#latenightblogging

There are many things special about psych block and I have throughly enjoyed myself over the past weeks BUT wow, Read, read, read... like only psych block can make one do. To escape from all the mountains of articles and research on frames of references, approaches, models and all that jazz Ive been treating myself to a bit of personal book therapy. As OT’s we are the biggest proponents of living a “balanced” life... Aren't we? So I have not completely cheated my evening escape is non fiction and OT related... all be it physical. 

My book has taken me on an interesting journey, from loving it, to wanting to climb into the book and shake the characters until they saw their ridiculous behaviour. to disappointment in myself for even feeling that and back to loving it. But before that discussion lets take a slightly more stat(tie), research(y) look at things...

An article by D. Naidoo looks at TBI’s from a South African context. What is a TBI? Traumatic Brain Injury, different to a head injury by the fact that it must contain the presence of neurological symptoms. TBI’s are South Africa's the leading causes of death for person’s below the age of 45 years and the males in South Africa have the second highest road traffic injury related deaths in the world, majority attributed to TBI’s.

 In the United States they have recorded 1.5 million TBI’s per year, with the leading causes:

1. Falls 

2. Motor vehicle accidents

3. Assaults 

In 1991 a study done in South Africa found there to be 316 TBI incidences per 100 000 people per year. A 2007 study showed that South Africa recorded six times the number of injury related deaths and two times the amount of Motor vehicle accident injuries than what was the global norm at the time. Studies have also shown Violence to be our number one cause followed by motor vehicle accidents with a large number of accidents involving pedestrians. (Naidoo, 2013)

Is it possible that TBIs and substance abuse link?

It is a well known fact that substance abuse greatly increases the risk of sustaining a TBI... Decreased inhibitions, heightened senses, excess emotions floating around... someone is bound to decide the are superman, Lewis Hamilton or Rocky Balboa. It has been found that substance abuse produces poorer results when in rehab for TBI’s, and though there may be research to suggest a link in TBIs relating in substance abuse, much of the evidence points to TBIs more often than not being a consequence rather than a cause. (Bjork & Grant, 2009)

Back to my book... Beyond the High Blue Air (Spinney, 2016)

This book follows the paths of a family, in particular a mother, along the heart wrenching road that is TBI recovery. 

Spinney’s son then aged just 29 and with the world at his feet suffers a devastating head injury and is left in a coma... 

As one tends to believe of all books, they are like fairy tales and in the end prince charming will ride off into the sunset sitting on top of a fire red Ducati with the girl of his dreams who has never left his side through it all hanging on the back... Im not here to talk about that but rather what I feel this book has shown me. 

Team work is dream work... The importance of being able to work in a team as a health professional and be open to different ideas and opinions  because at the end of the day if one wants to break it up in to yours and mine, winning and losing... The only winning solution is when your patient recovers. 

Holistic treatment... Wow wee, treat the patient holistically they say, challenge enough as it is now throw in a frantic family. If you want to remain sane include them, teach them, keep them unto date with what you are doing and why and report back to them on how there special person is responding. Show them how to accept progress no matter how small it maybe. 

People are crazy, not only will they do wild things in the name of thrill, fun, entertainment but more so the lengths people will go to to “fix” those who are “broken” from bedside nurses to neuro doctors to parents. Even when the odds are stacked in the wrong column we keep fighting, try another direction in the hope that it will bring with it a better response. 

And my oh wow moment... 

His mother is exhausting herself turning to work out why her sons expression is sometime a mix of pain and sheer frustration in one grimace... she has a eureka moment.. “what would I do if my nose was itchy and I couldn't scratch it... Miles, I thought I might just give your nose a bit of a scratch and see if you like it... I stop his response is unambiguous. Slowly and deeply he inhales, and then exhales in a long, drawn-out sigh of undeniable relief, his face and body now completely relaxed.”

When pouring over ideas and ways to help people remember sometimes its the little things, the finer details that make all the difference in the world. 

As we approach the end of the semester and finals week just know... coffee makes everything OKAYER...

C 

xx

Naidoo, D. (2013). Traumatic brain injury: The South African landscape. S Afr Med J, 103(9), 613. http://dx.doi.org/10.7196/samj.7325

Bjork, J. & Grant, S. (2009). Does traumatic brain injury increase risk for substance abuse?. Journal Of Neurotrauma, 090330061141047. http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/neu.2008-0849