The rapid response of the Tucson, Arizona medical team saved the lives of a dozen people shot in a gunman’s rampage. Among the injured was U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords, who had been shot in the head. This week, neurologist Richard C. Senelick, M.D., gives us a peek into the challenges Representative Giffords will face as she recovers from such a severe brain injury (“What Will Gabrielle Giffords’ Recovery Look Like“).

According to the article, the bullet traveled through the left side of Rep. Giffords’ brain. But, her doctors also pointed out that:

…the damage is not done just by the bullet passing through the brain but also by the shock wave or “cavitation effect” that damages the brain tissue around the bullet track.

People with brain injuries can face numerous disabilities, some quite unexpected. There are three categories of potential problems:

1. Physical Impairments, including seizures, paralysis, loss of feeling, problems with speech or swallowing, and fatigue.
2. Cognitive Disturbances, or problems with thinking. These include difficulty with memory, attention, concentration, planning, judgment, learning new things, and communication.
3. Behavioral Disturbances, or personality changes. Common behavioral issues include irritability, depression, verbal or physical outbursts. Perhaps the most difficult to deal with is something called “inappropriate behavior,” which is like losing your social censor—the person does or says whatever comes to mind, without any thought of consequences.

This brief overview is just a slice of what Rep. Giffords will face. Her recovery will be long and unpredictable. After she leaves the acute care hospital, she’ll be transferred to a rehabilitation facility where she will learn to take back her life. As Dr. Senelick says:

… [it is] difficult to predict Representative Giffords’ future…. I am frequently gratified by the impressive recoveries that many patients make after extensive rehabilitation efforts.

Like the rest of the world, all of us at HensonFuerst Attorneys send our best wishes to all the Arizona shooting victims and their families, and condolences to the families of those who died. It was a senseless act that stunned the rational world. There are no words… only prayers.

To read the full article, click here: What Will Gabrielle Giffords’ Recovery Look Like, by Richard C. Senelick, M.D.

Some great news for University of North Carolina (UNC) fans, especially those with an interest in brain injury:

NFL Charities, the charitable foundation of the National Football League (NFL) owners, has awarded a $100,000 grant to the Center for the Study of Retired Athletes at UNC to support concussion research. In addition, the NFL Players Association matched that grant for a total of $200,000. The principal investigator is Kevin Guskiewicz, Ph.D., Kenan Distinguished Professor and chair of the department of exercise and sport science in UNC’s College of Arts and Sciences.

As we wrote in this blog last August, research has shown that multiple concussions may cause brain damage that mimics the devastating effects of the neurological disorder known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Severe concussion trauma is found most often in people who suffer repeated head injury during their careers, such as soldiers and football players. In 2010, the NFL implemented new guidelines for dealing with concussion, and they began fining players for violating the rules of player safety.

This new grant will support continued research by UNC into the association between football head injury and dementia later in life. The project will study retired football players and try to determine if individuals who played more football, or who had more concussions (mild traumatic brain injury, or MTBI) are more likely to develop neurodegenerative disorders, compared to those who didn’t play football beyond college.

All of us here at HensonFuerst would like to send congratulations to UNC and to Dr. Guskiewicz for continuing to do good work, and for maintaining UNC’s international reputation for innovation and excellence!

RESOURCES

HensonFuerst blog: Brain Trauma May Mimic Lou Gehrig’s Disease

HensonFuerst Blog: NFL Backing Concussion Program with Fines

UNC Press Release: NFL Awards $100,000 Grant

News & Observer article: NFL Turns to UNC for Concussion Research

HensonFuerst website, with additional information about concussion: HensonFuerst

In a report by News 14 Carolina, tiny Colfax, North Carolina (located about halfway between Winston-Salem and Greensboro) is home to a special program that pairs horses with people who have suffered brain injury.

The non-profit Horsepower Therapeutic Learning Center calls on different aspects of horsemanship to develop athleticism, memory, balance, and speech among people who lost some of that function.

“There’s three different stations,” said Jan Clifford, executive director and founder of Horsepower, Inc. “They’re working on the farrier, who provides the footwear for the horses. They have a riding segment where they actually ride the horses and work on balance and speech. Then they have a section where they go in and work on memory and recall, working on different things that horses and equestrian activities do.” (from the News14 story)

The news piece tells the story of Brandy Gilliam who was hit by a car 11 years ago. She spent 3 months in a coma, and another year in the hospital. She has participated in the Horsepower program for three years, and has experienced significant improvements in her posture, walking, and speaking abilities.

This amazing program provides help to more than 250 people every year. There is no cost to the participants, thanks to a grant from the Winston-Salem Foundation.

To read or watch the full news story, click here: News14 Carolina.

To read more about Horsepower, visit their website here: www.horsepower.org

For more information about the Winston-Salem Foundation, click here: Winston-Salem Foundation

And if you have legal questions about traumatic brain injury, visit our website here: HensonFuerst Law (www.lawmed.com)

Concussion is finally gaining respect as a serious injury. Doctors have begun calling it “mild traumatic brain injury,” which more fully and accurately defines what concussion really is. High schools and high school sports organizations have begun setting more stringent standards for evaluating a student athlete after a head injury–no matter how minor the injury may initially seem to be. And doctors are weighing in with guidelines for when the injured athlete can return to play.

This week, a press release from C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital (part of the University of Michigan Health System) reports on a recent poll, and talks about the next step in recognizing concussions: parents.

According to the article, two-thirds of parents of young athletes worry that their children will get a concussion while playing school sports, but 50% don’t know if their children’s school has a concussion policy. One-third of parents are unaware of the dangers of repeated concussions, which can include permanent brain injury, early dementia, or even death.

Experts believe that a young athlete who suffers a concussion should not return to play for at least two weeks, and some brain injury specialists believe that injured players should sit on the sidelines for three full months to give the brain a chance to heal.

It can be difficult to diagnose a potential concussion on the field. Contrary to popular belief, most concussions do not result in a loss of consciousness…and symptoms may not occur for several hours after the injury. Young athletes may not recognize that they are hurt, or they may be afraid to mention symptoms for fear of losing playing time or of disappointing a coach or a parent.

What parents should know

Parent involvement in guarding against repeat concussions is critical.  Any time you suspect that your child has received a head injury, watch for these common signs and symptoms of concussion:

• confusion
• loss of memory (amnesia)
• headache
• dizziness
• a sensation of the world spinning (vertigo)
• imbalance
• lack of awareness of surroundings
• nausea and vomiting

If these symptoms appear after a head injury, consult a medical professional promptly for a full evaluation. Don’t allow a coach to pressure your child into playing before he or she has recovered. When in doubt, talk with a doctor.

For more information, click here:   “Concussion in Sports” from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

To read the full C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital press release, click here: “Parents Ill-Prepared to Reduce Kids’ Concussions Risks”

If you have legal questions about concussion and brain injury, go to the HensonFuerst dedicated Brain Injury page. At HensonFuerst, if you have questions, we have answers.

Doctors have always known that traumatic brain injury can affect vision. Now, researchers from the University of Michigan Medical School and St Joseph Mercy Health System have discovered that those vision changes can cause other symptoms, including headaches, dizziness, and anxiety. Better yet, there may be a way to treat those symptoms with eyeglasses fitted with special prism lenses.

People who sustain a head injury sometimes end up with a vision problem called “vertical heterophoria syndrome,” or VHS, in which the eyes go out of alignment with each other.  This causes many different symptoms related to eye strain, sense of balance, and the ability to see straight. Symptoms include dizziness, headaches, light sensitivity, double vision, difficulty ready, motion sickness, poor coordination, drifting while walking, lightheadedness, nausea, etc.  These symptoms can greatly reduce quality of life, and can be a challenge for doctors to treat successfully.

The Michigan researchers discovered that when people with VHS were fitted with special glasses that realigned the images so that they appeared in line again, symptoms were reduced by more than 70 percent. (April 2010 issue of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation)

“Treatment [of traumatic brain injury] involves a multifaceted approach, including physical therapy, occupational therapy and multiple medications, and can take years to complete,” says Jennifer E. Doble, M.D., a physiatrist at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, Ann Arbor.  ”Prismatic lens treatment seems to allow the other therapies to be effective more quickly. And as a result, patients get better quicker, reducing the time and cost of caring for this patient population.” (press release, PR Newswire)

We can get behind anything that helps brain injured people get better faster!

The attorneys of HensonFuerst remain committed to helping people with brain injury. We’ll keep you informed of other medical breakthroughs on our HensonFuerst brain injury webpage.

“Nearly 30,000 veterans have suffered some kind of traumatic brain injury in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq – an estimated 2,000 of them severe enough to put warriors into comas or leave them with severe disabilities. Yet eight years into the wars, testimony before Congress shows veterans still suffer yawning gaps in coverage for what has become the conflicts’ signature wound.”   (News & Observer, 5/23/2010)

“…part of Pittman’s brain has gone dormant, and on most days, he can’t think straight. He leaves the room and forgets what he was searching for. He gets migraines so piercing that his right eye wanders. Anger comes easily, inspiring rages that sometimes have his wife terrified for herself and the couple’s 3-year-old daughter.”

In late April 2010, an NCAA panel recommended that all schools have a clear plan for what to do when a student athlete receives a head injury. The main issues are recognizing signs of mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI, also known as concussion), understanding the potential severity of every head injury, and deciding when the athlete is fit to resume playing. (Sports Illustrated/CNN)

The first week of May, it was announced that athletes at all Big Ten colleges will be required to undergo education about the symptoms of MTBI.

On May 9, 2010, Dylan Steigers died of a football-related head injury. He walked off the field after a scrimmage, vomited–a sign of concussion–then taken to the hospital. He died of subdural hematoma (bleeding on the brain). His death will surely be remembered and cited often as yet another reminder of how serious every head injury can be. (OregonLive)

At HensonFuerst, we are highly attuned to the dangers of brain trauma.  Every day we see clients whose lives have been changed forever after an accident. We support the principle of brain injury education for athletes, coaches, parents, and college administration officials.  The more we all understand about the signs and symptoms of brain injury, the more we respect the seriousness of even “mild” concussions, the more we encourage wellness over performance, the fewer disabled athletes will require a lifetime of special care.

We hope that the responsibility for recognizing when an athlete may be unfit to play is given to those who have the appropriate medical training. We say this because it was reported that “students will sign a waiver acknowledging their responsibility to be an active participant in their care.” (Dr. Jeffrey Kutcher, as reported on AnnArbor.com.)

Yes, it is important that athletes report their symptoms honestly–without fear of mockery or reprisals–but people who have a brain injury can be confused, forgetful, and disoriented. If the intention of this waiver is to get athletes to become more aware, that’s wonderful, but we hope that it is not used as a way to shield the colleges from their responsibility to protect the students.

HensonFuerst is a proud supporter of the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina (BIANC).

Young athletes are suffering more and more sports injuries, everything from brain injury to broken feet.  Of most concern is the increase in mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), what used to be known as concussion.

According to an article from the University of California, San Diego Health System:

Sports concussions are especially problematic in those under 18 years of age because of “second-hit” or “second-impact” syndrome. If an athlete returns to play too soon and has not allowed the brain to fully heal, then a second blow to the head could result in a life-threatening situation.

There is an organization that has launched an educational campaign to raise awareness and promote prevention of injuries in young athletes. STOP Sports Injuries was created by a coalition of organizations, corporations, and medical professionals. (The all-volunteer medical steering committee includes Dr. David Martin of Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, NC.)

The website offers educational tools for parents, coaches, athletes, and healthcare providers…concussion and injury-specific information…and injury prevention resources for specific sports, including baseball, basketball, cheerleading, dance, running, soccer, and many others.

Check out the site: http://stopsportsinjuries.org. The brain you save could be your own… or your child’s.

HensonFuerst Attorneys remain committed to combating brain injury. We are proud supporters of the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina (BIANC). If someone you love has suffered a brain injury and you are wondering what to do next, give us a call. If you have legal questions, HensonFuerst has answers.

There may be snow on the ground today, but three days from now, the weather is forecasted to be perfect for riding: mid-50s, perfectly sunny, no chance of rain (or snow)!

The 50K and 100K Ride for the Rock is a fundraiser event for the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina (BIANC). It honors Mark Ornitz, who suffered a life-changing brain injury when he crashed headfirst into a telephone pole while trying to avoid a fallen rider.

There is still space for additional riders on our team… and, of course, donations are always welcome. For more information, contact Thomas Henson, HensonFuest cycling team leader, at ThomasHenson@www.lawmed.com.

Click here for the registration form.

A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that people who have damage to a part of the brain called the amygdala seem to lose the natural fear of losing money. They understand the value of money, and they have a normal, excited response to money as a reward…they just don’t worry about loss.

This research looked at only two people, but the examination was intensive. One interpretation is fascinating: that some people with brain injury that includes damage to the amygdala may be more inclined to gamble, and do so with abandon. One of the people in the study even sought out high-risk opportunities. (The BBC provides a clear analysis of the study.)

We know that people with brain injury can have dramatically different behavior from before the trauma–excess gambling and risk-taking among them. This study is another reminder of how brain injury devastates lives.