TBI – Survivors, Caregivers, Family, and Friends

Posts tagged ‘Professor David Figurski’

Read All About It! . . . . . . . Prisoners without Bars: A Caregiver’s Tale

Read All About It!

Prisoners without Bars: A Caregiver’s Tale

presented by 

Donna O’Donnell Figurski – author

Donna & David with ARC of Prisoners without Bars: A Caregiver’s Tale

My memoir, Prisoners without Bars: A Caregiver’s Tale, is not only a story of David’s and my struggles after his traumatic brain injury, but it is also a love story. Though my memoir addresses a dire topic, it is peppered with comedic situations. They say laughter is the best medicine, and again, they are right.

Prisoners without Bars is a heart-wrenching memoir that will make you laugh, cry, and G-A-S-P. I promise!

Boy Laughing

Girl Crying girl-crying-clipart-34

Girl Gasping 2

It’s not a beach read, but it reads like one. It’s fast! It’s easy! It’s fascineasy. I mean fascinating.

What Readers are Saying!

Jackie said – “A beautiful and touching story.”

Anonymous Amazon Customer said – “I loved this book. almost couldn’t put it down.”

jlgwriter said – “I found the story powerful and compelling.”

Todd & Kim said – “This is such an inspirational story of survival! The book is a very easy read and informative as well as inspiring!!”

Judy said – “Donna O’Donnell Figurski tells her story of grace, love, frustration, anger, disappointment, strength, joy, and above all hope.”

Marge said – “I read it in one fell swoop… I guess the word that would describe your book, your life, and who you are is SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOIUS.”

Anonymous said – “This book pulled me in immediately and didn’t let me go until the end! ”

Helen said – “Could not put this book down. Written for easy reading. It was like having a conversation with a friend.” “I finished it in one day with some teary moments along with some chuckles. A must read!!”

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Click Links under Book

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PAPERBACK!        Read it Now!                              e-BOOK!      Read it Now!

Stay Safe and Healthy!

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COVID-19: The President’s Infection (Part 2 of 4)

COVID-19: The President’s Infection (Part 2 of 4)

by

Columbia University Professor Emeritus, Dr. David Figurski

presented by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

(Disclaimer: The World Health Organization <WHO> has officially named the new coronavirus as SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes as COVID-19. Because the majority of people, including much of the press, commonly refer to the virus as “COVID-19,” to avoid confusion I use COVID-19 as the name of the virus in this post.)

David H. Figurski, Ph.D & Survivor of Brain Injury

Dr. Griffin labels Week 1 of the infection as the “viral phase.” During Week 1, the virus is multiplying and is present in abundance. A test for COVID-19 would easily be positive. Because the President first felt symptoms on Wednesday, it’s likely that the President was infected for several days before the positive result on Friday, October 2.

Other data suggest that the President was at the end of Week 1 of the infection or at the beginning Week 2.

Week 2 of the infection is called the “cytokine storm phase” by Dr. Griffin.Cytokine Cytokines are molecules released by some cells that cause an action by other cells. When certain immune system cells sense a problem (like a virus-infected cell), they release cytokines to get other immune cells to multiply, to make attack molecules, or to come and help eliminate the cause of the problem. Normally, the immune system works well, but sometimes the immune system overreacts and causes severe problems or even death. “Cytokine storm” refers to an overreaction by the immune system. A steroid (for example, dexamethasone, which the President was given) is effective because it will dampen the immune response, a potentially beneficial effect when the immune system is overreacting. But, dexamethasone is considered harmful if the drug is not needed. (For example, dexamethasone is not given in Week 1 <the viral phase> because a normally functioning immune system is needed to reduce the amount of virus in the body.)

The President began taking dexamethasone while he was at Walter Reed. Dr. Griffin said that dexamethasone is not usually given in Week 1 because studies have shown that doing so can make COVID-19-disease outcomes worse. National Institutes of Health guidelines for physicians state that dexamethasone should only be given to patients with moderately severe or serious COVID-19 disease. The White House acknowledged that the President received oxygen before he was taken to Walter Reed. Supplemental oxygen is consistent with the President’s being given dexamethasone. Dr. Griffin said that oxygen, if needed, is usually given in Week 2, further indicating that the President’s infection may have started several days before Friday. October 2nd.

Doctors have found that COVID-19 has a third phase – a “clotting phase,” which starts at the end of Week 2 and extends at least through Week 3. COVID-19 infection can trigger clots, which can sometimes (albeit rarely) lead to strokes. Aspirin is routinely given at the end of Week 2 because it helps prevent clotting. Some patients had already been discharged from the hospital (having had two negative COVID-19 tests over two consecutive days and having agreed to self-quarantine for 14 days as a precaution) when a problem-clot occurred.

(To Be Continued)

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Please check out my book.

Prisoners without Bars: A Caregiver’s Tale

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Sneak Peeks for Prisoners – Audio Book Coming Soon

Coming SOON!

Prisoners without Bars: A Caregiver’s Tale – released soon as an audio book.

Prisoners without Bars: A Caregiver’s Tale, a memoir by Donna O’Donnell Figurski, is a heart-wrenching love story that will make readers laugh, cry, and G-A-S-P!

When my husband and best friend, David, had a traumatic brain injury in January 2005, it sent us down the rabbit hole. David’s neurosurgeon gave David a 1/600% chance of survival. David had two more brain surgeries after his first and again, he defied all odds. He lived!

Listen to the excerpt to see how it all started.
You can easily find my book on any of the following places.

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

IndieBound

Goodreads

Just click the links.  You can actually review it and rate it on Goodreads. Did you know that reviews and ratings are the life blood of books? Reviews and ratings help to keep books alive and they may even get to the bestseller list. So, PLEASE write a review and rate Prisoners. It can be short.

Learn more about me at donnafigurski.com

Please leave a comment/question. I will respond.

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COVID-19 — It’s Everywhere . . . To Open or Not to Open

COVID-19 . . . To Open or Not to Open

by

Columbia University Professor Emeritus, Dr. David Figurski

presented by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

 

(Disclaimer: The World Health Organization <WHO> has officially named the new coronavirus as SARS-CoV-2 and the disease it causes as COVID-19.  Because the majority of people, including much of the press, commonly refer to the virus as “COVID-19,” to avoid confusion, I use COVID-19 as the name of the virus in these posts.)

COVID-19

David H. Figurski, PhD — Brain Injury Survivor — Professor Emeritus of Microbiology & Immunology — Columbia University

 

Some governors say “Open.” Scientists say “Don’t open.” Whom do you believe?

I’m a scientist.  I know where I stand.

Below are some facts to help you decide.

For those of you in the west, the coronavirus infections have just begun.  You can see from the map of May 19 (see below) that infections are still moving westward.

Coronavirus Map – New York Times – 05/19/20

Many people, particularly those in the west, don’t seem to understand that the US is still in the early stages of this pandemic. They are lulled by the low number of cases in their state. The numbers are misleading for two reasons.

(1) Only seriously symptomatic (mostly hospitalized) people and celebrities are being tested because the US is seriously in need of more testing.  (2) The virus has not reached you yet. (That’s the especially true in the western half of the US.)

New York City is still very bad, but strict social-distancing guidelines have produced a significant drop in new cases.

Washington State had the potential to become a major hot spot, but they acted quickly and aggressively.

In contrast, several states are opening up and relaxing guidelines, despite a continued rise in new cases.  (That’s the case here in Arizona, where Governor Ducey allowed restaurants to open this week. This decision is particularly horrifying because the pandemic hasn’t really reached us yet.)

Reported cases in the United States

(Every red dot represents a cluster of infections – probably started by an infected asymptomatic traveler.  Right now, most cases are in the east, but every day you see more red dots in the western half of the US.)

 

David H. Figurski, Ph.D & Survivor of Brain Injury

Stay Safe and Healthy!

 

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(Photos compliments of contributor.)

As I say after each post:

Please leave a comment by clicking the blue words “Leave a Comment” below this post.

Feel free to follow my blog. Click on “Follow” on the upper right sidebar.anim0014-1_e0-1

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On the Air: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Guest: Dr. David Figurski

On the Air: Guest: Dr. David Figurski

presented by

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

David Figurski

David H. Figurski, Ph.D & Survivor of Brain Injury

 

Dr. David Figurski, retired professor of microbiology, talks about his brain injury and COVID-19

I don’t often publicize my radio show on the Brain Injury Radio Network, but one of our brain injury survivors is knowledgeable about the COVID-19 pandemic, which I’m sure is on your mind.  Like me, you probably have lots of questions.

My guest on the April 19th show was my husband, Dr. David Figurski.  David has been living with several physical disabilities since January 2005, when he had a brain hemorrhage, but, fortunately, after three brain surgeries in two weeks, he was unaffected cognitively.  For 35 years, including eight years after his traumatic brain injury, David was a professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at Columbia University, where he also had a research lab.  David has done research on bacteria and viruses for 45 years.  Unsurprisingly, he has been very interested in the new human coronavirus and the global pandemic it has caused.news-clipart-news-anchor-4

My 80-minute show was live on April 19th, but it was recorded and can now be listened to at any time as a podcast.  My interview of David has two parts.  From 9:30 to 49:50, David and I talk about life with his brain injury.  From 49:50 to the end, David and I discuss the COVID-19 pandemic.

To Listen Go To:

SPEAK OUT! On the Air with . . . Brain Injury Radio Show Menu “Another Fork in the Road”

blogtalkradio.com/braininjuryradio/2020/04/20/another-fork-in-the-road-bi-survivorcolumbia-prof-dr-david-figurski-covid19

 

(Clip Art compliments of Bing.)

(Photos compliments of guests.)

As I say after each post: Please leave a comment by clicking the blue words “Leave a Comment”anim0014-1_e0-1 below this post.

Feel free to follow my blog. Click on “Follow” on the upper right sidebar.

If you like my blog, share it intact with your friends. It’s easy! Click the “Share” buttons below.

If you don’t like my blog, “Share” it intact with your enemies. I don’t care!

Feel free to “Like” my post.

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Survivors SPEAK OUT! David Figurski

SPEAK OUT! – David Figurski

by

david-running-in-hall

David about 3 weeks before his TBI – in brand new running outfit. David ran about 20 miles per week.

Donna O’Donnell Figurski

1.    What is your name? (last name optional)

David Figurski

2.    Where do you live? (city and/or state) Email (optional)

Arizona           dhfdmf@aol.com

3. When did you have your TBI? At what age?

January 13, 2005           Age 57

4. How did your TBI occur?

It was induced by my doing chin-ups.

5. When did you (or someone) first realize you had a problem?

I realized I had a problem when my vision deteriorated after doing chin- ups.  I knew I had a serious problem a couple of minutes later when I was talking to my wife.  I felt fluid filling my skull, and there was a lot of pain in my face.

6. What kind of emergency treatment, if any, did you have?
(e.g., surgery, tracheotomy, G-peg)

Ambulance from a 9-1-1 call.
Three surgeries
1. to evacuate the blood
2. to remove an aneurysm that was discovered in the first surgery
3. to remove an AVM (Arterial Venous Malformation) that was discovered in the second surgery.
Tracheotomy
G-Peg

7. Were you in a coma? If so, how long?

Yes, a little more than two weeks.

8. Did you do rehab? What kind of rehab (i.e., In-patient or Out-patient and Occupational, Physical, Speech, Other)? How long were you in rehab?

In-Patient rehab for almost two months (phys., occup., speech)
Out-Patient rehab for almost sixteen months (phys., occup., speech)
Private physical therapy 2 hours/week for seven years

9. What problems or disabilities, if any, resulted from your TBI?
(e.g., balance, perception, personality, etc.)

Balance (can hobble indoors, but cannot walk outdoors unassisted)
Double vision (one image is tilted relative to the other)
Difficulty swallowing
Partly paralyzed tongue
Ataxic right arm/hand
Left arm/hand is not ataxic, but it’s not as good as it was pre-TBI
Less feeling in my right leg
Paralysis of the right side of my face

10. How has your life changed? Is it better? Is it worse?

Better –  life is slower
more time to spend with people
Worse – loss of independence
loss of mobility
unable to do things that I once did

11. What do you miss the most from your pre-TBI life?

Walking, running, driving, writing, reading, drawing

12. What do you enjoy most in your post-TBI life?

My computer, movies at home courtesy of Netflix, audiobooks

13. What do you like least about your TBI?

Because of paralysis of my mouth, I bite my lip or tongue many times each meal.

14. Has anything helped you to accept your TBI?

The positive attitude of my wife and all my doctors and therapists

15. Has your injury affected your home life and relationships and, if so, how?

My wife and I have always had a close relationship, but now I have more time to spend with her.

16. Has your social life been altered or changed and, if so, how?

Yes.  Though my wife and I go out less, we socialize a lot more at home.  I have more time now, so I have more friends.

17. Who is your main caregiver? Do you understand what it takes to be a caregiver?

My wife is my main caregiver.  She is also my cheerleader.  Yes, I know how much my wife has sacrificed to do what she does for me.

18. What are your future plans? What do you expect/hope to be doing ten years from now?

I plan to be able to walk outside unassisted.  My dream is to walk a 5K race in less than an hour.

19. What advice would you offer to other TBI survivors?

Have a positive attitude.
Be aware of the love of other people.
Do what you can.
Be patient with yourself.

20. Do you have any other comments that you would like to add?

You will probably never be able to do all that you once did, but life can be satisfying

David - 9 years and 3 months after his TBI

David – 9 years and 3 months after his TBI

 

Thank you, David, for taking part in this interview. I hope that your experience will offer some hope, comfort, and inspiration to my readers.

 

(Disclaimer: The views or opinions in this post are solely that of the interviewee.)

If you would like to be a part of this project, please go to TBI Survivor Interview Questionnaire for a copy of the questions and the release form.

(Photos compliments of ME.)

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