Freak trip forces victim to fight for new life

Published on Friday 6 March 2009 09:16

IT was a split-second stumble which changed Julie Watson's life forever.

Enjoying a night out with her partner in Portobello, she had only had one drink when she slipped on the pavement leaving a bar and hit her head.

It was a seemingly innocuous incident which should have left her with no more than a few cuts and bruises.

Only she didn't get up.

The 50-year-old was instead left in a five-month coma with serious brain damage. Four years on and she has had to re-learn what were previously simple every day tasks.

Ms Watson, who now lives alone in Tranent, had to give up her job as a nurse in the Royal Edinburgh hospital, her relationship ended and her entire approach to life had to change.

Her story has been highlighted by brain injury charity Headway as it launches its annual campaign.

Speaking to the Evening News, Ms Watson told how she has no recollection of the fateful trip which led to her being rushed to the Western General – a hospital she would not leave for almost six months.

Speaking slowly and carefully, with a slight stutter and the help of gestures, she says: "Of course I feel unlucky because it was just a fall. "But then I could have died, the doctors called in all my family because they thought I would, so since then to a lot of things I say: 'It doesn't matter'."

Ms Watson's intelligence remains and when people talk to her she can perfectly understand them. But getting the message from the brain to her mouth is a severe problem and to communicate even basic messages she often relies on facial expressions, gestures and movement.

She is unable to read because of the part of her brain that was injured, but can write certain words. "It makes me very angry when I know what I want to say but can't," she adds. "It's strange. With me I can write the word England, but not Scotland."

Julie is no longer able to appreciate fine food as she lost her sense of taste and smell. She also has no feeling down the right-hand side of her body.

Following her release from hospital, she embarked on a five-month rehabilitation at the Astley Ainslie Hospital, where she built confidence in walking again and learned basic skills involving hand co-ordination.

While she was in the Astley Ainslie, her then partner, who she wishes to remain anonymous, came to her and broke off the relationship, unable to cope with the problems the inability to communicate brought.

"He came in to me and said that he couldn't do it anymore, it was too hard, but we're still friends now," she recalls.

The inability to communicate what she is thinking remains the most angering thing for her but she receives continued practical and emotional support from Headway, as well as having supported accommodation which has an alarm if anything goes wrong.

Progress has been slow, but she has hope of developing further.

"After I got out of hospital I could only say blah blah blah, but my speaking does get better."

Although she has lost a lot from life in the time since the injury, other opportunities have presented themselves.

Despite her problems, Julie has managed to become a talented artist. She has mounted paintings around her home and she has also developed knitting skills.

At a recent exhibition she sold three of her paintings, and is pleased about getting the chance to work on new hobbies.

"Before I would never have picked up a paintbrush, but now look," she adds.

"Now I always clean, all the time I'm cleaning in the kitchen."

Rather than dwell on what might have been, Julie remains positive.

"Of course I was sad about it, but hey, I could have died, so many people die, and I'm happy now."

BIKERS PEDDLE THE MESSAGE

LEADING brain injury association Headway says injuries like Julie Watson's demonstrate why it needs to raise more cash and awareness as it embarks on its annual campaign message.

Headway's campaign this year is encouraging people to wear helmets while cycling, and is staging a money and awareness raising cycle from Edinburgh to London over eight days from May 8.

The organisation is looking for people to cycle all, or part, of the way. To take part visit www.headway.org.uk