Mother to Mother #9

by Mavis McDowell

I hope the religious holidays were good for the Blue Star and Gold Star Mothers who may be reading these blogs.  I want to pass on what I have been learning from  recent  military health webinars   and other research   in the medical and scientific journals I sited in previous  blogs. Just want to give you some  condensed    information I think is relevant and helpful.  If I don’t have to do footnotes this will be faster and easier for all of us. This blog  will explore research and blog # 10 resources  to try.

                 One in four returning service members has a mild, moderate or severe TBI. You are fortunate that there has been so much exciting research recently into the brain. Researchers are responding to the need our returning soldiers have for help with these  injuries.  I love it when neurologists now talk about the plasticity of the brain. In other words new neurons being generated  for rehabilitated  function. Doctors didn’t think it was possible a few years ago.

Having experienced it myself, I know what a challenge it is to help your child after a traumatic brain injury,  or in our case many. In our situation I was also dealing with my own TBI.

                I’m telling you this because  I want you to know there is hope and healing. It has taken us many years because we were dealing with it on our own. Now there is help from the VA,   DCoE outreach, Wounded Warriors and the military health system.  Blue   and Gold Star Mothers   are designed to be support groups. Your warrior can expect a faster more  complete recovery than in earlier conflicts.

I hate to report this. The latest statistics  ( Washington Post )  Every day  22 US veterans  kill themselves.  Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans are 30 to 200% more likely to  commit suicide than their nonveteran peers.  We are all aware that TBI and PTSD leave the person more vulnerable to  substance abuse and suicide.  Normal inhibitions may be affected by TBI. Doctors recommend social support works better than confrontation for   substance abuse problems.    They also tell us not to use alcohol in the year following a TBI to allow the brain healing time.  People are more susceptible to the effects of alcohol after a brain injury. Post-Traumatic Stress   compounds the problems you and your veteran must deal with.

                I’ve found some fascinating newly discovered  information  about the effects  of physical changes to the brain. Two concepts new to me  are;  Anhedonia,   the loss of ability to feel pleasure, and  Alexithymia , which  is the loss of ability to recognize   other people’s  or even your own emotions.                The newest theory is that  they may be more than psychological  and are caused by physical change or  injury to the   brain. Treatment  can be more appropriate when the real cause is known. ((Neurology Now)

                Scientists are now able to find the exact neuron in the brain that carries the memory of a certain person, or group of people. Responses of each cell are quite selective. They respond to  the  concept of  a certain person.  If those neurons in that area are destroyed you won’t remember that person, or the history and emotional content with that person.  At least until other neurons that contain memories of that person come back on line or respond later. If that happens.  I have to find the DVD of  “ The Promise”  a movie about a woman who forgets who her husband is after a car accident.  The most common comment about a returning  veteran is “He isn’t the same person .”  I think his memories have changed.   ( Scientific American)

                Magnesium   and B12 are recommended to those with TBI by Dr. Philip Hocum US Army. Dr. Oz recommends it for everyone.  My son and I also take melatonin and acetyl L carnitine.  (military health webinars)

                On his blog  ADAM AT EASE, Adam who was a sergeant in Iraq, talks about the symptoms of TBI. Which are; 1. headaches and neck pain that won’t go away. 2.difficulty remembering, especially short term ,concentrating or  making decisions. 3.slowness in thinking, acting, speaking or reading. 4. Aphasia, (difficulty recalling  words). 5.dizzyness or loss of balance. 6. Blurred vision and eyes tire easily. 6. Feeling tired all the time, lack of energy or motivation. Depression, PTSD and SA compound the problems of course.  He gives encouragement    and practical advice to others recovering from TBI.