Participating Artists
PhotoVoice Exhibit Artist
Judithann T. Verbeck
At the age of 48, as the children “fledged the nest”, I experienced a mild traumatic brain injury caused by an auto accident on a cloudy day, precipitated by a non-cancerous tumor on my balance nerve of which I was unaware.
As I prepared to return to paid employment in 2006 (age 61), stage 4 breast cancer stopped the return-to-work process. A chemical brain injury occurred with my first dose of chemo, an overdose:
- My liver was overwhelmed with breast cancer cells
- I couldn’t detox the chemo in a timely manner.
- As of today, I have had 7 mild brain injuries
Throughout these 19 years, there is the occasional bright spot in brain injury rehabilitation, like Fuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment Program, an appropriate assessment, effective vestibular therapy (balance), aphasia diagnosis, Cabrillo Stroke Center classes, brain injury diagnosis, talking with and reading Claudia Osborne’s book “Over My Head”, brain injury information from New Zealand and British groups, family, and friends. Sanity-savers have been a variety of volunteer work for wildlife refuge and plant restoration.
Barriers, brick walls, roadblocks include lack of appropriate therapies after assessment, diagnosis delayed 4 years, effective balance therapy delayed two and half years, driving 220 miles over four mountain passes for effective cognitive therapy for three years, more recent injuries assessment and rehabilitation still delayed, marginally effective, or not available.
It has been helpful professionals in health care and other disciplines are making effective progress in understanding the complexity of brain injury. Visual documentation, including fMRI, has helped support improved therapies. However, unintentional overlooking of problems, is still prevalent in the assessment and treatment of people with brain injuries.
Perhaps, like the furious disagreements over the tectonic plate theory in the 20th Century, this also will require intense effort by scientists in health care, and other disciplines to learn how to work with the complexities of mild traumatic brain injury and promote effective rehabilitation…supported by our experiences.
Artworks
MOON AND FIRE
Photographer: Judithann T. Verbeck
Sometime a little less light on a challenge, makes it easier to see. There is shadow in all of us, we are a work in progress, as lifelong learners whether we have brain injuries or not.
With brain injuries, we are in the forefront of our species learning about the brain.
The element fire, burning brightly within me, a symbol of my deep connection with Spirit and all of Creation. As fire changes wood, elementally, I am changed by brain injuries …yet that fire within in me doesn’t change. It burns brightly as I move through the consequence of brain injury: grief and loss, the need to reinvest myself in people, places, or activities of equal or greater value.
SPRINGERLE ROLLING PIN AND COOKIE DOUGH
Photographer: Judithann T. Verbeck
In a clown class many years ago corn starch and water was mixed together. When I took a handful of the mixture, I could form it. As soon as I released my grasp, it lost form and became liquid.
Brain injury is like that. 'Life happens' while I’m making other plans. I shape my life as I can, and I am shaped by life…and sometimes it loses form and I start all over again.
For more information, contact CCCIL: Crystal Loutzenhiser 831-462-8728 cloutzenhiser@cccil.org or Irene Garcia 831-757-2968 igarcia@cccil.org
Los artistas participantes
Exposición Fotográfica Artista
Judithann T. Verbeck
At the age of 48, as the children “fledged the nest”, I experienced a mild traumatic brain injury caused by an auto accident on a cloudy day, precipitated by a non-cancerous tumor on my balance nerve of which I was unaware.
As I prepared to return to paid employment in 2006 (age 61), stage 4 breast cancer stopped the return-to-work process. A chemical brain injury occurred with my first dose of chemo, an overdose:
- My liver was overwhelmed with breast cancer cells
- I couldn’t detox the chemo in a timely manner.
- As of today, I have had 7 mild brain injuries
Throughout these 19 years, there is the occasional bright spot in brain injury rehabilitation, like Fuerstein’s Instrumental Enrichment Program, an appropriate assessment, effective vestibular therapy (balance), aphasia diagnosis, Cabrillo Stroke Center classes, brain injury diagnosis, talking with and reading Claudia Osborne’s book “Over My Head”, brain injury information from New Zealand and British groups, family, and friends. Sanity-savers have been a variety of volunteer work for wildlife refuge and plant restoration.
Barriers, brick walls, roadblocks include lack of appropriate therapies after assessment, diagnosis delayed 4 years, effective balance therapy delayed two and half years, driving 220 miles over four mountain passes for effective cognitive therapy for three years, more recent injuries assessment and rehabilitation still delayed, marginally effective, or not available.
It has been helpful professionals in health care and other disciplines are making effective progress in understanding the complexity of brain injury. Visual documentation, including fMRI, has helped support improved therapies. However, unintentional overlooking of problems, is still prevalent in the assessment and treatment of people with brain injuries.
Perhaps, like the furious disagreements over the tectonic plate theory in the 20th Century, this also will require intense effort by scientists in health care, and other disciplines to learn how to work with the complexities of mild traumatic brain injury and promote effective rehabilitation…supported by our experiences.
Obras de arte
MOON AND FIRE
Photographer: Judithann T. Verbeck
Sometime a little less light on a challenge, makes it easier to see. There is shadow in all of us, we are a work in progress, as lifelong learners whether we have brain injuries or not.
With brain injuries, we are in the forefront of our species learning about the brain.
The element fire, burning brightly within me, a symbol of my deep connection with Spirit and all of Creation. As fire changes wood, elementally, I am changed by brain injuries …yet that fire within in me doesn’t change. It burns brightly as I move through the consequence of brain injury: grief and loss, the need to reinvest myself in people, places, or activities of equal or greater value.
SPRINGERLE ROLLING PIN AND COOKIE DOUGH
Photographer: Judithann T. Verbeck
In a clown class many years ago corn starch and water was mixed together. When I took a handful of the mixture, I could form it. As soon as I released my grasp, it lost form and became liquid.
Brain injury is like that. 'Life happens' while I’m making other plans. I shape my life as I can, and I am shaped by life…and sometimes it loses form and I start all over again.
For more information, contact CCCIL: Crystal Loutzenhiser 831-462-8728 cloutzenhiser@cccil.org or Irene Garcia 831-757-2968 igarcia@cccil.org
