Brainstorming 4 Us, Inc. News

What is Traumatic Brain Injury?

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 15:47:31 GMT

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), also called acquired brain injury or simply head injury occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain. TBI can result when the head suddenly and violently hits an object, or when an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue. Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the damage to the brain. A person with a mild TBI may remain conscious or may experience a loss of consciousness for a few seconds or minutes. Other symptoms of mild TBI include headache, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes, ringing in the ears, bad taste in the mouth, fatigue or lethargy, a change in sleep patterns, behavioral or mood changes, and trouble with memory, concentration, attention, or thinking. A person with a moderate or severe TBI may show these same symptoms, but may also have a headache that gets worse or does not go away, repeated vomiting or nausea, convulsions or seizures, an inability to awaken from sleep, dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes, slurred speech, weakness or numbness in the extremities, loss of coordination, and increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation.

Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Brain Injury Statistics

Of the 1.4 million who sustain a TBI each year in the US

50,000 die
235,000 are hospitalized
1.1 million are treated and released from an emergency department

The leading causes of TBI

Falls (28%)
Motor vehicle accidents (20%)
Blow (19%)
Assaults (11%)

Those at highest risk for TBI

Males are about 1.5 times as likely as females to sustain a TBI
Ages 0 to 4 years of age and 15 to 19 years of age
Certain military duties
African Americans have the highest death rate from TBI

The costs of TBI

Direct medical and indirect costs are an estimated $56.3 billion in the US

Source: Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Brain Injury Prognosis

Approximately half of severely head-injured patients will need surgery to remove or repair hematomas (ruptured blood vessels) or contusions (bruised brain tissue). Disabilities resulting from a TBI depend upon the severity of the injury, the location of the injury, and the age and general health of the individual. Some common disabilities include problems with cognition (thinking, memory, and reasoning), sensory processing (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell), communication (expression and understanding), and behavior or mental health (depression, anxiety, personality changes, aggression, acting out, and social inappropriateness). More serious head injuries may result in stupor, an unresponsive state, but one in which an individual can be aroused briefly by a strong stimulus, such as sharp pain; coma, a state in which an individual is totally unconscious, unresponsive, unaware, and unarousable; vegetative state, in which an individual is unconscious and unaware of his or her surroundings, but continues to have a sleep-wake cycle and periods of alertness; and a persistent vegetative state (PVS), in which an individual stays in a vegetative state for more than a month.

Source: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Every 23 seconds, one person in the US sustains a Traumatic Brain Injury.
An estimated 3.17 Million Americans currently live with disabilities resulting from Traumatic Brain Injury.
1.4 Million Americans sustain a Traumatic Brain Injury each year.
More than 50,000 people die every year as a result of Traumatic Brain Injury.

August 2010 Newsletter

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 15:41:00 GMT

Table Of Contents

Page 2 Stress Causes Physiological Changes
Page 3 Personal Thanks to Brainstorming4Us
Pages 4-5 Traumatic Brian Injury & Hidden Visual Problems
Page 6 Sponsorship Letter from Marketing Director Vinny Velarde
Page 7 You Can Make It Some How Poem
Page 8 Summer Time Fun Word Search
Page 9 Clinical Research Study Opportunity
Page 10 Personal Thanks and Disclaimer

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December 2009 Newsletter

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:44:42 GMT

You can download the December Newsletter

Pages 2-4 Survival: A Mom's Story of Continued Existence and Endurance
Page 5 10 Things To Do in The First 24 Hours After a Brain Injury
Page 6 Sponsorship Letter from Marketing Director Vinny Velarde
Pages 7-8 2010 Walk/Run 4 ThoughtRegistration Form
Page 9 A Beautiful Mind Poem
Page 10 Mystery Christmas Carol Word Search
Page 11 Support Brainstorming
Page 12 Personal Thanks and Disclaimer

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September 2009 Newsletter

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:40:18 GMT

Pages 2-3 Story of Inspiration
Page 4 Brainstorming Wish List
Pages 5-6 Balance Problems Resulting from Brain Injury
Page 7 Autumn Festival Word Search
Page 8 Support Brainstorming
Page 9 Personal Thanks andDisclaimer

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Spirit of Southwest Award

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 20:12:42 GMT

2008 Spirit of Southwest Award
Tanya Ison
Southern California Division

Brainstorming co-founder Tanya Ison has been recognized by Southwest Gas as their Spirit of Southwest Humanitarian Award Winner.

Tanya and Las Vegas
Southwest President Jim Kane

She was recognized at an award dinner in Las Vegas. Besides a personal award, $1000 will be donated to Brainstorming4us in her name!

Her nomination:

Every 23 seconds a brain injury occurs in the United States. In August 2005 Tanya’s purpose in life took a dramatic change. Her brother, Arthur, was involved in a tragic motorcycle accident when a truck towing a horse trailer pulled in front of him causing a head-on collision. He spent the next eight months at multiple care facilities in various stages of coma before being discharged for this family to provide continual care at home. Since then he has spent additional time in and out of other facilities and hospitals.

Through each step of the process in Arthur’s care, Tanya and her family searched for someone to whom they could reach out that understood what they were going through and help them through the many changes taking place in their lives. She recognized that there was a desperate need to serve families in the High Desert who were facing the impact caused by Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI.) In 2006, with the help of her sister-in-law, Tanya established the non-profit support group Brainstorming 4 Us. The results have been nothing short of amazing.

Their mission includes a multitude of things. Topping the list is to provide support for survivors and families of TBI in the High Desert and surrounding communities. Tanya has developed a network for support and their website, www.brainstorming4us.com, has a wealth of information that includes TBI statistics, links to state, national, and international organizations, frequently asked questions, member stories, and more. They work to increase public awareness and advocate for public policy, which addresses the problems of people with brain injury, their families, and caregivers. They also assist in establishing rehabilitation programs within the High Desert and support legislation related to TBI.

The Brain Injury Resource Bag is an example of support developed for individuals and families dealing with a love don hospitalized due to brain injury. They are free of charge and are provided to hospitals and trauma centers for distribution to those facing this crisis. Successful recovery is dependent on caregivers learning as much as possible about the injury and long-term effects and the bags are full of needed items. The contents are varied, including literature that explains what lies ahead, contact information for help and support, toiletries for an extended stay at the hospital and even Kleenex to get them through the “emotional roller coaster” they have just gotten on.

Tanya has also coordinated numerous fundraisers to help cover costs and provide financial support to larger organizations such as the California Brain Injury Association. The 3rd Annual “Walk 4 Thought” is scheduled in March to coincide with Brain Injury Awareness Month. The first walk, held in 2007, had almost 100 participants and over $10, 000 received in donations and community support. In 2008 approximately 275 walkers raised $25,000. This year they anticipate 400 walkers and will include a blood drive.

While Tanya’s initial involvement in this tragic experience began as a personal journey, her loving heart and care for others led her to touch the lives of those she does not know. There is only so much medical science can do for victims of TBI. The strength for families to not just survive but to thrive in the time of crisis comes from people such as Tanya who gives the most previous gift…..herself. She is an inspiration to many and I appreciate your consideration of recognizing her with the Spirit of Southwest Award.

Nomination by Sharon Rodriguez, Director - Customer Relations

April 2009 Newsletter

Fri, 08 May 2009 13:55:36 GMT

The April 2009 Newsletter is here!

Contents:

Walk4Thought 2009
A Survivor's Story of Hope and Love
Executive Control and Skills Improvement
Brainstorming Wish List
Spring Word Search

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Febuary 2009 Newsletter

Tue, 27 Jan 2009 23:50:01 GMT

The Febuary 2009 Newsletter is available. The newsletter covers a wide range of topics including:

Walk for Thought 2009
Man 'roused from coma' by a magnetic field
A Gentle Current Helps When Words Are Hard to Find
Valentine's Day word puzzle

You can download the full newsletter here.

October 2008 Newsletter

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:47:17 GMT

The October 2008 Newsletter is out. The newsletter covers a wide range of topics including:

Walk for Thought 2009
News
A story about courage
Seizures and Head Injuries
Brain Injuries and Strokes
Speilberger Trait Anger Scale Test
Winter Wonderland word puzzle

You can download the full newsletter here.