Vim & Vigor - Summer 2019 - GMC - 51

Concussion

This movie features the
story of Dr. Bennet Omalu,
a pathologist originally
from Nigeria who worked to discover and
research the condition now known as
chronic traumatic encephalopathy. In the
movie, Dr. Omalu finds the condition after
performing autopsies on two former NFL
players who sustained repeated contact to
the head throughout their football careers.
"Often referred to as CTE, this condition
is not well understood and research is
still in the early years," explains Adam
Shunk, PhD, a neuropsychologist with
GMC's Concussion Institute. "Part of the
difficulty is that so many other treatable
conditions have symptoms similar to
CTE, making it very difficult to identify,"
notes Dr. Shunk. "Plus, it cannot be
definitively diagnosed until after death
upon an autopsy."
"Furthermore, symptoms of CTE aren't
as dramatic or obvious as portrayed in the
movie and are actually quite common in
other conditions," says Dr. Shunk, "and
while it is implied that these extreme and
erratic symptoms may be lifelong, it is well
known that most people who experience a
concussion will make a full recovery."
"However, regardless of symptoms or
perceived severity of head trauma, it's
always important to seek comprehensive
evaluation with a concussion specialist,"
Dr. Shunk emphasizes.

Baby Mama

This comedy and romance is the story of a
successful businesswoman, Kate, and her attempts
to have a child in her mid-30s. However, when she
learns that her chances of conceiving are slim due to having a
T-shaped uterus-something that 5 out of 1,000 women struggle
with-she becomes determined to become a mother by
any means necessary. When adoption seems too
far in the future to grasp, Kate turns to an
agency to help her find a surrogate. One
seemingly successful implantation later,
the relationship between the surrogate
and Kate grows complicated-
and humorous.
What is it really like to struggle
with infertility? "The emotional
struggles that come along with
infertility are not something to
ignore," explains Kathryn Parris,
MD, an OB/GYN with Gwinnett
Medical Center. "Oftentimes,
before a condition like a bicornuate
uterus is diagnosed, many women will
endure difficulty getting pregnant and
miscarriages, which can be both physically
and emotionally painful."
While there's no possible way for a short
two-hour film to thoroughly detail complex
conditions in their entirety, movies that tackle these tough
topics can offer unique and fresh perspectives-giving us all food
for thought. So whether or not you consider yourself a fan of
movies that deal with health and medical issues, take what you
watch with a grain of salt, just like your popcorn, and see what
you can learn. ■

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