The Ghost in My Brain

How a Concussion Stole My Life and How the New Science of Brain Plasticity Helped Me Get It Back

By: Clark Elliott Ph.D.

Narrated by: Arthur Morey

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.

great book

Where does The Ghost in My Brain rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

for anyone going thought this or who know someone with rain stuff going on need to listen to this, it every eye opening for

CONCUSSION! What can happen to you...

Clark's story is informative, and discouraging at M.D.'s lack of how to assist a concussive. His determination finally gave him a reward in the end through an unlikely avenue. Found it very helpful, thank you for sharing your story.

Incredible story

Wow. This guy has a PhD and was able to carefully, intelligently document what it was like to live with brain damage after a car accident. And then, he documents how his doctors helped him recover. Because of this book, I am now bringing in a family member with a brain injury to see The Mind Eye Institute this weekend. We have an appointment and this book is the reason. Thank you, Clark! So grateful for the way you told your story. Especially intrigued by hearing how it impacted your ability to “feel” spiritual things. Love!!! We learned a LOT listening to this! Also, I was in a car accident and sustained a brain injury that healed within a year. A lot of this book resonated with me. So so good.

Astonishing

I read a ton of memoirs, especially medical illness memoirs. This is by far the best one I have read so far. The author's ability to describe his sensations and perceptions following an auto collision that left him with a severe concussion is remarkable. What I really nerded out on, however, was his ability to explain *why* he was experiencing those specific sensations and perceptions as a survivor of Traumatic Brain Injury. What I wouldn't give to have more of the whys for myself. Some readers will also find compelling the last third of the book, in which after eight years of miraculously managing to work as a professor, raise five children as a single father, and drive a car--none of which he probably should have been doing while under such massive cognitive and physical impairment--he found exactly the combination of treatment providers who could basically cure his malady. That part didn't resonate as much with me, though. Much like the end of Stephanie Foo's PTSD memoir, I was left feeling like the cure is only available to a special few who can afford the treatments and happen to live in exactly the right location to access them. The rest of us are told by uninformed GPs and specialists that we'd better just learn to live with it, because they've got nothing effective for us.

A must read for anyone who has suffered any type of brain trauma or damage

The voice reading isn’t compelling ~ it must be over looked and focus on the descriptions of neuro-fatigue and neurological symptoms and issues this will give the people in your life a small understanding of the complications and challenges that a person that has a brain injury experiences and why they are a “ghost” of their former self

Just okay

Pseudo science esque. A bit narcissistic. Not enough other stories. Not much breadth. Interesting but not compelling.

Not what I expected

If you want to hear a very detailed account of how a concussive brain does not work properly this is the book for you. If you want to learn how to heal your brain skip ahead eight hours or so. Or just Google the doctors used.

Wow!

Incredible story of perseverance! So informative and changed my knowledge of the brain! Thank you for sharing!

Huge Encouragement For Those With Prior Brain Trauma

This was such a wonderful read and an overall encouragement as I resonate with so much of what the author endured. There’s nothing better than finding hope through someone else’s success story who has walked or crawled in your shoes (I.e. TBI and concussion). I will use this book to help encourage others who have suffered brain trauma find hope in the unconventional processes much as I did. I am alive to write my own review and that is a blessing.

important book for people with concussions

if you've had a concussion - and aren't recovering, read this. the battery concept really helps,, as well as understandimg what treatmenta eventually brought him back to normal.