PublishedViking, August 2015 |
ISBN9780525426561 |
FormatHardcover, 314 pages |
Dimensions23.6cm × 16.4cm |
In 1999, Clark Elliott suffered a concussion when his car was rear-ended. Overnight his life changed from that of a rising professor with a research career in artificial intelligence to a humbled man struggling to get through a single day. At times he couldn't walk across a room, or even name his five children.
Doctors told him he would never fully recover. After eight years, the cognitive demands of his job, and of being a single parent, finally became more than he could manage. As a result of one final effort to recover, he crossed paths with two brilliant Chicago-area research-clinicians - one a specialized optometrist, the other a cognitive psychologist - working on the leading edge of brain plasticity. Within weeks the ghost of who he had been started to re-emerge. Remarkably, Elliott kept detailed notes throughout his experience, from the moment of impact to the final stages of his recovery, astounding documentation that is the basis of this fascinating book. The Ghost in My Brain gives hope to the millions who suffer from head injuries each year, and provides a unique and informative window into the world's most complex computational device- the human brain. 'Inspiring . . . A professor of artificial intelligence loses much of his higher function after an auto accident. Numerous specialists diagnose a concussion and tell him to 'get over it' - no small assignment for a professor and single father. He is ultimately referred to a neuro-optometrist who studies both the visual and the non-visual roles of the retina for the brain. Through exercises and progressive changes of glasses, his visual and mental function are restored and his professional and personal life regained. Read it, first weep, then smile broadly!' Daniel Federman, former dean, Harvard School of Medical Education and past president of the American College of Physicians 'A must read for anyone in emergency medicine, trauma care, neurology, and primary care, as well as concussion sufferers and their families. It has made me a better clinical instructor and diagnostician by improving my index of suspicion for brain injury, helped me provide better advice to patients and their loved ones, and motivated me to develop a better standard of care in my practice.' Ted C. Shieh, M.D., F.A.C.E.P., Clinical Instructor in Emergency Medicine, RUSH Medical College, Chairman of Emergency Medicine and Immediate Care, DuPage Medical Group 'I have diagnosed more than 600 Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) cases over thirty years of practice, and know firsthand the devastating effect they can have on virtually any family. Dr. Clark Elliott does an incredible job of captivating his reading audience and then skillfully introduces them to the altered world of a MTBI patient. His comprehensive and creative analysis of this pathological epidemic is uniquely insightful, accurate, scary - and most importantly encouraging - for those who are afflicted with this disorder.' Michael P. Szatalowicz, D.C., A.O., Whiplash Trauma Specialist
