Cory Long

On january 26 2024, I slipped on some ice in the parking lot of an autozone. I hit my head three times and was knocked out cold. When I woke up from the cold wet ground the world I had known was now an unfamiliar place to me.
My ears were ringing, I couldn’t talk and I was gray in color. For the next year and a half I was in a fight to save myself from a severe concussion. Every aspect of my life had been affected. My emotions were like a roller coaster out of control, I tried to control the endless crying for no reason or the anger and frustration I had to hold in, the constant questioning why this happened to me? no one understood the land I was living in not even me for that matter. Lights, noise, or any type of movement, would give me a head ache and send my eyes into spasms that I had no control over. Laying down in bed and the world would spin out of control. Watching tv or wrapping presents had become to hard to do. Paying bills or grocery shopping was about impossible I had no control over my world. Everyone saying give it time and have patience is the most frustrating thing to hear, when all I was doing was trying to survive. I was trying my hardest to be myself. 97 Physical therapy appointments to work on coordination and balance, and eye strengthening exercises. A year of speech therapy to help with word finding, impulsivities and social cues to help me interact with my coworkers and family. 10 weeks of vision therpay to help my eyes work together again. 12 weeks of light therapy to help my pupils react quicker. My pupils were not reacting quick enough leaving me in a constant fight or flight feeling in a reved up state. Looseing freinds and family along the way, no understanding from anyone because you can not see this invisible disbality. I have almost lost my job several times and am always the one who has to say sorry. Sorry for not being who you once knew. Sorry for not being healed quick enough, sorry because you do not understand. That is a tyring world to live in, a world in which you always feel defeated. Even though my life has been changed and I will never be who I was before the fall. I am proud of how far I have come. My balance has gotten better, my coordination has improved, I am now able to handle the symptom flare ups thanks to the endless hours of therapies and education on how concussions affect your whole body not just one area of your brain. I still have a long road to go in my recovery , Even though I fell and have had to rebuild my life, I have learned alot about myself and the world around me. With every day that passes my confidence continues to grow stronger and I am becoming who I am meant to be. Never give up on yourself. Early interventions is the key.