Living with Traumatic Brain Injury

On May 7th, 2008, I came home from school, just the same as usual. I got on my three-wheeler (walking right by my helmet), and went on down the road. I was going about 55mph- just the same as I did every other day. On my way back to my house, something must have frightened me.

I went off the side of the road and hit a pole and was flung from the seat- where I left my shoes on the pegs- and hit a tree. The three-wheeler then hit me. The woman who owned the house with the tree had to call 911 three times before an ambulance came. The only thing I knew was my phone number- I didn’t even know my own name. I was life flighted twice.

When I got to OSU Medical Center, they performed emergency brain surgery on me to relieve the pressure. I was known as Trauma 28. When my mother finally found me, I was lying in ICU. I spent about a week at OSU, where I could barely walk, I couldn’t eat, and my speech was greatly impaired. But, I was alive. I was then transferred to Children’s for rehab. I stayed there for a week and a half. I began to eat again (after losing 22 pounds), I learned to walk and talk just like I used to.

I have been released and I’m doing better. I still get really bad headaches and when I stand, I get dizzy, but I am still who I am. Even though I lost a bit of my short-term memory, I feel that I am doing exceptionally well. There is hope for everyone.