Author Archives: nrehm

Though equally as enjoyable, my second visit to Headway was much different than my first. I would describe my first time at the center as being “light and fluffy,” that is, it was enjoyable and eye opening but I feel as though I failed to integrate my experience with the knowledge I have learned in this seminar. This time however, it was a much “heavier” visit in that there were two moments that stood out to me as important to remember and very nicely captured some themes we have discussed in class.

My day started out quite benign and lovely. I greeted a woman that I had not previously met and we chatted for a while about her daughter, her large blue ring (which I adored), and my plans for the rest of the day. In addition to spending time with new members, Hawaiian shirt remembered me from my last visit and was pleasantly surprised when I was able to partake in his handshake routine without error. We sat down at the tables and waited for brunch to be served; this is when Important Moment Number One occurred.

During our Headway orientation, we were told some members might say things to us that could be considered “inappropriate” or “rude” by our Western World standards. When I politely declined the food, one of the members turned to the group and exclaimed, “she’s what we what we call an anorexic!” I was a little taken aback but I knew that they did not mean anything hurtful by it and definitely hadn’t considered how it might make me feel. As we discussed in our Social Dynamics lecture, a major adjustment for family and friends involves the emotional or behavioral changes that a TBI survivor exhibits. They may display mood swings, say or do things without considering the consequences of their actions, or disregard the feelings of others. I found an interesting article (link at bottom of this post) that explores the touchy subject of personality change after a TBI. It highlights how social-emotional shifts are the most obvious to relatives of a TBI survivor and two salient factors were impulsivity and a lack of emotion perception in others.

Important Moment Number Two happened during a conversation I had with one of members after brunch. He relayed to me that one of the physical symptoms of his TBI was seizures that prevented him from visiting his relatives in his hometown. We’ve talked a lot in class about how the integrity of the neural tissue changes after a brain injury and our Pharmacology lecture described how neurotransmitter levels can be vastly altered post-TBI. However, we haven’t talked a lot about posttraumatic seizures and I was curious to find out if this was a common symptom. I found a short informative video (which is attached at the end of the entry) that details posttraumatic epilepsy at a very basic level and learned that it is most prevalent after a brain injury in which the skull has been penetrated.

I greatly enjoyed my second visit to Headway and was glad I could learn more about some of the behavioral and physical symptoms that accompany a traumatic brain injury.

Link to article: http://gw2jh3xr2c.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=Factors+triggering+relatives’+judgements+of+personality+change+after+traumatic+brain+injury&rft.jtitle=Brain+Injury&rft.au=Weddell%2C+Rodger+A&rft.au=Leggett%2C+Janice+A&rft.date=2006-11-01&rft.issn=0269-9052&rft.eissn=1362-301X&rft.volume=20&rft.issue=12&rft.spage=1221&rft.epage=1234&rft_id=info:doi/10.1080%2F02699050601049783&rft.externalDBID=n%2Fa&rft.externalDocID=10_1080_02699050601049783&paramdict=en-US

Fragments of conversation drift lazily past my ears as the bus rolls steadily along Broadway. “Did you see my Facebook status? 26 likes!” “I worked 50 hours this week.” “This jacket? 85 bucks.” The ebb and flow of words lap softly against my cheeks. A tide teeming with numbers and quantifiers – how strange it is that we choose to measure our lives in abstractions. As I glance haphazardly at my phone to check the time, I realize that I myself am a slave to symbols, and I ponder whether there are more fulfilling ways to evaluate the moments that make up our days. Unfortunately, the bus pulls into my stop before I can come up with any sort of satisfactory answer. I exit the tangle of human arms and legs as hastily as I can and make my way toward the Headway center.

I glance through the open doorway of the computer room and am greeted with a toothy grin that spreads slowly under a crown of lemon-hued hair. “Are you my buddy?” I inquire of the young man sitting in front of me who has since turned back to his game of Solitaire. He spins around in his creaky chair and holds my gaze. “Ya. I guess I can give you the tour.” We work our way methodically around the small space and I take note of the pride he attaches to the paintings that line the back wall and the obvious enthusiasm he radiates when he affirms that they have Netflix. As we arrive at the most popular attraction (the kitchen of course) a vibrant Hawaiian shirt steps into my path. Without prompt or ample warning, I find myself in the midst of a complex handshake that I desperately attempt to fake my way through. A curt nod and narrow smile indicate I have passed this entrance exam, relieved, I flop into the nearest chair and wait eagerly for breakfast to be served.

The rest of my visit at Headway was filled with delightful conversation, pancakes, and a heated debate over whether it was Eddie Murphy or Will Smith who played the donkey in “Shrek” (note: it was Eddie Murphy). Centers like Headway are important institutions for people recovering from a traumatic brain injury (TBI). They foster a sense of community, safety, and a chance to build a support network that otherwise may be lacking. It’s essential to keep in mind that the symptoms of TBI are heterogeneous, not always obvious, and do not define the intellectual and emotional capabilities of the survivor. I believe the greatest benefit of my visit was simply providing fresh ears and a novel laugh to soak up the stories and jokes of the members. As for me, I finally came up with an answer to my earlier query – how best to calibrate the value of moments if not in numbers? I learned to measure my day by the taste of pancakes, the intricacy of secret handshakes, and the simplicity of smiles.

A short video highlighting the importance of community during TBI recovery.