Stuart M's story

I'd like to tell you my story of how my brain injury occurred and how my life has changed since.

My name is Stuart and I was born and educated in Hobart.  I completed a science degree at the University of Tasmania and worked in research where I studied the processes required to turn old newspapers and magazines into recycled paper.

In the early 90's I was transferred to the Melbourne office and traveled throughout Australia checking the quality of the paper, writing reports and sending them back to the paper mill. 

When A.N.M built a new paper recycling processing plant in Albury Wodonga I grasped the opportunity to move and due to my background in this area was successful in doing so.  During that time in Wodonga my son Thomas was born, I was so proud.

(Photo compliments of artist Mr Shaun Fennesy & Kickstart Arts)

Then one weekend I decided to go mountain bike riding with a few friends in the hills by Wodonga and unfortunately I had a crash.  Despite wearing a helmet I received a whack to the head and consequently ended up in hospital.  At the hospital I received treatment to keep me alive.  I was then transferred to Canberra where they were better equipped to deal with my injuries and from there I was transferred to the Royal Hobart Hospital where I spent a long period of time in their care.

Since my accident I experience difficulties that I did not before.  One of the obvious difficulties is a paralysis down the left hand side of my body although luckily this does not effect my taste buds.  I also experience problems with my peripheral vision.  Less obvious is my short term memory.  I can recall events from years ago but since my accident I cannot even tell you what I ate for breakfast today.

(Photo compliments of artist Mr Shaun Fennesy & Kickstart Arts)

I now live in a shared accommodation and I attend various forms of rehabilitation such as physiotherapy, aqua aerobics and programs at Headway like cooking and art which occur weekly. 

I enjoy many aspects of the cooking group namely eating the food we make, interacting with others in wheelchairs and various people with ABI as well as learning new skills which we can use within our home environment and the community every day.

Jacqui HB's story

Hi, my name is Jacqui.  I have been unable to speak since I acquired a sever brain injury on Christmas night 1985, when I was kicked in the right side of my head by a horse.  At the time I was 22 years old, had worked at several jobs and successfully completed 18 months of an Education degree. 

Prior to my accident, I had lived independently in Hobart for three years, in a stable relationship, until about halfway through 1985 when I left Tasmania temporarily to travel around Australia for three months and then returned home to find work and a place to live.

(Photo compliments of artist Mr Shaun Fennesy & Kickstart Arts)

I had a large group of friends and I enjoyed dancing and attending nightclubs.  I also loved horse riding and basketball, and had joined a softball team the  month before my accident. 

I guess my main ambition in life at that time was to get married and have children!

My accident resulted in a coma for approximately three months, and a 10 month hospital stay (none of which I remember).  My parents then brought me home and I have lived with them for a long time.

My brain injury has left me with many disabilities.  I can not speak but I can communicate with signs, writing and by using a Lightwriter DecTalk computer. 

I have poor short term memory, and use a whiteboard 'diary' as a cue.  I have serious difficulties with mouth and throat muscle control, which means choking is a real problem, even when I'm laughing!  I can feed myself, but it is very messy!  All my food needs to be blended, mashed, or finely chopped, and liquids have to be thickened.    I have left side hemiplegia and I am unable to stand unaided.  However I can weight bear on my right leg (with support).  I have Epilepsy which is reasonably well controlled but I sometimes have 'spasm turns' which scare me.  I have lost my left visual field, so cannot see anything on my left hand side which causes many problems in my electric wheelchair.

However, there are still some things I can do.  I love word games, crosswords, Solitaire on the computer, arts and crafts and I am happy to try anything.  I love listening to music - generally rock but wouldn't say I was fussy when it comes to music, as long as it has a good beat and lyrics.  I also like reading but books are generally too hard due to my visual, concentration and memory problems. 

I fell in love with a wonderful guy named Sean, we were married in December 2001 and he reads to me regularly - luckily we both like the same kinds of books!  We lived with my parents for most of the week and then would spend two nights with Sean's parents at Richmond, however now I can proudly say we have our own unit and with the help of our parents we live mostly independently.

I have an older brother David, and a younger sister Amanda.  They both have children all of whom are gorgeous.

One of the biggest influences in my life is the Headway organisation.  I have been going to Headway since 1987 and just love it for lots of reasons. The main reason is the interaction I have with others.  I get to play games with staff and members, which I love.  I also really enjoy cooking (and I learn to make some yummy dishes at home).  During the time I've been going to Headway I have loved doing drama, arts and crafts and writing short stories and poems and now social skills, all of which I found extremely beneficial.  In Social skills we have been trying to improve our failings, like my poor memory and even if I haven't benefited from a particular session they have all been such fun!

Andrew H's story

I was 14 years old at Cosgrove High School,  I was a normal teenager - but cheeky, very active and outgoing. 

"I thought I was invincible!"

I played soccer and cricket in the school team, as I LOVED running.  At school I was good at and enjoyed math's and science.  I was in both' Advanced' maths and' Advanced' science.

I am the sixth child in a family of seven children.

I was with some mates, some had bikes.  We decided to go to the shop and one of the kids who had a bike decided to take a short cut across the highway.  I ran behind him on foot........  I did not think I just reacted on my impulse as I'm sure most people in their lives have done at some time. In my enthusiasm, I  ran out on to the Brooker Highway, following my buddy on his bike and I was struck by a car, traveling at the speed limit that was enforced at that time.

I have no personal recollection of the accident, however I've been told and by news articles from the time state, 'that one of my shoes was found 100 metres down the road'.

(Photo courtesy of Headway)

My parents and family played a huge role in my recovery, along with many health providers and services.  I have still an unpleasant memory of my time at the Old Douglas Parker Rehab Unit.  They told me at the time, that I would NEVER be able to talk again and would have to rely on speech aides (like a computer/lightwriter).  My father had just retired, so he became my main carer.

The changes to everyday life are that I am unable to walk and both of my arms suffer from muscular spasms which they tried to fix on my right arm but were unsuccessful, so I have to survive everyday with muscular spasticity.  I had the love and support of my family due to not being able to live independently however now that I am a married man I am gaining more independent roles that I never guessed I would ever partake in.

I am very lucky to have an adequate social life due to Headway Rebuilding Lives and my new church 'New Life Christian Centre' organisation.

My communication for 15 years was very limited.  I found this very frustrating as all I wanted to do was talk and be understood.  From my observation most people do not take the time out to listen so that makes me feel more disabled than I am.  My sport career now is ten pin bowling using a ramp which I can push the bowling ball down to score.  I am an expert at being a Spectator and that has made me very observant and wise.

I find the most challenging aspect of living with my ABI is my short term memory problems however it is on the improve.  I also have a lot of trouble cooling down, my body temperature is out of sync.

Positive Outcomes: My patience has increased following my ABI and I have a more positive outlook on life.  It has forced me to expect life as it happens.

Any disability discrimination that comes my way, I have learnt through much trial and error to ignore, as I don't know how to change it but due to my ABI it sometimes now affects my emotions.

My biggest happiness has come this year in 2011 when I married the love of my life -   In June 2006 in a chat room for traumatic brain injury survivors I started a conversation with a lady named Stephanie from America and who would have thought the outcome!  Our chance internet meeting, falling in love over the internet and her subsequent migration, proves that anything is possible.  Fresh starts are available to anyone with an open mind, courage and hope for the future.

Andrew & Stephanie H on their wedding day - Headway wishes them both love and happiness!

(Photo courtesy of  Mr & Mrs Hodges wedding photographer)

Stephanie once gave me a plaque that says 'Once you choose HOPE anything's possible!  Its so true.............because our internet love proves what that plaque says.

We were married on the 10th September 2011, so 5 years building a relationship proves the advantage of patience, time and hope starting a new long term future together.

My biggest wish is just to live the best '2nd chapter of my life' to the best of my ability with my wife. 

In the future I plan to continue adding to my friendships and building up my God sent marriage! 

If you would like to be an addition to my internet mates please contact me through This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

   Nicho's Story

My name is Nick Baily.  I sustained a severe head injury in a single motor vehicle accident on the 10 of April 1997.  I was 24 years old at the time.  I was driving home after a long and tiring day at work, via a few cold drinks at my local pub.  I fell asleep at the wheel and crashed off the side of the road into a pine tree.  I was changed dramatically the night of that accident. 

I was in a coma for 6 weeks and the doctors told my family to consider turning off my life support system.  They didn't! Thank goodness for my family.  When I woke from the coma the right hand side of my body was paralysed,  both my lungs had collapsed through shock, I had 28 broken bone in the space of my glasses     ( I didn't need glasses before my accident.)  I couldn't talk, walk, read or write.  I couldn't even swallow properly and I had a continuous a severe headache which lasted for 2 years and 11 months.

I had been a very successful long distance runner while at school and now I had to learn it all over again.  I had to sell everything, my home, my business, everything.  I moved up to Brisbane to be closer to my mother and to continue my rehabilitation.  I started to get involved with my community and became a member of the Rotary Club of Brisbane North.

Over the years my balance has improved, my memory is improving and I have gained many new skills however I still have problems concentrating for any length of time.  My brain just gets tired! I have low stress tolerance and can become extremely frustrated and angry with situations. 

(Photo courtesy of Headway)

I became a client of Headway Support Services in February 2001.

In February 2002 I was asked if I would like to become the client representative on Headway's board of management.  I accepted and became the new Client representative on the Board of management.  This is a voluntary position and I sat at board meetings every month. 

In 2007 I applied for and was accepted into the Premiers Disability Advisory Council, as a community member with a disability and close connections  to a disability network,  I was elected the deputy community Chairman of the council the same year.  In this year I impressed the CEO of Advocacy TAS Inc.  He asked me if I would like to become a board member of Advocacy TAS Inc.  I accepted and in September 2011  I  was  elected  the  Secretary  of   Advocacy Tas inc.  In October I was elected the Community Chairman of the Premiers Disability Advisory Council.

My life has been very rewarding for someone with a brain injury.  My accomplishments have simply been a result of what I could achieve at the time.  My brain injury is  no less or worse than anybody else's.  I have achieved what I have because I am determined and passionate. 

An Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) affects people in many, many ways and none of them are good. Families, carers and friends are all affected by the ABI when their loved one suffers.  ABI does not discriminate and can strike at any time.  Please realise that my whole life changed the second of my accident.  There is never any reason to drink and drive not even just a couple of drinks and please don't think that ABI happens to other people or someone else because statistics show that in Tasmania it strikes 7 people every day. 

Thank you  for reading my story and best wishes.  Nick Baily

Craig Phillips contacted Headway and would like to share his story with our clients and visitors to our site. 

Please click on the link  Craig Phillips - 'Second Chance to Live' to go to his web site

Craig's site is a helpful resource to encourage, motivate and empower and provide hope to individuals and families with ABI.