Personal Narrative: Severe Post-Concussion Syndrome

The ball is up. I step back and balance on the tips of my toes to reach the ball, but suddenly I am unable to move. I look up, expecting to see the beaming faces of my fellow teammates, but instead, I find a wheelchair. My head is pounding; I can’t feel any part of my body. “Don’t pass out, you can’t afford to stop breathing” was all that I heard.
What happened? Hours later I got my answer: I had received a grade 3 concussion. While going for the volleyball I had slipped and fell. Fortunately, my descent was cushioned by my head when my body smashed against the hard gym floor. Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with Severe Post-Concussion Syndrome that would persist for the rest of my life. I was told that I was lucky, but as a freshman in high school, I felt anything but fortunate.
That night I was disoriented. My mother wasn’t home and I wanted to call her but I couldn’t recall her number,

I stared at my phone for 15 minutes before giving up. I was hungry and after getting out some ice cream, I went for the silverware drawer and my mind fumbled. Where were the spoons? Along with the amnesia, I had chronic migraines. Looking in mid level light was like staring into the sun for hours. I felt utterly defeated. How was I going to pursue my love for animals in this state? Soon afterwards I was pulled out of school and homeschooled until my condition improved enough to where I could return. However, I would not blindly accept the prognosis. I decided to remain optimistic: I would find those spoons and get through school.
As the months went by my brain began to gradually heal.

The migraines decreased and I slowly started to chip away at my assignments. My straights A’s began slipping to C’s and even F’s. However in order to fix that, I did just what I would do with finding the cutlery: I asked for help. School provided me with aid through a 504 plan and my parents would quiz me on where I could find certain utensils. By the end of the year, I was able to eat my ice cream without fumbling around my drawers and I had a better track record on my transcripts. I finally learned how to find that spoon.
I have a long way to go, my memory has improved but it is still an upward battle. Having Severe Post-Concussion Syndrome has taught me that my life isn’t defined based on how high my G.P.A is or whether or not I get into the top ten of my class. I pride myself in knowing that I can achieve the big tasks as well as the more menial ones despite my severe head injury. After all, life is defined by the little victories, like remembering where the silverware is located, and by finding the spoon I found

myself.