An important part of rehabilitation is getting patients and their caregivers connected with resources and support. Whether you are just beginning rehabilitation or living with a disease or condition, there are many organizations available that can help.
Online Resources
Find additional resources by specific conditions/disease or subject matter.
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Support Groups
Listings of caregiver and patient support groups available for brain injury, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury and stroke.
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Caregiver's Blog
If you or anyone you know is a caregiver for someone going through rehabilitation due to a stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury or other debilitating disease or condition, you most likely have no idea what you or the patient will be facing. The link below will take you to a blog written by Carol Bichler, the wife of a traumatic brain injury patient at The Ohio State University Medical Center. Mrs. Bichler started this blog because her husband, Andy, was a seventh grade teacher and basketball coach at West Jefferson Middle School and it was the easiest way to let the students, his co-workers and their community know exactly what had happened and provide updates about his current condition. More than a year later, she is still blogging but thankfully it is no longer about her husband's rehabilitation, it is more about vacations and family! To access the Bichler's blog, click the link below which will take you to January 30, 2009. Then to get to the first entry of the blog and navigate through the entries, you will need to follow the steps below:
- Click on January 3 in the green block on the right side
- Scroll up to read January's entries
- To get to February's entries, click on February in the green block and then click on the first day listed for February
Below is an outline that highlights some of the events during Mr. Bichler's hospital care, rehabilitation at Dodd Hall and outpatient therapy at Martha Morehouse Medical Plaza. If you want to read about any of these specific events, using the dates in the green block on the blog, click on the specific month and then click on the specific date.
| Jan. 3, 2009 |
First entry of the blog provides information on the accident and his condition |
| Jan. 4-9 |
Information on each day in OSUMC Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) and moving into Ohio State's Medical Center |
| Jan. 12 |
Admission to Ohio State's Rehabilitation Services at Dodd Hall |
| Jan 14-30 |
Begins therapy at Dodd Hall– describes the specific therapies he is receiving |
| Feb. 3 |
Discharge date changes. Mr. Bichler and his wife will stay in the independent living apartment at Dodd Hall for a few nights so that they, along with the therapist, can assess their ability to live at home |
| Feb. 4-10 |
More therapy information |
| Feb. 11 |
Discharged from Dodd Hall and return home |
| Feb. 13 |
Assessment appointment for outpatient therapy at Martha Morehouse Medical Plaza |
| Feb. 18 |
Meeting with neurosurgeon regarding surgery to replace skull bone |
| Feb. 19 |
First outpatient therapy session at MMMP |
| Feb. 23 |
Last full day at Dodd Hall. As his final therapy activity, he goes to Anderson's General Store to fulfill a shopping list. |
| Feb. 26 - March1 |
Skull cap surgery and results |
| March 5-9 |
Issue from surgery requires an additional surgery |
| March 10-24 |
Due to the recent surgeries, another admission to Dodd Hall required |
| March 11-12 |
Description of additional therapies he is receiving |
| March 16 |
Mrs. Bichler attends her first support group session for Spouses of Persons with Traumatic Brain Injury |
| March 18 |
Meeting with neurosurgeon regarding surgery to replace skull bone |
| March 23 |
Last full day at Dodd Hall. As his final therapy activity, he goes to Anderson's General Store to fulfill a shopping list. |
| March 26 |
Returns to outpatient therapy at MMMP |
| April 22 |
Follow-up appointment with neurosurgeon |
| May 14 |
Outpatient therapy includes a scavenger hunt and driving evaluation |
| May 18 |
More info on the Spouses of Persons with TBI Support Group |
| June-July |
Mostly about their daily life with mentions of therapy here and there |
| July 20 |
Last outpatient therapy at MMMP |
| August 19 |
Appointment with Dr. Mysiw, his Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician |
| Sept. 1 |
Comments on psychologist appointments |
| Sept. 25 |
Last appointment with the psychologist – released to go to work part-time |
| October 1-2 |
Mrs. Bichler attends a brain injury conference sponsored by the Brain Injury Association of Ohio |
| October 15 |
Mr. Bichler approved as eighth grade girls basketball coach |
| October 26 |
First driving rehabilitation program appointment at MMMP |
| October 27 |
First day back to work as a substitute teacher |
| October 28 |
Reflections on his rehabilitation process and disappointing results of driving rehabiliation appointment |
| Nov. 21 |
Appointment with physician at Dodd Hall |
| Dec. 3 |
First game as girls basketball coach |
| Dec. 28 |
One-year anniversary of accident |
Read story about Andy Bichler's successful rehabilitation.