Tag Archives: medical information

Some Practical Issues in Dealing with Head Injury

Posted on April 6, 2014 by craig lock

Some common effects of head injury:

1. Lack of Insight

2. Memory problems

3. Poor concentration.

4. Slowed responses

5. Poor planning and problem-solving

6. Lack of initiave – the person is often incorrectly labelled as “lazy”

7. Lack of flexibility -ie. a “one track” mind

8. Impulsivity Continue reading →

Posted in brain injury, head injury, medical, medical information, TBI | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Head Injury/Brain Injury) – Some Facts

Posted on February 11, 2014 by craig lock

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 →

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Some Cognitive Effects of Head Injury

Posted on February 5, 2014 by craig lock

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 →

Posted in "Who Wants to be Normal Anyway!", books by craig lock, books on brain/head injury, chronic fatigue, cognitive difficulties, cognitive difficulties/problems, Craig's books, effects of head injury, Head (brain injury), head injury, head injury and fatigue, living with head injury, medical, medical information, Medical resources (information), traumatic brain injury | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Lasting Effects from Blows to the Head (Concussion)

Posted on February 5, 2014 by craig lock

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/s/ref=la_B005GGMAW4_sr?rh=i%3Abooks&field-author=Craig+Lock http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005GGMAW4 http://goo.gl/vTpjk The submitter’s blogs … Continue reading →

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LIVING WITH HEAD INJURY: What It Feels Like to Have A Head Injury?

Posted on February 1, 2014 by craig lock

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.

I always wondered why I never spoke much in class after my accident. I had great difficulty in telling a story (even a short one) geting muddled and confused, so I kept quiet. This is called “mild dypsphasia”. I find that I communicate way better through writing… so that’s what I do.
The only way I can tell a joke or do a short presentation in my working life is by rote and repetition… and this is the method I’ve used all my life. I found it difficult telling long stories and Marie always helped me, so I was very to the point.

I had a closed head injury of what is called the ‘acceleration’ or ‘decelleration’ type. This results in my poor balance, coordination and weakness in my left side. Now let us look at the most significant physical effects of head injury.
I had great difficulty in dealing with shapes and sizes, as evidenced by the tests in Perth measuring visual-spatial ability. But I’m nothing like as bad as Michael Crawford in the British comedy series ‘”Some Mothers do ‘ave ’em”, when he tried fitting things into various holes.

PPS
“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!”

“Let’s not what we can’t do stop us from doing what we CAN do…best!”
“There are no perceived limits, just endless possibilities…horizons far and wide”
– craig Continue reading →

Posted in brain injury, effects of head injury, head injury, living with head injury | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Living with Long-Term Brain (Head) Injury

Posted on January 1, 2014 by craig lock

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 →

Posted in Head (brain injury), head injury, living with head injury, survivors, traumatic brain injury | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

‘RUNNING ON EMPTY’: Living with Head Injury: What It Feels Like to Have A Head Injury?

Posted on October 7, 2013 by craig lock

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 →

Posted in autobiography, Head (brain injury), living with head injury | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Running on Empty: Living with Long-Term Brain (Head) Injury

Posted on October 2, 2013 by craig lock

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’:

I can only handle “one-on-one” situations. I can’t hold two thoughts in my mind at the same time. A ringing phone will interrupt my thought and sequence. I easily lose the ‘flow’ of the task I was engaged in. Then I have difficulty wondering what to do next! I have to clear clutter to simplify my life. Get easily ‘thrown’ Head injured people are often self absorbed. (Probably helps them cope with life through focussing??)

NB Everyone with a head injury is affected differently.

No-one can understand my problems, because I appear to be a lucid, intelligent man. I’m fine here now doing ONE thing. Continue reading →

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What Does it Feel Like to be Brain Damaged?

Posted on September 18, 2013 by craig lock

It is generally accepted that people working with individuals who have any type of handicap, should have a certain amount of empathy with their clients and should strive to understand how their clients feel and think. People working with those who are brain damaged have a particularly hard time doing so. One can have some understanding of what it means to be blind by simply closing one?s eyes; yet how can a normal person understand what it feels like to be brain damaged?

I am in the unusual position of being a trained clinical psychologist who suffered brain damage and who has slowly recovered most of my facilities. In other words, I have been on the outside looking in, and also, on the inside looking out at the world of the brain damaged person. At this point in my recovery, I have a foot in both worlds, for I can remember what it felt like to be completely normal intellectually, and also what it felt like when loss of function was at its worst.

Perhaps this informal and very subjective narrative may be of some help in assisting normal people to empathize a little better with the brain damaged individual. For, unfortunately, most brain damaged people are unable to explain precisely how they feel; those who have been brain damaged since birth, of course, have never had the experience of functioning normally and thus have no standard of comparison of their present state with that of others. Continue reading →

Posted in brain injury survivors, effects of head injury, Head (brain injury), inspirational quotes, living with head injury, medical information | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Living with Long-Term Brain (Head) Injury

Posted on July 31, 2013 by craig lock

Article Title: Living with Long-Term Brain (Head) Injury Submitted by: Craig Lock Category (key words): Head injury, brain injury, William Fairbank, effects of brain/head injury, neuro-psychology, brain, cognitive difficulties, medical information, medical resources (enough there now, craig) Web sites: http://www.williamfairbank.com  … Continue reading →

Posted in brain injury, closed head injury, living with head injury | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 329 Comments