I spent one afternoon this week sitting in an out-patients clinic run by a neurosurgeon at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge for his brain injured patients in my role as a Headway trustee.
It was truly harrowing listening to so many personal stories of tragedy, how people’s lives have changed dramatically overnight.
The Cambridgeshire branch of Headway runs a unique service by having a representative based at the hospital and is allowed to sit in on these consultations, so she can then follow through by offering support from Headway. This is a very valuable partnership.
Most of the cases I heard involved men who had been assaulted. These were decent, ordinary guys who were either attacked at work or while out and about. A couple of them talked about difficulties with their employers when they returned to work as they still suffered memory loss, fatigue and headaches, but their bosses have little understanding about the challenges brain injured adults face when returning to the workplace. I would like to raise awareness on this important issue.
*One of our service users, Mick Jacobs, who is pictured with East Enders actor Perry Fenwick, has started writing a blog describing how he is recovering from his motor bike accident which left him brain injured. It is hosted by BBC Radio Cambridgeshire and is to featured by BBC Look East too. This is one of his extracts:
My case worker got me coming to HEADWAY CAMBRIDGESHIRE, after a lot of persuasion, and I’m glad she did. I used to think I was the only one like this. But there are so many people, all in the same boat, and they are all really great. I have made loads of friends in the short time I have been here, which has been about two months.
The future is going to be challenging. Not only for me, but more for Rose my wife and kids as they are also involved in my head injury. Because it just don’t affect the one person involved. It affects the whole family.
I never fail to be amazed by the strength and courage that people like Mick have in times of such terrible adversity. I liked his introduction, and hope to one day meet him and his wife Rose:
My name is Mick Jacobs, aged 44. I got married 22 years ago to Rose, who I call ‘My roll of sellotape’, because she stops me from falling apart.
What wonderful work is being done there. I do admire Mick for blogging and I love his “sellotape” comment.
I had a brain haemorrhage eleven years ago Ellee. At first the big enemy was medical prejuduce – many of them cling to the fallacy of a “six month surge of recovery.” Bollocks, after eleven years I’m still improving and have just started walking properly instead of luching around like Long John Silver on speed.
Longer term the big enemy is self pity, its not a case of why me but why not me. The important thing is not to be tricked into thinking its the end of your world. There are many things we can do to give meaning to our lives.
Anyway if you are interested, I wrote a memoir of recovery that was published in the USA but I pulled out of a UK deal as the publisher wanted me to cut the humour. The US publisher is now defunct so I’m free to put it up on the web as a free online read. I also plan to make it available as a printable PDF (people have to provide their own ink and paper) The project never was about money for me, I’d rather think I was helping people having made what doctors have described as “one of the more remakable recoveries.” So if you think sharing someone else’s experience (like how great it felt the first time I walked to the loo in the rehab centre and had a wee standing up) would help the people you know just give me a nudge and I’ll send you links. You should be able to see my mail addy here and you have a link to my blog.
regards,
Ian Thorpe
Dear Ian, thank you for sharing your personal experiences here. My limited observations have concluded that recovery from a brain injury is very, very complicated and can take much longer than anyone appreciates. I would certainly like to read your story, and I am sure that others would too, particularly people who have suffered a brain injury and their families, as well as those in the medical/rehabilitative profession. Why was it printed in America? If you have a link you can send me, I will add it on my site and forward it to Headway head office.
Thank you again, and take care.
There is so much valuble work going on out there. Thank you for sharing this.
A remarkable person, Ellee. Thanks for writing of it.
I’ve been to Royal Ascot where the fashion has been going!
Some people handle adversity with such grace and style it makes the rest of us feel humble. Thanks for showcasing him Ellee.
Some people are so amazing, very moving!
This is amazing work. I did once suffer some very minor brain damage as a result of meningitis and the frustration I suffered as I tried to get my head to do all the things it used to do with ease was – well, it was frustrating! When things like that happen it makes you refocus though on everything that is truly important in your life.
I hope that he continues to blog on, Ellee! My very best to him!!!!!!
Well done, Mick.
Remember – once a motorcyclist ALWAYS a motorcyclist.
Good luck.