Portrait: James
December 1st, 2023, began like any other. Friday, the start of the weekend looming, a list of small, easy jobs were lined up for the day when I was struck by the most breathtaking pain consuming my entire head.
Survivor Stories
Many of you have written to SameYou about your experience of brain injury and told us how you identified with Emilia's story. There was a common feeling of relief about hearing a familiar story from someone young, and speaking out to normalize the injury. People were comforted that Emilia had gone through something similar to them or to a family member or loved one.
The overwhelming emotion was of gratitude that Emilia was breaking her silence and that enabled and emboldened so many others to tell their brain injury story - some for the first time. It was as if people now have permission to speak out about their story.
I get days when I just want to give up. But after hearing your story it has made me realize, I'm not on my own!
You have told us that by sharing your stories, and reading other people's, offers hope, comfort and much needed peer-to-peer support that is often hard to find.
SameYou have created this support resource called Portraits to tell the untold story of brain injury. If you would like to share your story, you can submit your story via our Share your story page.
Portrait: Veronica
My name is Veronica, this is my story. I was diagnosed with arteriovenous malformation (AVM) at the age of twelve. I was born with it, and I never had any symptoms before my arteries ruptured in my brain.
Portrait: Matthew
Back on May 31, 2009, at 31 years of age, an aneurysm ruptured in the right frontal lobe of my brain. When people hear that, their first response is almost always, "Wow, that's terrible." However, I quickly talk about how it was, far and away, the best thing that's ever happened to me.
Portrait: Jamie
In 2005, as a serving soldier in the British Army, I was on a training exercise in the jungles of Belize. Whilst cutting our way through a dense part of the jungle, everyone heard an almighty crack and a crashing sound as something extremely heavy fell through the leaves above...
Portrait: Dan
In 2011 I was young (35), very fit, healthy, happy and planning to get married the following year in June 2012. In January 2012, I went into King’s College Hospital for a foramen magnum decompression to treat Chiari malformation (brain surgery No. 1). I was told it would involve 1-2 weeks in the hospital and another 2 weeks at home to recover. I thought, “Easy!” Little did I know that this is when my nightmare would begin.
Portrait: Charlotte
I suffered my brain injury not long after I was born. I was born 11 weeks prematurely and due to a traumatic birth, shortly after I suffered a bleed on the brain. It is said that bleeds on the brain and stroke are the leading causes of disability and in my case, this is what happened...
Portrait: Melissa
My name is Mel. I have been a paramedic for over thirteen years in Brisbane, Australia. In 2019, I had just returned home from a sporting event and holiday in France and Italy when I started to feel unwell...
Portrait: Andrew
At the end of the day, I survived all this which is incredible and I am so happy I can still hug my wife and daughters and make them happy because their happiness is the most important to me.
Portrait: Natalie
I first shared my story in April 2019, while at the start of my recovery. Now, I am two years into my journey and have made great improvements, all thanks to the amazing rehabilitation support I got from all the NHS services during my stay in hospital and also in the community after discharge.
Portrait: Tara
In February 2022, I developed a sudden onset double vision. I've always worn glasses and put this down to not having had an eye test since before the COVID-19 pandemic...