Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath

Insightful, compassionate, supportive, troubling.

In the past number of months, I have been a sponge for information related to head injuries. In May of '08, our 30yr old daughter was critically injured in a car accident. She suffered a severe TBI, in addition to other injuries. She spent 3wks in ICU (coma-Glassgow score of 3) followed by 5wks in a rehab hospital. After pushing back against a system that is eager to rid itself of these vulnerable and difficult persons (I cannot call them patients-they are often are not treated as such), she came home to a family, as most do, that was not prepared financially or emotionally to meet the needs of our injured loved one. Additionally, we are left to fumble through unchartered waters as a family, striving to maintain some sense of normalcy with regards to jobs, relationships, balance--while caring for, researching, and striving to best meet the needs of our daughter.
Michael Paul Mason does a great job of expressing some of the very issues we live with every day through his stories about real people living real lives. Of the many books I've read, this has been one of my favorites. "Head Cases" provides insight, through stories of various head injuries, and expresses heartfelt compassion for not only the injured, but for the moms, dads, siblings and friends. It helped to hear from this author about his frustrations with a system that falls far short of meeting the needs of those who've suffered traumatic brain injuries. I don't feel so alone in our quest, nor do I feel so inadequate. We are doing the best we can within a system that desperately needs improvement, not only in understanding, but in providing individualized care and opportunity for those, our loved ones, with serious head injuries.
Our daughter is truly a miracle. She is working hard in her recovery. My heart goes out to all families that walk this way. It is not an easy road. Perhaps someday, with help from the Michael Paul Masons of the world, there will come a time when the road won't be so hard, the journey so long. Reading this book has helped this mom on her road.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath

Author Michael Paul Mason spent years observing the effects of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) on people while working as a brain injury case manager. He even traveled to a hospital in Iraq, where he was surrounded by wounded patients from both sides of the war. Mason¿s often-futile attempts to obtain assistance for TBI survivors opened his eyes to the plight of this growing population, many of whom who are met with societal misunderstanding and neglect. His experiences also served as a fascinating resource from which to draw while writing Head Cases. In the introduction, Mason presents statistics illustrating the number of people affected by TBI. One such statistic aptly puts the enormity of the situation into perspective: ¿In America alone, so many people become permanently disabled by a brain injury that each decade they could fill a city the size of Detroit. Seven of these cities are filled already.¿ Mason then takes it down to a more personal level by delving into the case studies of 12 TBI patients, including how the injury has affected their loved ones. Among the patients are a snowboarder who experiences more than 120 seizures every month after a catastrophic crash and a former Air Force officer who believes he is dead as a result of encephalitis tinkering with his brain. Even focusing on only a dozen TBI cases, it is evident that the symptoms caused by brain injuries are myriad and not easily treated. Through this journey into the lives of TBI survivors, Mason conveys not only the fragility and complexity of the human brain, but the fact that America is already far behind in the race to adequately treat those suffering from TBI.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Awesome informative read

Anyone who has either experience with a TBI either directly or indirectly will appreciate this book. Also anyone with an interest in medical or neurological can benefit from reading Michal Paul Mason's first hand experiences with not only the TBI patients but their families heart wrenching experiences as well. The book puts into perspective where we are today as a society and in the medical study of available help to those who are afflicted with a TBI. The book does suck you in case by case!

Great book for students of medicine!

This book was definitely a great perspective into the lives of Traumatic Brain Injury patients. There are many different types of brain injuries, which are covered in this book. It is a story of a case manager and his experiences. Intertwined are facts about the brain injuries, how they are caused and how the person is affected. A very interesting read.

Read this book...

...even if you don't know anyone with head injury. It will change the way you view helmets and seatbelts. I've never thought much about head injury until I read this book and realized how quickly and dramatically everything can change.The stories included in the book have transformed both the way I look at brain injured people and how I value my own health. Wonderfully written, can't put down kind of book.

Outstanding, compelling, compassionate

Best book I read in a long time, the writer captivates the reader with his writing style and his compassionate, genuine care for the patients. A must read for any person in the medical field!

A reviewer

Most science books can be dry and textbook-like. This book, written by a skilled writer who knows how to weave a story, tells the story of 12 people who acquired their brain injury through multiple factors 'i.e., auto accident, brain tumors, etc.' and what their life is like now, and how it has affected their and their families' lives. As a sister of a brain-injured brother, this book is truly a testament of what the brain-injured and their families go through. You think you have problems? Read this. You'll never look at your life the same again. Trust me.

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