‘Hi my name is Emma Martins and I have worked for the last two years, as a Lived Experience Communicator at Headway, Norfolk & Waveney. My journey has taken much longer than I thought it would. I gradually discovered that after my acquired brain injury (ABI), it’s been very difficult to judge time. It’s taken me years to recover, but each person’s brain injury is different.
I acquired my brain injury 10 years ago in Vietnam in December 2013. After surviving a malevolent virus which literally attacked my eyesight and brain, I was given only a 20% chance of recovery! There was a lot to claw back! I had transitioned overnight from working as a TV Producer at Wag TV in London, travelling the world on location, to a hospital bed and my life had changed forever. I had to be really strong to get through the initial year of rehab, but because of my nature, I had the drive and tenacity to get through it.
Here, I am offering you an insight into the last ten years of recovery, for my 10-year anniversary since the ABI. We are in the winter, December 2023 and in this first blog I will tell you a little story in the ‘special challenges for the month’ section, this one is about starting paddle-boarding.
Firstly though, I will go back to the beginning and explain exactly how I recovered. I hope you will find it encouraging if you are in a similar situation yourself.'
How I acquired a brain injury
After acquiring a random ABI ten years ago, I endured the first four months of re-learning some basic skills from scratch. The first two months were spent at the Royal London Hospital, and then I was moved to the neurological hospital called Queen’s Square in London, for another two months. I had to relearn pretty much everything from scratch such as making a cup of tea, taking a shower, crossing the road and tying my shoelaces. It was like being a little kid all over again! I do love a cuppa, so I had the incentive to improve as quickly as I could! All these things were made more difficult because my eyesight was badly affected and I was visually impaired.
Living in London had its benefits. I discovered many voluntary opportunities so that I could stay busy and improve my interactions. I will tell you about my escapades and hopefully give you some idea of how you can also become involved in society again.
Eventually the lockdowns came in the spring of 2020. I decided to make the move back to my home county, Norfolk, to live with my family in Norwich. This was a transition period and eventually I found a home of my own not far from my family, where I have managed to live independently for the last couple of years.
Now that I am coming up to my 10-year anniversary this Christmas, I thought it would be good to reflect on how I have been doing. I have been thinking a lot about my many experiences and which things I am still working on, which I hope will give you a realistic picture of how life has been and is today. Remember though, every person’s brain is different and these are just my experiences.
There are still things that I find challenging, like using technology such as computers. I shy away from it, I admit, but I am lucky to have my own support worker who is amazing and types things up for me. I will give you a brief overview of my present progress.
Typing
I need to practise this more, but my eyesight and dyslexia (which is called Alexia and is more severe), makes it pretty darn impossible, as my brain and eyes don’t coordinate properly together. I undertook some voice-activated training on Dragon software through my position at Headway. I speak into the laptop mic and it types things up for me. It does need a lot of practice though because it gets to know your voice and commands gradually over time. I can’t rely on this software to send official emails at the moment, so my support worker is not out of a job any time soon.
Fatigue and exercise
I am definitely stronger than I used to be with more stamina these days. I take part in an activity every day, either something for my brain or physical exercise like running or tap dancing. I aim to run twice a week and have a lovely nearby Lake which takes between ¾ to 1 hour to complete. It’s more of a meditative run for me rather than a race! The endorphins or ‘happy hormones’ released make me feel so much better. Of course it keeps me in shape too, which is always good.
My Paddle-boarding challenge
During lockdown three years ago, my friend’s father had a paddle-board and suggested I give it a try. That was quite an exciting idea and because they are based near the Norfolk Broads and the weather was great, I couldn’t wait to try it. Initially, I had a couple of tries with him, learning the ropes, without standing up on the board. On the third session I managed to stand up which was an amazing feeling. Once I had found my balance, I was paddling along alone for a while when I turned a bend in the river and promtly fell in. At this point I was out of sight of my group. Unbeknowns to me, there is a front and back to a paddle-board! Not being aware of this, I mounted it at the wrong end and ended up going round and round in circles, like a lost duck. Then I dropped the paddle and eventually had to be rescued by a couple in a passing river boat, who took pity on me. It was a bit embarrassing, but I recovered my pride and carried on learning.
This summer my boyfriend bought his own paddle-board and we decided to go to the fishing village of Sheringham on the North Coast of Norfolk. I was a little nervous as it has been a couple of years since my last attempt and this time it was in the sea, much more tricky. My boyfriend helped me and once we had navigated the waves, he gave me the confidence to take to the board again. I did feel that the neural pathway memories I had originally formed came back, and I remembered things again. It is great for my balance and core strength and demands a lot of hand/eye coordination. My boyfriend explained it is good for improving proprioception. The term is used to describe self-movement and normal proprioception which allows you to move freely without giving your movements a second thought. This November I got my very own paddleboard for my birthday but I’m definitely a fair-weather paddleboarder so I will tell you about my adventures in the spring!
What have I learnt over the years?
From the above experience I can say that perseverance is key! Don’t give up and try and find a work-around if you need to. I am definitely very happy to be alive and I think that acceptance is key. A lot of patience is needed, which goes without saying and trying to do as much as I can, without overloading which is called ‘pacing.’
Counting my blessings
Although I have told you all about my challenges, especially with reading and writing or typing, I am very lucky that my support worker has been able to decipher my handwriting and read all this back to me, so we can discuss it. Once I finish embellishing the story, she types it all up for me when we do our admin sessions together, twice a week.
The content on this platform is produced by Emma Martins, Lived Experience Communicator, in collaboration with her support worker. All views expressed herein are solely those of Emma Martins and her support worker, and they do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Headway Norfolk and Waveney.
It is essential to note that the content shared represents personal experiences and is not intended as professional advice. For medical guidance and assistance, especially if you require specific healthcare recommendations, it is strongly advised to consult with qualified medical professionals, including your general practitioner (GP). The information provided on this platform should not be considered a substitute for personalised medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Headway Norfolk and Waveney disclaims any liability arising from reliance on the information presented here for medical decision-making. Always consult with healthcare professionals for accurate and personalised guidance based on your individual circumstances.