Me, Myself & TBI: Facing Traumatic Brain Injury Head On

Brett Favre revealed he's been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The Super Bowl champion and legendary quarterback estimates he's suffered countless brain injuries over the course of his NFL career.  He joined host and traumatic brain injury survivor, Christina Brown Fisher, sharing his concerns about his future and cognitive decline. 

Writer, journalist, and traumatic brain injury survivor, Christina Brown Fisher speaks with former linebacker Jarrett Irons about the impact of brain injury. His father, Gerald Irons, played in the National Football League for ten years. Gerald was a linebacker for the Oakland Raiders and is listed as one of the top 100 players for the Cleveland Browns. Jarrett Irons discusses the cognitive decline he witnessed in the years leading up to his father's death. Jarrett Irons was a linebacker for the University of Michigan and held the school's tackles record. Now he's part of a growing body of former football players who are making moves off the field in an attempt to make the sport safer. 

Writer, journalist, U.S. Air Force Veteran, and traumatic brain injury survivor, Christina Brown Fisher speaks with Dr. Russell Gore who is the chief medical officer of the Avalon Action Alliance (www.avalonactionalliance.org). The Avalon Action Alliance is a national network of programs treating mild and complex traumatic brain injury, for first responders, active duty military servicemembers, and veterans. Dr. Gore is a neurologist and biomedical engineer, who also spent several years in the U.S. Air Force, as a flight surgeon.  He is the director of the Complex Concussion Clinic, and medical director of the SHARE Military Initiative at the Shepherd Center, in Atlanta, Georgia. This discussion is for informational purposes only and does not serve as medical advice. Please speak with your medical professional before seeking treatment.

In 2015, at the World Tour Finals in Whistler, Canada, professional skier Jamie MoCrazy suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The elite athlete collapsed into a coma on the mountain as doctors raced to treat multiple brain bleeds. Her recovery meant learning how to talk, walk and ski again. Today, she leads the non-profit, MoCrazy Strong Foundation, to educate TBI survivors and family caregivers "on ways to understand how to build a productive life worth living after brain injury." Jamie hosts the Life Gets MoCrazy podcast and released a documentary #MoCrazy Strong. MoCrazy Strong Foundation:www.mocrazystrong.orgLife Gets MoCrazy Podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/life-gets-mocrazy/id1542078181

It is estimated nearly 30-percent of Covid-19 survivors continue to suffer from symptoms following their bout with the illness. Researcher and neuropsychologist James Jackson, Psy.D., is the author of the new book Clearing the Fog: From Surviving to Thriving with Long-COVID, A Practical Guide. The author of more than 90 scientific publications, Dr. Jackson has led research and treated patients affected by the cognitive impact of long COVID.  Christina Brown Fisher, a traumatic brain injury survivor, and Dr. Jackson discuss how the symptoms associated with long COVID often mirror those associated with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Jackson offers practical tips about how to get help. He is a Research Associate Professor, and the lead psychologist for the Critical Illness Brain Dysfunction and Survivorship Center at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. For more information about clinical trials involving long COVID, go to www.clintrials.gov.This podcast episode includes scientific research findings, and is not intended to diagnose or provide personal or individual medical advice. If you have an existing health condition, always consult your healthcare practitioner. 

Whether amateur or pro, the international Concussion in Sport Group (CISG) consensus statement impacts the care received by players if hit in the head during a game. Steven Broglio, PhD. is the director of the Michigan Concussion Center, the Neurotrauma Research Laboratory, and co-author of the CISG consensus statement. He is also a professor of athletic training, neurology and physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Michigan.  As part of the international team of researchers playing an important role in shaping the consensus on recognizing and treating concussion in sport, Dr. Broglio joined writer, journalist, and traumatic brain injury survivor Christina Brown Fisher to discuss current scientific knowledge, research findings, and clinical experience. Plus, he explains why banning football is not the answer to eliminating head injury in sports. This podcast discusses scientific research findings and is not intended to diagnose or provide personal or individual medical advice. If you have an existing health condition, always consult your healthcare practitioner.

Former Division I soccer player turned race car driver, Anna Kouba Bowers, comes from a long line of professional racing drivers. Her family's legacy in American car racing dates back to the 1930s, beginning with her grandfather Earl Kouba. In 2018, her dreams of continuing to follow in the family's footsteps nearly came to an end following a traumatic brain injury. Anna Kouba Bowers talks TBI, motherhood after brain injury, and her return to the track with, host, and journalist, as well at traumatic brain injury survivor Christina Brown Fisher. This episode includes discussion about suicidal thoughts and ideation. If you need help please call the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1 (800) 273-TALK.

Former mixed martial arts competitor Emily Fisher found her way into the octagon, in part, because of her husband Spencer Fisher, a popular UFC fighter. After his crushing defeat to Hermes Franca, in 2007, Spencer changed in ways Emily couldn't understand. Five years later an abnormal brain scan showed lesions on Spencer's brain, bringing his career in the UFC to an abrupt end. Emily Fisher shares her story of faith, love and the new fight the couple shares following the impact of brain injury.

After a scan revealed lesions on the brain, the UFC career of Spencer Fisher would soon come to an end. But the instincts of the popular MMA fighter, once called 'The King' weren't to seek treatment, but to find a doctor who'd clear him to fight again. Spencer Fisher shares his story of denial, his loss of identity as a fighter, and his daily fight for resilience in the face of brain injury. 

Christina Brown Fisher, journalist and traumatic brain injury survivor, speaks with former supermodel Claudia Mason. A fashion icon who’d graced the covers of Vogue, Elle, and Cosmopolitan, Mason found herself under a different spotlight after suffering a brain injury.