant
Brian King, Senior Multimedia Producer
Kimberley Larson, Web Designer
Ian Collins, Technical Web Manager
Leon Gittens, Project Administrator
Krystal Klingenberg, Project Coordinator

Newsletter editor: Victoria Tilney McDonough

About BrainLine
BrainLine is a service of WETA, the flagship public television and radio station in the nation's capital.

BrainLine is funded by the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, the primary operational TBI component of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, through a subcontract award with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine.

This material is based upon work supported by the USAMRAA under Contract Number W81XWH-08-C-0066. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the USAMRAA.