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This text-based course is a written transcript of the event, “Pragmatics and Social Issues Associated with TBI” presented by Jean Neils-Strunjas, Ph.D. and Brendan Wiese on October 31, 2011.
>> Amy Natho: I would like to welcome you to the SpeechPathology.com e‑learning expert seminar entitled Pragmatics and Social Issues Associated with TBI. At this time it's very much a pleasure to introduce Dr. Jean Neils‑Strunjas and Brendan Wiese. Jean Neils‑Strunjas, Ph.D., is a Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Armstrong Atlantic State University and at the University of Cincinnati. She has taught graduate level courses on cognitive communication disorders, and has conducted research on cognitive disorders and remediation strategies. Brendan Wiese, BA, is a student and athletic trainer. He has had a remarkable recovery from a severe traumatic brain injury. Brendan lectures about his recovery and strategies that have helped him. So welcome Jean and Brendan, we're very pleased to have you here today.
Introduction and Overview:
>> Jean: Thank you. First of all, I would like to thank Amy Natho for all the help that she's given to Brendan and me in preparing the presentation today, and to SpeechPathology.com, who provides excellent support to the speakers. I would also like to thank Brendan Wiese, my co‑presenter. Brendan continues to amaze me in the recovery that he's made from his severe traumatic brain injury. One of my colleagues and a physician that Brendan has worked with, Dr. Sullivan, described Brendan as one of the top recovery cases that he's seen. Out of 2000 individuals with traumatic brain injury, he rated Brendan as the top 2 in making a fantastic recovery, and I think you'll see that as we go through the presentation today. At the same time, Brendan does struggle with a lot of the issues that other individuals who recover from traumatic brain injuries do, so his insight and his suggestions I think are especially valuable to speech‑language pathologists and psychologists and other rehabilitation workers. As Amy described to you, I am a Professor and also a speech‑language pathologist.
The topic today is “Pragmatic and Social Issues Associated with Long‑term Recovery and Traumatic Brain Injury.” Pragmatic impairments are very common in severe traumatic brain injury. Also presenting with me is Brendan Wiese, and Brendan will tell you a little bit about himself.
>> Brendan: Thank you, Jean, and thank you, Amy, for the introduction. Like they said, my name is Brendan Wiese. My accident (below is a newsletter from the hospital which I was airlifted to) was November 29th, 2004. It was a car accident. I'll talk more about the injury a little later in the presentation, but I guess I was airlifted. The impact was to my left frontal lobe and it put me in a coma for 28 days. Like Jean also said, I like to give presentations, and I visit families and victims in the hospital or in their recovery to help give my insight and how I've had my recovery over the past almost 7 years.
