After a serious brain injury, life will never be the same. Brain injury awareness Month.
One year after a brutal beating in the Dodger Stadium parking lot left San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow in a coma, the former paramedic who suffered severe brain injuries now uses a wheelchair. He can respond to questions with a few simple, halting words and has short-term memory loss. He needs nearly around-the-clock care.
Dr. Mayumi Prins, an associate professor in residence at the UCLA Brain Injury Research Center studies how metabolism is affected after a brain injury. She said glucose sometimes has a tough time getting to the brain. She compared a normal brain to a Los Angeles freeway. ”There are divergent pathways but one main pathway that allows glucose to go through,” she said. “With a traumatic brain injury, there are detours and SIG-alerts.”
Tyler Sutton, 38, crashed his motorcycle in December 1992, then fell into a coma. ”I used to be No. 1 on the Oxnard High School golf team. I had three or four girlfriends,” the Camarillo man said. “Now I can’t tie a tie. I have to have Velcro on my shoes.” Formerly right-handed, he’s now left-handed. He has to keep his right foot from dragging. “Sometimes, people don’t understand.”
TBI affects all ages, all ethnic communities, and all professions, but is particularly prevalent in young children and older people where it is now the leading cause of death and disability. Among older people, falls are the primary cause of TBI, and among younger people, car crashes and sports injuries are significant contributors.
People are becoming more aware of brain trauma, but it’s important to continually educate yourself.
Read more on Traumatic Brain FAQ’s .
Filed Under Auto Accident, Personal Injury, Safety, Sports injuries, Traumatic Brain Injury, children, elder abuse