You can have a couple of weeks ago, the conversation between former U.S. presidential candidate John Edwards and reporter Bob Woodruff saw. All the resulting media coverage of Edwards 'statements' centered. However, there is something much more remarkable that emerged in the interview: Bob Woodruff spectacular recovery.
This is the same reporter who suffered a severe brain injury injury when a street in an instant - Bob and Lee Woodruffbomb next to his car exploded29th January 2006, as was news on developments in Iraq.
Today I am happy, Lee Woodruff, Bob's wife and pillar throughout his recovery interview. Bob Lee and co-author of the book in a fantastic moment: A Family's Journey of Love and Healing.
Alvaro Fernandez (AF): Lee, thanks for your time. I was amazed reading your book, where your journey, and then see Bob interview John Edwards, the best display I can imagine his recovery. Can you please tell meTo summarize for us what Bob and-you-went through since January 2006?
Lee Woodruff (LW): As you know, Bob suffered a brain injury that threaten their lives in Iraq. He was immediately under the care and military has undergone a series of operations for head injuries, with a common army & Air Force neurosurgical team in Iraq, the U.S. Army Medical Command hospital in Germany, and Bethesda Naval Hospital, back here United States.
During this time, covering approximately four months, spent37 days in a coma, and his skull had to be surgically reconstructed. The cognitive rehabilitation process started then home to a medical facility closer.
AF: Can you explain what kind of cognitive rehabilitation bob is gone although in formal terms, a therapist, and informally, on their own?
LW: The first thing to say that I like is that rehabilitation is a long process. The doctors told me that Bob, despite the seriousness of his injuries, the greater the possibility of recovery of other victims, becausethe reserve of neurons and connections he had, thanks to an intellectually stimulating and varied life, including living in China for several years and made dozens of trips to countries that, he worked as a lawyer and journalist, and his overall curiosity and desire learning. It seems that more and more research shows how people mentally active throughout life, both through their work, or do puzzles, sudoku ... are, of course, at some point, better prepared to dealwith problems such as TBI.
However, restoration of a long process. Bob had six months of structured cognitive therapy focused on speech and languages areas, because that was part of the brain most damaged. The therapist identified the main tasks for him to work in a challenging, yet familiar way, usually asking Bob, for example, read The New York Times, then try to remember what they read and write a short essay on his thoughts and impressions.
Sincethen you are in a sense, his work has taken advantage of the documentation to Iraq and Back and other projects at ABC as his informal but very effective way to improve on. I am astonished to observe in real time, as now, as he is getting better. To retrieve a sample of his reasoning: he has recently taken Chinese lessons to see if work on this also helped.
AF: In the book, Bob says that if he had to say in one word what he lived for most of the upturn haswould the word "slow" to use. His brain was slower processing of new information, in memory of words. What progress has lived?
LW: A lot. Not exactly on the same level it was before the injury, but is still an extraordinary journalist, father and husband. And I see progress every month, so hopefully that continues to do better.
Sometimes Bob tells me that is not the man I married. And then, as I said in the book, I laugh and answer: "I amno. I'm older, wiser and more wrinkled. "I learned to trust him. Just in principle was not always easy to accept and fully comply with its pronunciation, but I've seen gradually perfectly able to grow his new role as husband and father, and Our restore their roles within the family. It 'was amazing to see that happen. It' was a miracle.
FA: Bob lesion was a very lucky survivor of brain injury. There are more thanmillion per year in cases of head trauma. Many of them are military (a recent RAND study estimates that more than 300,000 U.S. service members suffered during operations of TBI in Iraq or Afghanistan), but also in civil life to happen, mainly due to road accidents or sports concussions. What we now know how to prevent and treat TBI?
LW: The Iraq war has literally written the book to see again, the way researchers and doctors and solve the problem. Most of the progress madethe military, but I hope that transfers into benefits for civilians, too. From a preventive point of view, the military has been strengthened to improve the armor of the soldiers, and I can now see why the belt as we go and how we can make a big difference bicycle helmets.
In terms of recovery, is much more optimism and hope today than only a few years are going to improve as many TBI patients, if given the opportunity, through an enabling environment andphysical and cognitive therapy. The military should analyze the problem of the "Walking Wounded" and significant resources to the best options and treatments approved. As we discussed earlier, the Army recently announced that from now on is a soldier cognitive screening before they get used to obtain the panel so that when there are problems, the projection as a good basis for comparing functions can serve.
But improvements in the field has just begun.We need to see progress.
AF: Can you tell us more now for the Bob Woodruff Foundation for the traumatic brain injury, what are your priorities?
LW: Bob and I devote much time to find the awareness and the need to implement solutions and good for treating cognitive impairments. Our Foundation supports community based approaches to helping TBI survivors and their families. Given the magnitude of the problem between the military and the fact that Bobsurvived thanks to the excellent care received by soldiers along the way are: first, in support of military casualties.
For example, we recently funded four scholarships for TBI-related research and also bought 300 mattresses for a small nonprofit that helps patients and their spouses rebuild their lives after leaving his military base, not many can afford to move all their belongings, including mattresses, beds and the basics.
And there are many moreThings to do. For example, while many more soldiers are improving, which is not always the case with National Guard reservists, even if monitor gets its own branch of the armed forces on their progress, often not detected at greater risk of living with TBI, as bases do not have to report when they returned.
It is also not clear that the military (including insurance) are always willing to pay for long-term costs of care.
AF: What are somespecifically people can support the work of its foundation?
LW: You can visit our new website, Bob Woodruff Foundation (http://remind.org/) to know the problems and to donate funds, no matter how big or small.
But probably the most important thing you can do any, is the sacrifice of the soldiers have to recognize and find ways to actively search for them and help them in their community. The soldiers and their families, often in a culture of independence, the cultivatednot ask for help, all we need here to take the initiative to find out how we can help. Ask yourself: how can I help the TBI survivors in my neighborhood? Perhaps giving them a job or offer them assistance or training, one can surely? How can I help to keep their spouses and families healthy and happy? Maybe giving them free movie tickets? A massage?
AF Lee, thanks for the tips. Is there anything you wish, adding thateveryone would know to be aware of?
LW: I would say never give up. We have seen how Bob has recovered what I think is a miracle. We just try our best to help everyone out there.
Copyright (c) 2008 Sharp Brains
