Abby’s Brainy Bounce Back
As Abby Weissfeld neared her college graduation in the spring of 2018, she was prepared for a future typical of any college senior; ordering a cap and gown, sending invitations and trying to find motivation to make it to the early classes. She was not prepared, however, for an accident that would put a harsh end to those plans.
Abby was driving back to Miami University when her car hit a telephone pole. Badly injured, she was airlifted to Miami Valley Hospital where she was held in the intensive care unit for one week. Heavily sedated and greatly confused. Abby sustained collapsed lungs, broken vertebrae, and massive head trauma. She does not remember any of this.
“I remembered being in the car the day of the accident,” Weissfeld said. “I remember switching on the Rent soundtrack, and that’s the only part of the accident I remember.”
Abby’s memory issues also affected her recall of the hospital stay.
“I was in the hospital for a little over a week and at first I couldn’t remember any of it,” Weissfeld said. “Now I remember little snippets.”
Abby suffered what is widely known as a traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injury or TBI is a widely encompassing category that affects more than 1.5 million Americans every year, according to the Mayo Clinic.
“Traumatic brain injury is a very loose definition,” said Dr. Jocelyn Folk.
Dr. Jocelyn Folk, a Kent State professor of neuroscience explains that the term traumatic brain injury falls on an injury spectrum, extending from mild to severe. A concussion vs a hematoma, or as Abby experienced, brain bleeds. There is no “one size fits all” approach to remedy.
“It’s a wide range,” said Dr. Folk, “the treatments are going to vary.”
The degree of damage is not the only incidental factor, the location of the affected brain area plays a large role in exactly what psychological and physical processes are affected.
“It’s what makes the symptoms vary,” Dr. Folk said. “It can affect things in very different ways. Your psychological and physical state is based on where it is as well as the severity.”
Traumatic brain injury treatments are tailored to fit the specific injury. Treatments can include invasive surgery or simple concussion protocol. Prognosis for moderate and severe brain injuries are often much more difficult to predict.
Dr. Folk, who specializes in the cognitive process, explains that severe injuries lead to symptoms that are complex and not entirely understood, notedly, psychological and emotional changes.
“At first things were tough because I was sad,” explained Abby. “There were also several things that I never liked before that I suddenly I enjoyed. “
Before the accident Abby absolutely hated beer and running; this summer she is working her way through her Summit County brewery pass and plans on running a 10k this summer.
“There are often much more psychological, anxiety and depression mood changes associated with [severe trauma]” said Dr. Folk.
TBI treatment is relatively new in the field of medicine with a complicated and evolving basis that often relies on the latest research.
Treatments are centered around strengthening damaged neural connections and in severe cases, creating new pathways.
“We don’t always know what’s happening,” explained Dr. Folk. “There is so much we know about the brain but also so much we don’t know.”
The map and blueprints neuroscientists use to understand the brain come from studying cases of traumatic brain injury.
“In cognitive neuropsychology the whole goal of the area is to study disordered cognition so that we can learn more about normal cognition,” explains Dr. Folk. “By looking at the errors that people make you can actually learn more about the unimpaired system.”
Lasting effects for brain injury are hard to predict. Symptoms can last for years or in Abby’s case only a few months.
Abby, who is to begin an internship in the summer, is attempting to just “chill for a minute.”
“I don’t have to plan out everything,” Weisfield said. “I’m not supposed to plan out everything in my life, I just need to appreciate what I have and trust that things will work out.”
