or Patients and Families

Learn About Traumatic Brain Injury (under construction)

If you or someone you love has undergone a traumatic brain injury (TBI), you surely have many questions about the injury or the long term affects of that injury. The following information is provided in an attempt to answer some of those questions. This is not intended to be a complete resource, but an overview of brain anatomy, the types of injuries sustained during a brain injury, the surgery that your loved one may undergo, the sequelae that may occur after a TBI and the recovery that one can expect.

Learn About Spinal Cord Injury (under construction)

If you or someone you love has undergone a spinal cord injury (SCI), you surely have many questions about the injury or the long term affects of that injury. The following information is provided in an attempt to answer some of those questions. This is not intended to be a complete resource, but an overview of spinal anatomy, the types of fractures and cord syndromes sustained during a spinal cord injury, the surgery that your loved one may undergo, and the degree of recovery and function that one can expect depending on the level of the injury sustained.

Paths to Recovery

There are many paths that a patient can take on the continuum of recovery. Rehabilitation begins at the time of admission with the bedside nurse providing range of motion and continues as the patient is able to follow commands and actively participate with the therapists. A patient may be well enough at the time of discharge to go directly home or may need a short stay in an acute rehabilitation center. Yet others may require a higher level of care and may not be ready to participate in three hours of acute rehab just yet. The ultimate goal is to restore the patient back to his/her original state of health if not better. Learn more about the different paths to recovery that you or your family member may take.

Department of Public Health Affiliations

The City and County of San Francisco provides many services to individuals who meet the necessary eligibility criteria. These programs are a part of the Department of Public Health. They provide assistance to patients to make the transition to home. Eligibility is determined on a case by case basis.

Patient and Family Testimonials (under construction)

You are not alone in what you are or have experienced. Survivors of brain injury share their stories.

 

On August 13th of 2009, Gabriel Allen was struck by a car while riding his bicycle in San Francisco. Gabe is an energetic young man with a lust for life. He was treated at San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center until September 16, 2009 when he was transferred to acute rehabilitation at Kentfield. Gabe has a huge support system of friends and family that have coached him and guided him through his recovery. They have created a website that has documented his journey. Please visit his website to see how far Gabe has come.

Get Better Gabe

 

 

 

Community Resources

Many services are available throughout the San Francisco Bay Area to patients and families who have suffered a traumatic brain injury. See the link above for a listing of the manuals and individual pages with further information provided under specific areas of reference.

Content provided by UCSF Brain & Spinal Injury Center
Last updated November 14, 2009 9:36 AM

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