Wednesday, April 7, 2010

P.S.A.

Public Service Announcements to follow. Just some info I thought everything would have some interest in:

I was contacted by someone from the CareMeridian Nursing and Rehab Facility and asked to post the following article. I'll comment on why afterwards. Please take the time and read:




Traumatic Brain Injuries and the Military

Military men and women are continually involved situations where risk of injury is high. One silent war wound that can often go unnoticed is a traumatic brain injury (TBI) . A TBI damages the brain that can often cause life-altering wounds, which can result in changes in personality, behavior, and even the brain functions of the victim. Some of these conditions are not just life-altering, but can be life threatening and are often partnered with rehabilitation from special care facilities like CareMeridian Las Vegas nursing home.

According to the Veterans Health Initiative, active male members of the military were hospitalized due to TBI related injuries at a rate of 231 per 100,000. The rate for female members of the military was 150 per 100,000. Based on these statistics over 4,000 military personnel are hospitalized on average each year for traumatic brain injuries. Some are as mild as a concussion, while others can be severe and have life altering effects.

The best way to prevent TBI is through awareness. Recognizing and responding to the symptoms of a TBI can often aid in the preventing further damage caused by the injury. Dizziness, headaches, changes in personality or sleep patterns, and memory loss are clear signs of TBI. Unfortunately these symptoms can sometimes be ignored or discarded as minor pains during times of conflict and even once the solider returns home. This sets up a dangerous precedent for a war wound that may never heal, so it is vital that serviceman and their families are aware of TBI, so that they can recognize and help treat it if symptoms are present.

Has your soldier or a soldier that you know come back with these symptoms? I know guys that have these symptoms. Maybe it's worth looking into. I posted this not as an advertisement for this facility but because I felt the information within this article would be beneficial to my readers. Now you have more information. I find it interesting that through all the conversations and briefings I've been partied to I haven't received this basic information of TBI.

Happier news:
Jim Beam (yea you know it) has teamed up with Operation Homefront to give a lucky service member a once in a lifetime opportunity. Visit Jim Beam and nominate your soldier for one of the following prizes!

The final two days of a major golf championship at Pebble Beach on 19 and 20 June 2010.
A home game for a professional baseball team on Chicago's South Side on 10 July.
A Kid Rock concert and the opportunity to meet Kid Rock in 2010.



Even though I'm hoping mine'll win! woot woot!
:)
A big thanks to Jim Beam and Operation Homefront for their support and recognition of our military and their families.

1 comment:

tehlia said...

It is very interesting that they don't mention this at any briefings. They are really up on Suicide prevention, although I don't think they do as much as they can for that. But TBI is really huge and should definitely not be ignored. I have a friend who was involved in an accident and was in a-coma for 2 weeks. Everything was fine when she came to but years later she is starting to have memory loss about certain portions of her day. She has to make constant lists.

Fellow milspouse, Army and blogger.

www.rawadventuresarmywife.blogspot.com