On December 4, 1993, I was in an altercation where I died, was revived and fell into a coma.

I suffered a head injury with brain damage.  After the four day coma, when I came to, my eyes had crossed, I had trouble speaking and pronouncing words, I had lost all equilibrium and mobility on primarily my left side, and could not walk unassisted.

The Chronicles of Brian Castellani

Source: www.castellani.me

These are the Chronicles of Brian Castellani

My Name Is Brian Castellani 

On December 4, 1993, I was in an altercation where I died, was revived and fell into a coma.

I suffered a head injury with brain damage.  After the four day coma, when I came to, my eyes had crossed, I had trouble speaking and pronouncing words, I had lost all equilibrium and mobility on primarily my left side, and could not walk unassisted.

I was at Harborview Hospital in Seattle for a month doing physical therapy and speech therapy.  I eventually left the hospital in a wheelchair, later graduated to a walker, and then for some time after, I used a cane.  The doctor’s prognosis of my injury upset my parents and friends a great deal, and it is probably one of the lowest points of my life.  I also feel it is 100% responsible for my tenacity, resilience, and ability to have courage when there is absolutely no reason to.

Doctors conveyed that physical rehabilitation would be a lifelong process and that people with traumatic brain injuries have little to no hope of significantly changing.

In retrospect, the information was sparse and fragmented and the negative “sentences” that the doctors gave was more of a poor legal disclaimer. Even though there are effects today, it wasn’t an accurate hypothetical of my situation.  Life deals tough breaks, and in many head injury cases, the situation is much worse.  How was I to know what would happen in the future?  How is anyone supposed to know, for that matter?  They didn’t, and no one can foretell the future.

MORE:  www.castellani.me/my-name-is-brian/