Stories
Meet Kevin
My name is Kevin Luu, and I was a young 20 year old guy when I acquired a severe traumatic brain injury from a road bike accident in 2012. And yes, I was wearing a helmet! During the acute stages from 2012 to 2013, I endured a series of adverse events and procedures such as a cranioplasty after having a craniectomy, an infection, a time in which I was missing half my skull, before the most recent (and last) cranioplasty!
The writing of this marks the 4th year since the accident, and many, many things have changed. A lot of these changes were due to the constant support network of my family and friends, but also assistance from Acquired Brain Injury Services after being discharged from the hospital. From the initial stages of my ongoing recovery, ABI Services has continued to play a significant role in my progress to this very day. At first, I couldn’t comprehend information, let alone do activities of daily living, such as walk around my own household unassisted.
ABI Services provided daily support – support in which I was able to slowly but gradually regain my independence – tasks ranged from meal preparation to mobilisation, to even recalling day to day events I had difficulties!
The level of support I had received has been adapted to my needs, as I pursue my own goals such as completing Northern Sydney Institute’s courses in my bid to resume my 4 year degree in the Bachelor of Applied Science – Exercise Physiology at the University of Sydney this year. ABI Services has also assisted me with transportation, as I had been training for running events such as the City2Surf, Blackmores Sydney Running Festival and the SMH Half-Marathons.
I believe that ABI has had an enormous impact on my ongoing recovery, by means of assisting my personal goals, helping me strive to achieve them all whilst managing fatigue. Thank you ABI Services!
Meet Louise
Hi, my name is Louise Neary. In 2008 I got my appendix out. They didn’t give me blood thinners, a blood clot lodged into my lungs and I got a hypoxic brain injury. I collapsed at my daughters Kristy’s, my son George was resuscitating me. Thank god for Kristy and George being at the right place at the right time.
My life before my brain injury was perfect. I was very fit and I used to love work. I would drive and see my kids and grandkids all the time.
Everything from before got wiped out. I had to learn everything again like a baby. It took me two years to learn the alphabet, and now I am learning numbers so I can read the time.
ABI Services have been very good to me. The carers and managers are the best. If it wasn’t for the carers practicing my therapies with me I wouldn’t be where I am today. They have been professional and helpful, and they have put up with me being cheeky.
I hope no one goes through what I went and continue to go through, but if they do I would definitely recommend ABI Services to help support them, without them I don’t know how I would be.
Meet Katrena
Hi, my name is Katrena and I had a stroke on Valentine’s Day, 14th February 2013. I used to play golf until I had a brain bleed and a stroke. I enjoyed art and drawing but I can’t do either of those things now.
After my stroke I spent 7 months in Royal North Shore Hospital and Wyong Hospital. I came home 15th September 2013. Things were terrible and I was living in hell. My partner Chris had to help me in and out of bed because I had no handrail and I had a catheter in place. Chris and my son Brandon had to empty it and do everything for me.
I had a bit of physio then 14 months after I got home I started with ABI Services. They exercised my arm and encouraged me to walk. My doctor said I’d have to have the catheter in permanently, but we worked hard and got it taken out in January 2017. It was great to be free after 4 years.
Now ABIS take me to hydrotherapy twice a week and out to shopping and social events that I couldn’t go to before. Sometimes I go to the cooking group and to different places instead of just my local shopping centre all the time, like Newcastle and Port Stephens.
I like my support workers, they are all very nice. Most exciting of all is that I’m back to playing golf! I am working with Empower Golf and I hope to be able to join my old friends for a round soon.