Help Jagdev Beat The Brain Injury

I was an ordinary boy.

My name Jagdev Singh Rathaur. Born in a middle-class family. I lived a happy, healthy childhood until I approached my teenage years., at the age of 11 years and 10 months, a storm which had unknowingly started brewing at birth had come to haunt me.

 

 

Quick history: Jagdev's Story

 

On the 10th March 2006 I walked to school, I was having an ordinary day. In 4th period I had a headache. After merely being told to drink some water, I staggered to medical. Here the ambulance was called and told I was 16. Meanwhile I was led down with cold compressions on my head. When the paramedics did finally arrive, they were asking inappropriate questions, while I lashed out due to the colossal pain. I collapsed. The ambulance crew didn't see the symptoms, they took the long route to Southampton General hospital, stopped at every red light, failed to switch on the sirens, did not give an informed handover to A&E, pushed me aside after not telling the doctor my correct level of consciousness.

When the doctor finally did see to me, he checked my level of consciousness and immediately alerted the nursing staff that I was at deaths door.

 

I was rushed into theatre for a 3-hour surgical evacuation procedure as I had, had an abnormal blood vessel growth, unnoticed at birth, burst.

Fortunately, surgery was successful.

I found myself on a journey, beginning with me lying unconscious in the paediatric intensive care unit.

 

Fighting for my life.

 

Whilst in P.I.C.U I was once again neglected, when my canular leaked and burnt my left wrist. I laid there for 12 days. On the twelfth day, it was decided that I be removed from life support, have a hole drilled in my neck and be fitted with a tracheostomy, since I could not breathe for myself.

Before I was taken off life support, my lungs miraculously started working for themselves. Because I was a strong swimmer prior to the injury. I eventually woke up in ward G2. I learnt incredibly quickly to communicate with my eyes using an E-trans frame.

 

After 4 months I was transferred via ambulance to Tadworth children’s trust fund. During the 10 months here, I had a gastrostomy (peg feed) fitted, learnt to talk again, began re-learning to eat small portions of food and had a second brain operation in 2007, (to remove any leftover blood vessel growth.) After making many close friendships, I finally left. Tadworth children’s trust fund, for my family home which was not equipped to my needs. That September I enrolled in The Cedar School as a year 9 pupil. Later I was put into Rose Road for 100 days whilst my family home was adapted for me. Here my gastrostomy popped out and I was forced to eat everything without therapeutic intervention. By 2008 my family home was ready.

In 2009 I took part in a charity fundraiser for Emmaus homeless shelter in school, sleeping in a cardboard box. I raised over £100 single handedly. Together we raised over £2-300. I also went to my very first football match, where I had a mild seizure like experience. I was diagnosed with epilepsy. and put on brain suppressant medication. We went on a pilgrimage to India.

Come 2010 we returned and I left The Cedar School, moving on to Victoria Education Centre and Sports College. It was here my poetic writing talent was discovered, when I wrote these poems:

 

 

And this story, in the year of the London Olympics:

 

 

Life in the day the Egypt way

 

The year after I attended Lord Mayor Treloar's college, for a year when a music student/college DJ introduced me to Jennifer Lopez’s music producer and I left for a gap year to Europe in 2014. I travelled to Poland, here I visited Kraków, Rzeszów, the salt mine cathedral, Auschwitz.

Then Greece - Thessaloniki, Halkidiki, and Larissa, coming back to the U.K in 2015.

.

 

2016 Brought new challenges, as my family moved house. This meant I would have to reside in care homes, until suitable living accommodation could be found suited to my needs. It was a rocky ride in the homes beginning with Kingfisher. I felt obliged to be grateful for the food, bed and shelter. Although it was not easy. Whilst at Kingfisher I visited the museum section of Buckingham palace.

 

In the meanwhile, my Polish friends had found me a neurological rehabilitation centre, in Poland and I became a private patient there for a year. This is where I would beat the brain injury. This is when the walking footage was taken - as seen on the cover page - 11 Years after the injury!

 

 

 

 

Sadly, I ran out of funds, forcing me to leave for the U.K in 2017. Due to a change in medication and lack of exercise I deteriorated, while waiting for the NHS to agree to fund further rehab.

During this time, I continued my journey through the homes, commencing with Fryers house for 3 months. 

 

The next residence was Bon homie, the year was 2018. Food Poisoned on my birthday at a Caribbean restaurant. I left at the end of May.

 

Going to Circle Reading Private hospital for further rehab. Sadly did not allow my physical progress in walking to be filmed. This era lasted a year.

 

In 2018 I was moved yet again to Newcroft for 5 months. Which was quite pleasant. Then in August, I spent a month in Jacobs lodge. But soon accommodation was located and adapted for me finally. So, I started the tedious search and recruitment for carers. Which brings us to present day and the eruption of COVID-19.

 

In 2021 I discovered the episode at the football match, was not an epileptic seizure and actually I never needed epilepsy medication. So, 11 years later of unnecessary medication, I came off of it.

 

Nowadays I live in my accommodation alone, with carers.  Whilst simultaneously finding time to do exercise and practice walking as best as I can.

 Amongst medical appointments and salvaging the little life I have left by living as normal as possible.

 

As the cherry on the cake. As if my life was not hard enough already. I have also been recently diagnosed with,

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

 

With your generous donations I will be able to fund the medical care and neurological rehabilitation that I require. I will be able to make much more progress without the suppressive epileptic medication and finally beat the brain injury!

I hope and pray for another opportunity to walk, rebuild my life and make the best possible recovery. If I am successful I plan one day to help others in similar situations.

 

Thanks for reading, please consider sharing, donating and commenting,

Your contributions are greatly appreciated, Jagdev Singh Rathaur.