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  • The Ghost in My Brain

  • How a Concussion Stole My Life and How the New Science of Brain Plasticity Helped Me Get It Back
  • Written by: Clark Elliott Ph.D.
  • Narrated by: Arthur Morey
  • Length: 9 hrs and 14 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (22 ratings)

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The Ghost in My Brain

Written by: Clark Elliott Ph.D.
Narrated by: Arthur Morey
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Publisher's Summary

The dramatic story of one man's recovery offers new hope to those suffering from concussions and other brain traumas.

In 1999, Clark Elliott suffered a concussion when his car was rear-ended. Overnight his life changed from that of a rising professor with a research career in artificial intelligence to a humbled man struggling to get through a single day. At times he couldn't walk across a room, or even name his five children. Doctors told him he would never fully recover. After eight years, the cognitive demands of his job, and of being a single parent, finally became more than he could manage. As a result of one final effort to recover, he crossed paths with two brilliant Chicago-area research-clinicians - one a specialized optometrist, the other a cognitive psychologist - working on the leading edge of brain plasticity. He was substantially improved within weeks.

Remarkably, Elliott kept detailed notes throughout his experience, from the moment of impact to the final stages of his recovery, astounding documentation that is the basis of this fascinating audiobook. The Ghost in My Brain gives hope to the millions who suffer from head injuries each year, and provides a unique and informative window into the world's most complex computational device: the human brain.

©2015 Clark Elliott (P)2015 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved. Recorded by arrangement with Viking, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, a Penguin Random House Company.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Couldn't finish... lacked plausibility.

I purchased this title in anticipation of gaining a deeper insight of concussions and rehabilitation strategies but lost interest about 50% through the book.

I surrendered because I personally felt that the author lacked credibility. The extreme level of detail, written after the fact, by someone with a significant brain injury did not seem to add up. The writer explains great cognitive challenges in memory and other executive functions... yet somehow maintained an ability to recall and delineate finite points for the book. This is suspect.

The value I got from this book was the awareness that intellectuals can come across like a narcissist... losing rapport with clients and in this case, a reader-base.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Specific book for specific folks

This is a book for prior intellects with a brain injury and the practitioners looking to treat them. It’s not for everyone, but for that group of injured people it’s life changing. Like having the precise tool for a job.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
  • TT
  • 2021-09-16

A really remarkable story.

This book was recommended to me from a friend. Coincidentally, we are both recovering from post-concussion syndrome. Dr. Elliot’s symptoms are simultaneously recognizable and terrifying all at the same time. As a sufferer relatively early-on in my recovery (less than a month), I am grateful to not have symptoms so severe. Moreover, I am especially grateful to feel that I am receiving the right amount of care, with health care professionals over a decade removed from when Dr. Elliot suffered his concussion.

For those interested in his recovery, it starts on audio chapter 28, or about 6 hours into the book. I wished he had focused more on this aspect.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Why not a little more help??

It’s a book about concussion and all the cognitive challenges releated to it.

So chances are that it’s going to be people with TBI that are going to listen to it. Cause they can’t read it.

So why not helping a bit by giving the chapters titles names in Audible instead of just numbers. It’s already hard to follow a book, without that it’s even harden.

I haven’t finished it yet. I’m a bit lost as you could have already deducted.

I read in another comment that after 6:00 he gets into interesting solutions. Can’t wait to see if it’s anything new under the sun!

On the bright side, the voice is easy to listen to.

And he gives brief explanations to questions/symptoms/situations I encountered. Which is eye opening on the WHY wtf these these were/are happening. Even if I end up a bit lost and have to close the app for a moment to rest.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

6 hours of his daily life before road to recovery

The first 6.5 hours of the book is just about his daily experiences with post concussion syndrome. A lot of those experiences and symptoms are repeated in different situations - more than needed to be shared since they were so similar. Many daily accounts could have been left out. I found myself wanting to skip ahead to find where the road to recovery started.

As a current post concussion syndrome sufferer, I found it helpful to relate to some of the same symptoms and feelings that he had.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Life changing

This book was a exactly what I needed to hear, l have been living with my Concussion since November 2014.
Just like Dr. Clark Elliott l had been seen by many and I main a lot of different doctors.
I to was told that there was nothing they could do for me that I would have to learn to live with this.
Plus I too was laughed at and was made fun of because of my many symptoms.
It’s very debilitating and people just don’t get it, nor do they want to take the time to hear you out.

I highly recommend this book and will definitely refer it to my who suffer with the same conditions l have.
I just attend my first Concussion Support Group meeting at The Brain Care Centre.
I will be in this program for the next 9 months and will hopefully be going for vision therapy sessions.

This book was referred to me in August 2019 by a doctor who specializes in Nero Optometry
She also does Vision Therapy which I plan on attending.
Her eye examination etc was life changing for me.
l so wish that I would have none about her and her practice sooner.
Next month l will hopefully be able to afford my first pair of Brain glasses.

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