One Teen’s Heart-Wrenching Struggle Post-Concussion
I go to bed every night wondering if I’ll wake up forgetting everything. It’s terrifying. I can’t control it, and I don’t know when it’s going to happen. It pains the people around me. Why does this happen? How? A year and a half later and still no answers. I’ve become a pro at covering my pain and emotions. I’m just trying to be a normal 17-year-old.
A year and a half ago, I got a life-changing concussion that I’m still dealing with today. I’ve been diagnosed with retrograde amnesia, along with a pounding headache 24/7, double vision, vision damage, vestibular and cognitive damage. One of my biggest struggles is memory. I forgot my boyfriend 7 months into our relationship. I had no idea who he was. But thankfully he stuck with me and made me fall for him all over again. In school history is a nightmare because it’s all memory. I have multiple accommodations to help me do my best. For example, I get my test read aloud to me normally about a week later, so I have more time to study. This helps with my double vision. I can read for about 45 minutes to an hour before I start seeing double. I’ve gotten prism glasses to help my eyes converge text. But my biggest struggle through all of this is my pain. I have raging headaches around the clock. I’ve tried every over-the-counter painkiller, and nothing makes a difference.
However, I’m beyond lucky to have so much support from my family, friends, teachers and doctors. This happened to me for a reason. Even though I go to a doctor appointment every day some weeks, I know it’s going to get better. I can’t control what happens and can’t live my life in fear because if I do then I won’t be making new memories that I hope not to forget.