More Than “Just a Concussion”: Helena’s Story

In recognition of National Concussion Awareness Day, the Brain Injury Association of America – California Chapter is elevating the voices of Californians affected by concussion. Helena shares how one injury changed nearly every aspect of her life – and how finding the right care, support, and community helped her begin moving forward.

Helena’s story: “Before my concussion, I was constantly on the move: working multiple jobs while attending school full-time, hiking, practicing yoga almost every day, traveling, and maintaining a busy social life. Then, on September 11, 2020, a concussion changed my life almost overnight.

I woke up disoriented as my symptoms rapidly worsened. I had the worst migraine of my life, despite a long history of migraines. I was shaking and dry heaving, grabbing onto walls just to reach the bathroom, sleeping until 5 p.m., too nauseous to eat, and struggling with blurry vision and overwhelming brain fog. Driving was out of the question, and screens left me completely disoriented.

Some of the hardest changes were the ones no one could see: changes in memory and cognition, difficulty finding words and forming fluid thoughts, overwhelming fatigue, exercise intolerance, and eventually autonomic dysfunction and POTS. I looked like myself, but my brain, body, abilities, and daily life no longer felt like my own. I had to leave school for several semesters, and it took more than two years to begin receiving the comprehensive evaluation I needed. Along the way, I learned that even seeing a neurologist does not necessarily mean receiving specialized expertise in concussion and persistent symptoms.

What did make a difference was finding the right care, community, mindset work, targeted rehabilitation, and learning to work with my body rather than constantly fighting it. Acceptance has also been a crucial part of recovery. It has not meant giving up, but learning how to build a meaningful life alongside what has changed.

To make matters even more challenging, while navigating the effects of my initial brain injury, I have since experienced additional concussions. I wish I had known that one concussion can increase the risk of subsequent injuries. My life looks very different now, but I have learned to slow down, accommodate my needs, and make life more accessible. I can drive again. I finished my degree. I found a community that understands, and eventually began creating that community for others. About two years ago, I founded Concussion Buddies, a peer support group for people navigating concussion and persistent symptoms.

Living through all of this has taught me that a concussion is not always “just a concussion.” Brain injury can affect systems throughout the entire body, from cognition and vision to sleep, digestion, hormones, and the autonomic nervous system. I wish I had understood sooner how far-reaching those effects could be and how important appropriate care and protection from subsequent injuries can be.

For anyone navigating a concussion now: advocate for yourself, even when it feels impossibly hard. Keep asking questions and seek people who understand. Recovery does not always mean returning to the life you had before. Sometimes it means learning your brain and body again, finding the right support, and building a life that works for who you are now.”