Monthly Archives: October 2011

An Omaha woman was critically injured in a car crash this weekend, suffering a brain hemorrhage and internal injuries. Rachel Richards, 24, was driving in the early morning hours Saturday with passenger Matthew Gilkerson, 21, of Omaha, when she lost control of her car on southbound Abbot Drive, south of Fort Street. Her car went over the center median and hit a tree, uprooting it, then coming to rest in the northbound lanes. Authorities took Richards to the Nebraska Medical Center where she was listed in extremely critical condition. Gilkerson was taken to the hospital as well with a minor head injury and a broken arm, but his injuries were not considered life threatening. Witnesses say Richards was speeding, and police say alcohol was a factor in the crash. Richards will be very fortunate if she survives her brain injury. Drinking and driving creates the perfect conditions for traumatic injuries…
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A new program in Colorado Springs is helping military personnel suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder deal with their affliction through one of man’s oldest pastimes: art. Veterans and retired military personnel are getting help from an organization called Military Creative Expressions in art therapy. A veteran named Juliet Madsen was forced to retire after an explosion in Iraq gave her a traumatic brain injury, leading to the development of PTSD. She tried yoga and medication, among other things, but the only thing that seemed to help was the art therapy provided by MCE. Madsen paints and quilts, and several of her quilts have been displayed in the Library of Congress. She says, “The more I painted, the more I quilted, the better I felt, the more calm I felt.” With 30 active artists in the program, the organization is attempting to expand their offerings to members of artists’ families in…
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The number of athletic children going to the hospital for concussions is up 60 percent from a decade ago, according to a new federal study. This large hike in the rate of hospital visits is likely due to increased awareness of the dangers of brain injury among parents and educators. This awareness is becoming more noticeable in high-school football programs nationwide, who are re-thinking their policies towards concussions. Many are implementing new programs requiring players to sit out of games until a medical professional can verify that they no longer have a concussion. A second impact to a brain injury can lead to permanent damage and often death. As football is the leading cause of these types of brain injuries, it is encouraging that schools are adjusting their policies according to current medical findings on brain injury. Authorities note that a concussion is not a bruise to the brain but…
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