Welcome to my website!
Hello and thank you for spending time with us. I'm Janet M. Cromer, author of Professor Cromer Learns to Read: A Couple's New Life after Brain Injury. Whether you are a brain injury survivor, family member, or professional, I hope you will find useful information and inspiration in the book and on this Website.

About the Author
Janet M. Cromer, RN, MA, LMHC is a psychiatric RN, licensed psychotherapist, educator, and freelance healthcare writer. Janet's proudest accomplishment was sharing life with Alan for 20 years.

Janet has been active in the brain injury community since 1998 as a support group facilitator, advocate, guest speaker, and advisory board member.

 Janet speaks widely at brain injury and family caregiver conferences, hospitals, rehab centers, support groups, book clubs, and community events. She enjoys talking to the public, healthcare professionals, and students.

The American Medical Writers Association/NE Chapter awarded Janet a Solimene Award for Excellence in Medical Writing in 2006 and 2008 for her feature articles. Contact Janet at www.janetcromer.com

About my latest book, Professor Cromer Learns to Read: A Couple's New Life after Brain Injury

On July 4th weekend in 1998, my husband Alan and I went to Chicago for a family reunion and party. What was supposed to be a two day trip turned into a life-changing nightmare when Alan suffered a harrowing heart attack and cardiac arrest on the return flight to Boston. At that moment, life as we knew and loved it ended, and a new life and marriage began. Alan's brain was deprived of oxygen for a long time, and this caused extensive anoxic brain damage. Alan awakened from a coma not remembering his name or anything about his life, loved ones, or skills.

We began a seven year journey to reclaim Alan's mind, body, and spirit. At the same time Alan was relearning everything he used to know, we had to get to know each other all over again and build a new marriage and life going forward.

This is our personal story, but our experiences echo those of thousands of brain injury survivors and their family caregivers who courageously strive to move forward with severe physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges every day.

And there are so many of us. The Brain Injury Association of America estimates that 6.3 million Americans live with a severe brain injury. That's 2% of the population. In 2008 alone, there were 1.6 million cases of brain injury caused by direct trauma to the brain. Over 1 million people are rushed to emergency departments every year. And, perhaps more worrisome, many people never receive emergency treatment or rehabilitation.

Did you know that brain injuries are more common than breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injury? The causes include falls, strokes, motor vehicle accidents, sports concussions, military injuries, medical illness, and violence.

It is most important to know that you are not alone. Many people are on the journey of brain injury recovery and adaptation. We all benefit from hearing each other's stories. Our story offers hope and motivation by showing the reader that it is possible for a person with an injured brain to continue to heal and improve for years following the injury with the right treatment. It is possible for love to thrive and adapt to changing circumstances. It is possible to build a life filled with meaning and gusto even with a devastating illness.

Please go to the "Book" and "Preview" pages for more information.