Coma Survivors Share What It Was Like During Their Coma

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“During my two-week coma, I dreamt that I was in the middle of a cartoon-like desert with my horse, Rebel, and we were so thirsty. We came upon a saloon, but the owner wouldn’t let both of us in, so I had to choose between saving myself from dehydration or sticking with my horse. This happened back in 2003. I was 14, and I had actually fallen off my horse, landing myself in a coma. It was caused by coming to a sudden stop after going really fast, causing frontal lobe injury and shearing between my brain hemispheres. I don’t remember anything from the six hours preceding the fall. The last thing I remember is getting home from a camp counselor training weekend and needing to study for finals. My family was there through it all, and my mom spent every night with me in the hospital. Spoiler alert: I don’t think I made a decision at that saloon.”

“I had left-side paralysis and had to learn to eat, talk, walk, and everything all over. I bounced back pretty quickly and was in the hospital for four weeks total. The rehab therapists worked with me at home after that. 

The real TBI frustrations started after school had started, and I would go into furious rages every night. It was awful. Thank God for my amazing family and the amazing healthcare teams. They were so supportive through it all. I have fully recovered physically and have some regular depression episodes that I treat with medication and talk therapy.” 

—u/franciswentdowntown