Kelly Tuttle – My Brain Injury Recovery

Overcomers Overcoming

Kelly Tuttle became a brain injury survivor in 2015 after her car T-boned another car that had pulled out in front of her. She thought she would shake off the crash and continue with her life. The next day, her co-workers said she wasn’t talking coherently. So, she saw her doctor, who said she had a concussion, and she should be better in two weeks. Months later, she was living with a stranger in her head; she felt alone and lost. She didn’t like this stranger; she was rude and impatient, had the focus and attention span of a gnat, couldn’t remember anything, was irritable, and slept a lot. She couldn’t arrive on time for appointments or even plan a birthday party. She spent too much money and got into financial trouble. It was terrible to live with her, but over time, she realized she was not a stranger, but she had gotten a “new” brain. She spent years after her car accident seeking help to recover through a neurophysical therapist and speech therapist. She discovered the role of physical medicine, rehabilitation doctors, and behavioral optometrists in caring for brain injury patients. These specialists taught her how to live and work with sound and light sensitivity and chronic fatigue. As time passed, she got better and got to know the new “me.” She is not the same person she was before her brain injury. Her personality and values changed. She became like a sloth rather than the energizer bunny she was before her brain injury. Her traumatic brain injury marked the beginning of a new life and a personal journey of self-discovery. Her brain injury led her to change her career, write a book, and become a brain injury advocate. Her brain injury recovery has been long and challenging, but she likes the new “me” and her new brain. She shares her story so others know there is hope and they are not alone. You can learn more about Kelly in her book After the Crash: How to Keep Your Job, Stay in School, and Live Life After a Brain Injury.