Ants in my Brain A daughter’s brain injury survival story - a mother’s perspective
Produktdetaljer
Biografisk notat
Sally-Ann Mowbray grew up on a farm in Devon. She is the proud mother of four adult children and a doting grandmother. Now retired, she lives in West Dorset, where she is currently renovating a cottage with her husband, Adrian. Sally-Ann enjoys reading, gardening, food, running, and yoga. In her professional past, she trained in Cordon Bleu cookery. She has worked as a film and TV caterer in London, a restaurant manager for the National Trust, and operated her own teashop in Devon. After starting a family, Sally-Ann worked as a school and veterinary receptionist, as well as a daffodil and strawberry picker.<p>"I hope you find this book informative, enjoyable and a great read, I certainly did"</p><p>(Dr Colette Griffin MBBS MD FRCP, Consultant Neurologist</p>
ANTS IN MY BRAIN is a true story of a daughter's recovery from a serious acquired brain injury after being knocked down by a car whilst out running in London one morning in 2014. It's written from a mothers perspective.
Rosie's journey starts at the side of the Durnsford Road, South London where she was knocked down, then to St Georges Hospital in Tooting. It continues onto The Wolfson neuro rehabilitation unit at Queen Marys Hospital, Putney and progresses to Charmouth in Dorset before Rosie eventually returns to London.
Thought-provoking and light-hearted, it aims to have the reader laughing, crying and questioning. It has a real connection with life today and how a family copes with that 'curveball' thrown at them out of the blue. It will take the reader through the different stages of brain injury recovery and is entwined with the reality of day-to-day life. It incorporates heartfelt passages from mother to daughter at different stages and is interspersed at poignant points with lyrics about recovery from a current folk/punk singer-songwriter (permission agreed with Frank Turner and Xtra Mile recordings).
This inspirational book aims to show how a serious injury to a family member can have knock on effects to others close to them and how love and support can make the difference to a person's recovery from a life changing accident. It also proves how our brains have amazing powers to heal themselves and how remaining positive and hopeful can pull us through those dark times in our lives.
It could be helpful to brain injury survivors, their families and friends and many others going through trauma and challenging times of any sort.
It may also be helpful to professionals and students, both medical and therapeutic, as it gives a positive insight into NHS critical care to community care, told through the eyes of someone outside of these professions.
It is largely based in St Georges hospital, Tooting a well-known London hospital due to the TV series '24 hours in A and E' which could make it an appealing read for followers of this programme. It also references West Dorset which is a popular destination for holiday makers with its glorious countryside and seascapes.
Foreword by Dr Colette Griffin, Consultant Neurologist
Introduction
H... is for healing
Chapter 1 From Roadside to Resuscitation 3
Chapter 2 Critical but Stable 16
Chapter 3 Waiting for the Storm to Pass 25
Chapter 4 Ups and Downs on ITU 34
Chapter 5 The Possible Paths of Recovery 42
Chapter 6 The Day Room 46
Chapter 7 Dorset for a Day 51
Chapter 8 From ITU to Brodie Ward 58
Chapter 9 Christmas of a Different Sort 67
Chapter 10 Facing the New Year with Hope 73
Chapter 11 Move to Kent Ward 75
O... is for optimism
Chapter 12 Mobile Phone Magic 87
Chapter 13 Where's Mum? 93
Chapter 14 Low after the High 100
Chapter 15 Our Butterfly Emerging 108
Chapter 16 Friends Start Visiting 115
Chapter 17 Bye-bye, Nasogastric 118
Chapter 18 Post Traumatic Amnesia Antics 123
Chapter 19 Physical Challenges and Tea-making 129
Chapter 20 Tooting Expedition 133
P... is for positivity
Chapter 21 Wolfson - Here We Come! 143
Chapter 22 Weekends Out 148
Chapter 23 Dorset for Easter 153
Chapter 24 Adrian's 50th and the Rude Aussie 158
Chapter 25 Queen Mary's - the Last Leg 160
Chapter 26 Rosie's Birthday Shenanigans 163
Chapter 27 Polling Day Pride 167
Chapter 28 Leaving Hospital for Dorset 170
Chapter 29 Ants in my Brain... and Weetabix Have Feelings 175
Chapter 30 Rehab Repetition! 177
Chapter 31 Last Ops and the Elusive Consultant 183
Chapter 32 Roots and Wings 185
Chapter 33 Growing a Thicker Skin 192
Chapter 34 Golden Cap November Milestone 196
Chapter 35 First Steps to Independence 200
Chapter 36 2016 - Show Us What You've Got! 204
E... is for embrace
Chapter 37 London: the Start 209
Chapter 38 The Respite Return 217
Chapter 39 The Legal Slog Continues... 222
Chapter 40 London: the Next Junction 236
Afterword: Ten Years On - 2024 240
Author's Note 247
Glossary of Terms 249
Thanks and Acknowledgements 250
References and Copyright 253