Surviving Head Trauma: A Guide to Recovery Written by a Traumatic Brain Injury Patient

by Terry Smith

Sometimes life doesn't always unfold the way you plan. On July 20, 1984 while at Usmc Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia, a young Marine was a passenger in a threeton troop transport vehicle that, while traveling at sixtyfive miles per hour, flipped and rolled several times, finally coming to rest upside down. Several Marines were dead, but one man was still alive. He was Terry Smith. After dying twice during brain surgery on that fateful day, Terry Smith has since learned to adjust to the limitations that accompany Traumatic Brain Injury (Tbi). At Bethesda Naval Hospital, Terry learned to walk, talk, eat, think, and live again, but learning to cope with seizures, anxiety, insomnia, paranoia, and memory loss did not happen overnight-or even after two decades. It is only through years of trial and error that Terry has learned to make the transition from preTbi to postTbi, proving that the healing process is neverending for head trauma patients. Terry Smith is a true survivor who has defied the odds. Today he shares his inspirational story of hope for the future for Tbi patients, their families, doctors, and anyone who has insurmountable obstacles to overcome.

108 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2009

About the author

There are multiple authors with this name.

Reviews

[Cory Marchildon · Rating 4 out of 5]

My wife is a book reviewer and the other night I had nothing to read so she handed me this book. She had not read it yet but said she was looking forward to it. My only complaint is I wanted to have more detail. I feel like this book could be much much longer. Worth a read none the less

[Melanie Hatter · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging and inspiring memoir by my fellow Hampton alum. His story is honest, heartfelt and brave, and speaks to the strength of the human spirit. It's a wonderful read.

[Kelly]

A brilliant account of head trauma and how it impacts on the life and changes in life, a true heroes story that'll have you gripped from beginning to end