Tammie Thomson

32 years ago I was in a car accident that left me with a traumatic brain injury. I had a bruise on my left temple about the size of a nickel. They had to induce a coma that I was in for about three weeks. I had a broken neck as well as a head injury. This made it more difficult to relearn to walk. I, honestly, thought I was dreaming for a few weeks. I didn’t know anyone at the hospital and I didn’t remember my accident at all. I kept thinking I needed to wake up and go to work.
My stay in the hospital was around two months. I, of course, had physical therapy, occupational therapy and regular visits with a psychiatrist. My recovery from beginning to end, including after being released from the hospital, was a good year.
Of course I have long term effects from my head injury like: double vision, some arthritis (not too much) and scars. I feel that, as bad as my experience was, I am very lucky to have been able to resume my life and not have lasting effects that prevented me from living my life. I know it could have been much worse.