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Description
True stories of neuroplastic recovery. Interviews with people who have recovered from brain related conditions such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), post concussion syndrome (PCS), chronic and persistent pain, blast injuries and stroke. Personal stories of the lessons learned and the tips & tricks to help you get back to full health.
Series 1 (including 5 episodes) was released in Nov/Dec 2021. Recording for series 2 is nearly complete and these episodes will be released in the coming months. For full transcripts and linked shownotes of each episode, please visit the podcast website at: https://storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.com/
Note: More detailed shownotes are available within the chapter episodes (due to character limitations on the full episodes).Series 1 episodes include:
- Episode 1 - William - Recovery from a farm motorcycle accident (TBI),
- Episode 2 - Sally - Recovery from a stroke on the operating table (Stroke),
- Episode 3 - Trevor - Recovery from chronic pain resulting from a lower back injury (Chronic pain),
- Episode 4 - Robbie - Recovery from the effects of multiple concussions (Post concussion syndrome),
- Episode 5 - Lloyd - Recovery from the blast impacts of a misfiring shotgun (blast injury).
Musical acknowledgments to Ricky Valadez & Marco Zannone for the terrific intro and outro music (licence via pond5.com).
For all podcast related queries, or to get in touch via email: stories.of.recoveryRF@gmail.com
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This podcast is still in development and is not due for full release until - November 2021 (delayed due to covid restrictions). Episode one has been pre-released early to align with William (episode one)'s fundraising efforts for Road Trauma Support Services Victoria (RTSSV). To donate to William's fundraiser, please visit http://gofund.me/0b7a24c6Full transcripts and show notes are available for each episode on the podcast website: www.buzzsprout.com/1801711For all podcast related queries, or to get in touch via email contact me at: stories.of.recoveryRF@gmail.com
A short overview episode to introduce the podcast, explain what it is all about, and who it is for. This initial five-part series (to be released weekly from November 20th) tells the stories of a young farmer involved in a farm motorcycle accident, a triple Olympian’s unexpected stroke on the operating table, an electrician’s long deterioration from a workplace (back) injury, a young professional’s exposure to too many concussions, and a newspaper editors emotional rollercoaster following the effects of a misfiring shotgun.These are their stories, focussed on the tangible actions that helped them to regain their health. Content covers treatments, methodologies, resources, attitudes, practices and current brain science. Let us stand on the shoulders of those who’ve walked before us. Transcript and show notes are available for each episode on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.com
Episode 1: Full episode - William Cole - Recovery from a farm motorcycle accident which resulted in a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).In this first episode we meet William Cole, a 25 year old farmer from Bookaar in Western Victoria who had a farm motorcycle accident in 2017 resulting in a traumatic brain injury.We meet William and hear about life before the accident, what happened and discuss his initial treatment in hospital, his ongoing recovery back at home and the things which have been most beneficial and most important in his recovery.Transcript and show notes are available for each episode on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comWilliam's recommendations:25:10 - Make friends with the people treating you,28:42 - Watch movies or tv shows that you enjoy and have seen before with the subtitles and volume both turned on to help your brain reconnect the sound with the words,36:22 - Don't compare yourself to before the accident/injury/event. Instead consider...what 'might' be possible. What 'might' I be able to do? (in a positive sense),37:22 - Set small challenges and build up, and REWARD YOURSELF,38:53 - 'Back yourself', in a mature but positive way,42:13 - William discusses the enormous value in developing a good relationship with a neuropsychologist, and working through the challenges of living with and recovering from a neurological condition such as a traumatic brain injury together. This was William's 'knight in shining armour' and my own key takeaway from this interview,49:30 - Exercise, do things that you enjoy, be in places that make you feel good,51:1 0 - Movie recommendations: Something that you are excited about. For William this was Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter (with subtitles) in rehabilitation,52:17 - Gain learnings and inspiration from other peoples stories: https://constanttherapyhealth.com/brainwire/the-top-5-most-inspiring-ted-talks-about-brain-injury/ 58:03 - Journalling has been very important in William's recovery. "Just start writing..." Put your thoughts, your worries and the things that are concerning you down on paper,1:00:14 - Listen carefully to your doctors, treat them with respect and build a friendship,1:01:00 - Let your interests guide your recovery,1:02:10 - Don't be afraid to share your story. Telling your story and listening to others within the rehabilitation setting, and talking about your accident/injury/condition with family and friends in William's view "is one of the biggest parts of healing". It'll help you reflect on and process the injury or condition and connects you with those around you,1:05:30 - Avoid alcohol and drugs for as long as you can following your accident/injury,1:07:40 - Extending on the earlier recommendation regarding journalling, William suggests trying to notice if something is getting you down, writing it down and exploring it and if needed, taking it to a friend or a neuropsychologist to help you work through it,1:08:43 - If you'd like to work with William to run events like this in the future, you can contact him at: willyjcole@gmail.com,1:20:45 - Final thoughts from William: "Keep on being you, and you shall keep on".For more detailed show notes, see the individual chapter sections on the podcast website.
Episode 1: Chapter 1 - William Cole - Recovery from a farm motorcycle accident which resulted in a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) - Introduction & life before the accident. In the first episode, we meet William Cole, a 25 year old farmer from Bookaar in Western Victoria. William had a farm motorcycle accident in 2017 which resulted in a traumatic brain injury. In this first chapter of the episode, we welcome you to the podcast, meet William and hear a little about his life before the accident. Transcript and show notes are available for each episode on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comShownotes:5:00 - The article in the Weekly Times where I first heard about William's story (note: The Weekly Times online is now a paid subscriber views publication, so without an active subscription you may not be able to read this article).
Episode 1: Chapter 2 - William Cole - Recovery from a farm motorcycle accident which resulted in a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) - The accident & initial treatment in hospital.In the first episode, we meet William Cole, a 25 year old farmer from Bookaar in Western Victoria. William had a farm motorcycle accident in 2017 which resulted in a traumatic brain injury. In this second chapter of the episode, William talks about his accident and we discuss his initial treatment in hospital.Transcript and show notes are available for each episode on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comShownotes:10:50 - The air ambulance flew William to the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Have you got an Ambulance Victoria membership? It's possibly the best value membership you'll ever own,14:40 - The article in The Standard newspaper online which includes the images of William's scans (before and after the 12 hour surgery he underwent),16:40 - William was moved to the Epworth Hospital in Richmond following his surgery, to begin his rehabilitation. He stayed here working with a trauma rehab team for 3 months,16:51 & 18:36 - William's trauma rehabilitation team included: A speech pathologist, a neuropsychologist (another useful description of this speciality here), a psychologist, a physiotherapist, an occupational therapist and a dietician,^18:08 - Make friends with your treaters (the people treating you),^21:00 - Watch movies or tv shows that you enjoy and have seen before with the subtitles and volume both turned on to help your brain reconnect the sound with the word,^22:27 - Time is a great healer.^William's main tips
Episode 1: Chapter 3 - William Cole - Recovery from a farm motorcycle accident which resulted in a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) - Returning home. William's main recovery learnings.In this third chapter of the episode, William has just been discharged from hospital and has arrived home. In this chapter we explore what has been most beneficial in his recovery.Transcript and show notes are available for each episode on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comShownotes:00:35 - William describes shearing a sheep after arriving back home. For those who are unfamiliar with this term you can get a good description here. William explains that this highlighted for him some areas which needed more focus in his rehabilitation,04:04 - Playing video games can help (see here), as it did for William. (Note: During the 48 hour period immediately following an injury this is not the case. During this period - absolute physical and mental rest is strongly encouraged by medical professionals),^05:00 - Don't compare yourself to before the accident/injury/event. Instead consider...what 'might' be possible. What 'might' I be able to do? (in a positive sense),^08:15 - Set small challenges and build up, and REWARD YOURSELF,^08:41 - 'Back yourself', in a mature but positive way,11:39 - William thanks the TAC (Traffic Accident Commission) who have provided great financial and emotional support, encouragement and advice during his recovery,^13:08 - William discusses the enormous value in developing a good relationship with a neuropsychologist, and working through the challenges of living with and recovering from a neurological condition such as a traumatic brain injury together. This was William's 'knight in shining armour' and my own key takeaway from this interview,19:10 - Helpful quote: "Your body is the best instrument you'll ever own and your mind is the best map, so nurture them" - William's quote inspired by Baz Lurhman's song 'Wear sunscreen',^20:11 - Exercise, do things that you enjoy, be in places that make you feel good,20:52 - Helpful quote: "Love many, trust a few, but always paddle your own canoe",21:32 - Helpful quote: "As soon as you wake up, try to make someone smile",^21:51 - Book/Movie recommendations: Something that you are excited about. For William this was Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter (with subtitles) in rehabilitation,^23:11 - Book/Movie recommendations: TED talks on brain injury survivors.^William's main tips
Episode 1: Chapter 4 - William Cole - Recovery from a farm motorcycle accident which resulted in a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) - New habits & perspectives.In the first episode, we meet William Cole, a 25 year old farmer from Bookaar in Western Victoria. William had a farm motorcycle accident in 2017 which resulted in a traumatic brain injury. In this fourth and final chapter of the episode, William talks about his new habits and perspectives following the accident, what he is aiming for now, and we hear about some of the work he's doing to share his learnings with others.Transcript and show notes are available for each episode on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comShownotes:00:30 - Strangely enough, William now considers that things in his life have changed a lot for the positive since his accident. He cites greater maturity and appreciation for life, more respect and love for himself and other people, and more presence in the moment,02:05 - "More, more, more". William's reminder to himself each day to be 'more understanding, more caring and more respectful' with those he encounters,^05:10 - Journalling has been very important in William's recovery. "Just start writing..." Put your thoughts, your worries and the things that are concerning you down on paper. For William, it's helped him work through his issues and resolve them,^07:00 - Listen carefully to your doctors, treat them with respect and build a friendship,^08:00 - Ask a friend to go to the shops & get you 3 books (on topics that you are really interested) or which you really want to read (let your interests guide your recovery),^09:15 - Don't be afraid to share your story. Telling your story and listening to others within the rehabilitation setting, and talking about your accident/injury/condition with family and friends in William's view "is one of the biggest parts of healing". It'll help you reflect on and process the injury or condition and connects you with those around you,^12:40 - Avoid alcohol and drugs for as long as you can following your accident/injury,^14:30 - Extending on the earlier recommendation regarding journalling, William suggests trying to notice if something is getting you down, writing it down and exploring it and if needed, taking it to a friend or a neuropsychologist to help you work through it,15:48 - William talks about a public event he organised in his local community with the assistance of his neuropsychologist. The aim was to bring together people who had been impacted by brain injury and included guest speakers, the sharing of tips and tricks, and advice from his treating team. William's keen to run more sessions like this and needs help. If you'd like to work with William to run events like this in the future, you can contact him at: willyjcole@gmail.com,^27:54 - Final thoughts from William: "Keep on being you, and you shall keep on".^William's main tips
Episode 2: Full episode - Sally Callie - Recovery from a stroke on the operating table (Stroke).In this episode we meet Sally Callie, triple Olympian, a world record holder and an U23 world champion in the sport of rowing, who's also a mother, a teacher and a stroke survivor. Following the birth of Sally's second child in 2011 she experienced a seizure and upon returning to hospital discovered that she had a blood vessel deep within her brain which was ready to rupture. Sally needed to undergo brain surgery to remove the blood vessel and though this was successful, she awoke from the surgery to find that she could not move half of her body.We meet Sally and hear about her Olympic career and the lessons she learned. We hear about the stroke itself, what caused it and we discuss her rehab, her determination and the lessons she was able to draw from her sporting career to assist her to regain her high quality of life. Full transcripts and show notes are available for each chapter on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comSally's recommendations:12:41 - Work hard on your mindset "We can't choose what happens to us, but we can choose our response to it",13:35 - Use visualisation to picture yourself in a powerful, confident state to prepare yourself for difficult/scary situations (in Sally's case a 7 hour craniotomy with a 20% chance of stroke, paralysis, coma or death),19:15 & 27:30 & 36:20 - Use the initial 90 day period to push hard for all the improvement you can (Sally pretended that she was training for the London Olympics), and know that you WILL continue to recover after this time with dedicated effort,20:45 & 33:45 - Visualisation - the beginning of Sally's recovery & how to do it. Visualise an activity which you are already very familiar with (using all of your senses),31:30 - Read (or listen) to the book 'The Brain That Changes Itself - by Norman Doidge',32:55 & 37:30 & 1:01:15- Take ownership of your recovery and your rehab. Set goals that YOU are motivated by (for Sally this was to run again, and to wakeboard again),39:30 - If you are angry, channel it into your recovery. Take charge of your recovery,46:00 & 1:12:00 - Set and be strict with your habits. Sally recommends making a checklist and ticking each item off each day: getting 8 hours of sleep, eating healthy and nutritious food, speaking positively and supportively to yourself, writing down three things that you are grateful for each day, and writing down the tiny 1% improvements,47:10 - Read up on the latest research on stroke recovery and apply it yourself,47:55 - Constraint Induced therapy (CI therapy) is very helpful recovering from stroke,50:00 - Know that "being a stroke survivor is twice as hard as going to three Olympics",52:18 - Read about Kintsugi and Wabi-Sabi. Redefine your perceptions of imperfection,54:20 - Practise Sally's acronym of GOLD (Gratitude, Obstacles have meaning, Leading from within & Daily habits - the biggest one), 57:00 - For someone leaving the rehab centre: 1. Get your daily habits right (sleep, food, good support, books, positive self talk etc.), 2. Try to make sense of what has happened. Look for the opportunities and positives in your new situation to find meaning, 3. Begin to redefine imperfection and celebrate your point of difference. Own your new self, 1:15:19 - Start an AWAP Journal - 'As many Wins As Possible'. Celebrate the 1% wins.For more detailed show notes, see the individual chapter sections on the podcast website.
Episode 2: Chapter 1 - Sally Callie - Recovery from a stroke on the operating table (Stroke) - Rowing, life & suffering a stroke.In this second episode, we meet Sally Callie, a triple Olympian, a world record holder and an U23 world champion in the sport of rowing, who's also a mother, a teacher and a stroke survivor. Following the birth of Sally's second child in 2011 she experienced a seizure and upon returning to hospital discovered that she had a blood vessel deep within her brain which was ready to rupture. Sally needed to undergo brain surgery to remove the blood vessel and though this was successful, she awoke from the surgery to find that she could not move half of her body.In this first chapter we meet Sally and hear about her life before her stroke and how she got into the sport of rowing. She describes the events leading to the stroke itself and her time in acute her immediately following it. Transcripts and show notes are available for each episode on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comShownotes:10:20 - Sally's seizure was a result of an Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) which needed to be surgically removed,^12:41 - Work hard on your mindset "We can't choose what happens to us, but we can choose our response to it",^13:35 - Use visualisation to picture yourself in a powerful, confident state to prepare yourself for difficult/scary situations (in Sally's case a 7 hour craniotomy with a 20% chance of stroke, paralysis, coma or death),16:30 - Stroke can happen to anyone, at any age, in any health,^19:15 - Use the initial 90 day period to push hard for all the improvement you can (Sally pretended that she was training for the London Olympics), and know that you WILL continue to recover after this time with dedicated effort,^20:45 - Visualisation - the start of Sally's recovery. Visualise an activity which you are already very familiar with (using all of your senses),22:36 - Sally was in hospital for two weeks before being moved to a public rehabilitation centre.^Sally's main tips
Episode 2: Chapter 2 - Sally Callie - Recovery from a stroke on the operating table (Stroke) - Rehab and taking ownership.In this second episode, we meet Sally Callie, a triple Olympian, a world record holder and an U23 world champion in the sport of rowing, who's also a mother, a teacher and a stroke survivor. Following the birth of Sally's second child in 2011 she experienced a seizure and upon returning to hospital discovered that she had a blood vessel deep within her brain which was ready to rupture. Sally needed to undergo brain surgery to remove the blood vessel and though this was successful, she awoke from the surgery to find that she could not move half of her body.In this chapter Sally describes her experience within a public rehabilitation centre. She talks about taking responsibility for her own recovery, the rehab exercises she did in addition to those given to her by her treatment team and of learning about neuroplasticity. Transcripts and show notes are available for each episode on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comShownotes:00:45 - Sally was able to draw on the things she learned whilst training for the Olympics: she pulled out her old diary and wrote down one thing that she was grateful for every day, sought to find meaning in her obstacle, became a learner and read as much as she could about neuroplasticity, and tried to practice good habits every day,01:21 - Sally found that after a few weeks of heading home for the weekend that she couldn't do it , it was too much, and so she chose to stay in the rehab centre and focus on her rehabilitation 24/7,^04:00 - Sally used the initial 90 day period to push hard for all the improvement she could (tricking herself that she was training for the London Olympics) - "Eat, sleep, train, repeat". She practised visualisation and wrote her own program which she did following the exercises given to her by her rehab treatment team,07:10 - Sally's former rowing teammate Amber Halliday (interviewed in series 2) suffered a TBI following a road cycling accident within the same period and was also recovering. The two of them shared learnings, rehab techniques and research findings from the world of neuroplasticity,^08:00 - Sally recommends reading (or listening) to the book 'The Brain That Changes Itself - by Norman Doidge'. It changed her life and gave her hope that she COULD recover,^09:20 - Sally discusses taking ownership of her own recovery and rehabilitation,^10:00 - Visualisation - Specifics: Visualise an activity which you are already very familiar with (using all of your senses). For Sally this was rowing, but it could be through another activity like golf or an instrument you played pre-injury,^14:15 - Sally set her own personal goals beyond those that her rehabilitation team considered reasonable. She wanted to run 10km again (she recently completed the 2021 Bridge to Brisbane 10km event - raising funds for #teamstroke) and she wanted to wakeboard (which she does again now),^15:57 - Sally recommends using the emotions that you feel. If you are angry, channel it into your recovery. Take charge of your recovery and use that anger to fuel your rehabilitation. As Sally suggests "Be the pilot, not a passenger. Make it your problem to get better",18:17 - Sally describes approaching her rehab as a 24 hour job, just like with her sport,19:41 - Sally describes leaving the rehabilitation centre to go on an adventure into the city of Adelaide, to treat herself to a coffee and to test for herself whether she was ready to return home.^Sally's main tips
Episode 2: Chapter 3 - Sally Callie - Recovery from a stroke on the operating table (Stroke) - Looking back and the key learnings.In this second episode, we meet Sally Callie, a triple Olympian, a world record holder and an U23 world champion in the sport of rowing, who's also a mother, a teacher and a stroke survivor. Following the birth of Sally's second child in 2011 she experienced a seizure and upon returning to hospital discovered that she had a blood vessel deep within her brain which was ready to rupture. Sally needed to undergo brain surgery to remove the blood vessel and though this was successful, she awoke from the surgery to find that she could not move half of her body.In this chapter Sally describes her main recovery learnings as she looks back on her experiences with hindsight. Transcripts and show notes are available for each episode on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comShownotes:^00:30 - Set and be strict with your habits. Sally recommends making a checklist and ticking each item off each day: getting 8 hours of sleep, eating healthy and nutritious food, speaking positively and supportively to yourself, writing down three things that you are grateful for each day, and writing down the tiny 1% improvements,^01:30 - Read up on the latest research on stroke recovery and apply it yourself,^02:20 - Constraint Induced therapy (CI therapy) is very helpful recovering from stroke,^04:15 - Know that "being a stroke survivor is twice as hard as going to three Olympics",^06:30 - Read about Kintsugi and Wabi-Sabi. Redefine your perceptions of imperfection,^08:40 - Practise Sally's acronym of GOLD (Gratitude, Obstacles have meaning, Leading from within & Daily habits - the biggest one), ^11:30 - For someone leaving the rehab centre: 1. Get your daily habits right (sleep, food, good support, books, positive self talk etc.), 2. Try to make sense of what has happened. Look for the opportunities and positives in your new situation to find meaning, 3. Begin to redefine imperfection and celebrate your point of difference. Own your new self, ^Sally's main tips
Episode 2: Chapter 4 - Sally Callie - Recovery from a stroke on the operating table (Stroke) - The Olympics & the recovery lessons learned there.In this second episode, we meet Sally Callie, a triple Olympian, a world record holder and an U23 world champion in the sport of rowing, who's also a mother, a teacher and a stroke survivor. Following the birth of Sally's second child in 2011 she experienced a seizure and upon returning to hospital discovered that she had a blood vessel deep within her brain which was ready to rupture. Sally needed to undergo brain surgery to remove the blood vessel and though this was successful, she awoke from the surgery to find that she could not move half of her body.In this chapter Sally describes the Olympics, some of her highlights, and also some of the things which she learned during this period which became beneficial during her recovery from stroke years down the line.Transcripts and show notes are available for each episode on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comShownotes:01:00 - Sally talks about the Olympics and some of her highlights, such as excursions with the team mentor Laurie Lawrence, seeing Cathy Freeman win gold in Sydney and claiming a world record in Athens,04:00 - Sally explains the non-ideal scenario leading into the Athens Olympics where both she and her team mate were injured in bike accidents and were unable to train normally. She reflects with hindsight that it was these obstacles which contributed to the world record they achieved there which they held for 5 years (they also held the Olympic Record won there for 17 years). It is a great example of the potential silver linings and opportunities which exist within adversary and obstacles,^09:00 - Sally reflects on the learnings from her sporting career which became important within her recovery from stroke. She was taught by her coach that 'habits will determine your future' and they discussed 'the compound effect of habits'. That it is the thousands of mindless choices such as how you spend your morning, how you talk to yourself, who you speak with and spend time with, what you eat, what you choose to read, if you get 8 hours sleep etc. which 'add up and change the trajectory of your life'. She learnt to set and be strict with her habits and found this incredibly helpful in her recovery from stroke years later. Sally recommends making a checklist and ticking each item off each day: getting 8 hours of sleep, eating healthy and nutritious food, speaking positively and supportively to yourself, writing down three things that you are grateful for each day, and writing down the tiny 1% improvements,^12:28 - Sally talks about her AWAP Journal - 'As many Wins As Possible'. She used this in her sporting career and again later recovering from stroke, each day pulling it out and writing down the 1%'s - something she'd achieved that day, or something that went well. She explains that at this level (elite sport), just as with recovery from stroke it is not about perfection and big improvements every day. It is about the 1%'s, the small gains forward (moving a toe or going to the toilet by herself) "It's the progress, not perfection",14:00 - Sally sums up: Ensure you have good daily habits in place, try to find meaning in your current obstacles, and own your story - remembering the 'wabi sabi' bowl and to celebrate your imperfection.^Sally's main tips
Episode 3: Full episode - Trevor Barker - Recovery from chronic/persistent back pain (Chronic pain)In this episode we meet Trevor Barker, a former electrician and now support coordinator from north eastern Victoria who following a minor workplace injury, developed and lived with debilitating chronic lower back pain for over 20 years. His eventual recovery came swiftly through education and he now works with some of the world's leading pain scientists and educators to share his story and encourage others to learn more and make meaningful change in their own lives. Trevor has appeared on SBS’s Insight program, as well as contributing to various podcasts, radio and print media and continues to share and champion recovery from persistent pain.We meet Trevor and hear about his life, the injuries which initiated his pain and the deterioration of his condition. He describes the turning point, and the things which were most important in his recovery. He also explains how he deals with pain flare-ups if they occur.Full transcripts and show notes are available for each chapter on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comTrevor's recommendations:24:09 - The Persistent Pain Service at Albury Wodonga Health is where Trevor took part in a 3 week intensive full time residential program. The 'turning point' for his pain,25:32 & 53:36 - Holding his arms up during the intake assessment (in contrast to the other things which he could not complete), initiated a thought process in his mind...'if I use my body, it can be strong'. Trevor's advice - use your body and make it strong,31:25 - Try to incorporate movement and mindfulness into your life. Reduce stress and retrain the pain system,32:00 & 56:20 - Learn that 'pain doesn't have a direct relationship with tissue damage', 35:00 - Practice mindfulness (Trevor explains what he learnt and how he practices it),38:11 - Practice 'crossing the midline above shoulder height' throughout the day to stop the brain from spreading pain msgs across the brain/body,43:30 - Explore the resources of the Pain Revolution, and perhaps read 'Explain Pain',57:34 - Read about DIM-SIM therapy (Danger In Me - Safety In Me) & give it a go, 1:01:39 - Find a medical professional who is trained in pain science, who can safely assess what you are 'safe' to do, and can work with you to understand pain and recover,1:07:16 - Watch these two great videos by David Butler and Lorimer Moseley, 1:08:20 - Read Alison Sim's book Pain Heroes. Trevor refers to it as 'painful yarns' in the interview which is another good book by Lorimer Moseley,1:09:03 - Have the courage to try new things, new approaches - "give things a go",1:12:27 - Be wary of anyone who is trying to treat you with a 'Biomedical' approach, rather than a 'Biopsychosocial' approach,1:18:33 - How to deal with pain 'flare-ups', a practical example,1:28:06 - Trevor's msg to those still in pain.For more detailed show notes, see the individual chapter sections on the podcast website.
Episode 3: Chapter 1 - Trevor Barker - Recovery from chronic/persistent back pain (Chronic pain) - Life, back injuries and living with chronic painIn this third episode we meet Trevor Barker, a former electrician and now support coordinator from north eastern Victoria who following a minor workplace injury, developed and lived with debilitating chronic lower back pain for over 20 years. His eventual recovery came swiftly through education and he now works with some of the world's leading pain scientists and educators to share his story and encourage others to learn more and make meaningful change in their own lives. Trevor has appeared on SBS’s Insight program, as well as contributing to various podcasts, radio and print media and continues to share and champion recovery from persistent pain.In this first chapter we meet Trevor and hear a little about his life and the initial work place injuries which initiated his pain. We hear about the deterioration of his condition and get a picture of just how debilitating and pervasive chronic and persistent pain really is.Full transcripts and show notes are available for each chapter on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comShownotes:5:52 - Trevor describes his first injury, which occurred whilst carrying a ladder as an apprentice electrician,8:47 - Trevor describes his second injury, incurred whilst working as an attendant carer,10:44 - Trevor describes his third injury, supporting someone in the community,20:19 - Trevor summarises his quality of life "it couldn't have gotten any worse really",22:15 - Trevor describes his plan to sell his home and move into a retirement village.
Episode 3: Chapter 2 - Trevor Barker - Recovery from chronic/persistent back pain (Chronic pain) - The turning point to recoveryIn this third episode we meet Trevor Barker, a former electrician and now support coordinator from north eastern Victoria who following a minor workplace injury, developed and lived with debilitating chronic lower back pain for over 20 years. His eventual recovery came swiftly through education and he now works with some of the world's leading pain scientists and educators to share his story and encourage others to learn more and make meaningful change in their own lives. Trevor has appeared on SBS’s Insight program, as well as contributing to various podcasts, radio and print media and continues to share and champion recovery from persistent pain.In this chapter Trevor describes the learnings he gained at the Albury Wodonga Health - Persistent Pain Service and how they changed his life.Full transcripts and show notes are available for each chapter on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comShownotes:^00:30 - The Persistent Pain Service at Albury Wodonga Health is where Trevor took part in a 3 week intensive full time residential program. The 'turning point' for his pain. ^02:10 - Holding his arms up during the intake assessment (in contrast to the other things which he could not complete), initiated a thought process in his mind...'if I use my body, it can be strong'. Trevor's advice - use your body and make it strong,^04:20 - Trevor recommends to "give it a red hot go",^06:00 - Trevor explains that they were 'doing and experiencing it. Not just talking about it', which made the difference,07:00 - Trevor came off his opioid pain medication during his time at the pain service, and describes how his pain reduced during the same period despite increasing activity,^07:45 - Trevor explains that there is a DIRECT relationship between the amount of stress in your life and with the pain you experience (as demonstrated by current pain science). He recommends incorporating movement and mindfulness into your life, reducing stress and retraining the pain system,^08:15 - Trevor discusses the 3 things which helped him to reduce stress and thus reduce his pain:^08:20 - Learning that 'pain doesn't have a direct relationship with tissue damage',^11:25 - Practising mindfulness (Trevor explains what he learnt and how he practices it),^14:25 - Practising 'crossing the midline above shoulder height' throughout the day to stop the brain from spreading pain msgs across the brain/body,^19:53 - Explore the resources of the Pain Revolution, and perhaps read 'Explain Pain',24:23 - Trevor tells a story describing 'the pharmacy cabinet in our brain',^28:59 - Trevor advises that "Making change is where it is at", as chronic pain only deteriorates over time, and in fact that we can learn to dial down what is going on.^Trevor's main tips
Episode 3: Chapter 3 - Trevor Barker - Recovery from chronic/persistent back pain (Chronic pain) - Trevor's main learnings and advice.In this third episode we meet Trevor Barker, a former electrician and now support coordinator from north eastern Victoria who following a minor workplace injury, developed and lived with debilitating chronic lower back pain for over 20 years. His eventual recovery came swiftly through education and he now works with some of the world's leading pain scientists and educators to share his story and encourage others to learn more and make meaningful change in their own lives. Trevor has appeared on SBS’s Insight program, as well as contributing to various podcasts, radio and print media and continues to share and champion recovery from persistent pain.In this chapter Trevor describes his key learnings and recommendations for others who might still be living with chronic or persistent pain. Full transcripts and show notes are available for each chapter on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comShownotes:^00:32 - Trevor talks about a few things which together were incredibly important and beneficial for his recovery: ^00:53 - Trevor's discovery at the persistent pain service (when he realised he 'could' hold his arms up from playing the flute) helped him to see that he had ability in his arms because he uses them. He does it for himself. It is an 'active' strategy. Trevor recommends trying to look for and apply 'active' strategies (things you drive and do yourself), rather than 'passive' (where someone else does something to/for you),^03:14 - Learning that 'pain is not an accurate measure of tissue damage', ^04:29 - Learning that pain is affected by social, psychological and biological factors and that there is a treatment which focuses on the social and psychological aspects: DIM-SIM therapy (Danger In Me - Safety In Me). This tool helps you identify the things in your life which contribute to your pain so you can reduce your exposure and interaction with them, whilst at the same time increasing thought processes and participation in activities which reduce your pain experience and start to dial down your overprotective pain system,^07:30 - Find a medical professional who is trained in pain science, who can safely assess what you are 'safe' to do, and can work with you to understand pain and recover,^14:11 - Trevor recommends two great videos by David Butler and Lorimer Moseley, ^15:34 - Read Alison Sim's book Pain Heroes. Trevor refers to it as 'painful stories' in the interview which is another good book by Lorimer Moseley,^15:58 - Trevor's greatest investment during his recovery: Having the courage to try new things, new approaches and to "give things a go", such as getting into a loving and caring relationship again in Trevor's case,17:30 - It's important to be exposed to and open to consider 'a different perspective',^18:23 - Trevor suggests 'we're in the change business'. If we get stuck on one road and we're not prepared to look at a different road, nothing will change. If we want things to be different, then ask yourself 'what can change?', 'what do I need to change?',^19:23 - Be wary of anyone who is trying to treat your chronic pain with only a 'Biomedical' approach,^Trevor's main tips
Episode 3: Chapter 4 - Trevor Barker - Recovery from chronic/persistent back pain (Chronic pain) - Life now and looking forward.In this third episode we meet Trevor Barker, a former electrician and now support coordinator from north eastern Victoria who following a minor workplace injury, developed and lived with debilitating chronic lower back pain for over 20 years. His eventual recovery came swiftly through education and he now works with some of the world's leading pain scientists and educators to share his story and encourage others to learn more and make meaningful change in their own lives. Trevor has appeared on SBS’s Insight program, as well as contributing to various podcasts, radio and print media and continues to share and champion recovery from persistent pain.In this chapter Trevor describes his quality of life now, how he challenges himself to further improve and how he deals with flare ups if they occur.Full transcripts and show notes are available for each chapter on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comShownotes:^00:31 - Trevor has a growing confidence that he can do things himself that will make a difference in his life. He's made simple changes such as walking to the post office to pick up the mail rather than driving there and thus is getting more movement, more physical activity and more social interaction, all things which positively manage his pain,^02:11 - Trevor talks about how he manages pain flare-ups if they occur, 05:10 - Trevor discusses his quality of life now...a world away from where he was before,^08:52 - Trevor reiterates his msg to those listening to avoid treatments focussed only on a 'Biomedical' approach, and to seek out those providing a 'Biopsychosocial' approach to chronic and persistent pain,^11:45 - Trevor's msg to those still living with chronic and persistent pain.^Trevor's main tips
Episode 4: Full episode - Robbie Frawley - Recovery from post concussion syndrome (PCS)In this episode I tell my story of recovering from post concussion syndrome (PCS). It took me 7 years to fully recover, but if I knew at the start everything that I know now, I believe it would have taken me only a fraction of this time and that’s why I want to share these learnings with you. I hope that they give you some hope and they help you in your own recovery.My brilliant guest interviewer on this episode is Associate Professor Tasha Stanton. Tasha is the Osteoarthritis Research Theme Lead for IIMPACT in Health at the University of South Australia and a National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia Fellow. Tasha is a clinical pain neuroscientist with original training as a physiotherapist. Her research focusses on pain and she has a specific interest in pain education, osteoarthritis, low back pain, cortical body representation, somatosensation and body illusions using virtual and mediated reality. In short though, she’s one of the leading pain researchers globally, and it was ultimately through meeting Tasha and learning some lessons from her field of pain science that helped me to find the final steps back to 100%.Full transcripts and show notes are available for each chapter on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comRobbie's recommendations:13:00 - Find people who can help you and get a referral. I was lucky and was referred early by my GP to Grace McKellar Trauma Rehabilitation Centre in Geelong, 16:26 - The team at Grace McKellar gave me a variety of management strategies which were important throughout my recovery. These included 'pacing' (breaking up tasks to do them in small bite size components and allowing time to recharge between them), reducing work (until I could grade back up), introducing mini breaks (again to recharge throughout the day), planning and graded re-acclimatisation of all activities,36:47 - Find and read (or listen) to the book 'The Brain that Changes Itself - Norman Doidge),46:07 - Crutches which I found helpful whilst in survival mode: Don't assess how you are each morning, just get up and get out the door for a quick 10min walk in nature...you can think about how you are afterward,Don't forecast too far out - bring the focus right in close. Only think of the next immediate task in front of you, put everything beyond that out of your mind, Quotes help, such as "the only thing to fear, is fear itself" - Franklin Roosevelt, When you are struggling: "Be aware of where you are...and keep going",Try meditation - I like the calm app but keep trying them until you find one you like,1:07:08 - Think about DIM-SIM Therapy - Tasha and I explain this in lots of detail,1:14:20 - Explore the resources of the Pain Revolution and the book Explain Pain, 1:32:36 - Find and develop a relationship with a good neuropsychologist and explore the possibility of your system being 'overprotective' - both 'consciously' & 'unconsciously', 1:48:56 - Trust your gut instinct,1:59:02 - Consider what 'might' be possible.For more detailed show notes, see the individual chapter sections on the podcast website.
Episode 4: Chapter 1 - Robbie Frawley - Life, the accident and the weeks following (PCS).In this episode I tell my story of recovering from post concussion syndrome (PCS). It took me 7 years to fully recover, but if I knew at the start everything that I know now, I believe it would have taken me only a fraction of this time and that’s why I want to share these learnings with you. I hope that they give you some hope and they help you with your own recovery.In this first chapter I talk about my life preceding the accident, the concussion itself and the weeks immediately following it.My brilliant guest interviewer on this episode is Associate Professor Tasha Stanton. Tasha is the Osteoarthritis Research Theme Lead for IIMPACT in Health at the University of South Australia and a National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia Fellow. Tasha is a clinical pain neuroscientist with original training as a physiotherapist. Her research focusses on pain and she has a specific interest in pain education, osteoarthritis, low back pain, cortical body representation, somatosensation and body illusions using virtual and mediated reality. In short though, she’s one of the leading pain researchers globally, and it was ultimately through meeting Tasha and learning some lessons from her field of pain science that helped me to find the final steps back to 100%.Full transcripts and show notes are available for each chapter on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comShownotes:6:00 - Tasha asks me what my life looked like immediately before the concussion,8:00 - The accident itself. A minor fall whilst wakeboarding (catching the front edge),11:20 - 'Boom'/'busting' over the ensuing weeks whilst I was ignoring my symptoms.
Episode 4: Chapter 2 - Robbie Frawley - Treatment, management strategies and learning about 'neuroplasticity' (PCS).In this episode I tell my story of recovering from post concussion syndrome (PCS). It took me 7 years to fully recover, but if I knew at the start everything that I know now, I believe it would have taken me only a fraction of this time and that’s why I want to share these learnings with you. I hope that they give you some hope and they help you with your own recovery.In this chapter I talk about the treatment I received initially, useful management strategies and the important learning about neuroplasticity. My brilliant guest interviewer on this episode is Associate Professor Tasha Stanton. Tasha is the Osteoarthritis Research Theme Lead for IIMPACT in Health at the University of South Australia and a National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia Fellow. Tasha is a clinical pain neuroscientist with original training as a physiotherapist. Her research focusses on pain and she has a specific interest in pain education, osteoarthritis, low back pain, cortical body representation, somatosensation and body illusions using virtual and mediated reality. In short though, she’s one of the leading pain researchers globally, and it was ultimately through meeting Tasha and learning some lessons from her field of pain science that helped me to find the final steps back to 100%.Full transcripts and show notes are available for each chapter on the podcast website: storiesofrecovery.buzzsprout.comShownotes:^00:35 - Find people who can help you and get a referral. I was lucky and was referred early by my GP to Grace McKellar Trauma Rehabilitation Centre in Geelong, ^03:59 - The team at Grace McKellar gave me a variety of management strategies which were important throughout my recovery. These included:'Pacing' - being aware of your limited energy supply during recovery and choosing carefully what and how you do things so that you don't run your tank empty,Reducing work (until I could grade back up), Incrementally increasing & reintroducing activities (Graded re-acclimatisation). The brain and the body adapt to graded acclimatisation incredibly well,14:15 If you don't feel like you are making progress, try to stand further back and look over a longer timeframe to really assess if things are heading in the right direction,^17:30 - Other helpful management strategies they taught me:Introducing structured mini breaks (to recharge throughout the day). Grounding myself by closing my eyes and listening to the sounds around me,Breaking up tasks to do them in small bite size components and allowing time to recharge between them,22:30 - Meditation has been really helpful in recovery and normal life. I like the 'calm' app but try a few and find one you like (e.g. 'headspace', 'smiling mind', balance'),^24:22 - I'd highly recommend reading (or listening) to the book 'The Brain that Changes Itself - Norman Doidge). The stories in this book provided light and hope that I could get better and taught me about the concept of neuroplasticity.^Robbie's main tips
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