When Representative Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona was shot in the head during a tragic mass shooting in Tucson, we all watched with deep sympathy as her husband, astronaut Mark Kelly, sat by her side, holding her hand while maintaining his own composure. What must it be like to witness your spouse or someone you love receive a gunshot through the brain, and then face the reality that this kind of injury will change life as you both know it forever?
The kind of traumatic brain injury (TBI) sustained by Gabby Giffords, whether it is due to an accident, tumor or stroke, often results in life-changing consequences for the victim, as well as for the family members caring for them, because the brain is the organ that defines the true essence of a person -- how they think, feel, move, act and talk. The range of injuries and the degree to which a person recovers are extremely variable. Individuals with severe injuries can be left in long-term unresponsive states, and even mild TBI can greatly affect one's family, job and community interactions. Additionally, the path to recovery can be unpredictable, with frustrating setbacks along the way. For a family member caring for a TBI patient, recovery must be thought of not as an end in itself -- such as reclaiming their family member's former self -- but as a long-term process with the goal of maximizing function and independence.
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