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On the Air: Brain Injury Radio Another Fork in the Road . . . . . . Allan Bateman – Preventive & Rehabilitative Therapist

On the Air: Brain Injury Radio Interview –

Another Fork in the Road

with

Allan Bateman – Preventive and Rehabilitative Therapist

images-1Therapy should be gentle. That is what Preventive and Rehabilitative Therapist, Allan Bateman, touts. He does not buy into the “No pain! No gain!” train of thought. He also believes that therapy is not one-size-fits-all. When he meets with a client, he searches for methods that will best help his client, and those methods

Allan Bateman - Preventive & Rehabilitative Therapist

Allan Bateman – Preventive & Rehabilitative Therapist

are ever-changing as the needs of the client change. Allan incorporates a lot of Eastern philosophy into his therapy like Qigong and martial arts. He uses their gentle movements to retrain the muscles to accomplish his goals.

Allan Bateman, PRT, was my husband, David’s, therapist for nearly seven years.

Allan Bateman & TBI Survivor, David Figurski - sometimes Allan even came to our home

Allan Bateman & TBI Survivor, David Figurski

Thank you, Allan, for sharing your knowledge and expertise with me and my listeners on “Another Fork in the Road” on the Brain Injury Radio Network.

Click the link below to listen to New York City-based Allan Bateman discuss how he approaches therapy with his clients.

See you “On the Air!”

Allan Bateman – Preventive Rehabilitative Therapist

Click here for a list of all “Another Fork in the Road” shows on the Brain Injury Radio Network.

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On the Air: Brain Injury Radio Another Fork in the Road: Catherine and Dan’s Reflections – Triking Across America

On the Air: Brain Injury Radio Interview with

Catherine (Cat) Brubaker and Dan Zimmerman

Another Fork in the Road:

Catherine and Dan’s Reflections – Triking Across America

images-1IMPORTANT NOTE: Because of technical difficulties, the show cuts out at the 6:37-minute marking and returns at the 10:30-minute marking. When the air is dead, drag the cursor to 10:30 and happy listening.

It was a pleasure to spend the evening with Catherine (Cat) Brubaker and Dan Zimmerman on my show, “Another Fork in the Road.” They are my heroes! It was such fun to dig into the depths of their feelings to learn what it meant to them toCat & Dan at the FInish Line 112914 travel across America for 5 months on recumbent trikes -a total of 5,300 miles.

If you missed the show, don’t fret. You can always listen to the archived show.

You can get to the interview by clicking the link at the bottom of this page. (Wait a few seconds for the audio to start.) Because of technical difficulties, the show cuts out at the 6:37-minute marking and returns at the 10:30-minute marking. When the air is dead, drag the cursor to 10:30 and start listening.

Cat Brubaker Crossing America – diagonally

Dan Pedaling to Maragaritaville

Dan Zimmerman Pedaling to Margaritaville

 

I hope you’ll tune in to my show, “Another Fork in the Road,” which airs the 1st and 3rd Sunday evenings of every month. The show starts at 5:00p Pacific Time and runs for 90 minutes. On the fifth Sunday in a month, Julie Kintz, Host of “Quantum Leap,” and I team up to cohost a show called “Another Quantum Leap in the Road.”

REMEMBER: Read above for directions for the technical difficulties.

See you “On the Air!”

Another Fork in the Road: Catherine and Dan’s Reflections – Triking Across America

Click here for a list of all “Another Fork in the Road” shows on the Brain Injury Radio Network.

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On the Air: Brain Injury Radio Interview with Christian Jungersen author of “You Disappear”

On the Air: Brain Injury Radio

Interview with Christian Jungersen

author of “You Disappear”

images-1IMPORTANT NOTE: Because of technical difficulties with sound, the interview starts at 14:20. Just drag the audio to that spot and start listening.

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You Disappear by Christian Jungersen

Folks, I had an amazing interview with Christian Jungersen, author of “You Disappear.” Christian’s story jumps on the rollercoaster life of a man who has a brain injury. Frederik’s slow-growing tumor is wreaking havoc in his and his family’s life. The book is a great read. The interview is a great listen. Don’t miss out on either.

Christian’s very poised and professional interview was conducted at 2:00 to 3:30 am from his home in Malta, an island in the Mediterranean Sea.

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Christian Jungersen

You can get to the interview by clicking the link. (Wait a few seconds for the audio to start.) Because of technical difficulties with sound, the interview starts at 14:20. Just drag the audio to that spot and start listening.

If you missed the show, don’t fret. You can always listen to the archived show. I’ve included the link below.

Please SHARE!

I hope you’ll tune in to my show, “Another Fork in the Road,” which airs the 1st and 3rd Sunday evenings of every month. The show starts at 5:00p Pacific Time and runs for 90 minutes. On the fifth Sunday in a month, Julie Kintz, Host of “Quantum Leap,” and I team up to cohost a show called “Another Quantum Leap in the Road.”

REMEMBER: Because of technical difficulties with sound, the interview starts at 14:20. Just drag the audio to that spot and start listening.

See you “On the Air!”

Interview with Christian Jungersen

Click here for a list of all “Another Fork in the Road” shows on the Brain Injury Radio Network.

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On the Air: Brain Injury Radio Holiday Stressors

On the Air: Brain Injury Radio – Holiday Stressors

Holiday-stressMany people suffer with stress brought on by the holidays. But holiday stress can be exaggerated when someone is living with a brain injury. Julie Kintz and Donna O’Donnell Figurski hosts of “Another Quantum Leap in the Road” talked about how to get through the holidays. They examined possible stressors and suggested ways to overcome many problems that result.

Here are some sites that offer more information.

Brain Injury – Surviving Holiday Stress by Marilyn Lash of Lash & Associates

Enjoying the Holidays After Brain Injury

15 Tips for Surviving — and Enjoying — the Holidays with TBI

If you missed the show, don’t fret. You can always listen to the archived show. I’ve included the link th-1below.

Please SHARE!

I hope you’ll tune in to my show, “Another Fork in the Road,” which airs the 1st and 3rd Sunday evenings of every month. The show starts at 5:00p Pacific Time and runs for 90 minutes. On the fifth Sunday in a month, Julie Kintz, Host of “Quantum Leap,” and I team up to cohost a show called “Another Quantum Leap in the Road.”

See you “On the Air!”

On the Air: Brain Injury Radio – Holiday Stressors

Click here for a list of all “Another Fork in the Road” shows on the Brain Injury Radio Network.

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On the Air: Brain Injury Radio Interview with Melissa Cronin

On the Air – Brain Injury Radio

Interview with Melissa Cronin, author of “Invisible Bruise”

in “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Recovering From Traumatic Brain Injuries”

Melissa CroninMelissa shares her life both before and after her TBI. She said she was an energetic child who loved to run and play. In college she became a serious student as she pursued her career as a pediatric and a neonatal nurse, a career she loved. But, Melissa’s nursing career ended on that fateful day when a car went rogue careening through 2 1/2 blocks of the Santa Monica, California Farmer’s Market leaving Melissa with not only broken bones and a ruptured spleen, but also with a Traumatic Brain Injury.Melissa playing fiddle

Melissa has picked up the pieces and has found new loves. Her Irish fiddle; her husband, John; and her new career as a writer are just some of her newly adopted loves (NOT in that order).

If you missed Melissa’s interview, don’t fret. You can always listen to the archived show. I’ve included the link below.9781611592399_p0_v3_s260x420

Please SHARE!

I hope you’ll tune in to my show, “Another Fork in the Road,” which airs the 1st and 3rd Sunday evenings of every month. The show starts at 5:00p Pacific Time and runs for 90 minutes. On the fifth Sunday in a month, Julie Kintz, Host of “Quantum Leap,” and I team up to cohost a show called “Another Quantum Leap in the Road.”

See you “On the Air!”

Interview with Melissa Cronin, Author of “Invisible Bruise”

Click here for a list of all “Another Fork in the Road” shows on the Brain Injury Radio Network.

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On the Air – Brain Injury Radio Interview with Dr. David Figurski Prisoner without Bars: Conquering Traumatic Brain Injury

On the Air – Brain Injury Radio

Interview with Dr. David Figurski

Prisoner without Bars: Conquering Traumatic Brain Injury

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You’ve heard David’s story from my point of view. Yesterday David shared his perspective of living with traumatic brain injury. He spoke about how his life has greatly changed for better…and for worse.

david-running-in-hall-

David Figurski 3wks before Traumatic Brain Injury

We learned about David’s life as a child and his educational career, which he began as a Kindergarten dropout. He told of the years that led up to our marriage and also about his life as a Professor of Microbiology at Columbia University, both before and after his TBI. We found out how he is coping with this new life thrust upon him…and upon us. The show ends with me brushing tears from my cheeks as David talks about the heroic acts of caregivers and my role in his recovery.

12 D&D I Donna O'Donnell Figurski & David Figurski Dancing 13 copy

David & Donna Figurski Starlight Dance Studio 8yrs after Traumatic Brain Injury

If you missed the show, don’t fret. You can always listen to the archived show. I’ve included the link below.

Please SHARE!

I hope you’ll tune in to my show, “Another Fork in the Road,” which airs the 1st and 3rd Sunday evenings of every month. The show starts at 5:00p Pacific Time and runs for 90 minutes. On the fifth Sunday in a month, Julie Kintz, Host of “Quantum Leap,” and I team up to cohost a show called “Another Quantum Leap in the Road.”

 

See you “On the Air!”

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On the Air – Brain Injury Radio Julie Kintz Substitutes for Donna O’Donnell Figurski

On the Air – Brain Injury Radio

Julie Kintz sits in for Donna O’Donnell Figurski

Mark Ittleman, MS CCC-SLP, speech & language pathologist

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Due to a prior engagement, I was unable to host my show, Another Fork in the Road on the Brain Injury Radio Network on October 19, 2014. Fortunately for me and all my listeners, Julie Kintz of Quantum Leap stepped into her host shoes and interviewed a very interesting guest. Mark Ittleman, a speech and language pathologist, spoke of the many difficulties brain-injured survivors encounter after their injury. I will be back on November 2nd with Dr. David Figurski, (my spouse) who will give his perspective of his life as he conquers traumatic brain injury.

Mark explained his philosophy of therapy (it should be doable, interesting, and enjoyable), his methods (analysis, repetition, and modeling), and his strong desire to involve the caregiver (by his or her presence in the sessions, by learning from him, and by his writing simple-to-understand books – he’s working on one now). Mark cautioned survivors to get more than one prognosis because a prognosis is only a doctor’s opinion and because survivors are often more capable than people realize. Mark understands the power of the ability to communicate and suggested that survivors – even years after their trauma – can benefit from having a speech therapist.

If you missed the show, don’t fret. You can always listen to the archived show. I’ve included the link below.

Please SHARE!

I hope you’ll tune in to my show, Another Fork in the Road, which airs the 1st and 3rd Sunday evenings of every month. The show starts at 5:00p Pacific Time and runs for 90 minutes. On the 2nd and 4th Sundays at 5:00p Pacific Time, Julie Kintz hosts Quantum Leap. When there is a fifth Sunday in a month, Julie and I will team up to cohost a show called Another Quantum Leap in the Road.

See you “On the Air!”

(Click the link below to listen to the show.)

Julie Kintz interviews Mark Ittleman M.S. CCC/SLP. Mark will address speech difficulties after brain injury in both children and adults.  

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On the Air – Brain Injury Radio Interview – Catherine Brubaker Triking Across America

On the Air – Brain Injury Radio

Interview with Catherine (Cat) Brubaker

Triking Across America – diagonally

 

images-1In my interview of Catherine (“Cat”) Brubaker, Cat tells the story of her life before her brain injury, her two TBIs, and her recent 5200-mile trip across the US (diagonally) on a recumbent trike.

Cat came from a humble and religious family. As a child, she loved sports and the outdoors. Her parents sacrificed so that she could go to college, where she earned a B.S. degree in Psychology. That education has been immensely valuable to Cat, especially now that she has a brain injury. It was “probably the best education I have ever received from any institution.” Cat then went on to earn a Master’s Degree in 2007, with a perfect 4.0 average (all As). Her father passed away two years earlier, and Cat knew he would’ve been proud.

From Anacortes, Washington to Key West, Florida (5,200 miles)

In her mid-30s, Cat had made a great life for herself. She had a good job with lots of responsibility; she had a long-term relationship; and she was enjoying the independence of her life. Then she acquired her first TBI from an assault. She had to learn everything again. Cat had many deficits from her brain injury, including problems with balance. She suffered from Post-Concussive Syndrome and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). When Cat left the hospital a year later, she became involved in a head-on collision and received another TBI. For a second time, she had to relearn everything from scratch. Her long-term relationship ended, and she desperately missed her independence and freedom.  When her mother died unexpectedly, Cat hit bottom.

Meet Cat’s Grizzly Bear

Then Cat discovered the recumbent trike and regained some of her independence. She later met Dan Zimmerman, a stroke survivor, while he was riding his recumbent trike. They stopped and talked, and he told her of his plan to ride across the country. Cat decided immediately that she wanted to do it too. After much preparation, the trip is happening. Cat has been greatly moved by the outpouring of love and generosity. She wishes that everyone could experience so much love at least once. Cat discusses some details of her trip so far, including one time in Montana when she was alone and encountered a grizzly bear. Cat’s discussion will mesmerize you.

Ride, Cat, RIDE!

 

If you missed the show, don’t fret. You can always listen to the archived show. I’ve included the link below.

Please SHARE!

I hope you’ll tune in to my show, “Another Fork in the Road,” which airs the 1st and 3rd Sunday evenings of every month. The show starts at 5:00p Pacific Time and runs for 90 minutes. On the 2nd and 4th Sundays at 5:00p Pacific Time, Julie Kintz hosts “Quantum Leap.” When there is a fifth Sunday in a month, Julie and I will team up to cohost a show called “Another Quantum Leap in the Road.”

See you “On the Air!”

 

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

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On the Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brain Injury Radio “Prisoner Without Bars” (segment 3 & epilogue)

On the Air – Brain Injury Radio

“Prisoner Without Bars” (segment 3 & epilogue)

 

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The red light in the studio is blinking. A voice from nowhere says, “Your show will start in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 second. ‘You’re On the Air.’” Then a second of dead air occurs before the Brain Injury Radio logo music plays. There’s no turning back…

“We lived a normal life…until we didn’t….”

In this third and last part of “Prisoner Without Bars: Conquering Traumatic Brain Injury,” I completed my husband David’s and my journey through the first year-and-a-half of our new life in this TBI maze. I also included an epilogue, which brings the story to current time.

I tell stories of how David loved the barium-dipped cookies during the fluoroscopy test to determine his swallowing ability – or lack of it. I tell how David insisted on having “dessert first” before all meals, of my crash course in Nursing 101, 102, and 103 before David was released to my custody – all too soon – from the rehabilitation hospital, and how he was honored as the keynote speaker at a scientific symposium in Colorado to present his research. I talked about David’s transition to home after rehab and eventually his return to his laboratory at Columbia University. The story goes on and on, as does life. There’s never a dull moment when living with TBI.

I hope you’ll tune in to my show, “Another Fork in the Road,” which airs the 1st and 3rd Sunday evenings of every month. The show starts at 5:00p Pacific Time and runs for 90 minutes. On the 2nd and 4th Sundays at 5:00p Pacific Time, Julie Kintz hosts “Quantum Leap.” When there is a fifth Sunday in a month, Julie and I will team up to cohost a show called “Another Quantum Leap in the Road.”

“See you “On the Air!”

Click on the bar below to hear this radio show.

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

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On the Air – Brain Injury Radio “Prisoner Without Bars” (segment 2)

On the Air – Brain Injury Radio

“Prisoner Without Bars” (segment 2)

images-1This show takes David bouncing across the George Washington Bridge in an ambulance blaring rap music to his rehabilitation hospital where he would spend the next two months of recovery.

Listen to stories about life in the lockdown unit, of strange roommates, staff being fired, and Hasidic chanting in this second segment of “Prisoner Without Bars: Conquering Traumatic Brain Injury.” There’s never a dull moment when living with TBI.

“Your show will start in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 second. ‘You’re On the Air.’” There was a second of dead air time before the Brain Injury Radio logo music began. Then there was no turning back…

“We lived a normal life…until we didn’t….”

I hope you’ll tune into my show the 1st and 3rd Sunday evenings of every month. The show airs at 5:00p Pacific time and runs for 90 minutes.

“See you “On the Air!”

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