Transport Accident Commission (TAC) s1

Your Voice TAC clients sharing their stories and information Edition 13: June 2013

In this edition:

 Following your dreams

 Bryan: a new goal

 Petra: passion for creating

 Rouzanna: life-long dream

Following your dreams

Whatever your passion, following your dreams is a huge part of recovering from your transport accident and getting your life back on track. For some people, having a life-changing accident is a chance to re- evaluate their priorities and focus on what’s important to them. For others, it’s an opportunity to explore new hobbies in place of interests they may not be able to do anymore.

In this issue we meet three inspiring TAC clients who are getting their lives back on track through exploring new passions and re-visiting old goals.

First we meet Bryan, who wasn’t that keen on the gym or sports. But following his rehabilitation and participation in a gym/swim program, set a goal to cycle the 100km ‘Around the Bay in a Day’ event, which he completed last year.

We also talk to Petra, whose love of travelling and taking road trips around Australia has been put on hold due to her accident injuries. But through the help of a psychologist and with encouragement from her husband, Petra has found a new love for woodworking and creating things with her hands.

And finally we meet Rouzanna, whose life-long dream to become a doctor was reignited after experiencing a tragic accident. Seeing first-hand the doctors and health professionals in the trauma hospital and rehabilitation facility inspired Rouzanna to return to study medicine, so she could help others in her situation.

Sometimes after an accident it’s not always possible to get back to doing what you did before. When your accident injuries prevent you from returning to your previous career, the TAC may refer you to an independent Vocational Provider.

Vocational Rehabilitation Counsellor Nicole has helped hundreds of people whose lives have been changed by accidents find new careers:

“When a client is referred to us because they can’t return to their previous employment it may be because their accident injuries prevent them from physically doing their jobs, or they may have been off work recovering for a long period of time, and their job may no longer be available.” “We work with the client, their GP, their TAC Rehabilitation Coordinator and other treating practitioners to determine what their skills, interests and abilities are, and how we can apply those in a new vocation. Or we can assist a client get back into their pre-accident career through helping with resume preparation, interview skills, education, counselling and support when they start a new job.”

“I have an allied health background, as do all our Vocational Providers, so I know how important work is to your health and your sense of self. And for me it’s so rewarding seeing people embrace new careers, find new interests or get back to the job they were doing before their accidents.”

So whether your passion is work, sport or craft – or you’re looking for a new interest – following your dreams is good for your health.

Following your dreams

A new goal

In July last year, I was driving my ute to a local shopping centre minding my own business when suddenly I was wearing another vehicle on my bonnet. Out of the blue there was a car where there should not have been. I had no time to even hit the brakes. The other driver, a young woman, hadn’t stopped at the give way sign and must not have been concentrating. She had airbags in her car and I didn’t.

I had great difficulty breathing and I was in excruciating pain. I found out later my sternum was broken. I never lost consciousness after the crash. The reality of it was confronting. I knew I would survive but didn’t know the extent of my damage. I knew I was in trouble, put it that way.

A lovely neighbour rushed out of a nearby house and was with me within seconds. She was a St John’s first aider and was ever so comforting. I was only two or three kilometres from home. A bystander had to call my wife and daughter to explain what happened because I was having trouble breathing and couldn’t talk. My wife was very worried and didn’t know what to expect. She got there as I was being put into the ambulance and she looked haunted. My daughter was fabulous because she got everything out of my ute, which I used for my weekend job as a gardener, before it was towed off to the knacker’s yard: both cars were write-offs.

The ambos quickly put a neck brace on me and were ever so gentle. They got me out of the car and I remember being in so much pain. They promptly gave me appropriate painkillers and were very careful and cautious. I was taken to the Bendigo Base Hospital and was triaged very quickly. I was X-rayed and had an MRI. I had bruising on my knees, elbows and places where I didn’t know you could get bruises. I thought I’d broken my ribs but didn’t know about the sternum. The sternum is a mobile piece of physiology, so there was no plastering – nature has to take its course.

I was sent home with an armload of painkillers after one night in the hospital. I was history for a couple of weeks. I had to take such a quantity of painkillers, I was a real invalid. It took 12 weeks for my sternum to actually heal. I found it really hard because that’s not Bryan: I’m not an invalid. And it was tough for my family because they saw me in some physical distress.

About four weeks after the accident, I started rehab and thankfully went back at work, but on seriously modified duties. In the hospital admission process I had learned that because I’d had an accident on the road I was eligible for TAC funding. When I lodged my claim I was put in touch with an occupational physiotherapist. The occupational physiotherapy was just the best thing ever because I had a specialised gym program that not only helped me regain my previous strength, but improved on it. I don’t like gyms – I’m not a great sporting person – but it was something I definitely needed to do. I was totally rapt in the treatment I got in my recovery. Today I’m stronger and fitter than I’ve ever been in my life and I’m 58.

I don’t normally set goals or any of that stuff, but I was determined to cycle 100kms in the ‘Around the Bay in a Day’ event in October last year. I used to ride before the crash and was in quite a competent riding group averaging 30-32km/h. I had to come back to the slowest, dawdling group and work my way back up to my old group of mates, which was a bit of a setback. Anyway, with a lot of hard work and lot of sweat I proudly completed the ride. Setting and achieving this goal was a crucial step towards putting the accident behind me.

As many of you reading this would know, an accident is more that just a physical setback. Mine was a psychological blow, having to accept I wasn’t up to my normal physical activities. The toughest thing was accepting I had a disability. I’m still cross at how such a simple error of judgment nearly killed me. It wasn’t an accident. An accident is when you are struck by lightning!

I just can’t say enough nice words about Kendall, my TAC Rehabilitation Coordinator. I’ll never forget him. He was so kind, so professional and showed great care and empathy. He always checked I understood what he was saying and followed up everything on paper.

I got nothing but support during my recovery, everything was taken care of. I was worried I would lose money when I was away from work but that was taken care of and I was back at work four weeks after the incident. I have a physically demanding job as a maintenance officer for an engineering firm in Bendigo. In those first four weeks my productivity was low but my employer was reimbursed by the TAC and really supportive of me getting back to work.

I will never again begrudge the TAC levy on my rego because it goes to people who are in real trouble and need help to get back on their feet. Bryan Kendall, Bryan’s Rehabilitation Coordinator –

When I first spoke to Bryan he was a bit tentative about other injuries he might have and he wasn’t sure what kind of rehabilitation he needed. We worked out what his rehabilitation needs were and what we could do to support him.

Within a few days of mailing him the information about the occupational physiotherapist, Bryan had accessed the services. He quickly started to talk about gym and swim programs. He wanted to have a rehabilitation plan and the occupational physiotherapist was able to point Bryan in the right direction. He found it very helpful being able to guide his own exercise program.

Some clients can be vague about the goals they want to achieve. Some people might have goals like getting back to work before Christmas or walking on crutches before the New Year, but Bryan’s goals were very specific. He had such concrete goals to work towards which I think really helped him recover in other ways.

His main goal was to get back to work and that was a strong focus in his recovery, and something we achieved four weeks after the accident. We also identified his goal of riding 100km. I told him it was a great goal to have but I that I thought it might be asking a bit too much of him, he disagreed!

One of the great parts of my job is seeing our clients get back to work, seeing them get back into the things they did pre-accident and watching them recover to the point where they don’t need any further treatment. My job is to let them know what services are available to help them get to that point. Bryan knew about the support and choices that were available to him and it was great to see him improve so quickly. And for me, to hear that positive feedback from him about how I helped, was truly inspiring.

Kendall

A passion for creating

After my accident, I went into what I call the black hole and spiralled downhill. There seemed to be a big black cloud hanging over me constantly. There was no sunshine or happiness.

My husband Dennis and I had our accident back in May, 2005. We were on holidays and had planned to do some fishing and cruising around the lakes, so we were towing our boat.

We were on the way to Bairnsdale and chatting about our holiday plans when all of a sudden there was an explosion as the horse truck in front of us blew a tyre. A tyre and rim came off the horse truck and headed straight towards our windscreen.

Dennis veered to the right and luckily there were no oncoming vehicles, so he managed to straighten everything up. I thought we were going to be alright, but the next minute the boat got into the dirt and picked up the four-by-four and it started to roll. We were scraping along the road and I really thought I was going to be decapitated. The car rolled three times.

When we came to a stop I was in the footwell of the car. The car was still lying on the passenger side, so Dennis was able to get out but he couldn’t get me out.

He was bleeding but we couldn’t see where from. He had damaged his right forearm and elbow, which came out of the vehicle during the rollover and had scraped along the road.

Later on, at the Bairnsdale Hospital, the doctors told me I had a broken vertebrae just below my neck and another between my shoulder blades. I also had severe neck injuries that some people would call whiplash, but after eight years I still suffer severe neck pain.

Dennis had severely damaged his right arm. He had nerve and blood circulation problems that he needed multiple surgeries for.

When we got home from the hospital, it was a hard road to recovery. The hardest part was that both of us were injured and couldn’t care for each other as well as we would have liked.

Our kids are grown up and married and don’t live at home anymore, so it was just the two of us. But the TAC paid for a gardener to come and help out and a local lady who came to do work around the house like the vacuuming and ironing, which really made life easier.

After the accident, everything just hurt. I had a lot of bruising and it was hard to move.

Both of us had physio, but it was very painful. I was unable to go back to my job at the abattoir and we both had severe depression.

I ended up in the black hole and was self-harming. My psychologist was shocked by the comments I made during the sessions about my mood swings, anger and self-harm. Medication can help but sometimes you just have to ride through it.

My family didn’t know about the self-harming at first. I would do it when things weren’t going well in the marriage, and then with the pain on top of it, I felt like I couldn’t cope.

When you wish the pain would end and it doesn’t, you start thinking of taking your own life.

I’ve said on numerous occasions I don’t want to be here anymore and that would really upset Dennis and my daughter.

Dennis and I had been very active people before the accident. We did sports and quite a bit of travelling. We even went all the way up to Cape York.

But now we’re unable to do that kind of travelling because the drive would be constantly jarring our injuries. So we started looking at what kind of things we could do now. With the help of a psychologist I started looking for hobbies.

Things got better for me when I started woodwork. I found that when you are so intrigued by a hobby or whatever you’re doing, you don’t feel the pain as much. If you just try something you’ve never tried before and try to keep your hands busy, things get easier.

It started when I made a small jewellery box for my daughter using some plywood. I decorated it and put little sections in it and was very proud of the result, especially since I’d never done any woodwork before.

Dennis said I should look at doing a woodwork course at the local TAFE. I did a couple of nights there and after that I thought maybe that this was something I could do more of. It was such a proud moment for me when I graduated from TAFE with a Certificate II in furniture making. It was such a sense of achievement, knowing that despite all I’ve been through I could change the direction of my life and do so well.

Dennis and a few of his mates filled in our carport barbecue area and put a sign on it saying “Clogs Cabin” because I’ve got Dutch heritage and used to wear clogs. So that’s my shed where I do my woodwork, usually in spring or autumn when it’s not too hot or cold. Dennis designs the furniture and I make it.

It’s a long road physically and mentally. This is not necessarily a success story, but one of adapting to the situation I now find myself in. You need determination and intestinal fortitude and a few close friends to make it happen.

Since the accident my relationship with my children has become stronger and closer. It’s absolute magic. We never finish a conversation without saying, “I love you”.

Dennis and I have also helped others try to understand that after an injury like this you’re not going mad – you’re going through a mental and physical trauma. It’s hard to understand if you‘ve never been through something like this, but I’m on the other side and I can say to people – believe in yourself, you can improve.

Carolyn, TAC Claims Advisor

I recently made a phone call to Petra as part of the TAC’s proactive call pilot. Basically my call to her was to see how she’s getting along with things. Because Petra’s accident happened in 2005, it was a while since she’d spoken to anyone at the TAC. Petra’s really managing her injuries herself and doesn’t have a lot of need to speak to the TAC, but it was a great opportunity to chat to her and remind Petra that her claim was still active and let her know what we could offer her at this stage of her recovery.

Petra was appreciative of my phone call and we talked about her husband, her injuries and her woodwork, and she actually sent me some photos of her work after we got off the phone. Petra’s an amazing lady and it’s fantastic to see how she’s worked through her depression and focussed on woodworking in her recovery. Hearing how a client like Petra has found a new interest and really developed that new talent is such a rewarding part of my job.

Carolyn

Rouzanna

Pursuing a life-long dream

It was 2005, I was 23 and loving life. Then my entire world quite literally crashed when my car hit a tree beside the Monash Freeway.

The last thing I recall was my partner, Deniss (who was in the passenger seat) telling my mum on the phone ‘we are five minutes away’.

Mum was eager to know when we’d be arriving at her house for the joint celebration of my stepfather’s 50th birthday and our engagement. Our family and friends were there, waiting for us.

Sadly we never made it…

Three weeks later, after a coma, I awoke in the intensive care unit, unable to move my legs. My mum delivered the devastating news that Deniss had died.

The piercing physical pain was excruciating, but the emotional hurt and grief was unbearable.

One of the first questions I asked was, “Will I be able to dance again?” I was told that I’d be very lucky to walk.

Apparently, our car ran off the road and hit a tree at 90km/hour. I was airlifted to The Alfred and spent 17 hours in theatre, where a team of orthopedic surgeons, urologists and gynecologists fought for my life.

By way of background, I was raised in harsh, poor conditions in Russia, where resilience and tenacity were ingrained in us. My mum (mama), brother and I came to Australia when I was 16. We didn’t speak English or have financial support.

I achieved a high VCE score that allowed me to study medicine (which was my dream), but not in Victoria. My family was having a hard time financially and emotionally, so I chose to stay and help. I accepted my second preference for tertiary study – a Bachelor of Biomedical Science based in Melbourne.

I met a wonderful Russian man (Deniss), finished my degree, got engaged and re-sat the medical exam for post-graduate entry. I was excitedly planning my wedding and medical course entry, but life had something else in store for me.

From the very beginning of my gruelling rehabilitation, I had a ‘never give up’ attitude.

Initially, I was only allowed to lie flat in bed. I remember lying there, encased in rods, thinking this would be a mission impossible. It took a further two months just to make it into a wheelchair.

I applied my trademark grit and determination, despite intense pain. I visited the physiotherapy room so much that I thought the rehabilitation team might evict me!

The nights were the worst as I was gripped by grief. The nurses were angels: they would sit with me for hours, just talking, listening and consoling.

Nine months went by and I was still at rehab, still in a wheelchair.

Soon I was told that I could go home. Where was home? I couldn’t return to where I’d lived with Deniss. And I had become comfortable in the wheelchair, in my room at the rehabilitation centre.

Mind over matter, I had to make the next step. I wanted to travel to Russia to pay my respects to Deniss’ parents. Gritting my teeth again, I dragged myself out of that wheelchair forever. I was able to stand almost 12 months after the accident.

I made the long journey to Deniss’ gravestone and his family home in Latvia in August 2006. It was a beautiful, yet incredibly sad time that helped me begin to heal emotionally and deal with the feelings of guilt.

Since the accident, I have undergone 13 serious operations, countless procedures, injections and medications. I still have a pelvis full of metal, ongoing chronic renal problems and persistent pain. One would assume that I’d never want to see another hospital, but I still dreamt of being a doctor. I just had to put it aside, once more, and return to the paid workforce. I had mounting bills.

In December 2006, I started as an account manager at a medical company. I put all my heart and soul into my work. Juggling the long corporate hours, frequent interstate travel and further reconstructive surgeries took a lot of strength. On many occasions I worked from a hospital bed.

Around this time, my brother introduced me to a brilliant man named Stephen and we started dating, before becoming engaged in 2011. Allowing myself to love again was a massive step in my recovery.

Four years after the accident, I finally accepted that pain and injuries would have a constant presence in my life. I felt my body was changing – and not for the better. My hips hurt and my knees and ankles started to weaken. I searched for a path other than pain relief, before it was too late and I was back on crutches or in a wheelchair again.

In 2009, I joined a specialist gymnasium that focuses on biomechanics, strength and conditioning. Through hours of painful hard work again (and expense), my body gained strength. I haven’t used anything other than Panadol since.

This exercise program is a vital part of my life to date. I am able to walk, swim, box and moreover, in 2012 I went for my first run, which drew tears from my family who had all come to watch this huge milestone. Back on the work front, I was progressing at an exponential rate. Promoted to the company’s management team, I won numerous employee awards over the years, but my life passion was still medicine.

The six-hour medical degree entrance exam was ruthless. I studied for almost two years (on top of my senior role in the company and my rehabilitation hours) just to get in.

Today I am a full time medical student, aiming to graduate in 2016. Emergency medicine is my interest – it would enable me to work with trauma patients.

Ultimately, Steve (now my husband) and I want to have a baby. There’s still a big question mark over whether my injuries will prevent that from happening, but I’ve never been one to back away from a challenge!

Rouzanna

My support team

One of the biggest lessons that I’ve learnt is you need to be proactive and take responsibility for your recovery.

I think my positivity, work ethic and long hours spent in the ‘physio’ room at the rehabilitation centre helped me form good relationships with (and earn admiration from) my medical staff, therapists, social worker and TAC coordinator.

I am blessed to have a supportive family and always had the full ‘roster’ of visitors while a hospital in- patient.

My mama (Renata) is my rock. She watched me suffer, stumble and fall so many times in the last eight years, but never cried (at least, not in my presence) to stay strong for me.

My brother Tigran is my staunch protector, an anchor who keeps me grounded.

My fabulous grandmother (Rimma) moved from Russia to look after me, so mama could work again.

Although the women in my family are strong souls, I remember my grandmother crying one day as she pushed my wheelchair up a hill, saying, “It’s not right – you should be the one pushing my wheelchair, not the other way round.”

My best friend Katya really rode the ups-and-downs with me, barely missing a day at my bedside for 12 months. I think she must have been exhausted, but she never admitted it! I tried not to get self-absorbed and always asked my family and friends how they were feeling and what was happening in their lives outside the hospital walls.

Finally, my husband, Steve, is so kind and forgiving. He is the one who has to watch me in pain daily, as I take my medications and ice and heat the pain away. He is an angel.

Rouzanna’s support team

A new place for road safety conversations

The TAC has launched a new website where Victorians can have open and honest discussions about road safety. Open Roads is a place where you can learn and be inspired by one another – with the goal of making our roads a safer place for all.

On Open Roads you’ll find a multitude of content including some of the Transport Accident Commission’s most memorable ads, the latest road safety news, advances in safety technology, and some real-life stories from people who’ve been directly affected by road trauma, including these empower stories.

Open Roads logo

Getting life back on track

The TAC has begun a new research study Your Journey to Recovery: Getting life back on track. This study follows a number of different clients over a two-year period, and tracks their experiences of dealing with the TAC and recovering from their transport accidents. It has been developed to complement existing client research, and provides a unique insight into how people recover over an extended time frame.

The study measures health and vocational (work) outcomes of clients, along with gathering information on the experience clients have interacting with the TAC. By following the same set of clients over this two-year period, we are able to measure what changes in a client’s life, when this occurs, and better understand why it happens.

Participants undertake four telephone interviews, the first of which occurs three months after their accident. Further interviews take place at the six and twelve month mark, with a final one at two years post-accident. Who are our study participants?

Almost 1,600 clients are involved in the study, which enables us to understand the many different circumstances and varied pathways TAC clients take on their journey to recovery. Importantly, the participants are representative of new TAC clients – comprising males and females, city and country dwellers, drivers, passengers, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians. This means that the findings of the study can be applied confidently to the broader TAC client group.

Feedback from the study will help us improve services, and ultimately the recovery outcomes for TAC clients.

Getting life back on track logo

New TAC website

The TAC is launching a new corporate website to make it easier for clients, health and service providers and the general public to find information. The website will launch in June, so keep an eye out for the changes.

If you’re looking for something on the new website and can’t find it, or just have a question – please feel free to call our Customer Service Centre on 1300 654 329 between 8.30am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday.

More information

The Transport Accident Commission publishes Your Voice three times per year.

Contact us Telephone 8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday 1300 654 329 (local call) 1800 332 556 (toll-free outside the Melbourne metropolitan area)

Address 60 Brougham Street Geelong VIC 3220

Mailing address TAC PO Box 742 Geelong VIC 3220

Website www.tac.vic.gov.au