SEVENTEEN months ago, Dugald Storie’s life hung in the balance when he had a serious accident on his property near Inverell.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
But after months of rehabilitation and hard work, Mr Storie is now back to 100 per cent.
His story of recovery has been highlighted as part of Brain Injury Awareness Week and has seen him join the Wall of Fame at Tamworth hospital’s transitional living unit, Kameruka, this year.
To have his story selected for the Wall of Fame was something Mr Storie hoped would inspire others as they faced similar challenges.
“When I was doing my treatment in Tamworth I’d read some of those stories, and gosh, some of those guys were so brave and so strong ... so to be asked to do this, I feel deeply honoured,” he said.
In March last year, Mr Storie was working on his property with a friend when he was hit in the head by a piece of steel from a grain bin while preparing for a sorghum harvest.
He was rushed to Inverell hospital and put in an induced coma, then airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle for emergency surgery.
The accident bruised Mr Storie’s brain, shattered his skull above the left temple, cracked his brow, cracked the floor of his skull and shattered the right side of his skull, leaving him with post-traumatic amnesia for four weeks, a few days of delirium and a ruptured left frontal sinus.
For two days, the neurologist did not know if Mr Storie would even survive.
After stints in intensive care and the neuro ward, he went into rehabilitation at Newcastle before heading back to the northern region for further rehabilitation at the brain injury unit at Tamworth.
His rehabilitation focused on speech pathology and occupational therapy and by August 2011, he had finished.
Mr Storie thanked his family – including children Emma, Angus and George, and his “beautiful” wife, Anna – for being the “true champions” for all their support and strength through the ordeal.
Tamworth hospital social worker Paul Whiting told The Leader the rehabilitation team hoped to raise awareness of the hard work that went into recovery from a brain injury, as well as instill hope in those who were in the early stages of recovery.
“I think his was such a positive story,” Mr Whiting said.
“I certainly know, when we first got the referral for Dugald, we didn’t expect to see the recovery we did.
“His absolute determination, the absolute rock-solid support of his family was really inspiring.”
