Brain Injury Bites

Brain Injury Bites - Introduction

Hello, and welcome to Brain Injury Bites, a series of bite-sized podcasts helping brain injury survivors.
This is a series of podcasts based around the experiences of sustaining a brain injury, and provides helpful hints and tips for injured people, their friends and family.
To keep up to date with our podcast, follow us on our social media accounts:
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01. The early days after a brain injury

This is a series of podcasts based on the experiences of sustaining a traumatic brain injury. Brooke and Ashwini will be talking about specific experiences and providing advice to those who might be going through a similar thing. They'll also be looking at what support, help and advice are available to those who are suffering the effects of a brain injury. We'll be looking at the basic needs that someone has immediately after a brain injury and how we can progress them in their recovery.
In episode one, we share an introduction to the series and discuss the immediate aftermath of trauma and sustaining a brain injury, particularly Brooke's collision and his family's experience.
Resources:
Episode One: The early days after brain injury - Information Sheet
Helpful links:
Glasgow Coma Scale
Golden hour trauma Research
For a transcript, follow the link below:
Episode 1: Transcript
To keep up to date with our podcast, follow us on our social media accounts:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Notice:
Information and other content provided in this Podcast should not be taken as providing medical advice or recommendations. Please always consult your doctor or treating team for medical advice.

02. Journey in the hospital of a brain injury survivor

In this episode, we'll be talking more about the journey of being in a hospital, how as an injured person, it felt like being in hospital and also tips for friends and family members who might have a loved one in hospital after a brain injury.
Resources:
Episode Two - Journey in the hospital - Information Sheet
Helpful links:
Journey after major trauma - https://www.gmccmt.org.uk/major-trauma/patient-journey/
Visiting someone in the hospital - https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/hospitals/going-into-hospital/visiting-someone-in-hospital/
Post-traumatic amnesia - https://www.headway.org.uk/about-brain-injury/individuals/effects-of-brain-injury/post-traumatic-amnesia/
Article on confabulation (by Michelle Munt) - https://www.cfglaw.co.uk/blog/why-a-brain-injury-can-cause-confabulation
Headway information library - https://www.headway.org.uk/about-brain-injury/individuals/information-library/
For a transcript, follow the link below:
Episode 2: Transcript
To keep up to date with our podcast, follow us on our social media accounts:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Notice:
Information and other content provided in this Podcast should not be taken as providing medical advice or recommendations. Please always consult your doctor or treating team for medical advice.

03. Dealing with fatigue and the importance of rest after a brain injury

Fatigue is a symptom many people experience after a brain injury. In this episode, we discuss the impact of fatigue and the importance of rest.
Resources:
Episode Three - Dealing with fatigue and the importance of rest after a brain injury - Information Sheet
Helpful links:
To do lists/organisational skills - https://todoist.com/
Weekly Schedule - Download
For a transcript, follow the link below:
Episode 3: Transcript
To keep up to date with our podcast, follow us on our social media accounts:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Notice:
Information and other content provided in this Podcast should not be taken as providing medical advice or recommendations. Please always consult your doctor or treating team for medical advice.

04. Memory problems after a brain injury

In a previous episode, we talked about the importance of routine, and we'll be talking about that again in the context of memory. We also spoke about Brooke's post-traumatic amnesia and how different people with brain injuries will experience symptoms differently. In this episode, we're going to touch on those issues again, which will focus on memory and hints and tips around memory issues following brain injury. 
Resources:
Episode four - Memory problems after a brain injury - Information Sheet
Helpful links:
Different types of memory problems after a brain injury
To do lists/organisational skills - https://todoist.com/
Weekly Schedule - Download
For a transcript, follow the link below:
Episode 4: Transcript
To keep up to date with our podcast, follow us on our social media accounts:
Twitter
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Instagram
Notice:
Information and other content provided in this Podcast should not be taken as providing medical advice or recommendations. Please always consult your doctor or treating team for medical advice.

05. Experiencing problems with concentration and attention after a brain injury.

Listen to this episode where we discuss concentration and attention after a brain injury and how you can help improve this.
It is important to point out, of course, that brain injury affects people in different ways, and so when we're talking about cognitive function, there could be all sorts of impacts in relation to attention, memory, and concentration as we've mentioned, but also processing, understanding, communication, decision making, planning and organisation. 
Resources:
Episode five - Experiencing problems with concentration and attention after a brain injury. - Information Sheet
Helpful links:
Headway - Cognitive effects of a brain injury
NHS - Brain training app (recommended by the NHS)
For a transcript, follow the link below:
Episode 5: Transcript
To keep up to date with our podcast, follow us on our social media accounts:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Notice:
Information and other content provided in this Podcast should not be taken as providing medical advice or recommendations. Please always consult your doctor or treating team for medical advice.

06. Coming to terms with a brain injury

Coming to terms with a brain injury can be particularly difficult, and in this episode, we look at how this can impact you and your recovery and how important it is to accept these changes and the help you may need.
Resources:
Episode six - Coming to terms with a brain injury - Information Sheet
Helpful links:
Denial after a brain injury – struggling to come to terms with my brain injury (blog by Brooke)
For a transcript, follow the link below:
Episode 6: Transcript
To keep up to date with our podcast, follow us on our social media accounts:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Notice:
Information and other content provided in this Podcast should not be taken as providing medical advice or recommendations. Please always consult your doctor or treating team for medical advice.

07. Socialising after a brain injury

Tune into episode 7, where we discuss the impact of a brain injury on socialising and different things you can do to make this easier.
Resources:
Episode seven - Socialising after a brain injury - Information Sheet
Helpful links:
Headway Brain Injury Identity Card - https://www.headway.org.uk/supporting-you/brain-injury-identity-card/
For additional resources, and transcript, follow the link below:
Episode 7: Resources and Transcript
To keep up to date with our podcast, follow us on our social media accounts:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Notice:
Information and other content provided in this Podcast should not be taken as providing medical advice or recommendations. Please always consult your doctor or treating team for medical advice.

08. Comparing yourself to others

In this day and age, it's easy to go online, look at what other people are posting, immediately compare yourself, and think about what you might be missing out on.
In this episode, we will be talking about not comparing yourself to other people. This topic ties back to one of our earlier episodes discussing socialising and the overwhelming feeling you need to fit in. 
Resources:
Episode eight - Comparing yourself to others - Information Sheet
For additional resources, and transcript, follow the link below:
Episode 8: Transcript
To keep up to date with our podcast, follow us on our social media accounts:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Notice:
Information and other content provided in this Podcast should not be taken as providing medical advice or recommendations. Please always consult your doctor or treating team for medical advice.

09. The impact on family and friends after a brain injury

In previous episodes, we've talked about how having a brain injury can impact the injured person, but it's also important to acknowledge the wider impact of brain injury, and particularly the effect on family and friends - the people around the injured person. 
Resources:
Episode nine - The impact on family and friends after a brain injury - Information Sheet
Helpful links:
Headway: https://www.headway.org.uk/
Brain Injury Group: https://www.braininjurygroup.co.uk/
BASIC: https://www.basiccharity.org.uk/
UKABIF: https://ukabif.org.uk/
For a transcript, follow the link below:
Episode 9: Transcript
To keep up to date with our podcast, follow us on our social media accounts:
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Notice:
Information and other content provided in this Podcast should not be taken as providing medical advice or recommendations. Please always consult your doctor or treating team for medical advice.