Episodes
Amy Beckwith: How my daughter's accident and traumatic brain injury changed our lives
In this episode, Megan Palmer, OT, and Gaylord's ThinkFirst Program coordinator interviews Amy Beckwith. Amy's 19-year-old daughter was in a drunk driving accident eight years ago that resulted in a diffuse axonal brain injury, a type of traumatic brain injury, which changed their family forever. Amy shares a mother’s story of hardship, struggles, adjustments, and triumphs in the aftermath of the accident and through the years of Courtney's recovery.
In this episode, Megan Palmer, OT and Gaylord's ThinkFirst Program coordinator, interviews Matthew Solomon a high school student who had to make some hard choices after receiving several concussions while playing football. Matt talks about the factors affecting his decision and wants to encourage other athletes who may be facing similar decisions. With mounting evidence of potential long-term effects from repetitive concussions, Matt's story and struggle to make the best decisions for his health resonates with student-athletes and parents alike.
Dr. Alyse Sicklick, Gaylord's Medical Director of Inpatient Rehabilitation and a physiatrist, speaks about her almost 30-year career at Gaylord, how the fields of medicine and rehabilitation have grown during her tenure, and how patients with stroke and brain injury have inspired her every day. She shares her expertise and knowledge of brain injury, along with talking about many of the services Gaylord has to offer.
In this episode, Megan Palmer, OT and Gaylord's ThinkFirst Program coordinator, interviews Caitlin Boland, PT, DPT, about her role as a physical therapist at Gaylord and how she made her career choice. Treating patients with these conditions can be very rewarding but there are challenges as well. Caitlin discusses how different her role is as a therapist at a rehabilitation-focused hospital as compared to a typical PT setting.
In this first episode, Megan Palmer, OT and Gaylord's ThinkFirst Program coordinator, interviews Ryan Tapp, a former patient, who was in a serious car accident that wounded three other drivers and left him with a serious traumatic brain injury. Ryan shares his story including spending time in prison, where his life is now, and how these events have dramatically changed him as a person.