What's going on....

...in my scrambled brain? 
 

In November 2020, I was in a bizarre bicycle accident in which my head struck the pavement with great force. My skull was badly damaged. I lay unconscious on the road in a puddle of blood. A jogger, the only witness of the accident, called 911 and stayed with me, along with some friends who came shortly after the accident, until the ambulance arrived. At the hospital, I was examined by an incredible E.R. neurosurgeon who performed a craniectomy that saved my life. He later told a reporter that it was the worst head swelling that he had ever seen. 

I had experienced a severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and a coma was induced after the life-saving surgery. The plan was for me to be in the coma for about 10 days to allow my brain to better heal. I was fitted with a tracheostomy and a feeding tube. However, the ICU team struggled to bring me out of the coma as scheduled and, eventually, there was talk of sending me to a special facility for comatose patients. Just before I was to be moved, after 19 days in a coma, I regained consciousness. I would stay in ICU for many days. It was a week before I was able to speak or walk at all. 

The prognosis for injuries as severe as mine is usually not good. My family began considering life with a wheelchair bound father who would be in need of daily care. Speech and communication were expected to be problematic. 

But my recovery exceeded the most optimistic expectations. For example, the earliest forecasted date for my return to work was in 6 months - May 2021. I began working (from home) 2 days after I was released. Regardless, I had, and still have, some problems. Both of my inner ears were severely damaged which affects my hearing and balance. I've got other issues.

In 2021 I underwent a day-long exam and assessment by a Neuropsychologist who specializes in TBI. She determined that my brain seemed to be functioning average, or better, than men my age with advanced degrees. Nevertheless, I'm certain that my brain is still scrambled. Certainly, my family and friends think so.

Judge for yourself.