By Shane Goodman shane@dmcityview.com

The power of the mind

Understanding the effects that war has on soldiers is difficult for those of us who haven’t served to comprehend. And many of the proud veterans who suffered the not-so-obvious injuries find difficulty in admitting anything that may be considered a weakness. This week’s cover story provides a glimpse at an often overlooked injury and a solution that appears to be working.

The brain is the most complex component of the human body, and any injury to it can create a multitude of problems -- some obvious. I saw this firsthand when my father-in-law had a tumor the size of a golf ball removed from his brain a decade ago. From a physical standpoint, he recovered quite well. But mentally, he was a different person than the man I knew. He, along with his family, struggled with this change until he died this past year.

My father-in-law was a proud Navy veteran, but the trauma to his brain was caused by cancer and the related surgery, not war. Unfortunately, many returning soldiers are realizing now that they suffer from traumatic brain injuries as a direct result from exposure to improvised explosive devices and enemy mortar fire.

Editor Michael Swanger learned of a program funded by Easter Seals that is helping soldiers recover from brain trauma without going under the knife or being inundated with prescription pills. This computer-based rehabilitation program is designed to improve thinking skills and memory. Those participating in the training are seeing progress, and that is a positive step forward. With soldiers continuing to return home, we find it encouraging seeing programs like this being used, and we are pleased to share this story with you.

Thanks for reading.

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