MINDMATTERS - Alamo Head Injury Association

MINDMATTERS
April, May, June
UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS
All meetings are held on the fourth Wednesday of each month
from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
This quarter, meetings will be at
Warm Springs Rehabilitation Center
14747 Jones Maltsberger Rd., San Antonio
April 23
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Warm Springs Rehabilitation Center
Family members: Liz Bilderbach from Healthsouth RIOSA will be facilitating a discussion session for family members.
Survivors: Join us for a discussion on Nutrition, lead by the Warm Springs Rehabilitation Center nutritionist.
May 28
6:00PM to 8:00 PM
Warm Springs Rehabilitation Center
Family members & Survivors: It’s Picnic Time! Join us for our annual BBQ Social. This
year we will meet at Warm Springs Thousand Oaks instead of the park.
June 25
6:00PM to 8:00 PM
Warm Springs Rehabilitation Center
Family members: Liz Bilderbach from Healthsouth RIOSA will be facilitating a discussion session for family members.
Survivors: Come learn about low cost leisure activities with Joy LoCicero and the recreational therapist of Warm Springs Rehabilitation Center.
Please note that the meetings and programs of the Alamo Head Injury Association
(AHIA) are open to members, non members, guests, visitors and anyone desiring to
provide or receive information and/or support.
“Improving the Quality of Life for
Survivors of Brain Injury and their
Families”
Inside this issue:
Book Review
2
Vets & Gulf War Illness
3
Parents and You Tube
4
Higher Stroke Risk for TBI
5
Care of Caregiver Spouse
6
Ted Talks—Who is Ted?
7
Seniors and Brain Injury
9
News from AHIA & map
10-11
In our monthly meetings, we
strive to provide speakers
and programs that are informative and will benefit our
members and survivors in
some way.
However, if you have come
to our meeting seeking
personal support or guidance and would prefer to
speak with someone one on
one, please let us know.
There will always be someone available to talk with
you.
MINDMATTERS
Looking for a Good Book to Read?
Left Neglected by Lisa Genova
From Amazon.com:
From Lisa Genova—whose novel Still Alice is soon to be a major motion picture starring
Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kate Bosworth, and Kristen Stewart—comes this New
York Times bestselling novel of resilience in the face of a devastating diagnosis. A vibrant mother in her thirties learns what matters most in life when a car crash leaves
her with a traumatic brain disorder called "left neglect."
Sarah Nickerson, like any other working mom, is busy trying to have it all. One morning
while racing to work and distracted by her cell phone, she looks away from the road for
one second too long. In that blink of an eye, all the rapidly moving parts of her overscheduled life come to a screeching halt. After a brain injury steals her awareness of
everything on her left side, Sarah must retrain her mind to perceive the world as a
whole. In so doing, she also learns how to pay attention to the people and parts of her
life that matter most.
In this powerful and poignant New York Times bestseller, Lisa Genova explores what
can happen when we are forced to change our perception of everything around us.
Left Neglected is an unforgettable story about finding abundance in the most difficult
of circumstances, learning to pay attention to the details, and nourishing what truly
matters.
Lisa Genova graduated valedictorian, summa cum laude from Bates College with a degree in Biopsychology and has a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University. She is
the author of the New York Times Bestselling novels STILL ALICE, LEFT NEGLECTED, and
LOVE ANTHONY.
2014 Symposium Report
The AHIA 2014 annual symposium was a great success!
We want to thank our amazing sponsors:
University Health Systems
Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center
ResCare Premier
Warm Springs
Neurorestorative
HealthSouth
Active Prosthetics & Orthopedics
Mentis Neuro Rehabilitation
Texas NeuroRehab
The Medical Team
New Braunfels Rehabilitation Regional
Hospital
Touchstone Neurorecovery Center
Core Healthcare.
We'd like to extend special appreciation to Marcine Garis, Symposium Chair,
her committee and all of our volunteers for their outstanding efforts. J
Page 2
April, May, June
Veterans with Gulf War Illness Show Brain Changes
Linked to Memory Deficits
By: The Center for BrainHealth , Tuesday, October 15, 2013
New research illuminates definitive brain alterations in
troops with Gulf War Illness (GWI) thought to result from
the exposure to neurotoxic chemicals, including sarin gas,
during the first Persian Gulf War.
“More than 250,000 troops, or approximately 25% of
those deployed during the first Persian Gulf War, have
been diagnosed with Gulf War Illness (GWI). Although
medical professionals have recognized the chronic and
often disabling illness for almost two decades, brain
changes that uniquely identify GWI have been elusive until
now,” explained principal investigator Bart Rypma of the
Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas.
This study, published in Clinical Psychological Science, a
journal of the Association for Psychological Science, is
novel in that it confirms GWI deficits in working memory, a
critical cognitive function that enables short-term retention of information for higher-level thinking ability. In addition, brain alterations revealed in the study show a consistent pattern representing a neurobiological marker that
could potentially be used to positively identify GWI.
The research team assessed three aspects of working
memory: accuracy, speed, and efficiency. Results showed
that participants with GWI performed significantly slower
and less accurately than matched healthy veterans, and
their efficiency decreased with increasing task difficulty.
During these difficult conditions, the participants showed
relatively lower levels of activity in prefrontal brain regions
which may compromise their ability to implement effective, higher-level thinking strategies in cognitively demanding situations.
“Our results revealed that at the root of cognitive issues in
GWI patients are profound working memory deficits that
correlate with a unique brain
change visible in the fMRI
scanner. These results support an empirical link between exposure to neurotoxic chemicals, specifically
sarin nerve gas, with cognitive deficits and neurobiological
changes in the brain,” said Rypma. “Implementing interventions that improve working memory could have positive effects on many aspects of daily life from the ability to
complete a shopping list, match names with faces, all the
way to elevating mood.”
“Difficulty remembering has been the most common, unexplained impairment resulting from service in the 1991
Persian Gulf War,” said Robert Haley, co-investigator and
Chief of Epidemiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center
in Dallas. “This functional MRI study provides the first objective evidence showing the exact malfunctions in the
brain’s memory circuits that underlie these chemically induced memory problems.”
The new findings may also have implications for the treatment of several disorders involving similar neural systems,
including one Alzheimer’s disease.
“Both GWI and Alzheimer’s disease result in profound cognitive impairment and share similar neurochemical underpinnings,” explained the study’s lead author Nicholas Hubbard. “The distinct neural markers associated with cognitive performance and GWI revealed in our study can be
useful for future research to objectively measure the efficacy of treatments for GWI as well as other brain disorders
related to the same neurotransmitter system, like Alzheimer’s disease.” J
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE YOUR STORY?
If any survivor or family member would like to share their own personal story about
the life changing experience of living with brain injury, please send it to the AHIA at :
2203 Babcock,
San Antonio, TX
or email it to:
[email protected]
Page 3
MINDMATTERS
What parents need to know about YouTube
Posted by Andrea Tomkins on June 18, 2013 on www.Mediasmarts.ca
YouTube is a window into
a world of wonder. There
is so much great material
to be found there,
whether it’s for education, entertainment, or inspiration. But there’s also a lot of inappropriate stuff in amongst the cat videos
and Kid President. Question is, how do
we, as parents, help our kids safely
navigate YouTube?
Consider a totally anonymous account, with no identifying information
in relation to their username (first/
last), place of residence, or gender.
Studies have shown that women with
more “female-oriented” user names
put with a lot more harassment. For
example, think about what your
daughter may be setting herself up for
Keep the computer in a high traffic
if her screen name was CuteLitarea. This way there is less temptation tleGirl14.
to spend time searching who knows
I opened the door to YouTube when
what.
Make sure they always heed the
my daughters were about five and
“grandma rule.” What would Nana
seven years old. I bookmarked collec- Take a peek at YouTube’s Safety Cen- say if she saw this video?
tions of videos and we always
ter on YouTube before handing over
watched them together. The Mupcontrol of the computer. There are a It’s always good to teach your kids to
pets and the Sesame Street Channel
lot of great resources about privacy,
ask themselves a few critical queswere among our favorites. More often harassment, bullying, and more.
tions before posting videos online.
than not I’d search for vintage Bugs
 What does my video say about
Bunny and other cartoons I enjoyed
Most YouTube videos allow comme? How might I appear to
when I was a kid. (The Barber of
ments. This makes it just as much of a
someone who doesn’t know me?
Seville was on regular rotation for a
social networking site as Facebook.
 Could this video embarrass me or
long time around here. Remember
Make sure your child understands
anyone in it, now or a few years
that one?)
what it means to be a good social mefrom now.
dia citizen.
 Can other people be recognized in
Most of the videos we watched
this video? Have I asked their perclocked in under 10 minutes or so. It
Check the safety mode. You can find it
mission before posting this
was all I needed to distract the girls
at the very bottom of the page at Youonline?
while I was brushing the tangles out of Tube.com. It’s not 100 per cent accu If I’ve included music, do I have
their hair. YouTube made my life eas- rate, but once it’s enabled it will help
permission from the artist or have
ier, and it was fun, fast, and easy to
filter out some of the more objectionI used music that is in the public
keep it at one or two items before we able content.
domain?
turned it off and got on with our day.
I’ve spoken to many parents whose
Make use of YouTube’s privacy feaTeaching our kids how to navigate
children prefer to watch YouTube in- tures. You can easily set personal vidthrough it all is just as important as
stead of regular cable. It used to sur- eos to “private” or “unlisted” and
teaching them how to navigate
prise me but it doesn’t anymore. Just share a video’s URL with select peothrough life itself. J
look at the numbers.
ple. A private video can only be seen
It wasn’t until my kids were old
by up to 50 other people whom are
enough to start looking up some of
invited to view the video. And it won’t
their favorite singers and shows that I appear on a users’ channel or in
started to worry about what they
search results or playlists, and will be
were watching when I wasn’t in a diinvisible to other users.
rect line of view.
Page 4
There are two aspects of YouTube that
are worth talking to your kids about:
the consuming/watching side of it,
and the uploading/sharing side. If your
child is using YouTube to watch videos, consider adopting some “best
practices” for your family so everyone
stays safe and happy:
January, February,
April, May,
March
June
Have a brain injury? You may be at higher
risk for stroke
People who have a traumatic brain injury (TBI) may be
more likely to have a future stroke, according to research
that appears in the June 26, 2013, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of
Neurology.
of the brain is blocked.
Eighty percent of
strokes are ischemic.
After adjusting for factors that can affect
"Both stroke and traumatic brain injury are common,
stroke risk, such as age,
costly, and leading causes of severe disability in adults,
high blood pressure
and approximately 20 percent of strokes occur in adults
and high cholesterol, as
under age 65," said study author James F. Burke, MD, MS, well as other disorders
of the University of Michigan and the Ann Arbor VA
such as heart disease
Healthcare System and a member of the American Acadand the severity of the
emy of Neurology. "A large proportion of stroke risk is un- trauma, the researchers found that people with traumatic
explained, especially in the young, so if we can identify
brain injury were 30 percent more likely to develop a
new risk factors, we have the potential to prevent more
stroke than those with trauma with no brain injury.
strokes and improve outcomes."
"While the stroke risk of one person with TBI is small, the
overall link between TBI and stroke was substantial -- as
For the study, researchers looked at the records of adults large as the link between the strongest stroke risk factor,
who went to the emergency department or were admitted high blood pressure, and stroke," Burke said. "If further
to a hospital for TBI or other trauma with no brain injury in research establishes TBI as a new risk factor for stroke,
the state of California during a five-year period.
that would stimulate research to help us understand what
A total of 435,630 people with traumatic brain injury were causes stroke after TBI and help us learn how to prevent
studied, along with 736,723 people with trauma with no
these strokes." The study was supported by an advanced
brain injury. Over an average of 28 months following the
fellowship through the Department of Veterans Affairs. J
injury, 11,229 people, or 1 percent, had an ischemic
stroke. A total of 1.1 percent of those with TBI suffered a
Source: American Academy of Neurology (AAN). "Have a
stroke, compared to 0.9 percent of those with trauma with brain injury? You may be at higher risk for stroke." Scienceno brain injury. With an ischemic stroke, blood flow to part Daily. ScienceDaily, 26 June 2013.
There’s an App for That!
EZBuzz is NOT just another reminder app! With the revolutionary interface called Time-Scale married
with voice memos, EZBuzz lets you create reminders and to-dos in shortest amount of time compared
to any other similar apps in the market, including the native apps of iPhone. Additionally, it lets you reschedule reminders in the most intuitive way possible on a smartphone.
Significant features include:
- New Time-Scale interface for fast time selection
- Record, re-record or append to existing recording
- Quick prioritization of reminders
- Attach notes and photo to any reminder
- Set repeat frequency and pre-alerts for any reminder
- Easily reschedule reminders by dragging them on the
Time-Scale
- Current time indicator for easier time selection
- Automatic purging of reminders.
- Icon badge for counting past and unread reminders
- Details indicators on reminders in calendar and list views
- Silently listen to the recording using earphone mode
- Carefully designed UI for best comfort
Page 5
MINDMATTERS
The Care and Feeding of the non-ADHD Spouse
By Melissa Orlov from adhdmarriage.com. Don’t be fooled by the title—ADHD
strategies can work equally well for folks with TBI.
I spend a lot of time helping non-ADD spouses understand
how to interpret their ADD husband’s actions (or, more
frequently, inactions – a word I use without judgment.) I
think it’s time to write a piece for the ADD male about
what non-ADD women want. Perhaps you’ve seen the
movie “What Women Want”? This is what I think you
would hear if you were Mel Gibson and could hear your
wife’s thoughts.
Thoughts and actions are not equally satisfying
You may be thinking about me a lot, but when you
are off in your own world, or distracted by
something else, I have no way of knowing
that. To me, it feels as if you almost never
think of me. It makes me sad. In the future, can you take a few seconds and show
me through actions, not thoughts, that you
are thinking of me? A short kiss, an “I love
you” or some other action will mean a lot
to me.
I really don’t like being a nag, but can’t
figure out a more effective way to get your
attention
Over the years, I’ve learned that the easiest (notice, I’m
not saying “best”) way to get your attention is to be in
your face and nag you or express anger. I bet you don’t
like this, and I sure don’t! Help me stop this pattern by
setting up a cue that we agree upon. When I really need
you’re attention, I’ll use this cue…and you’ll agree to stop
what you are involved with, and pay attention. I promise
not to abuse this – and we’ll get along so much better!
I love you a lot, but wonder if you love me
I want to think that you love me, but when you get distracted by just about everything but me, it’s hard to keep
thinking I’m one of your priorities. Why should a car, or a
computer, or a game be more important than me? As
hard as I try to not take this personally, sometimes I just
can’t. I need some time, every week, when you are focused on just me – nothing else. Your effort to do this will
tell me that you do love me, and will make me feel so
much better and happier! Let’s take some time right now
and schedule some time together.
Page 6
I want to show you my love, but my anger is getting in
the way
I love you. A lot. I envision a future where you’ve addressed some of your ADD symptoms – and I’ve addressed
my bad responses to them – so that we can have fun and
enjoy each other again. But we need to work together on
this, not fight each other because there’s too much anger
and frustration on both sides right now. Can we work together? Please?
I’m working really hard at this relationship, but
sometimes despair because it doesn’t feel
to me like you are, too
I’m not asking that we meet in the exact
middle. But sometimes I despair that we’ll
never meet at all! I need attention, and one
form of attention is having you take my
needs seriously enough to show an effort in
my direction. This gets back to the
“thoughts and actions” are not the same as
ideas notion. I want to be happy around you
(and you want me to be happy around you –
it’s so much easier that way!) but it’s hard to keep always
trying without seeing any reciprocal action. Can we agree
on one thing that you’ll work on for me and make a plan
for how that will happen? Then I’ll feel happier, which will
make me be happier, which will benefit us both.
We both have our strengths and weaknesses
You probably think that all I ever do is tell you what you’re
doing wrong and that this somehow means that I think I’m
perfect. I apologize for nagging you, and I don’t think I’m
perfect (the nagging is proof I’m not!) Let’s acknowledge
that we are both people, inherently not perfect, and make
a plan to get around those things one or both of us isn’t so
strong at. Solutions might include changing who does
what, or hiring outside help.
I’m sorry that I’m angry
I hate feeling angry all the time. It’s starting to really make
me dislike myself, in fact. I understand why I feel angry –
our relationship isn’t going in the direction I thought it
(Continued on page 7)
January, February,
April, May,
March
June
(Continued from page 6)
would. You’re probably angry about this, too. I badly want to work
through my anger – and to have you admit, and work through –
yours. This will take some behavior changes on both sides…and perhaps
some professional help, but let’s make it a mutual goal to work through it
– for our (non-angry and potentially wonderful) future. A good first step
will be for me to learn how to accept my past anger, forgive myself, and
move on. Would you consider doing this, too?
I want to have fun!
What happened to the days when we loved spending time together? Our
life is too serious and angry right now. Let’s schedule some fun stuff together (and get a sitter if we need to). The crazier, and the further away
from our everyday lives, the better!
I want you to want me
We’re having some problems right now, which may affect our sex life,
but I really long for the days when sex was fun, and exciting, and I felt
loved and safe with you. I want you to want me sexually, and when we
get rid of some of the anger, and I feel more confident that you can show
me you love me, can we smooth things out sexually? I really want
that. Maybe we can start with smaller signs of affection? J
Ted Talks? Who is Ted??
TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short,
powerful talks (18 minutes or less). TED began in 1984 as a conference
where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers
almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more
than 100 languages.
At www.ted.com, you can find a huge storehouse of videos on a wide variety of topics. Here’s just a sampling of brain-related TED talks you can find
if you go to the website above and simply search for “Brain Injury”:

Siddharthan Chandran: Can the damaged brain repair itself?
After a traumatic brain injury, it sometimes happens that the brain can
repair itself, building new brain cells to replace damaged ones.
Siddharthan Chandran walks through some new techniques using special stem cells that could allow the damaged brain to rebuild faster.

How does my brain work? - a playlist of 9 different videos on the topic
of the brain

Michael Merzenich: Growing evidence of brain plasticity
Neuroscientist Michael Merzenich looks at one of the secrets of the
brain's incredible power: its ability to actively re-wire itself. He's researching ways to harness the brain's plasticity to enhance our skills
and recover lost function.
New Members
WELCOME!
Your Name Here
Don’t wait—join today!
Donations
Start your new year of right!
Support AHIA, Survivors of
head injury, their families
and loved ones. Contribute
to AHIA today by sending
us your tax-free donations!
Check out our website for
a donation form today.
www.alamoheadinjury.org
Page 7
MINDMATTERS
Seniors and Brain Injury
From BrainLine.org
“On a moonless summer night my husband fell nine feet from a sleeping loft to the
floor and did not die,” writes Alix Kates Shulman. At their remote cabin in Maine, she
woke to find her 75-year-old husband lying motionless on the floor below. Although
he survived, he suffered injuries that left his brain severely impaired. He was the same — but not the same.
Alix’s husband, Scott, is one of the estimated 1.7 million people who sustain a traumatic brain injury each year. TBI is a
special health concern for older adults like Scott. People ages 75 and older have the highest rates of TBI-related hospitalizations and death. They also recover more slowly and die more often from these injuries than do younger people.
Falls are the leading cause of TBI. Many of these people will need part-or full-time caregivers.
PREVENTION
Many brain injuries are preventable, especially from falls.
Here are some strategies for prevention:
Encourage Exercise.
Exercise is one of the best ways to reduce older adults’
chances of falling. Exercises that improve balance and coordination are especially important, but check with the
older adult’s doctor about which exercises are safest and
best for them.
Make the home or surroundings safer
 Remove things from stairs and floors that might cause
tripping.
 Remove small throw rugs or use double-sided tape to
keep the rugs from slipping.
 Place items used often within easy reach, so that a
step stool is not needed.
 Install grab bars next to the toilet and in the tub or
shower.
 Place non-stick mats in the bathtub and on shower
floors.
 Add brighter lighting and reduce glare by using lampshades and frosted bulbs.
 Be sure there are handrails and lights on all staircases.
 Be sure the older adult wears shoes that give good
support and have thin, non-slip soles.
 Remind loved ones to avoid wearing slippers and socks
or going shoeless.
Ask the healthcare provider to review all medicines
Ask the doctor or local pharmacist to look at all the prescription medicines the older adult takes as
Page 8
well as non-prescription drugs like cold medicines and various supplements. As people age, the way some medicines
work in the body can change. This could cause a person to
feel drowsy or lightheaded, which could lead to a fall.
Take the person in your care for a vision check.
Make sure an eye doctor checks to be sure eye glasses are
correct and that there are no conditions that limit vision,
like glaucoma or cataracts. Poor vision can increase the
chance of falling.
AGING WITH A BRAIN INJURY
Like death and taxes, aging is inevitable. It will happen to
all of us. The good news is that research is proving more
and more that the brain has an amazing capacity to
change and adapt, even into old age. However, for people
with brain injury, aging can come with additional issues,
including the following:
 Loss of skills gained in rehabilitation
 Increased risk for injuries from falls
 Increased risk for other injuries
 Increase in medical needs
 General decrease in endurance, strength, and range of
motion
 Increased risk for social isolation
 Decrease in independent living skills
SEIZE THE DAY
No matter what age we are, the best thing to do is to remain focused on staying physically active, socializing with
supportive friends and family, getting out and staying involved in the world, and keeping our minds sharp and engaged. J
April, May, June
What is Emotional Flooding?
Jacqueline Borg, PhD, BrainLine.com
Can TBI be confused with being bipolar? My teenage daughter broke her neck in a bad
car wreck. Afterwards, she would have spells of uncontrollable crying. She went to our
family doctor who told her she was bipolar and put her on meds. They are not really helping her much.
I am assuming your daughter sustained a brain injury during the motor vehicle accident that also resulted in her broken neck. If she has not had a comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation, I would
recommend that she have one to determine the extent of her brain injury and its impact on her neurocognitive and or neurobehavioral abilities.
Neurocognitive issues after a brain injury can effect a person’s emotions, behavior, and cognitive function. Posttraumatic reactions can occur independent of the brain in jury and can affect mood and behavior. It is important to
note that these are not mutually exclusive. After a TBI, people can experience both neurocognitive and psychological
symptoms. When the brain is healing, it needs rest. Engaging in activities or being stimulated past the point of fatigue
can result in emotional flooding. For some people, this can manifest as crying spells. Making sure to rest and take
breaks will help prevent or at least lessen the intensity of these episodes of emotional flooding. A neuropsychologist
can help your daughter develop coping skills. J
Five Ways to Improve Your Mood
From the blog Life After Traumatic Brain Injury by Mark Kerrigan
1. Read inspirational quotes. Each and every day, there
ing from resentment to that of joy. Thanks, Anne.
are loads of inspirational quotes on Facebook. I think there
is even an app to have the sent to you, if you happen to
4. Google happiness. Peruse through some of the images.
need that.
It’s almost impossible to keep from smiling at some of
them. I suppose you can also look at another search en2. Realize that each day is a gift, and that tomorrow is
gine, but it’s really up to you.
never guaranteed. I have a friend who has had a brain aneurysm years ago, but she is always so happy. I questioned 5. Watch what you eat. If you eat only fast food and Twinher about that, and here’s what she told me: “Because I
kies for dinner, you will feel like crap. Last summer, I did
have had an aneurysm, I’m much more likely to have anjust the opposite and had kale smoothies for a few days.
other one, which would kill me, totally out of the blue,
For three days bananas, kale, apples and strawberries
with no warning. I’m not gonna waste my time or energy
were the only things I was eating, or drinking, rather. I felt
being unhappy or angry about something just because
amazing! It gave me a boost to the immune system and it
someone cut me off in traffic.” A little morbid, I think, but cleaned me out. I’ve never eaten that much fiber in three
when I think about how amazing and unbelievable that I
days in my life. And yes, it does turn green. J
can do all the things I do, it makes every day seem like a
good day.
What Mark , a head injury survivor, plans to relay to readers in
this blog, are stories of pain, triumph, hope. From years in
3. Make an effort to go the extra mile. Be altruistic. I have neuro rehab, he feels that though there isn’t an M.D., a Ph.D., or
recently come to the realization that when there’s some- other letters following his name, he’s an expert about what
one not pulling his own weight, I tend to get a little resent- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) survivors commonly experience.
ful. I can overcome this feeling by really making an effort
Page 9
to do more than my share. By making a point of doing
something for someone else, I’m able to change my think-
MINDMATTERS
Read All About It! News from AHIA and around town
On April 17th at 3pm EST (2PM CST), the Brain Injury Association of America will be offering a free Webinar opportunity about returning to work after a brain injury. To register, visit
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/200023057968881665.
Please contact Greg Ayotte (703-584-8642) for more details.
The Children's Association for Maximum Potential (CAMP) is hosting the Family Weekend Retreat for individuals of
Spinal Cord Injury or Traumatic Brain injury and their families. Camp C.A.M.P. will take place from April 25 to April 27,
2014 and will be located at 515 Skyline Drive, Center Point, Texas.
Please visit: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CAMP_FamilyWeekendRetreat_2014_Spring
to submit an application. Application deadline is April 11, 2014. Call 210-671-5411 for more information.
Once again, the Alamo Head Injury Association participated in the Birdies for Charity fundraiser. Birdies for Charity is
similar to a walk-a-thon, but instead of donating per mile, participants make a pledge for every birdie made at the Valero Texas Open. We also had the opportunity to enter the pro-am challenge. Our team placed 5th, which earned us an
additional $1,100. This raised our total close to $6,000 which will go straight to our organization! Way to go, Carol Kattan and Debora Bornmann, our Fundraising Chairs! Also, thank you to our sponsors and all who donated!
March was Head Injury Awareness month and our March monthly support group meeting was dedicated to celebrating our survivors and their accomplishments. Everyone enjoyed the fun photo and video booths!
Our next Support Group meeting for the month of April will be held on Wednesday,
April 23, 2014 from 6-8pm. It will be held at Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital of
Thousand Oaks at 14747 Jones Maltesberger Road,
San Antonio, Texas 78247. Please note that April’s meeting, along with May and
June’s, will be held at this location.
Welcome to AHIA’s newest addition!
When you call the office of the Alamo Head Injury Association, your call may be answered by the new Executive Coordinator – Ashley Longoria. AHIA is extremely fortunate to find someone who is gracious, friendly AND competent! She came to work in
the middle of the “tsunami” of the Symposium preparations – and appeared unflappable. Ashley did everything asked of her without a single complaint!
In a recent interview, Ashley shared more about herself:
When did you move to San Antonio?
“I grew up in Laredo Texas and moved to San Antonio in
2003.”
What is your favorite food?
“That’s a good question….I guess it would be Italian”
(side note – she LOVES pimento cheese sandwiches!)
Tell us about your family.
“I am married, have two kids (ages 5 years and 2 years)
and 2 dogs.”
What could you not live without for one day (Not counting food, water, or shelter)?
“I guess it would be my coffee.”
What was your very first job?
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
“I worked as a camp counselor. My first REAL job was as a “I discovered at the Symposium that I loved having a
Research Associate at UTHSC in Community Pediatrics”
microphone in my hand!” (side note – she is fluent in
Spanish and speaks some French!)
What are your hobbies?
“Running, reading, and volunteering at my kids’ school.”
You can meet Ashley yourself at the monthly Support
Group Meeting ! See you on April 23rd at Warm Springs
Thousand Oaks!
Page 10
January, February,
April, May,
March
June
New Meeting Location
Our April, May, and June meetings will be held at a
new location! Please be aware that though the
name of this facility includes, "Thousand Oaks," it is
located on Jones Maltsberger Road. This simplified
map will give you an idea of its relative location and
can also be downloaded as a PDF from our
website’s Contact Us page.
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Warm Springs
Hw
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McAllister Park
Th
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Loop 410
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Airport
Map is not to scale
Page 11
January, February,
April, May,
March
June
2013 –2014 AHIA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Diana Najara, President
Dr. Doug Cooper, Vice-President
Meeting Locations for 2014
January 22, February 26, & March 26 :
Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center
April 23, Mary 28, June 25 : Warm Springs Rehabilitation
at Thousand Oaks
July 23, August 27, September 24 :
RIOSA HealthSouth
Kay Dabney, Recording Secretary
Kay Dabney, Treasurer
Michelle Glenn, Joy LoCicero, Debbie
Bornman, Blessen Eapen, Carol Kattan,
Board Members at-large
Sedah Garner & Sam Velazquez:
Survivor Representatives
October 22, November 19, December (TBA) :
Warm Springs Rehabilitation at Westover Hills
Page 12

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