At last!!! Well done James Cracknell and Beverley Turner!!

I just wanted to say a big thank you to James Cracknell and his wife Beverley Turner. At last we have someone the public can recognise actually talking about the effect's a brain injury can have. It's all very well Richard Hammond going round saying he was very lucky, rather he was in a position where the people around him knew exactly what had happened, there was a helicopter there to get him immediately and there was no expense spared on his after care.... It doesn't happen in real life Mr Hammond.

At last, we have someone who has been brave enough to let the public know what a devastating effect a brain injury can have on themselves and those who are close to them. I admire the honesty from him but more so I think from Beverley. To speak so candidly about the experience from her side is a credit to her. Thank you both SO much.

[bikerlifestyle]

I have had this argument for a while, money goes a long way to aiding recovery, and you hear of those disabled people that climb mountains and travel the world, and they are supposed to be an inspiration, we all could do that if we had the money, and a sad fact of life is that a disability cuts your income channels.

The real heroes are those surviving each day whilst still fighting a disability

[Hidden in reply to bikerlifestyle]

Biker lifestyle, completely agree BUT - Cracknell and his wife had all the means at hand, the unfortunate thing for them was that their accident happened abroad and, as happens here WAY too often, the information never gets passed over to their next care giver so they end up losing the end to end care that should be afforded every person in Britain. His wife even said on Richard Bacons show on radio five on 31st October that she thinks too many people have NO aftercare at all, she speaks about it being a hidden disability and that's the message that needs to be amplified to everyone. We are all one second away from this devastation but, thankfully, it happens to a very few people. These people are the ones WE love and care for. They are the 'other' parent the other half, the people we have loved for years that have suddenly changed into someone we barely recognise. The point I was trying to make was that Richard Hammond had a fantastic opportunity to let the world know what had happened to him and to demonstrate to the wider public that this is such a devastating thing to happen to anyone. He got off lightly, yet he makes light of it like on the Chris Evans show last week. He has an opportunity to explain to people exactly what he went through. Maybe he isn't ready to face it himself, but I personally think is dong a disservice to all the survivors out there who didn't have his level of care, who, as you said, don't have the wealth to engage experts and professionals either way, he's not helping the people who aren't in his privileged position and he should take a step back and think, there but for the grace of whoever.... Finally you are right, the real heroes are the ones out there, living with it day to day. The real reason I am a a part of this is because ten years ago I married a wonderful man we have two wonderful kids and we would all do anything to make his life easier, he had his brain injury six and a half years ago whe the kids were two and three, they deal with it brilliantly because, I guess, that's all they remember of I'm, they way he is now. We deal with it like anyone else out there. Having this forum to discuss without sitting there leikena blathering idiot is rally helpful to me. Having a place I can speak freely without him knowing and feeling guilty for how he is today. Thanks headway xxx

[bikerlifestyle in reply to Hidden]

my youngest daughter 13 is the same she has only known how i am post accident, and kids are accepting, my eldest daughter22 had it worst because she grew up around the changing me and all the problems that caused

[bikerlifestyle]

I didnt mean to take anything away from thJames Cracknell and his wife Beverley Turner story.

i was more on about hammond, and those the [ublic see as insperatioal because they do all these things and travel etc.. and its like, if they can do it, then so can you, but as we all know everything costs money, and the cost of equipment needed drains most of that away

[Hidden]

Yeah I know what you mean. I would have liked the kids to know the old dad but I guess it wasn't to be eh? I just wish Hammond would have less of a 'life is great cos I survived' attitude and have more understanding of what could have happened to him and what has happened to many many people out there. I guess I was hoping he would have been more of an ambassador for TBI and ABI survivors, but hey, now we have James and Beverley and I think it's absolutely fantastic. Did you get to listen to them on Radio 5? I found it very moving because it sounds a lot like what happens in our house....

[bikerlifestyle]

No, even after 16 years i cannot listen to, watch or read much which reminds or makes me re live what happened 'motorcycle accident' is the term i use to cover what happened, but have trouble expressing or dealing with what actally happened and the resulting problems.

am all right if i try and explain i vaguely as if i am a third party or stick to a prethought out script which i use over and over again, but pretty much i just keep quiet or smile and pretend it was all a horrible dream.

[CuriousConnie]

Hello All,

I have purposely not read or listened to any media interviews with James & Beverley Cracknell beacuse I too still feel angry at Richard Hammond's portrayal of brain injury. Whilst I accept RH did a great service by highlighting the great work of the medics & Headway, I feel he also did / does other 'survivors' a great disservice. By this I mean that a media career such as his can be tailored around how he feels each day, whereas a routine 9-5 job cannot. I spent hours in Rehab upset that I was unable to return to my busy job and long hours, whilst RH seemed to be staring in every new series on the BBC! My therapist told me to consider that he would have his filming schedule fitted around his needs and how he feels each day, and if he could only manage a couple of hours then so be it. He still seems to be charging around as though nothing ever happened - sadly this isn't the case for me and I still have problems, struggles and associated illness on a daily basis. I am always angry that the message is never put across that even seemingly minor accidents ruin lives, in my experience even Headway don't advise worst possible timeframes (the ususal two years x 3 so far for me).

As previous comments point out, I guess neither James or RH will have struggled completing the tedious and life zapping ESA / DLA claim forms as they have no need to claim such help. However for most 'survivors' such support is essential and our applications and cases made all the more difficult to prove as much of the public perception of brain injury so upbeat. I pressure myself by assuming others must regard me as a fake because RH can do countless risky persuits on tv. Knowing the risk of injury, why would he put himself or family through such risks again???

I hope people understand the point I've tried to convey, I am angry and frustrated by what I've lost and by the continual battle (I feel I have) to validate the fact I am still unwell.

[Aelfwyn in reply to CuriousConnie]

Hi Connie, I sympathise with your frustration. James Cracknell's accident was soon after my own. He got immediate, state-of-the-art medical care: I got pretty much nothing except a months-long battle to get primary care medics to realise that there was something seriously wrong. I try not to feel bitter any more - I am really lucky, I have mostly recovered - but I actually found myself feeling jealous of Cracknell for a while, with all the attention he was getting. Crazy, as we all have our battles to fight, including him and his family.

I agree that RH's behaviour makes the rest of us feel that people must think we're faking it. As if brain injury (yes, even 'minor' TBI, which is enough to change your life and leave you not recognising yourself) isn't bad enough, we have to deal with it not being taken seriously. That's what's so good about this forum though - it's full of people who understand!

[Aelfwyn in reply to Aelfwyn]

Should add a PS to say that I mean no disrespect to these guys, only to sympathise with Connie.

[CuriousConnie]

Dear Aelfwyn, Thank you so much for your comment. I agree this forum is fantastic in being able to discuss and moan about issues that feel important to us as individuals. I occasionally need to let off steam and this has been a useful outlet, I too mean no disrespect to either James Cracknell or Richard Hammond. I wouldn't wish brain injury on anyone, I simply wish for greater understanding of the problems it causes.

Best wishes.