that when people are in crisis, giving them tasks stops their brains going off the deep end; the action of having something to do produces some sort of feeling of control.

Never give up, never lose the belief that a full recovery is achievable.

See video entitled Curt Allen Jr.-Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=erXi23AC3k8&t=141s 2 Harch MD, Paul. (2010). The Oxygen Revolution: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. New York: Hatherleigh Press.

RAS stands for reticular activating system. It is referring to a bundle of nerves at our brainstem that filters out unnecessary information so that the important stuff gets through.

Both Mum and Chloe are injured, but they are not disabled. Both will make a full recovery.

Always behave as if what you are doing is guaranteed to work, with no ifs and buts, no hesitation and no second-guessing yourself. That is my motto.

In times of high pressure, you need to look after yourself. You need to take a break, or a nap, or go for a walk in the park, or go to the gym and let off some steam. Keep yourself watered and fed. Do what you can to keep yourself as mentally balanced as possible.

Focus on that first power pole up there. Focus on getting out of the starting gate and getting through the very first half hour, that is all you have to do right now.

Our journeys have been very similar, and both have the same message: don’t hand over complete control to the medical professionals and don’t accept no for an answer and never ever give up.