Neurologic music therapy for Giffords

[tabatha]

"We also have neurologic music therapists," said Francisco. "We have recreational therapists, a pharmacist, chaplain, dietician, social worker, case managers. They are all a part of our team. It’s a very big team."

Neurologic music is a therapy - often talked about for Giffords – that involves playing music for patients to help stimulate their brain. It also helps speech as patients mouth or sing the words of songs.

"It’s like dancing to the beat, or in this case, it’s like moving to the beat," said Francisco.

Giffords is undergoing three hours of therapy a day, a standard time length for brain injury patients. Francisco hopes to extend that time over the course of the next few days.

http://www.khou.com/news/local/Giffords-staying-busy-during-intial-stages-of-rehab-114756754.html

[Peregrine Took]

1. When my 80 year old SIL was in a coma we played Mozart for her for weeks

in the ICU and the next level of care.

They were talking about pulling the plug on her at one point but we wanted to try music therapy first. The docs were shocked but she went from gaining consciousness to going on dialysis every day to having it every 3 days to once a week and now she is living independently and doing just fine.

I must add she is living in a retirement hotel but has her own room and goes to the dining room for her meals. She can come and go as she wishes. Will have her 87th birthday in May.

[tabatha]

2. What an inspirational story.

That had a good ending. Thanks for sharing.

[Peregrine Took]

4. Thank you. We brought our CD player into the ICU and put the Mozart CD

into it. I put a note on it to please re-start it when it stopped and even put a red nail polish dot on the re-start button. The staff kept it going all the time although I heard that other patients complained about it.

Oddly enough I don't even really like my SIL but I just wanted to help save her life as a good Catholic/Christian.

It worked but she wasn't especially grateful but that's the way she is. She still loves to watch MSNBC and go out to dinner so that's something

[bobbolink]

3. The woman who was my choir director when I was a kid used to do music therapy.

It fascinates me, and seems to have great results.

This is going to be a hard pull for the Representative, and I wish her well!