December Meeting

Happy birthday, Kim!!

This month's meeting was very productive.  We talked about possibilities for the 2016 Brain Awareness Open House.  The event will be March 17th, from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm in the UW's HUB Ballroom.  We will be, as always, seeing kids from grade school through high school, as well as parents and teachers.  Hard to believe we've been doing this for 20 years!

We are also looking for more ways to increase visibility in the community.  All too often, hydrocephalus isn't talked about.  This led to the discussion(s) about many ways that hydrocephalus is acquired.  This includes any type of head trauma.  Yes, this is where our discussion usually leads, but it is still very relevant.  It also includes the education of first responders.

We also talked about Chris Harris' death and the horrific incident that brought about his disability--including his TBI.  Again, it brings things back around to training of first responders and the myth about 'retraining' people who have an inclination towards violence and excessive force in dealing with 'suspects'.  Shandy Cobain was also 'retrained' after kicking a 'suspect' about the head (and genitals) while yelling racist comments--then expecting the guy to 'walk it off'.  In both instances, it was mistaken identity.  In one case, it cost a man his life and livelihood, while the other was simply 'lucky' to come away without life altering, physical damage.  Chris Harris' offender is still part of the Sheriff's department and has, according to news reports, had other excessive force issues.  Big surprise!

I would like to see us get a group together to go to New Day NW, a local talk show.  I would also like to see them address hydrocephalus in on their health focus Wed. show.  It would also be great to have a corporate sponsor for some marketing projects.  Every year we talk about wanting to have our own reusable bags, tee-shirts and giveaway items at Brain Awareness.

I'll be posting the 2016 meeting schedule shortly.

RERUN: FRONTLINE'S REPORT ON CTE

PBS ran part one of Frontline's report on CTE and the history of its discovery.  It is really a great report, one that pulls no punches.  Worth seeing again (and again)!

This is definitely something to have in one's personal collection/library.  As always I would like to see the connection made between head injuries and acquired hydrocephalus.

I'm sure that this is being shown again since the movie based on Dr. Omalu's work is coming out soon.  It wasn't lost on me that Dr. Omalu did an interview on GMA around the same time.

I disagree that football is going to be killed off by the publicity/awareness.  There will always be those who don't believe that CTE is a real risk for themselves or their children--no matter what.  Just as there will always be those parents who don't believe that there is an increased risk for their 4 year olds in playing pee-wee football.  There will also be those cheerleaders, soccer players, etc. who won't believe that any of this would/could ever happen to them.

December Meeting/Chris Harris' Death

Next Saturday, December 19th, is our final meeting for 2015!  Hard to believe.  As usual, we will meet in the Casey Room at Swedish Hospital's Cherry Hill campus from 12:45 pm to 3:00 pm.  Drop ins and kids are welcome.

Sad to report that Chris Harris has died.  Six years ago he was mistakenly identified by a King County Sheriff's deputy as a criminal and body slammed him, head first, into the wall of a local movie theater, causing severe brain damage.  Our group's thoughts and prayers have always been with Mr. Harris and his family, just as they are with his passing.  Unfortunately, while the medical examiner has reclassified Mr. Harris' death as a homicide, the Sheriff's deputy won't be facing any charges.  He was 'retrained' and cleared about four years ago of any wrong-doing.

As I stated in an earlier post, we have submitted our application for the 2016 UW Brain Awareness Open House event, set for March.  Hopefully, there will also be representatives from the UW's helmet program, a public private partnership, that is developing a helmet that better protects the brain during football.  According to local news reports, the helmet will hopefully be available in 2016!

It also wasn't lost on me that now news reports are recognizing the dangers with cheerleading and sports, other than football, that pose a risk of head injury.  I do realize that there are lots of activities that pose a risk to acquiring hydrocephalus, through brain injury, but raising awareness of this is important.

We will have a lot to discuss this month!

BRAIN AWARENESS OPEN HOUSE 2016

The 2016 Brain Awareness Open House event (BAW) will be taking place on March 17th from 9:30 am to 1:30 pm in the HUB Ballroom at the University of Washington.  I've filled out our application for the event today.

I'm hoping we have lots of new material to hand out to the kids this year.  We will be seeing kids from elementary through high school, as usual.  Hopefully, lots of them!

Hopefully, there will be more discussion this year about acquired hydrocephalus, given the increasing awareness of the urgency in the field of head injury and acquired brain damage.

We are also going to be looking for volunteers and more members to help with the event for the day.

Thank You, Dick Wolf & Chicago Med!!

Loved the November 24th episode of Chicago Med!  They had a story about an older woman, believed to have dimentia, who turned out to have Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH).  In addition, they got the facts right!  Sadly, it is true that eighty percent of NPH cases aren't diagnosed.  They are most often written off as having Parkinson's, Alzheimer's or some form of dimentia, so they go untreated.  No need to create drama where it naturally exists.  Only wish they had shown the installation of the shunt.  No one is perfect.

Another aspect of the story I loved was showing the woman on her way to living a full life afterwards.  It was also great showing the spouse's side of things.

The only other show that has done an excellent job with telling a hydrocephalus story has been Gray's Anatomy (Thanks, Shonda Rhimes!).  Showing us not 'suffering' with our condition, but living full lives is always something to be embraced and celebrated.

Last Saturday's meeting was great.  It was small, with some members being out of town early for the holiday.  We talked about what is going on with us this month.  We also had a conference call with one out of town member.  Another topic of discussion was ideas for the 2016 Brain Awareness event.  That is tentitively going to be in March, 2016.

Heading The Ball

I saw an interview with Dr. Cantu recently, concerning the heading of balls in soccer.  While I was glad to see Dr. Cantu interviewed, in general, everyone else missed the point of the concern around this part of soccer.

It isn't that heading the ball itself is going to necessarily cause a concussion, but it DOES cause problems in the frontal lobe region, especially for children.  The brain isn't meant to be rocking back and forth in the skull.  The cerebral spinal fluid, which surrounds the brain, helps to protect the brain, but it doesn't make bruising or impacts to the brain itself impossible.  The inner part of the skull is rough and bumping the brain itself against it can cause bruising, bleeding and even short term damage that isn't readily apparent.  Some of that damage may be cumulatively damaging.

Dr. Richard Ellenbogen, neurosurgeon, has also been interviewed on the subject of concussions.  While it is quite possible for someone, specifically a child, to acquire a concussion through a bike accident, it is also possible to acquire a condition, like hydrocephalus, from such an accident.

There have been soccer players who have talked about 'safe' heading of the ball in soccer in the past, who have more recently altered their position, agreeing that there is no 'safe' heading of the ball, especially for kids who's brains are still developing.  There is still so much that is unknown about the brain and its development.

November Meeting: Happy Thanksgiving!

As always, it seems like only yesterday we were looking at the October meeting coming up.  Doesn't seem like November is here already!  This month's meeting will be held on the 21st, from 12:45 pm to 3:00 pm in the Casey Conference Room at Swedish Hospital's Cherry Hill campus (17th & Jefferson, Seattle).

Friends, family members, caregivers and those, of all ages, living with the condition of hydrocephalus are welcome to attend.  Drop ins and kids are welcome.  We will be having one or two members calling in during the meeting.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.