I suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in April 2011, when I was 20-year-old. This incident was life-changing not only for me but also for my whole family. Traumatic Brain Injury is considered to be one of the five top ailments of the world, which can have life-altering consequences.
At that time, I was intoxicated after returning from a party in Goa. However, I have no memory of what happened next and woke up at home in Delhi. I suffered a fall from the second floor of the hotel I was staying. It was about 20 to 25 feet. Post falling, I was lying there unconscious for 3-4 hours until a security guard saw me.
I was immediately rushed to a hospital, provided instant medical assistance. My family flew to Goa and shifted me to a well-equipped hospital. My parents had to stay in Goa for a month, and later I was airlifted to Delhi. I was in a coma, unconscious for another five months after that.
When I woke up from the coma after six months, I had lost my speech and balance and my memory of the past year. It felt as if my life had stopped. All my friends and contemporaries were moving ahead in their lives where I was struggling with basic activities of life, like eating, drinking water and even walking independently.
My recovery was slow, but the support of my family made it possible for me to stand on my feet once again. It took me seven years to recover. My parents and IHIF (Indian head injury foundation) made it possible.
I drove myself to write about this incident, my condition, struggles, and recovery to motivate others. It would be wrong to say that writing this book was easy for me as it wasn’t. It took me almost double the time than what it would take any other person to write a single page. It was hard for me to review due to my poor eyesight. Given the circumstances, I could have easily given up, but I chose not to. I kept going and going until I finally finished my book and got it published in the year 2018.
My purpose in writing this book was not just to motivate other people to live their lives but also to motivate myself, to prove myself that I can do this even after all that which happened. I believe we, as a society, lack in terms of awareness, which is what I have attempted to highlight in my book. I won’t say that I have fully recovered, but I am fortunately in a much better state now.
My recovery was and is slow, but the support of my family and friends made it possible to stand on my feet once again, and resume life.
At the current age and the present stage, I realize the value of mental health. I hope others find inner strength and are not let down by any battles which they face in life.
If you too have an inspiring story to tell the world, send us your story at
mystory@thelogicalindian.com
