DOCUMENT

Headlines 13 Two years passed before Colin was able to return to work following a lengthy, mentally-gruelling recovery at Burwood Hospital’s rehabilitation unit. “On arrival I recognised five of the patients. They had been on my ward, and I could remember what had happened to them but not their names. In fact, the only name I had been getting right was my wife’s name, Helen. I had been calling our son Alex. Our son is called Tom. Alex is my nephew; he is 13 years older than Tom and was at university in Scotland. “On the second day I had my first speech and language therapy session. I was asked to write my name on a blank sheet of paper. I misspelt my surname for the first time in about 40 years. Getting better is a long, slow process, and it needs to be.” While his ordeal was horrific, Colin has found a deeper understanding and purpose in caring for patients with head injuries. “I still cannot think of any area that would be more interesting and varied to work in than neuroscience. And I am not just saying that because I had a smack on the head.” If you’d like to know more about epilepsy and seizures, Epilepsy New Zealand has a range of resources available on its website at epilepsy.org.nz Colin wrote this illegible note on day three of his recovery. He still doesn’t know what he meant. First MRI March 2011 Last MRI February 2012 “I still cannot think of any area that would be more interesting and varied to work in than neuroscience. And I am not just saying that because I had a smack on the head.”