"My biggest thing is never to give up" | Every 90 Seconds

In 2016, our brain injury survivor, sustained a life-changing brain injury during a violent assault.
As part of Headway's #ABIWeek 2023 #Every90Seconds campaign, she and her husband, talk about her injury and how Headway has supported them. 
Due to her brain injury, our survivor cannot remember the events leading up to her assault. "I don't remember nothing, nothing at all," she said. "Apparently, I was out with my friends." 
However, her husband remembers the day very clearly and recounts receiving the terrible phone call to say what had happened.
"She was on the operating theatre for maybe 14 or 15 hours and was on a life support machine," he said. "But I was determined to get her back on her feet again." 
The severity of brain injury meant she had to re-learn many life skills, including how to walk again. However, she has difficulty remembering some of these huge milestones. 
"I don't remember a lot of things that happened for at least half a year. I would love to get back to where I used to be, but it is a struggle," she said. 
Headway has been supporting our survivor by providing her with a support volunteer to enable her to return to work and to help her to learn to read and write again. 
"I needed Headway. I always had Headway with me ever since I came home from hospital." 
Her husband is keen for others to understand the need to be patient with people who have sustained a brain injury and that signs someone has a brain injury aren't always visible. 
"You've got to get to know a person to understand what they're actually going through," he said. 
Explore our campaign at www.every90seconds.org.uk

[@TheBikeRoom]

Touching and honest. I didn't make it to the hospital as parent didn't think necessary. 5 years ago I had a seizure age 51 at that time. MRI picked up calcified lesion frontal lobe, possible cause was the brick thrown at my head on my way home from school when I was 13. Personality change after the event was obvious, went from outgoing, Judo and football loving teen to reclusive and anxious teen, although this worked in my favour as my school work improved and was moved up to top set. However, memory was an issue. Had no support in school so revising for exams and getting dates and place names and words to stick was difficult but got out with 9 O levels, A levels and a diploma in computing but didn't get to uni as hoped. Jobs and socialising always been difficult as anxiety and depression has been an issue as an adult. After seizure in 2018, and redundancy I changed careers from sales rep to working to support teens with autism in a high school. I find this to be so much better for me and I have met really honest and interesting people. I can relate with them as being neurodivergent does help.

[@gary8068]

What I took from this is that Brigitta has a great man behind her. That guy loves her with all his heart. I really can't understand how her injury was caused by violent attack from another human being or group. She seems such a lovely person and for her injuries to have been the result of violence saddens me greatly in terms of human nature. My head injury was the result of an accident as opposed to having been inflicted by someone. She has a good man helping her now and supporting her.

[@bluediamond1414]

What I like to hold onto - is the fact we know so little about the brain. That doesn't scare or panic me, it gives me hope. There is still so much to learn and so many paths to explore no one brain injury is really ever the same. The electrical impulses our brains use to communicate information can be regrown and rewired ... neuroplasticity is the brain repairing itself. It can be encouraged in many ways. Never loose hope 🙏

[@debblackmore7460]

I tell myself if I don't remember its not worth remembering we are lucky and survivors and we will never give up on ourselves many will never ourselves we will keep going keep fighting keep positive keep strong stay positive stay strong xx

[@debblackmore7460]

Keep going doing amazing things stay strong stay positive stay safe you got this sending luck hugs prayers most of all love from headway Nottingham UK xxx

[@debblackmore7460]

Proud of you both keep going doing amazing work stay strong stay positive stay safe takecare keep fighting dont give up xx

[@enlightenmentworldunited8545]

Anyone had serious head injuries 🤕 & nothing showing on MRI ? I didn’t take the yellow dye. I suffer greatly,every morning wake up in a panic 😱 My memory very damaged. Love to you both.💟

[@peteryoung2593]

Just keep going its a very long road with a brain injury i had a brain injury 43 years ago at 16 ended up with a crushed left temporal lobe 5 inches by 4 inches and in a coma for 1 month and hospital for 2 months then back again for a titanium plate to be installed in my head to protect brain. Then 2 years of rehabilitation at a government centre. It certainly is a different world we live in but depression is the hardest thing for many years for some of us people who have acquired brain injuries. I am now 58 and turning 59 soon self harm is highly possible in the first few years and families should keep a eye on the Brain injured person. I drive and did work for 20 years but have had had multiple things happened since i was 41 a heart attack hereditary and a quadruple heart bypass and had a couple strokes and diabeties and have electrical problem when the heart doesnt talk to the brain and a form of elephant man disease in my legs and now osteoarthritis only 3 weeks ago but i am still married and have 1 daughter who is working now. If i can get through this then you can to the i just try not to worry about your brain injury its something that takes a very long time to heal. Just try and get through with it you are still alive make the most of it it certainly helped me through the dark times at the begining of finding out why you wake in hospital.