Where Is the Mango Princess? by Cathy Crimmins Kristina Dumas, MA & Victor DelBene, MA, AACN Student Members This is a true story by the wife of lawyer, Alan Forman. Alan suffered a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a speedboat accident. After the accident, Cathy did not know if her husband was going to survive. She provides an excellent description of what it is like to live through this horror and uncertainty. Alan pulls through and wakes up from the coma, and now Cathy faces the role of a caregiver with its tremendous challenges. Alan’s story is a very accurate description of the phases of recovery from a TBI, with a reference to common clinical measurements of progress (the Rancho Los Amigos Levels of Cognitive Functioning Scale – a widely used standardized instrument for following a TBI patient’s recovery). Cathy provides a very clear picture of the physical and psychological sides of a severe TBI at every step of the recovery process. The author also clearly communicates the effects of caring for a TBI patient on caregivers and their families, in this case, their seven-year-old daughter Kelly. Cathy learns to explain to Kelly repeatedly that the inappropriate behaviors that Alan is exhibiting – the impulsive and unreasonable acts - are not under his control. Kelly suffers tremendously while trying to comprehend the metamorphosis that her father has undergone. Cathy too has to learn to accept the “new Alan”, who is still her husband but in many respects is a drastically different person. Although she once valued Alan’s “dark” side, Cathy now feels she is married to an “uncomplicated guy.” Decreased self-awareness is an aspect of brain-injured behavior that is especially challenging for Cathy, as Alan does not realize the extent of his deficits, especially in the first several months post-injury. Finally, Cathy reiterates her painstaking battle with managed healthcare while trying to secure the best possible medical care and rehabilitation services for her husband. This is valuable information especially for those readers who have not had the in-depth experience of fighting for insurance benefits. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for neuropsychology-minded people, rehabilitation professionals, TBI caregivers, and those just curious about the effects of brain injury on survivors, their families, and their lives. 199.168.12.107/author/cathycrimmins
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 11:45:22 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015