Paul

On the 30th of March 2014 I fell 3.5 stories from a building onto concrete in Sydney. The accident occurred at a friend’s house following my 28th birthday party evening. I flew through the air hitting an awning after one floor down and then through a tree to the ground below.

This major accident could have been my peril but I survived and am now writing a book of the survival and the rehabilitation that followed. The recovery story includes a one month long trip around Australia, representing my personal love for travel.

Breaking my left leg, left arm, possible lung damage and injuries to the left side of my skull, all injured me. Strangely after a large amount of surgery, I look almost the same. However, the brain injury was the overlooked element in many ways and the undetectable element to the naked eye. Brain injury was most surely the most difficult seemingly invisible reality. There was original fear that I may not walk or indeed be unable to talk. The usual recommendation is that brain injuries take around two years to heal, with a minimum of six months’ recovery prior to beginning work.

Over the months I have healed well physically, with only a small scar above my left eye to indicate what had happened. Looking for work is a challenge and with that challenge it is the end of the story, or maybe where the longest and realistic part comes. Time will tell as I have been fired from many positions and a new one begins in September 2016.

My advice to others would be to keep going. Life is not about roses and petals and old poetry by the sea. It is about hard work and it does pay off eventually, little by little, bit by bit, until you are there- winning. In the stellar moments you think of the journey and say, "Wow, that was intense but I learnt so much".