Traumatic Brain Injury: January 2007 Archives

Brain Injury Association President Challenges NFL

Michael V. Kaplen, president of the Brain Injury Association of New York State, has asked Gene Upshaw, the NFL Players Association Executive Director, and Roger Goodell, the NFL Commissioner, to speak in a public forum about the dangers of concussions to athletes. Kaplen has been heavily involved in the topic of concussions in sports and last year sponsored a conference at Madison Square Garden on the topic. Although the NFL and its medical consultant were invited to participate, they declined to do so without an explanation.

Brain Injury Association President Challenges NFL & NFL Players Association to Public Forum on Concussions

Kaplen says that both the NFL and the NFL Players Association are being naive when it comes to concussions and the lifelong injuries caused by such injuries. "Both the NFL and the Players Associations are glossing over the dangers of concussions and their impact on players lives," said Kaplen. Kaplen is a New York attorney who specializes in representing victims of concussions and traumatic brain injury.

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Football Worse for the Brain than Boxing?

Boxing always has been an easy target for the "humane-minded" among us. Two people paid to fight to entertain others is a concept that seems as though should have been made illegal thousands of years ago. Most boxing aficionados feel slightly guilty watching, but it is when a boxer dies participating in a match that the brutality of the sport is fully realized. However, recent times have seen few major boxing injuries. Football is another story.

Is Boxing More Dangerous Than Football?

Andre Waters, a former defensive back, killed himself at his home on November 20, 2006. A forensic pathologist who examined Waters' brain tissue said that Waters' brain tissue looked like that of an 85-year-old man's with early stage Alzheimer's. The forensic pathologist, Bennet Omalu, says that he believes the tissue degradation is fully related to the multiple concussions that Waters sustained during his career. Unlike football, boxing does not pressure its fighters to return to the ring too soon following a concussion. Those who suffer concussions are more vulnerable to head injury seven to ten days after the injury.

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Officer Fights Brain Injury

Officer Richard Lomax, 29, suffered a serious head injury when attacked by three thugs after a minor car crash in Chelsea, New York. Lomax and another officer, Robert DeFazio, were in Lomax's Ford Explorer when it skidded on ice into the back of a Nissan Maxima. Lomax and DeFazio got out of their car, identified themselves as officers, and began to call 911. However, the occupants of the Maxima began hitting them.

Officer Battles Brain Injury After Beating

DeFazio got away with minor injuries, but Lomax hit his head on the curb. An uncle who did not identify himself said, "we hope for a full recovery." The assailants are Lamont Lafoucade, Durvell Williams, and Thelma Lopez. The three are charged with gang-related assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

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Common Anaesthetic Can Kill Brain Cells

The commonly used anasthetic drug isoflurane can kill brain cells and heighten the risk of Alzheimer's, says a new study. Isoflurane is an inhaled anaesthetic, used when general anaesthesia is required. Many of those who use isoflurane, especially the elderly, suffer from postoperative cognitive dysfunction after anaesthesia, including scrambling and delirium that can last from six hours to weeks to months after use.
'To me, a big dose of isoflurane mimics a stroke or a bang to the head, and you don't want that as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease at any age,' said Rudolph Tanzi, from the Massachusetts General Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease.

Common anaesthetic drug can kill brain cells

Tanzi's group found that isoflurane caused cells with amyloid-beta protein, a protein used in restoring brain function, to die. "It also caused the cell to overproduce the toxic molecule responsible for the pathology of Alzheimer's disease, particularly amyloid-beta," Tanzi said. "Isoflurane may be one reason why the elderly are more prone to cognitive dysfunction following anaesthesia."

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New Way to Treat Brain Injury

Glutamate is a chemical that always is present in the brain; it carries nerve impulses across the gaps between cells. However, glutamate is released when brain cells are damaged and the flood overexcites neighboring cells to kill them. The Weizmann Institute of Science has developed a new way to get rid of excess glutamate produced after brain damage caused by head trauma, stroke, or disease. Professor Vivian Teichberg has shown that in rats, an enzyme in the blood can be activated to "mop up" toxic amounts of glutamate in the brain and consequently prevent much of the brain damage caused by excessive glutamate. The method may soon enter clinical trials to see if it can do the same in humans.

New method for treating brain injuries

Although the brain has its own ways of recycling glutamate, injury causes this to fail, leading to glutamate accumulation. The new treatment could be used to treat brain injuries like head trauma and stroke, and also in prevention of brain damage from bacterial meningitis or nerve gas. It also may have an impact on chronic diseases such as glaucoma, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or HIV dementia. Teichberg said of the discovery: "Our method may work where others have failed, because rather than temporarily blocking the glutamate's toxic action with drugs inside the brain, it clears the chemical away from the brain into the blood, where it can't do harm anymore."

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Did Brain Damage Lead to Football Player's Suicide?

A forensic pathologist says that brain damage may have played a role in former NFL defensive back Andre Waters' suicide. Dr. Bennet Omalu, from the University of Pittsburgh, says that Waters' brain tissue was as deteriorated as an 85 year old man's and that early states of Alzheimer's may have set in. Omalu said that the brain damage may have been caused by concussions or sped up by concussions.

Brain Damage Led to ex-Eagle's Suicide?

"No matter how you look at it, distort it, bend it, it's the significant forensic factor given the global scenario," said Omalu. "Andre Waters would have been fully incapacitated" in 10-15 years." Waters spent most of his 12 years in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles. He killed himself in November at the age of 44.

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Stopping Drinking Reverses Alcohol's Damage to Brain

Alcoholism destroys lives, marriages, homes, careers, and also destroys brainpower. Long-term alcoholism has a way of shrinking the brain and several of its components, including the hippocampus, the brain's center of memory and learning. Even regular heavy drinking can hurt the brain's ability in cognitive tasks. However, a new study in the journal Brain outlines the ability of the brain to regenerate itself and regain function after its owner stops drinking excessively.

Kicking habit may reverse alcohol's damage to brain

A team of European researchers used magnetic resonance imaging to look at the brains of 15 alcohol-dependent and 10 healthy patients and then tracked the volume of two key brain chemicals can be used to measure cell health and activity. The alcoholics then began a path of sobriety. In less than two months without alcohol consumption, the brain volume of the alcoholic subjects increased by, on average, 1.85%. Levels of other chemicals in the brain that also indicate proper brain cell function also went up by 10%. ''Abstinence pays off and enables the brain to regain some substance and perform better,'' said Dr. Andreas Bartsch of the University of Wurzburg in Germany. ''The adult human brain, and particularly its white matter, seems to possess genuine capabilities for regrowth,'' he said.

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Many Amnesia Patients Can't Imagine Future

Damage to the brain's memory and learning center, the hippocampus, has long been known to play a critical role in remembering the past. The hippocampus can become damaged when oxygen is cut off to the brain, as a result of diseases like Alzheimer's or through sudden head trauma. In a new study of people with damaged hippocampi, the patients struggled in imagining the future.

Some Amnesia Patients Can't Imagine Future, Either

"We found that the role played by the hippocampus in processing memory was far broader than merely reliving past experiences," said Eleanor Maguire from the University College in London. "It also seems to support the ability to imagine any kind of experience, including possible future events. In that sense, people with damage to the hippocampus are forced to live in the present." The hippocampus might possibly provide the spatial context or environmental setting in which the details of experiences are bound.

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Couple Fights Brain Injury Together

Peggy and Terry Philbrick had thought that they had made it through most of life's challenges. They had educated and raised their children and Peggy had retired from her career of 30 years to become a "stay-at-home grandma." However, in January 1996, Terry was involved in a car accident that left him in a coma and near death. Peggy was told that Terry's future was uncertain; he could either remain in a vegetative state or wake from the coma and be severely impaired.

They Weather Husband's Brain Injury, Together

When Terry woke from the coma and was transferred to a rehabilitation hospital for intensive therapy, Peggy had to focus all of her emotional energy on helping him through the process. "It was the homecoming that forced the realization that life as I knew it was forever changed," Peggy said. Peggy had to help her husband with every aspect of his life. Peggy felt alone, but after about a year, found a support group: Project STAR and she and others eventually began Union Country Area Brain Injury Support Network to help spouses of those with brain injuries.

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Diabetes Drug May Prevent Brain Injury from Radiation Therapy

A common diabetes drug, piolitazone (Actos,) is showing promise against the memory and learning problems associated with whole-brain radiation treatments used in cancer treatment. "These findings offer the promise of improving the quality of life of these patients," said Mike Robbins, Ph.D., the senior researcher of the group. "The drug is already prescribed for diabetes and we know the doses that patients can safely take."

Diabetes Drug Shows Promise For Preventing Brain Injury From Radiation Therapy

Whole-brain radiation is used in treatment of recurrent brain tumors, as well as prevention from breast cancers, lung cancers, and melanomas from spreading to the brain. About 200,000 people receive the treatment annually. Thus far only animal studies have been used in conducting research.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 12:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Brain Damaged Girl's Treatment Inspires Ethical Debate

Ashley is a nine-year-old American girl who was born with severe, permanent brain damage. She has the mental ability of a three-month old baby and depends entirely upon others even to change positions. Ashley's parents decided that it would be beneficial to all involved to have Ashley's uterus removed to prevent the difficulties of puberty-related discomforts and risks.

Brain-damaged nine-year-old girl's medical treatment fires ethical debate

Critics of the treatment say Ashley's rights have been abused, while supporters say that Ashley never will be in a position to decide how to live her life. Supporters also argue that the ability of parents to decide what is best for their children is what defines the family as a socially coherent unit.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 03:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Brain Injury Recovery Expensive

About nine million people in the United States currently suffer from brain damage due to strokes, traumatic brain injury, and brain hemorrhages. Doctors estimate that half of these people suffer damage to their memory, mental processing, and behavior. Many of those with brain injuries can lead normal lives with rehabilitative treatment. However, insurance companies frequently do not cover the costs of such treatment. "If you can't feel it, see it or touch it, the person won't get rehab," says Patricia J. Hantsch, medical director for brain-injury rehabilitation at Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital in Chicago.

Why Some Patients Get No Help After Brain Injury

Joanne Schrimpf was recovering well from a brain injury she had sustained in a car accident. However, she began to have lapses, such as thinking it was 1998 and not 2002, mistaking her daughter for a stranger, and forgetting that her family had a car. Schrimpf was sent to cognitive rehabilitation to help her recover. Many other brain injury victims do not receive the treatment they need because of a lack of money. Insurance companies frequently deny claims like Schrimpf's, meaning that many who suffer brain injury cannot lead a normal life.

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The Road to Recovery From Traumatic Brain Injury Is Challenging

A disk jockey, John Morris, suffered a massive stroke when he was 42 and joined the brain injury community. According to J. Michael Weaver-LaMountain with the Maine Center for Integrated Rehabilitation, this is a group which rarely makes itself heard. The fact that Morris is now a successful disk jockey, who can be understood by his audience, has taken over four years of hard work, therapy and counseling. It requires great concentration and focus for him to enunciate his words, but he was capable of sharing little-known music facts and carrying on a discussion with his fellow disc jockey. Morris, now 46, still has goals, such as riding his Honda motorcycle again. For now, he continues to celebrate his accomplishments, such as winning gold medals at the Special Olympics, completing walk-a-thons and producing his personal music set.

Morris’ stoke occurred without any warning late in the year 2002. The left side of his body stopped working and he started to have symptoms of a stroke. Emergency personnel and doctors discovered that Morris had begun to bleed from an arteriovenous malformation in his brain. Because of the dangerous position of the malformation, the surgeons could not operate. His road to recovery was very difficult. He spent over a year and a half in outpatient therapy, he was then transferred to Maine Center for Integrated Rehabilitation. “There’s some silence around the brain injury community,” Morris said. “The bad thing is that a lot of times, the person can fade into isolation. I think there’s a lot of people out there that could use the help if there wasn’t such a stigma with having a brain injury. People think if you have a brain injury, you’re not able to function, or you aren’t able to basically be a human being.” The Brain Injury Association of America reports that 5.3 million people in the United States are living with a traumatic brain injury, but unfortunately only one in every 20 individuals with these brain injuries receive appropriate rehabilitation.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 09:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sledder Dies of Brain Injury

A 12-year-old boy from Gilbert Plains, Canada died in a sledding accident. Kasey Thompson was tobogganing in Gilbert Plains with his 15-year-old brother when the sled in which the two boys were riding became airborne and they boys landed with "significant impact" on the ice at the bottom of the hill where they had been sledding.

Sledder Died of Brain Injury

An autopsy showed the cause of death the be a brain stem injury. The boy's death was considered accidental.

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Vegetative Patient Shows Continued Progress

The 24-year-old woman who made headlines in September when she communicated her thoughts through a brain scanner and played tennis in her head using the technology is "showing clinical signs of recovery," according to Adrian Owen of the Medical Research Council's brain sciences unit in Cambridge. Owen says that the woman's case is strong evidence about the promise of fMRI scanners in diagnosing brain injury. By using fMRI, vegetative patients who still have activity in critical parts of their brains can be identified and can be treated. "It would make sense to focus rehabilitation on people who show some response," he says.

Vegetative patient shows progress after brain-scanner breakthrough

Owen wants to perform more fMRI scans to further verify the reliability of the method. "We will be able to see how many of them have preserved some cognitive capabilities that you cannot detect at the bedside [with traditional means] and then we can try to correlate these with their clinical outlook." The Cambridge researchers have had similar success in another patient. A man in a vegetative state scored a goal for Liverpool at Anfield in his head.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 06:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Young Brains Can Repair Injury

Monkeys who lose an important key memory center in the brain as infants recover much more quickly than older monkeys who suffer a similar injury. The results suggest that young brains may be capable of recovery from injury. The study was published in the Journal Nature Neuroscience and confirms what had been seen in humans and will monitor how monkeys with ruptured hippocampi remember their surroundings for the next few years.

Damage to young brain may fix itself, study finds

"Basically the brain has rewired itself in some way," said David Amaral, one of the three authors of the study. "If you understand what's happening here, that's the first step to trying to promote that kind of (brain) reorganization in disorders like cerebral palsy," in which damage to young brains affects children's muscle control," he said.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 09:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Man Continues to Push Against Sports Injuries

Robert Edwards, an advocate against sports-related brain injury, still is actively working to prevent school sports-related injuries, though he no longer is trying to prevent kids from "heading" soccer balls. Edwards has asked Massachusetts State Representative Pamela Richardson to re-file his sports-safety legislation. Edwards removed two parts from the bill that had failed the last time it was filed: banning kids from hitting balls with their heads and requiring kids to wear helmets during soccer matches. "I didn't want to be attacked for ruining the game of soccer," Edwards said of his decision to remove those two parts of the bill.

Edwards continues push to prevent sports injuries

Edwards said that his new bill will ask for a legislative commission that will study sports-related injuries in public and in private sports. School-related injuries would have to be reported to state officials, said Edwards. "We have too many concussions and brain injuries in school sports and it's about time we stopped brain injuries in Massachusetts," he said. "School sports should be fun and that's what I'm trying to make it again.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 08:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Brain Injured Teen Makes DVD

Connor Stewart was tired of being made fun of by his peers for his brain injury. Stewart decided to take action: he is working with the Child Brain Injury Trust (CBIT) to make a training video for school teachers. Stewart is upbeat about his brain injury. "There's a lot of things I can't do, but I try to concentrate on the things I can do and this keeps me going. Because of the way I speak, some people don't think I'm very clever. I get tired a lot due to the brain injury and sometimes people think I'm just lazy. I wanted to work with the Child Brain Injury Trust so that people can learn more about the difficulties brain-injured children face."

Connor hits the screen with brain injury DVD

Stewart was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 22 months old and underwent chemotherapy. However, he later suffered a relapse when he was six years old and needed a bone marrow transplant. The transplant caused his brain to swell; when Stewart awoke from the surgery, he was left wheelchair bound and only able to communicate by moving his eyes up and down. Stewart is now 13 years old and has regained his ability to speak through rehabilitation. Stewart's mother, Allison, says that "I'm just amazed how far he's come. He still gets frustrated and upset by the things he can't do and I have to remind him of the positives and all the things he can do."

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Blood Thinning Drug May Increase Risk of Hemorrhagic Stroke

A report in Neurology, the research journal of the American Academy of Neurology, indicated that the rate brain hemorrhages connected with blood thinning drugs increased five times during the 1990s. The study finds this increase can be attributed to more people using warfarin. Warfarin, a common blood thinning drug, is typically given to patients in order to prevent blood clotting. Physicians hope that by helping patients to avoid blood clotting, the patients will be less likely to have an ischemic stroke. Unfortunately, while warfarin does appear to decrease the risk of ischemic strokes, the risk of having a hemorrhagic strokes increases.

Drug Linked to Increase in Brain Hemorrhage Case

Matthew L. Flaherty, a physician with the University of Cincinnati believes, “Warfarin is highly effective in preventing ischemic stroke among people with atrial fibrillation. For many people, the benefits of preventing ischemic stroke continues to outweigh the risk of a hemorrhagic stroke.” Flaherty also hopes the study will not discourage warafin use, when it is appropriate. The research should simply allow doctors to balance the risks and the benefits when proscribing warafin. “For researchers, these results may stimulate efforts to develop safer alternatives to warfarin and better treatements for people with brain hemorrhages.”

Legal View - Traumatic Brain Injury
Legal View - Personal Injury
Warfarin Ties to Risk of Brain Bleed
Risks of Blood Thinner Cited in a Study
Brain Bleeds from Blood Thinner On the Rise
Anti-Clotting Drug Linked Far Higher Stroke Rate
Blood Thinner Linked to Brain Bleeding

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Brain Injury Treatment Remains Elusive

A report found in Technology, published by MIT Review, called “The Brain Injury Epidemic” is helpful in explaining the current statutus of traumatic brain injury. Annually, traumatic brain injury results in over 50,000 deaths and 80,000 cases of long-term disability in the U.S. This is according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Even more troubling is that over 5.3 million Americans live with some sort of long-term disability because of brain injuries. Many things about brain injuries are still unknown.

The Brain Injury Epidemic

Years of research has resulted in very few treatments, especially for those who are in a minimally conscious state. As a result, the prevention of brain injuries is especially important. Strategies for prevention include car air bags, helmets, and protective playground equipment. Preventing and treating traumatic brain injury will become even more important as soldiers from the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan come home with traumatic brain injuries and begin the struggle to live and recover. Effective treatments still should be investigated as over 230,000 people receive head injuries and require hospitalization annually.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 08:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Study Links Alcohol to Brain Injury Recovery

A Canadian study indicates that while alcohol accounts for many brain injuries, it may also assist in recovery from brain injury. Homer Tien, a trauma surgeon at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center in Toronto, says that "Intoxicated patients with severe traumatic brain injury have better outcomes than non-intoxicated patients." Tien says that this finding suggests that alcohol may be an effective treatment for patients who suffer brain injuries.

Canadian study links alcohol to recovery from brain injuries

Tien says that moderate doses of alcohol may help stop the mechanisms that cause secondary brain injury. Secondary brain injury is caused by brain cells being deprived of oxygen; this worsens the initial brain injury. However, Tien stresses that drinking does not prevent injury; in fact, it is well established that alcohol use increases the chances of severe injury.

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 12:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Groundbreaking Stem Cell Research May Avoid Ethical Questions

Researchers with Wake Forest and Harvard University report that they have discovered a possible source of stem cells in the amniotic fluid that surrounds a baby in the womb. This may enable scientists to treat diseases and injuries, such as traumatic brain injury, with tissues built from stem cells, while avoiding the legal and ethical minefield of destroying embryos simply for research. Scientists withdrew amniotic fluid from pregnant women, isolated the cells and used the extracted stem cells to create different tissue types such as brain, liver and bone. Dr. Anthony Atala, the head of Wake Forest’s regenerative medicine institute and research head on this project said, “Our hope is that these cells will provide a valuable resource for tissue repair and for engineered organs as well.”

Scientists Find Stem Cell Source in Amniotic Fluid

This research is the culmination of over seven years of hard work. Scientists are quick to clarify that they are still uncertain how many different cell types can be produced from the stem cells found in amniotic fluid. In addition, initial tests in patients are still many years away. Yet, this research is still groundbreaking and may be a promising alternative to using the highly controversial stem cells that scientists collect from embryos. Dr. Robert Lanza, a chief scientist with Advanced Cell Technology said, “I think this work represents a giant step forward for stem cell research.”

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 09:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Iraq Soldier Died Due to Traumatic Brain Injury

A soldier died while on duty in Iraq last Friday, January 5. He was from Clark County, Oregon and was on patrol when his Humvee rolled down an embankment into a canal in Baghdad. He was trapped under water for nearly 10 minutes and was left in a coma. The soldier, Army Spc. Jeremiah Johnson was rushed to Germany for treatment, but doctors believed that he had suffered a severe brain injury because he was deprived of oxygen for so long.

Clark County Soldier Dies of Brain Injury

His mother said, “I always prayed for the miracle that Jeremiah would wake up and Jeremiah would squeeze my hand.” Although he never did wake up, his life has touched numerous people, some of which have been sharing their memories of him on the Web page, Caring Bridge. This popular site helps families and friends keep connected during a crisis. While the family does not know the complete details about the accident, it is evident that Johnson’s death was not the result of hostile enemy action.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Scientist Makes Headway Against Brain Damage Due to Strokes

Researchers with the San Francisco VA Medical Center found that two products, a basic cellular compound and a green tea extract could prevent brain damage that results from a stroke. The research is the culmination of two studies in which the blood flow to rats’ brains were dramatically reduced to imitate the effects of a stroke. Scientists then gave nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide to the rats immediately following the restoration of blood flow. The timing of the experiment was crucial as the time of reperfusion is the time stroke damage actually occurs.

New Treatments Prevent Brain Injury Hours After Stroke In Rats

Lead researcher Weihai Ying, PhD at San Francisco VA Medical Center and assistant professor of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco determined that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide prevented brain cell damage from reperfusion by over 70 percent. In a second study, Weihai Ying determined that the use of green tea extract gallotannin could possibly prevent postischemic brain damage. Scientists believe that this substance as well as the substance in the first study decrease brain cell death. The results were presented to the American Society of Neurosciences at their 2006 annual meeting.

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 08:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Brain Injury Patients Benefit from Prolonged EEG Monitoring

Brain injury patients in a coma appear to benefit from prolonged electroencephalographic (EEG) testing that may help diagnose whether seizure activity is contributing to their coma state. Cormac O'Donovan, a epileptologist and principle researcher in the study, said that "“EEG monitoring helps us pinpoint a cause as to why the patient may still be suffering from a coma in intensive care units that previously would have gone unrecognized. Hopefully by beginning treatment early, we can eliminate or reduce the side effects of prolonged seizures on the brain.”

Researchers Say Brain Injury Patients Benefit from Prolonged EEG Monitoring

The study looked at 44 patients who had had a brain injury that left them in a coma or an unresponsive state. The study showed that 31 patients who fit the criteria for the study experienced seizures. O'Donovan said that diagnosing the seizures with EEG was useful because "by stopping these seizures we can prevent further brain damage."

Posted by Patricia Bowling at 10:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Allison Jeffords On the Road to Recovery From Traumatic Brain Injury

A young girl, Allison Jeffords, suffered a traumatic brain injury on Christmas Day when a slab of ice fell from an embankment and pinned her to the ground. At the time of the accident, her family had numerous questions for health professionals, and worried that Allison may lose her life. She is currently in serious condition at Hennepin County Medical Center. On Friday, December 29, Allison’s grandfather, John Soderholm updated the media on her condition. John said that she does not really understand what happened to her. While she has lost much of her short term memory, her long-term memory still appears to be intact. The Soderholm and Jefford’s family have been keeping family and friends up-to-date on her condition through a web site known as Caring Bridge. This web site provides web pages for families of severely ill or injured people to share information on the patient's progress. John also informed the media that Allison is preparing for another surgery in order to repair brain and nerve damage she received at the time of the accident.

http://www.caringbridge.org/The tragic accident occurred when Allison and her family were exploring along a lakeshore. The ice had formed three foot overhangs that created caves. The children were crawling through on one of the high tunnels when a huge slab of ice broke lose, fell on Allison’s head and pinned her to the ground. Emergency personnel were quick to arrive on the scene. She was transported to the local hospital by helicopter. The doctors allowed her to awake from a medically induced coma and she become conscious on Wednesday. Allison’s condition is improving. Her aunt said, “She knows her name, where she is. She knows her friends. She’s laughing.” Her uncle, Eric Soderholm, has referred to the incident as a “nightmare,” however he said, “…we’re able to smile again now. It’s fun to see her spirit returning.”

Posted by Ryan Jardine at 08:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

January 31, 2007

Brain Injury Association President Challenges NFL

January 30, 2007

Football Worse for the Brain than Boxing?

January 29, 2007

Officer Fights Brain Injury

January 26, 2007

Common Anaesthetic Can Kill Brain Cells

January 25, 2007

New Way to Treat Brain Injury

January 24, 2007

Did Brain Damage Lead to Football Player's Suicide?

January 23, 2007

Stopping Drinking Reverses Alcohol's Damage to Brain

January 22, 2007

Many Amnesia Patients Can't Imagine Future

January 19, 2007

Couple Fights Brain Injury Together

January 18, 2007

Diabetes Drug May Prevent Brain Injury from Radiation Therapy

January 17, 2007

Brain Damaged Girl's Treatment Inspires Ethical Debate

January 16, 2007

Brain Injury Recovery Expensive

January 15, 2007

The Road to Recovery From Traumatic Brain Injury Is Challenging

Sledder Dies of Brain Injury

January 12, 2007

Vegetative Patient Shows Continued Progress

January 11, 2007

Young Brains Can Repair Injury

January 10, 2007

Man Continues to Push Against Sports Injuries

January 09, 2007

Brain Injured Teen Makes DVD

Blood Thinning Drug May Increase Risk of Hemorrhagic Stroke

January 08, 2007

Brain Injury Treatment Remains Elusive

Study Links Alcohol to Brain Injury Recovery

January 07, 2007

Groundbreaking Stem Cell Research May Avoid Ethical Questions

January 06, 2007

Iraq Soldier Died Due to Traumatic Brain Injury

January 05, 2007

Scientist Makes Headway Against Brain Damage Due to Strokes

January 01, 2007

Brain Injury Patients Benefit from Prolonged EEG Monitoring

Allison Jeffords On the Road to Recovery From Traumatic Brain Injury