| Xlibris Corporation (2008) | | | | in a manner that is interesting and easy to understand. |
| ISBN 9781436322461 | | | | In addition to telling her story, Laura also offers healing |
| In 1998, Laura Bruno was in a car accident that left her | | | | hints, appendices with essays and interviews with |
| with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). She was | | | | people who are involved in the healing process. She |
| 24-years-old at the time and working on her graduate | | | | also offers networking and contact information. This |
| school fellowship. The damage caused to her brain | | | | also includes book recommendations and websites. I |
| forced her to put her education and career on hold, | | | | couldn't find anything lacking. |
| while focusing on her recovery. "If I Only Had a Brain | | | | As both someone with fibromyalgia and a person that |
| Injury" tells Laura's story of learning to overcome her | | | | works with individuals with disabilities, I found that I |
| disability. Along the way, she discovered that what she | | | | gained a lot of insight into both my illness and those of |
| learned to help herself can also help others who are | | | | people that I work with on a daily basis. The day after I |
| dealing with illnesses that affect their sense of self. | | | | read this book, a woman came into my classroom |
| These illnesses include: chronic fatigue, brain cancer, | | | | with a TBI. It was wonderful to have just learned about |
| fibromyalgia, vertigo, candida overgrowth, concussion, | | | | the issues that she is dealing with. I felt that I could be |
| Lyme disease, migraines and other "Medical Mystery." | | | | more empathetic to her situation and having that |
| Six years after her accident, her husband was stricken | | | | understanding also gave me a better idea of how I |
| with a mysterious disabling illness that turned out to be | | | | can help meet her needs in my program. The effects |
| Lyme Disease. | | | | of her TBI are different from most of my students |
| Laura compares her story to Dorothy's in "The Wizard | | | | with TBI, and more similar to the author's. If I had not |
| of Oz," because Dorothy's journey begins when she | | | | had this information, I might have assumed that I was |
| has a concussion and continues on as she tries to find | | | | dealing more with a mental health issue. Her speech |
| her way home. Her experience in having a TBI and her | | | | was very clear, yet her words were mixed up. I am so |
| background in life coaching, medical intuition, Reiki and | | | | grateful that I read this book first. |
| writing provide her with the tools to write a heartfelt, | | | | I highly recommend "If I Only Had a Brain Injury" to |
| yet informative guide to healing and recovery. "If I Only | | | | individuals who are experiencing illnesses that affect |
| Had a Brain Injury" inspires both individuals who are | | | | their sense of self and to their care providers. |
| experiencing illness and their care providers to look for | | | | Everything that they could possibly need to help them |
| the positives in their healing experience. | | | | take positive action towards their recovery is |
| There is a wealth of information provided in this book | | | | contained within these pages. |