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Category Archives: Head (brain injury)
The Lasting Effects from Blows to the Head (Concussion)
Article Title: The Lasting Effects from Blows to the Head (Concussion) Submitted by: Craig Lock Category (key words): head injury, brain injury, effects of head injury, neuro-psychology, medical information, medical resources, brain Web sites: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4 http://www.creativekiwis.com/amazon.html and http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/craiglock The … Continue reading
Head Injury/Brain Injury) – Some Facts
Introduction:
Craig has been researching and studying in this field for nearly twenty years stemming from a long-standing head injury. He hopes that by sharing that it will make some difference in those lives affected by brain injury.
There are many misconceptions and a great lack of understanding in this area, so here is some general information that I hope may be helpful to others.
*
Head injury has become a common problem throughout the world. Many of the more severe injuries are related to road traffic and horse riding accidents. As an example, in Great Britain about 15 patients every hour are admitted to hospital for observation, because of head injury and every 2 hours one of these will die. Head injury is implicated in 1 of all deaths and 50 OF ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENT DEATHS. Head injury is particularly prevalent in the age group between 10 and 25. CONCUSSION has occurred, whenever patients cannot remember the actual blow that made them unconscious.
*
THE NATURE OF HEAD INJURY IN AUSTRALIA
Some facts:
* In Australia more than 25000 people each year are permanently disabled by acquired brain injury. In the state of Western Australia it is 1500.
* Each year in Australia approximately 6000 people sustain traumatic head injury and will be totally dependent for the rest of their lives (in W.A the figure is 600).
* It is estimated that 70 of these are caused by road accidents, the balance through work, home and sports accidents or from stroke, encephalitis and other medical conditions.
* Head injury is the greatest cause of disability for people under age 40.
* It causes disabilities ranging from a permanent vegetative state, right through to virtual independence and community re-integration.
* It causes memory loss and other behavioural changes, such as a lack of concentration, an inability to plan, or to motivate oneself.
* It affects three times as many people, as paraplegia and quadraplegia combined.
* Despite being a widespread community tragedy, it has largely remained a SILENT EPIDEMIC, which is not politically or financially recognised by the state. In third world countries, like South Africa, there must be so many victims, who urgently require scarce resources, in competition with so many other pressing social and health needs.
* Carer-givers at home are often faced with the breakdown of the family unit, due to the 24 hour care needed by the person with head injury.
NB: Note that HEAD INJURY IS NOT THE SAME AS AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY Continue reading
Some Cognitive Effects of Head Injury
SOME COGNITIVE EFFECTS OF HEAD INJURY:
by Craig Lock
“Compare it (your head) to a jelly in a bowl. The bowl is the skull – a strong, protective container – and the jelly (the brain) is nestled within. The skull is able to withstand many types of blows; but the brain is vulnerable to sudden swirling or rotating movements. Shake the bowl and see what happens to the jelly.”
– Dr Don Mackie, Emergency Specialist(in New Zealand)
This extract (in note form) is from a chapter from my manuscript titled MY STORY, MY DREAM Also LIVING WITH HEAD (BRAIN) INJURY (from ‘MY STORY’)
and his latest WHO WANTS TO BE NORMAL ANYWAY
Continue reading
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Tagged brain damage, brain injury, head injury, medical information, medical resources, neuro-psychology
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The Hidden Handicap – the Silent Epidemic
THE HIDDEN HANDICAP* – THE SILENT EPIDEMIC*
CLIMBING THE EVEREST WITHIN
Subnitter’s Note
The following piece is from information that I’ve researched and collected over the past twenty-five years. Some of the writings are words from my own experiences and much material from sources unknown (some of which has been re-written and re-phrased by me). I am sharing this information in the spirit of promoting greater awareness of head (or brain) injury, as well as helping and hopefully encouraging “victims of the hidden ‘handicap’” to realise their full potentials and be all that they are capable of achieving, being and becoming.
Craig Lock
October 2005
*
Some introductory comments re the title of this article
* because it can’t be seen and brain /head damaged people look perfectly “normal” (what’s that!).
NB: NO, I don’t necessarily see it, this label as a ‘handicap’, but rather as an opportunity for personal growth.
Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed* of an equal or greater benefit.”
– Napoleon Hill (in his great book ‘Think and Grow Rich’)
* this should perhaps read “rather the POTENTIAL seed” in cases of head (brain) damage
“Just because a brain has been damaged, does NOT necessarily have to affect the human mind…and so the quality and height of our thoughts!”
Continue reading
Living with Long-Term Brain (Head) Injury
INTRODUCTION
Here is some “info”, that I summarised from a radio interview with a UK film-maker by the name of William Fairbank (http://www.williamfairbank.com) talking about the “hidden handicap, the silent epidemic”. (“It could have been me speaking” . . . but not nearly as eloquently* as William!)
*big word, eh!
Head injury has become a common problem throughout the world. Many of the more severe injuries are related to road traffic and horse riding accidents. As an example, in Great Britain about 15 patients every hour are admitted to hospital for observation, because of head injury and every 2 hours one of these will die. Head injury is implicated in 1 of all deaths and 50% OF ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENT DEATHS. Head injury is particularly prevalent in the age group between 10 and 25. CONCUSSION has occurred, whenever patients cannot remember the actual blow that made them unconscious.
*
WILLIAM FAIRBANKS Interview with Kathryn Ryan on National Radio (4th Feb 2010)
LONG-TERM BRAIN INJURY
“There is excellent medical care immediately post-trauma. However, there is little follow-up after the initial trauma. Every day I have to come to terms with my brain injury, to learn. I don’t handle interruptions. It’s like being in a movie. Each person with a brain injury is different…and is affected in different ways. I do one thing at a time – break into little tasks. I really live in the present. No-one ever explained to me how to cope, how to deal with everyday living. I had to learn strategies for myself.
Difficulties in ‘making connections’: Continue reading
Stirling: A Story of Hope and a Boy’s Dream
It was one day in the year 1961, whilst driving on the long journey home to Cape Town after the South African Grand Prix in East London (a city that lies on South Africa’s East Coast), that the young boy told his father that Jim Clark would one day be the champion driver of the world. The young boy was in a bad mood, because the young Clark had beaten his hero, Stirling Moss. And for the next few years the young South African boy followed the rising Scot star ’s ascending career with great interest and pride. So that the new “shooting star” eventually usurped the place of the now retired old hero, Moss after his near fatal accident at Goodwood, UK…until it too was tragically extinguished in a minor race at Hockenheim, Germany in 1968. And that night the young boy lay on his bed and read the race program over again and again… then he fell asleep and dreamt in peace. One day…
#
HE WOULD NOT WAKE UP PROPERLY FOR 38 DAYS!
From: STIRLING MOSS: The Authorised Biography by Robert Edwards (Published by Cassell & Co, UK)
Stirling Moss was in a coma for 38 days in Atkinson Morley Hospital, London
And many people throughout the world prayed for the star driver’s healing… a collective appeal to Christ. Perhaps one of them was even a concerned young boy in Clovelly, Cape Town, South Africa.
Moss’s inability to speak was confusing, although the physical injuries were more familiar.
He did not immediately notice that he was effectively paralysed. The physical damage to the left side of his body was made worse by the fact he could not move it, the massive bruising his brain had received had to heal first. This would be frustrating to say the least, particularly since the extent of his injuries were not initially revealed to him. The patient assumed that he could not move because he was injured, rather than because his brain would simply not allow it. His friend, David Haynes finally revealed the truth; although it depressed Stirling, it also caused him to fight his condition harder, initially to no avail. Continue reading
Golden Dawn (a new book)
HE WOULD NOT WAKE UP PROPERLY FOR 38 DAYS!
From: STIRLING MOSS: The Authorised Biography by Robert Edwards (Published by Cassell & Co, UK)
Stirling Moss was in a coma for 38 days in Atkinson Morley Hospital, London
And many people throughout the world prayed for the star driver’s healing… a collective appeal to Christ. Perhaps one of them was even a concerned young boy in Clovelly, Cape Town, South Africa.
Moss’s inability to speak was confusing, although the physical injuries were more familiar.
He did not immediately notice that he was effectively paralysed. The physical damage to the left side of his body was made worse by the fact he could not move it, the massive bruising his brain had received had to heal first. This would be frustrating to say the least, particularly since the extent of his injuries were not initially revealed to him. The patient assumed that he could not move because he was injured, rather than because his brain would simply not allow it. His friend, David Haynes finally revealed the truth; although it depressed Stirling, it also caused him to fight his condition harder, initially to no avail.
The neurology department closely monitored his progress. And these are the words of one occupational therapist:
“We didn’t know very much about motor racing, of course; but none of us really thought he would ever drive again – he had been so very badly hurt, but he tried so hard.”
Continue reading
‘RUNNING ON EMPTY’: Living with Head Injury: What It Feels Like to Have A Head Injury?
THE EFFECTS OF HEAD INJURY
There are many misconceptions and a great lack of understanding about this condition, so here is some general information that I hope may be able to help others.
Extreme fatigue. This is my area of greatest difficulty and has shaped my entire adult life (from age 15). I wake up every morning feeling very tired and washed-out. Heavy -headed…and have felt like this all my life. So I do my most demanding “work” involving thinking early in the morning and structure my day around this. I am typing this at 5.45 am. (my “best time of the day”)
Apparently neurosurgeons say that the effects of fatigue can prevent many highly-intelligent head-injured people from functioning fully in the formal work force. Doctors don’t even understand… so how can employers be expected to? Many people assume head injured people to be simply lazy, whereas they are just conserving energy (well how else could they avoid making judgments, when people with head injuries look so normal). That’s why it’s often referred to as “the hidden handicap”.
I get very easily muddled- so break little tasks down. Often wonder what to do with two pieces of paper in my hand. Even putting one piece of paper away, then doing the next. Continue reading
“The Hidden Handicap – the Silent Epidemic”
Subnitter’s Note
The following piece is from information that I’ve researched and collected over the past twenty-five years. Some of the writings are words from my own experiences and much material from sources unknown (some of which has been re-written and re-phrased by me). I am sharing this information in the spirit of promoting greater awareness of head (or brain) injury, as well as helping and hopefully encouraging “victims of the hidden ‘handicap’” to realise their full potentials and be all that they are capable of achieving, being and becoming.
Craig Lock
October 2005
*
Some introductory comments re the title of this article
* because it can’t be seen and brain /head damaged people look perfectly “normal” (what’s that!).
NB: NO, I don’t necessarily see it, this label as a ‘handicap’, but rather as an opportunity for personal growth.
Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed* of an equal or greater benefit.” Continue reading
Living with Head Injury: The Effects of Fatigue
THE EFFECTS OF FATIGUE: I wake up every morning feeling exhausted, as if I haven’t had a good night’s rest. ALWAYS. A bit light-headed too – no very HEAVY-headed. It’s hard to describe the feeling. I feel I could sleep … Continue reading
Sharing some Information and Thoughts on Head and Brain Injury 
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