Brain Injury Association of Arizona to Present Awards March 15
PHOENIX - Two veterans of the war in Iraq who fought back from critical injuries and brain trauma and their VA providers are being honored by the Brain Injury Association of Arizona.
The veterans will receive the "Triumph" Award on Saturday, March 15, during an awards ceremony, which begins at 7:30 p.m., at the Phoenix Zoo.
Both suffered near-fatal wounds from Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and continue to face challenges caused by memory loss and difficulty focusing, as well as the physical effects of the critical injuries they sustained.
Sgt. Robert Bartlett, of Gilbert, was wounded near Baghdad in 2005 when an IED exploded through the door of his Humvee. In spite of a massive head wound and collapsed lung — and his heart stopping twice during treatment — he fought to stay alive. He is still on active duty with the U.S. Army while undergoing surgeries to repair extensive damage to his face. So far, he has had about three dozen surgeries and many other procedures.
Sgt. Kevin Denton, of Mesa, was serving with the Marines near Fallujah when his Humvee was hit by an IED during a clearing operation in 2004. Shrapnel penetrated his skull and other areas of his body, and he experienced massive bleeding. He says his doctors are amazed that he is alive today. Despite memory loss and severe headaches ? both of which he says are much improved thanks to his doctors at the VA Medical Center ? he is working full-time and getting his life back to normal. He was medically retired from the Marines.
These wounded warriors and others like them are recovering and rebuilding their lives with the help of clinical staff at the Carl T. Hayden VA Medical Center. Two providers are also being honored by the Brain Injury Association of Arizona with "Healer" Awards.
Caroline Deegan, MD, is a primary care physician at the VA Medical Center. She says that VA staff began seeing veterans coming back from Iraq with more subtle forms of brain injury early in the war, as well as those with severe wounds. Some of the clues were headaches, short-term memory loss and trouble with bright lights. She worked with others at the medical center to design a screening tool to identify veterans who needed help and get them the right services.
VA nationwide has since adopted a brain injury screening tool similar to that used previously at the Phoenix VA. The template has been updated to reflect current clinical knowledge about blast injury.
Kathleen Goren, PhD, is a neuropsychologist at the VA Medical Center who works with injured veterans to help "rebuild" their cognitive abilities. After additional screenings to identify the specific areas that need treatment, such as memory or problem solving, she works with the veterans in small "brain boosters" groups to help them understand how the brain works and what impact their injuries ? as well as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) ? have on brain function. That's an important first step in recovery.
"Although the Brain Boosters group is just starting both Dr. Bushnell (co-leads the group with me) and I are very enthusiastic about the potential for this group, but it is still in the evolving phase," says Goren.
Wounds from IED blasts like those that nearly killed both Bartlett and Denton, are "the signature injury of the current conflicts," says Dr. Deegan. But because many veterans have milder forms of brain trauma due to exposure to repeated blasts, she says that the VA Medical Center's primary care staff tries to screen all returning combat veterans for signs of brain trauma.
According to the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, 64 percent of soldiers recently wounded in action in Operation Iraqi Freedom sustained blast injuries. Unlike penetrat¬ing head wounds, closed head injuries ? such as those that often result from blasts ? may not be diagnosed immediately.
"If you know why you're having problems ? that it's not because you're dumb or weak ? you have a better ability to change and strengthen you brain."
Noting that the brain is "like a muscle that needs exercise," she works with the veterans to rebuild their brain power using such tools as computer games, and Sudoku and other puzzles.
Denton says that, when he was first recovering from his wounds, he would call friends or family and could not remember 10 minutes later that he had just talked with him. Thanks to VA medical care and the support of family and friends, he is working full time and "has no complaints."
Sgt. Bartlett says that he often has "speed bumps in the middle of a thought," and can't remember names like he could when he was working as a bartender before he went to Iraq. But he has made great strides since coming back from war, and is working with Army and VA officials to advocate for wounded veterans.
Adds Bartlett's primary care physician, Dr. Deegan: "I see a bright future for him. I can see him being a wonderful advocate for veterans with brain injuries."
The Brain Injury Association of Arizona (BIAAZ) is a non-profit association that provides services to people with brain injuries and their families. The BIAAZ also provides education about brain injuries to the community and advocates for those with brain injuries. They will make the awards at their annual fund raiser, the "Starlight Safari – Serengeti Nights," which begins at 6 p.m. with a silent auction, on March 15 at the Phoenix Zoo.
MEDIA NOTE: To arrange for interviews with any of the award recipients, contact Paula Pedene, APR, Public Affairs Officer.
# # #
Plug-In Notice:
Some documents on this web page require a separate plug-in application in order to view and print. The icon(s) listed below when placed next to a link in a web page indicates a plug-in is required and what type of plug-in is needed. Clicking the icons or links listed below will take you to a page from which you can download and install all plug-ins.
Word Document Format