My TBI Story

During 7th grade year in P.E. class, I was playing volleyball when I fell backwards and hit my head on the gym floor. I continued with class and went on to my next period. Throughout that next class, my head was pounding and it hurt more than anything had ever hurt in my life.

The pain was so bad that I texted my mom to come pick me up from school. That was when I got my first concussion, and seven months later, I would get my second.

Another fall on the gym floor sent me back to the doctors where I was told I was lucky to be alive and that I could not play sports for seven months.

After recovering from my second concussion, the COVID-19 Pandemic hit and limited my ability to get back into playing sports. It wasn’t until over a year later that I was able to play again, but while playing varsity soccer in my freshman year of high school, I got my third concussion.

On June 1st 2021, I was playing as a goalie when I dove incorrectly and ended up getting kicked in the back of my head by a girl on the other team.

Concussion #3 was the worst of them all. I had trouble walking, seeing, and doing general human tasks. I had headaches for over a year after the concussions, I had to get an MRI of my brain, was on medication, and had to see a neurologist for a long time.

Other than the headaches, I’ve had the long-lasting effect of PTSD from my last concussion.