Follow us: hu Improving life after brain injury Need to talk? 0808 800 2244 Donate Home About brain injury Individuals Brain injury and me Reflections of Chair-M... Share your story Share your story with us to help others affected by brain injury Reflections of Chair-Man Eason I know, I know, I've heard it all before, it doesn't help even though it’s true. Richard Eason sustained a severe brain injury in a motorcycle accident in 1983. He experienced multiple physical injuries and damage to his brainstem, but after a long spell in intensive care followed by intensive rehabilitation, he was able to live a reasonably independent life despite the ongoing effects of his injury. Like many brain injury survivors, Richard felt that although people tried to relate to his situation, they often couldn’t truly understand. So he set to work writing a collection of poems about life after brain injury to help others in a similar situation to realise that they’re not alone, and to try to give ‘able-bodied’ people a small insight into the world of disability. Richard sadly passed away in 2014, so to honour his memory his son Sam recently set to work re-printing and sharing his father’s book of poems, which you can download below. Richard’s personality and wit shines throughout, and here we share ‘You Don’t Say’, a poem which recounts a situation that is all-too-familiar for many people with brain injury! You Don't Say By Richard Eason I know, I know, I've heard it all before, it doesn't help even though it’s true. It's well meant but it’s usually said by a healthy able-bodied type, who’s never been sick or had a bad day in the whole of their jammy life. If you were worse off than all others, there's one thing you wouldn't have to endure, that's some silly bugger, patting your head saying 'There's someone worse off than you.' Illustration by Denis Blandford You can download Reflections of Chair-Man Eason in the Related Resources section, below. Back to stories index My poetry: Sam Norris We share Sam’s moving poem which examines the hidden challenges that he continues to face after brain injury and, despite this, a determination to achieve his dreams. Find out more My poetry: Helen Wilson I started my poetry when asked to write a thoughts diary, I felt pressure and could not cope but needed my thoughts to disappear and clear my brain, I find it helps me a lot. Find out more Creative expression Find out more Related resources Reflections of Chair-Man Eason 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