Living with Brain Injury: Narrative, Community, and Women’s Renegotiation of Identity

Appendix: Brief Summary of Participants’ Demographics and Injuries

>> 225 Appendix Brief Summary of Participants’ Demographics and Injuries (Note: Age and years post-injury are at the time of the first interview.) Abby: Single; African American; thirty years old; ten years post-injury. Stroke (arteriovenous malformation) affecting left occipito-parietal and temporal areas; moderate cognitive difficulties and right hemiplegia. Beth: Married; white; forty-eight years old; six years post-injury. Random gunshot and penetrating wound affecting right temporal and parietal and left temporal areas; widespread moderate to severe sensory and motor deficits, temporal lobe epilepsy, moderate to severe memory and cognitive difficulties. Cindy: Married; white; forty-six years old; eighteen years post-injury. Assault causing open-head injuries affecting right parietal area; left hemiplegia, left visual and hearing deficits; moderate cognitive and affective difficulties and trauma-related anxiety; chronic pain. Elise: Single, self-identified lesbian; white; twenty-six years old; seven years post-injury. Car accident causing trauma to brain stem and diffuse vascular injuries affecting mainly right temporal and parietal areas; mild to moderate motor and sensory deficits, right vocal cord paralysis, mild cognitive difficulties. Lydia: Single; white; forty-eight years old; tewnty-five years post-injury. Car accident causing fracture and hematoma affecting right occipital and left occipital, temporal and parietal areas; partial right hemiplegia, motor and sensory deficits; moderate to severe cognitive and affective difficulties , chronic pain. 226 << Appendix Nancy: Engaged; white; twenty-seven years old; one year post-injury. Arteriovenous malformation and surgical complications affecting right occipito-parietal and temporal areas; partial left hemiplegia and motor deficits, mild cognitive difficulties. Rose: Single; African American; forty-one years old; twenty-eight years post-injury (four years since correct diagnosis). Blunt force trauma (from a baseball) affecting right parietal area; moderate cognitive and affective difficulties. Sarah: Married; white; fifty-four years old; fourteen months postinjury . Car accident causing right temporal, parietal and frontal injuries , crushed pelvis, and loss of left eye; right hemiplegia and vocal cord paralysis; moderate to severe motor and sensory deficits, moderate to severe cognitive and affective difficulties. Susan: Engaged; white; thirty-three years old; thirteen years post-injury. Car accident and open head injuries affecting right parietal and frontal areas; partial left hemiplegia, moderate motor deficits, moderate executive and moderate to severe cognitive difficulties. Tracy: Single; white; seventeen years old; six months post-injury. Car accident causing right parietal fracture, left and right occipito-parietal hematoma, and left frontal concussion; moderate cognitive and affective difficulties (possible personality changes). ...