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Learning By Accident: A Caregiver's True Story Of Family, Fear, And Hope (2011)

by Rosemary Rawlins(Favorite Author)

4.54 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1628737778 (ISBN13: 9781628737776)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

Skyhorse Publishing

review 1: This is a brave and honest book about a family's journey through the first two years of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). The lives of the author, Rosemary Rawlins, and her two amazing young daughters, change in a second when Rosemary's husband, Hugh, is thrown from his bike, battering his his brain. This family was blessed with close and supportive family and friends, work colleagues, and excellent therapists. They had insurance to cover months of expensive hospitalization and rehabilitation requirements, and disability insurance to keep them financially afloat. Reading what they went through as Hugh took one small step at a time, is sobering, especially when one realizes how much more difficult it must be for those families without these extensive support and financ... moreial networks. But even here, it is only because of Rosemary's persistence in maintaining those networks, and keeping faith in her husband's ability to recover, that there is a happy ending. Hugh's recovery is truly remarkable, and highlights the most important tenant of recovery from TBI: it may slow, it may plateau, it may even backtrack at times, but with hard work, hope, continuing support, care for the caregivers as well as the TBI person, and perseverance, the brain will continue to recover. An epilogue written 6 years after Hugh's TBI gives wonderful hope, as this engaging family frolics once more in the surf at their new beach house. For Rosemary, writing the story was therapeutic, and reading it will be therapeutic as well as informative for anyone who has someone in their lives who has suffered a TBI, a stroke, or any other debilitating brain disorder.
review 2: This is the true story of how Rosemary and Hugh Rawlins rebuilt their marriage after he suffered a traumatic brain injury that almost killed him. Rosemary's details--hospital scenes, emails and cards from friends, therapy sessions--are described so vividly that I felt like a member of the family--my heart breaking as they suffered through so much pain, confusion, and fear. But unlike so many stories of brain trauma, theirs has a happy ending. Hugh was eventually able to resume professional work as well as cycling and surfing, Rosemary learned to rise above her crippling fear and anxiety, and their marriage, while much changed, deepened and solidified. This book is also a great testimony to the dozens of friends and family members who gave love not just in words and feelings but in thousands of errands and chores done, meals cooked, children chauffeured, and tears wiped. And it shows the skill and caring of all the professionals who played a part in Hugh and Rosemary's recovery--hospital staff, rehab counselors, therapists of all kinds. This book will make you cry, but it will also make you feel grateful, hopeful, and aware of the ways we all can find the strength to rise above adversity. less

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