Life After Encephalitis

Encephalitis is a devastating condition whose impact upon people should not be underestimated. It robs people of abilities most of us take for granted, it leaves people without their loved ones, and even in those families where the person affected survives the person they once knew can be dramatically changed. Life After Encephalitis provides a unique insight into the experiences of those affected by encephalitis, sharing the rich, perceptive, and often powerful, narratives of survivors and family members. It shows how listening to patient and family narratives can help us to understand how they make sense of what has happened to them, and also help professionals better understand and engage with them in practice. The book will also be useful for considering narratives associated with brain injuries from other causes, for example traumatic brain injury. Life After Encephalitis will appeal to a wide range of professionals working in rehabilitation settings, and also to and survivors of encephalitis, their families, and carers.

Ava Easton is a health scientist and researcher specialising in encephalitis, acquired brain injury, and neuro-narratives. She has worked at The Encephalitis Society since 2000, and became Chief Executive in 2011. Ava is also an Honorary Fellow at the University of Liverpool and lectures around the world on encephalitis and its consequences.

Foreword by Simon Hattenstone Preface 1. Introduction 2. Encephalitis - what it is, and what it does 3. Medicine and the history of narratives 4. The Survivors 5. The Spouse 6. The Parents, and their children 7. The one who didn't make it 8. Neuronarratives: authors and readers 9. Narratives in professional practice 10. Concluding remarks