| You have may have seen a few weeks ago the | | | | AF: Bob has been a very fortunate survivor of |
| interview between former US presidential contender | | | | traumatic brain injury. There are over a million cases |
| John Edwards and reporter Bob Woodruff. All the | | | | every year of TBI. Many of them are military-related |
| resulting media coverage centered on Edwards' | | | | (a recent RAND study estimates that over 300,000 |
| declarations. However, there is something much more | | | | US service members have sustained TBI during |
| remarkable that surfaced at that interview: Bob | | | | assignments in Iraq or Afghanistan), but also happen |
| Woodruff's spectacular recovery. | | | | in civilian life, mainly due to traffic accidents or sports |
| This is the same reporter who suffered a severe | | | | concussions. What do we know today about how to |
| traumatic brain injury when a roadside In an Instant - | | | | prevent and treat TBI? |
| Bob and Lee Woodruffbomb detonated next to his | | | | LW: The Iraq War is literally re-writing the book, the |
| vehicle in January 29th 2006 as he was covering | | | | way researchers and doctors see and tackle the |
| news developments in Iraq. | | | | problem. Most of the progress is happening in the |
| Today I am fortunate to interview Lee Woodruff, | | | | military, but I hope that transfers into benefits for |
| Bob's wife and pillar throughout his recovery. Lee and | | | | civilians, too. From a preventive point of view, the |
| Bob co-wrote the fantastic book In an Instant: A | | | | military has been stepping up to improve the body |
| Family's Journey of Love and Healing. | | | | armor of soldiers, and I can now see why wearing |
| Alvaro Fernandez (AF): Lee, many thanks for your | | | | seat belts as we drive and helmets as we bike can |
| time. I was amazed reading your book, where you | | | | make a big difference. |
| share your journey, and then watching Bob interview | | | | From the recovery point of view, there is much |
| John Edwards, the best display I can imagine of his | | | | more optimism and hope today than only a few |
| recovery. Can you please summarize for us what | | | | years ago about how many TBI patients can |
| Bob -and you- went through since January 2006? | | | | improve, if given the opportunity to, through a |
| Lee Woodruff (LW): As you know, Bob suffered a | | | | supportive environment and physical and cognitive |
| life-threatening traumatic brain injury in Iraq. He was | | | | therapy. The military has recognized the problem of |
| promptly taken under military care and underwent a | | | | the so-called "Walking Wounded', and is devoting |
| series of surgeries for head injuries, with a joint | | | | significant resources to analyzing best options and |
| Army & Air Force neurosurgical team in Iraq, in a | | | | treating them. As we chatted earlier, the Army |
| US Army Medical Command hospital in Germany, and | | | | recently announced that from now on soldiers will get |
| at Bethesda Naval Hospital, back here in the US. | | | | a cognitive screening before they get deployed to |
| During this time, spanning around 4 months, he spent | | | | the field, so that in case there are problems that |
| 37 days in coma, and his skull had to be surgically | | | | screening can serve as a good baseline to compare |
| rebuilt. The cognitive rehabilitation process started | | | | functions to. |
| then, at a medical facility closer home. | | | | But the improvement in the area is only starting. We |
| AF: Can you please explain what kind of cognitive | | | | need to see much progress. |
| rehab Bob has gone though-both in a formal way, | | | | AF: Can you now tell us more about the Bob |
| with a therapist, and informally, on his own? | | | | Woodruff Foundation for Traumatic Brain Injury? |
| LW: The first thing I'd like to say is that rehab is a | | | | What are your main priorities? |
| long process. Doctors told me that Bob, despite the | | | | LW: Bob and I are devoting much time to raising |
| severity of his injuries, had better chances to | | | | awareness of the problem and the need to find and |
| recover than other victims, because of the reserve | | | | implement good solutions for cognitive care. Our |
| of neurons and connections he had built thanks to an | | | | foundation supports community, grass-roots |
| intellectually stimulating and diverse life, including living | | | | approaches to helping TBI survivors and their families. |
| in China for several years and traveling to dozens of | | | | Given the huge scale of the problem among the |
| countries, having worked as a lawyer and as a | | | | military, and the fact that Bob survived thanks to the |
| journalist, and his overall curiosity and desire to learn. | | | | excellent care he received from the military along the |
| It seems that more and more research shows how | | | | way, we are focusing first on helping military victims. |
| people who are mentally active throughout their lives, | | | | For example, we recently funded four scholarships |
| either through their jobs, or doing puzzles, | | | | for TBI-related research, and also bought 300 |
| sudokus...are, of course up to a point, better | | | | mattresses for a small non-profit that helps patients |
| prepared to deal with problems such as TBI. | | | | and their spouses rebuild their lives once they have |
| Still, recovery is a long process. Bob had six months | | | | to leave Army bases-many of whom cannot afford |
| of structured cognitive therapy focused on speech | | | | to move all their belongings, including beds and |
| and languages areas, because that was the part of | | | | mattresses, out of the bases. |
| his brain that had been most damaged. The therapist | | | | And there are many more things to do. For example, |
| identified the main tasks for him to work on in a | | | | while many more soldiers are getting better care, |
| challenging, yet familiar way, usually asking Bob, for | | | | that is not always the case with National Guard |
| example, to read the New York Times, then try to | | | | reservists who, despite having a dedicated branch of |
| remember what he had read, and write a short | | | | the armed forces oversee their progress, are often |
| essay on his thoughts and impressions. | | | | at more at risk of living with undetected TBI since |
| Since then he has, in a sense, used his work in the | | | | they don't have to report at bases once they are |
| documentary To Iraq and Back and other projects at | | | | back. |
| ABC as his informal, but very effective, way to keep | | | | It is also not clear that the military (as well as |
| improving. I am amazed to watch in real time how, | | | | insurance companies) are always willing to pay for |
| even today, how he gets better and better. To give | | | | the long-term costs of care. |
| you an example of his motivation to recover: he | | | | AF: What are some specific ways people can support |
| recently took on Chinese lessons to see if working | | | | the work of your foundation? |
| on that also helped him. | | | | LW: They can visit our new website, Bob Woodruff |
| AF: In the book, Bob says that, if he had to say in | | | | Foundation ( to learn about the problems and to |
| one word what he was experiencing during much of | | | | donate funds, no matter how big or small. |
| the recovery, he would use the word "slower". His | | | | But probably the most important thing every one can |
| brain was slower at processing new information, at | | | | do is to recognize the sacrifices the soldiers have |
| remembering words. What progress has he | | | | made, and find active ways to look for them and |
| experienced? | | | | help them in their own communities. Soldiers and their |
| LW: A lot. He is not exactly at the same level he was | | | | families often have grown in a culture of self-reliance, |
| before the injury, but he is again an amazing | | | | of not asking for help, so here we all need to take |
| reporter, father, and husband. And I see progress | | | | the initiative to figure out how we can help. Ask |
| every month, so we have hope that he will continue | | | | yourself, how can I help the TBI survivors in my |
| getting better and better. | | | | neighborhood? Perhaps by giving them a job, or |
| Sometimes Bob tells me he is not the person I | | | | offering them help or training, so they can secure |
| married. And then, as I mention in the book, I laugh | | | | one? How can I help their spouses and families |
| and reply "I am not either. I'm older, wiser and more | | | | maintain healthy and happy environments? Perhaps |
| wrinkled." I have learned to trust him. Especially in the | | | | by offering them free movie tickets? A massage? |
| beginning, it wasn't always easy to fully accept and | | | | AF: Lee, many thanks for those suggestions. Is there |
| follow his judgment, but I have seen how little by | | | | something else you would like to add, that you would |
| little he grew perfectly able to recreate his role as a | | | | know everyone to be aware of? |
| husband and as a father, and to recreate our | | | | LW: I'd say never give up. We have seen how Bob |
| respective roles in the family. It has been wonderful | | | | has recovered, which I think is a miracle. Let's simply |
| to see that happen. It has been a miracle. | | | | try our best to help everyone out there. |