3 Londoners tell their concussion stories
Three Londoners explain how they got their concussions and how they've affected their lives
Jared Zaifman
Occupation: City councillor
How it happened: "I was on vacation in Austin, Texas," he said. "One night I was coming home after dinner and got into the taxi a little too quickly. I just jumped into the car because it was raining, I was trying to avoid a puddle and smacked my head on the metal frame of the door."
First realization something was wrong: "Woke up the next morning feeling naseaus, unstable, I couldn't really get my balance," he said. "About three hours later I was trying to drive on the highway and I had to give the wheel up because I just couldn't stay awake anymore."
Recovery time: Five months off work, he still hasn't returned full-time.
Erin Schned
Occupation: Teacher
How it happened: "I was in a car accident," she said. "I was fully stopped at a set of lights and somebody rear-ended me."
First realization something was wrong: "The next day when I was driving into work. Every bump I went over I got a pretty severe pain in my head. I got to work and I had to have a colleague help me. I wasn't even functioning at work. Luckily I have colleagues and staff who identified it pretty quickly," she said. "I was off work from then."
Recovery time: Seven months off work, she still experiences concussion symptoms two and a half years later.
Chris Mackie
Occupation: Medical officer of health, Middlesex-London Health Unit
How it happened: "My first concussion happened eight or nine years ago, I was playing sports," he said. "Ultimate Frisbee, I got taken out at the legs, came down on the back of my head." Mackie said his symptoms lasted a couple months after that, but didn't experience any problems until he got another bump on the head earlier this year. "Just this January I was playing squash," he said. "I took a dive and saw some stars after that, didn't make much of it."
First realization something was wrong: Mackie said he didn't know he had a concussion until he went to Boler Mountain to ski later that evening. "For no good reason I ended up running in ski boots, which was really jarring at the time and then that evening I was just completely deflated, just like my first concussion."
Recovery time: Off for five months, still only works part-time.
