Proper care for rural patients in America poses a real challenge. Imagine suffering a brain injury and the nearest city of 100,000 residents or more is 3 hours away. I use this specific population because in the U.S., it almost always requires this size of city to fully represent the sufficient amount of healthcare disciplines […]
Category: Encephalitis
Encephalitis: The Cone of Uncertainty
While we’re on the topic of hurricanes in the “cone of uncertainty,” let’s talk about how encephalitis (swelling of the brain) mimics this uncertainty. The unexpected will happen – we’ve been watching Dorian, and he’s quite the beast of destruction while moving at a snail’s pace, making everyone wonder if Dorian will strike them. Encephalitis? […]
Home for the Holidays: Revisiting What Was Before Encephalitis
Nostalgia can be so heart warming. When I suck in a deep breath and close my eyes, I can clearly smell the abundance of foods prepared by grandparents and family during the holidays. I see the vintage bubble lights on their Christmas tree, the colors mesmerizing to a child. I hear dishes clanging in preparation […]
Advice I’d Given Myself Before Brain Injury
Advice I’d given myself before brain injury. Accept. Embrace. Laugh. Advocate. Live.
12 life-changing letters: encephalitis
Encephalitis. What a mouthful of a word. Ever heard of it? I hadn’t heard of this 12-letter word until 6 years ago. When the doctor said it, I kinda shrugged, thinking “thank God it wasn’t a stroke.” His expression changed as he explained that encephalitis is a form of brain injury, quite similar to a […]
What Is “Recovery” from Encephalitis?
When death stared me in the eyes 8 years ago this week, I never contemplated survival from encephalitis. I fast forwarded to milestones I assumed I’d miss … my son’s graduation, his career, his choice in who he’d marry. Being with my family during holidays. Traveling to new countries. Retiring. If I were to survive, […]
56 Years of Mistaken Identity Post Encephalitis
Warning to readers. This is a story of 56 years of a “mistaken identity.” A miracle, if I may proclaim it. In this fourth issue of a series on “success post encephalitis,” you might find yourself amazed by the resilience of the human spirit. In November 2011, I had the momentous occasion to meet Carol […]
Success Post Encephalitis Vol. 3 – Memory
In this third series of “success post encephalitis,” I’d like to open by acknowledging some of the great comments that survivors and caregivers have sent in response to these stories. A few remarked that it took some pressure off the need to work so hard to hide the residuals. Others said it reminded them to […]
What Success Looks Like Post Encephalitis
Success? Hmmm. Are we measuring in miles or inches? In the interactions I’ve had with hundreds of survivors, success looks different from person to person even though survival looks similar. Regardless of how we acquired encephalitis … West Nile, auto-immune disorder, Herpes, Lyme’s, etc. the outcomes are similar. Memory loss, extreme fatigue, speech disorders and […]
Stick for Brains: 5 No-Cost Ideas for Sticking Memory to Your Brain
Got Sticky notes on your mirror? Frig door? Back doorknob? It was when my cat’s fur was littered by vet reminders that I decided to work on memory. Memory matters. It’s what shapes our unique identities. Whether recalling a significant childhood milestone or remembering names in a business environment, memory plays a vital role in […]