Brainstorming With Brooke

  If it seems like AI is everywhere these days, that's because its use has become so widespread.  AI’s reach in the TBI realm is no less extensive: hence the length of this post. Assessment time immediately following the injury is critical. When a patient is admitted with a potential TBI, AI can automatically classify the injury severity and flag abnormalities on CT scans within seconds in the emergency room. This results in reducing the number of missed bleeds. AI has been shown to catch subtle findings radiologists may miss looking at CT or MRIs, especially under pressure. AI can analyze:           A.  Eye movement tracking, speech pattern changes, and identify whether a brain injury has                     occurred even when CT scans are normal (common in mild TBI).           B. AI can be used in predicting outcomes: ...

I love music, especially live music. Just in the last twelve months, I’ve seen nine concerts.   I love singing along to songs that I love alongside a crowd that loves them too.   One of the cognitive techniques I use to remember new things is association.   For example, if I’m looking at a picture of a bowl of ice cream with a cherry, it is easier to remember that than if it were an image of ice cream with peanut butter because no one associates ice cream with peanut butter, but many do associate an ice cream sundae with a cherry on top.   I associate music with certain periods of my life: high school; college; music I studied and listened to in law school, and even music I played for my kids at bedtime.   So it makes sense that I enjoy seeing music live that I associate with these happy memories. What is the relevance of music to brain injury? I engaged in music therapy after my brain injury. As it turns out, music has a strong an...

I celebrated my birthday on Thursday. Some people don’t like their birthdays because it is a reminder they are getting older. Kids always enjoy celebrating birthdays, but somewhere along the way, the switch seems to flip for many.  I’ve always loved celebrating my birthday and even more so now because it wasn’t clear that I would get to celebrate with my family and friends after I suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of an accident .So, having breakfast and dinner with my kids followed by cake and a movie made for a wonderful day. The celebration will spill over into the next two weeks with some friends and family. What do birthday celebrations have to do with a  brain injury ? Brain injuries don’t all present in the same way. I am fortunate that mine did not impact my long-term memory . Though my TBI left me with some occasional  short term memory deficits , my pre-accident memory is completely intact. I remember not only important dates (birthdays of family...

 Summer in Seattle provides a great opportunity to enjoy the sunny weather while we have it.  It’s not easy for me to engage in every outdoor activity due to my disability, but this summer, I’m  challenging myself to engage in sports that are keeping me active and pushing me to develop new skills and muscles: rock climbing and kayaking Both activities are offered by a nonprofit organization called Outdoors for All.  https://outdoorsforall.org/ Though I never climbed or kayaked before my accident, I’m finding it very rewarding to challenge myself in these new physical ways despite my disability.  My participation requires not only physical exertion but also concentration to ensure I’m safe. When I’m rock climbing, I need to listen carefully to the instructor about how to safely ascend and the same goes for the descent down. I’ve found that after each activity, I’m (a) sore, (b) starving, (c) exhausted.  In both of these activities, the hardest part can ...

A s we age, people often need reminders. I’ve been a consummate list maker since I was very young. I have always planned my days in lists, sometimes going beyond the average to do lists  adding specific timeframes. Because my traumatic brain injury has resulted in short term memory deficits, I need ways to keep track of things.  Thankfully, technology has come a long way since the paper lists I made as a child. I make a lot of lists on my phone in the notes app.  I also keep notes on my Alexa. In my bedroom, where I have an Alexa, I’ll say, “Alexa Create a list called Things to do Thursday.”  Then you can add things to the list verbally and look at the list on your Alexa app.  I also rely very heavily on my calendar. As soon as something is scheduled, it goes  on the calendar. I look at the calendar first thing in the morning and throughout the day. Apart from technology, I also use memory strategies.  Chunking is one strategy. If you are trying to rem...

  It’s graduation season, and this one is extra special for me because there is a graduate in my family. My daughter is graduating from high school. It’s so exciting to see my oldest child end one chapter and move on to a new one. You might be wondering what this has to do with brain injury. In my mind, events like graduations are like markers in my recovery. Every step, whether it is physical, or cognitive, takes effort and time. Like a graduation, it doesn’t happen in the blink of an eye or without a long-term commitment to the goal. On the physical side, I went from a wheelchair to a crutch and now walk only with a hiking pole. On the cognitive front, I am working to compensate for the losses to my short-term memory and other challenges that resulted from my traumatic brain injury. Instead of focusing on what I’ve lost, I focus on the hard work I need to invest to advance my recovery. I’m willing to put in the hard work, but the progress comes incrementally and not without fru...