Customer Reviews

Brain, Heal Thyself: A Caregiver's New Approach to Recovery from Stroke, Aneurysm, And Traumatic Brain Injuries

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Anyone looking for inspiration dealing with a chronic illness or a brain injury...heck, anyone looking for just a darn good "read"... will find Siles' memoir of best friend Eve's aneurysm recovery fascinating and downright remarkable. Siles' direct, humorous, and brutally honest style draws the reader in from the first sentence. You'll find yourself nodding your head in agreement with her assessments of often contradictory medical thinking and cheering Eve on as she, under Siles' practical guidance, begins her remarkable recovery. If you doubt that belief in a higher power, a positive attitude, and dogged perserverance don't effect recovery, you're wrong. They're just as important as medical science and Siles and Eve prove it!

For anyone thrust without warning or experience into the role of caregiver for someone recovering from a brain injury or stroke, this book is a must-read. Ms. Siles easy style of writing brings you to tears with her down to earth honesty yet can also make you laugh as she describes the impishness of Eve as she begins her recovery. It gives hope to those who have been told their love one is destined to be a vegetable the rest of his/her life. Ms. Siles and Eve prove doctors don't always know best.

Ms. Siles has written one of the most inspiring books I've had the pleasure to read! Her story of a friend's recovery from brain injury, from a non-medical point of view, is fascinating, and will bring great hope to other care-givers and victims alike.

The most compelling aspect of this book is its honesty. It should be "required reading" for all doctors and patients who face stroke, aneurism, and brain injury.

This book was interesting, but not particularly helpful in terms of information. I sincerely hope the caregiver has stopped smoking since this is one of the number one causes of stroke and I can't imagine smoking around a stroke victim. The degree of care provided to the stroke victim by the author is interesing as it certainly did not impress me as what would be provided by someone in a true caretaker role--no mention of attending PT sessions, meeting with physicians, etc. Also no real information on what was helpful and what wasn't in terms of care. There's a big deal made about the link between the author's experience in advertising and her ability to motivate/inspire the victim, but this was not evident to me at all in the actual text of the book.

I do not remember the excrutiating pain I was apparently in when I had my brain aneurysm. Nor do I recall my months of recovery in hospitals and the nursing home. But I am very grateful that my friend and caregiver never gave up on using her emotion-based approach to brain rehab. I typed the manuscript for Brain, Heal Thyself. I also proofread it. I believe all caregivers and stroke patients (who can read) SHOULD read Brain, Heal Thyself. This caregiving method saved my life. I give this book seven stars!
Eve

I am a caregiver for someone recovering from a stroke - so I read the second part of the book first, where Madonna takes Eve home and begins her common sense and using-everything-she-ever-learned-in-life approach to helping her friend recover. Every occupational therapist in America should be required to read this book. It's a great book, an easy read, by a wonderful, creative, funny, honest human being. Madonna will cause you to start thinking creatively about how you can help your loved one in your daily interactions with them. A must read for anyone helping someone recover emotionally and/or cognitively, because relating to them as if they are still a competent human being is vital for rebuilding their confidence to keep trying, and by continued trying they recover.(that's a bit of knowledge that our medical community has failed to pick up on)

This is a good book about the before, during and after of a drama like brain injuries. The author explains how lonely is the care-taker and how overwhelming is the task. I am in a similare situation as my husband had a stroke at the young age of 46 and I found support and understanding through the pages of this book.
All the aspects are approached like the difficulties, the fears, the financial aspects etc.... a well as the hope, the happiness related to each achievement, the ups and downs and the faith into a future, different from the past but still worth fighting for life.
A must read

Every stroke, aneurysm, traumatic brain injury is different which is one reason it is so tough to deal with recovery, especially with the "at home stage". My husband suffered a massive stroke with evolved to a crainectomy so I have gone thru years of being a caretaker.

what I loved this book is that so many of the suthor's situations and emotions were so "spot on". From being totally overwhelmed in the beginning that one is primarily reacting vs being pro active in dealing with the days after "the event", to learning how to take one day at a time or celebrating one small improvement, to evolving/figuring out a home treatment plan. The hard parts are coming up with ideas for home rehab because the survivor and caretaker are left on their own, and most important, for the caretaker not to get lost in the process.

It was well worth reading.

Brain, Heal Thyself: A Caregiver's New Approach To Recovery From Stroke, Aneurysm, And Traumatic Brain Injuries is one of the most important self-help books on the market. The author's good friend experienced a near-fatal brain aneurysm and recovered: her title blends memoir and medical insights and will appeal to any caregiver who wants a blend of `how to' and biography.

First off, I'm a caregiver to a stroke patient - my husband, who is 40, and is suffered from 2 massive strokes end of last year and still hospitalized.

The book basically is a testimony of how the author has helped her best friend to get back on her feet from the stroke.

This book is not only an enjoyable read(the author is extremely funny, sometimes, a laugh can help a lot in situation like this), but also offers many constructive ideas of how a caregiver can survive through this life's brutal episode. Yes, a caregiver needs to be well alive first, then to "give care". Because her/his well-being is all it counts when their loved one is struck from a brain trauma. And this book has taught us how.

After reading the book twice, I was really moved by their friendship described in the book. The author has done her best to bring her dear friend back to normal; If she can do that to her friend, there's no reason that I cannot do the same to my husband, and this thought has helped me survived till now.

Back to my husband, after 2 massive strokes and craniotomies and lying in the ICU for 2 weeks, he now can read the newspaper daily and feed himself with fork. Still can't he be able to talk yet, but we're so sure that my strong, funny and loving husband will come back soon.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who needs a confidence boost when taking care to a brain trauma patient, or simply wants an enjoyable read.

God bless.

Fannie