Follow us: hu Improving life after brain injury Need to talk? 0808 800 2244 Donate Home About brain injury Individuals Brain injury and me Denise Johnson Share your story Share your story with us to help others affected by brain injury Denise Johnson I want to be his reason to get better Imagine finding out that your loved one has been discovered alone with serious head injuries in a foreign country while you are more than 4,000 miles away and powerless to reach them. This was the devastating reality that confronted Denise Johnson on 15 July 2013. Denise was at home in Baildon, Bradford, when she began to worry that Don had not called her as promised from Saudi Arabia where he was working as Vice President of an insurance company. After hours of trying to contact him, she eventually resorted to calling the emergency services. When paramedics found him in his bathroom, the room was covered in blood. It is thought that he had suffered a brain haemorrhage while in the shower, causing him to fall and hit his head on the sink. "I flew out to Saudi Arabia immediately. By the time I arrived, he was in a coma," said Denise. "Three days after the incident, Don began to regain consciousness but he was disorientated and distressed. He recognised my face but, if I'm honest, I don't believe he truly understood who I was. On 22 August 2013, Denise was finally allowed to bring her husband back to England. He was immediately transferred to the Bradford Royal Hospital where he stayed for three weeks before moving to a rehabilitation centre. "Don would only sleep for around one hour each day," said Denise. "He wanted me there all the time and so I too got very little rest. He would often become scared or angry as a result of the brain injury and would frequently try to escape from the rehabilitation centre. "It quickly became clear that Don's recovery was going to be a long process. When we returned to England I was desperate for answers and eventually 'googled' brain injury. "Thankfully, the Headway website provided me with so much information about brain injury. Whenever Don had a bad day where he would become confused or uncharacteristically aggressive towards the hospital staff, I would consult the Headway factsheets for reassurance. "Before his brain injury, Don was a highly-organised person, but today he leaves everything to the last minute and he struggles to remember even basic instructions," said Denise, who is now a member of Headway Bradford. "My high-flying husband had to accept early retirement and stop driving following his brain injury, while I had to put my life on hold as we waded through the worst year of our lives. "However, we began running together as part of Don's rehabilitation, which gave us both something real to focus on." On 5 March 2014, Don was finally well enough to return home. In June, he began helping Denise train for the Yorkshire Marathon, which she went on to complete, raising nearly £700 for Headway Bradford. "Brain injury has definitely had an impact upon our relationship. If you met Don in a room full of people you would not realise that he suffers from the effects of brain injury but, living with him as his wife, I can tell that things are different. "We also have really good weeks too, and I want to be his reason to get better." Back to stories index Caring If you are caring for someone with a brain injury or have a relative being treated in hospital, this section will help you to meet the challenges ahead and find the support you need. Find out more Rehabilitation Find out more Donate Find out more Friends of Headway Individual membership Join/Renew Contact Us t: 0115 924 0800 e: enquiries@headway.org.uk Help us improve life after brain injury. Donate Improving life after brain injury 0808 800 2244 Call our free helpline 9am - 5pm, Monday to Friday. Or email helpline@headway.org.uk Join our online Community 27k Likes 25k Followers 3k Subscribers Privacy policy Cookies Terms & Conditions Accessibility Contact Us Resource centre Find a Headway Approved care providers Charity shops Fundraising comments, feedback and complaints Vacancies Join our mailing list Headway - the brain injury association is registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (Charity no. 1025852) and the Office of the Scottish Regulator (Charity no. SC 039992). Headway is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England no. 2346893. © Copyright Headway 2021 - Site designed and developed by MEDIAmaker By clicking 'Accept All Cookies’ you agree to the storing of cookies on your device. This will help us to offer the best possible experience and develop more of the information you need. Accept All Cookies Cookies Settings