"A headbutt changed everything"

Last January, Michelle's life took an unexpected turn. During an innocent handball match, she collided with a member of the crowd. What started as a severe headache after the match quickly developed into a long battle with a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

A few weeks before the headbutt, my boyfriend and I had bought a house. In the middle of a hectic period, I could barely be there. It was terrible. I tried everything to get better: I spoke with a rehabilitation doctor, tried occupational therapy, acupuncture, osteopathy, but nothing really helped. Each time, it seemed to improve for a while, but then I relapsed. That scared me. Would it ever go away?

Michelle remembers the incident vividly. "I sprinted into the crowd to get a ball," she says. "Just then, someone came up, and our heads collided hard." Although the blow was significant, Michelle felt able to finish the match thanks to the adrenaline. "After the match, I had a bad headache, but I thought it would go away on its own." In the week that followed, she continued working and exercising, despite having to take painkillers for the headache. "In hindsight, that was a stupid decision. The headaches got worse and worse, and I couldn't function anymore. I called in sick, and from that point on, I couldn't play handball anymore."

A period of uncertainty
After about three weeks, Michelle concluded that the persistent headache was abnormal and decided to see her GP. The GP referred her to a neurologist. "I had a CT scan, but no abnormalities were found," Michelle says. "The neurologist suspected nerve damage at the site of the blow and prescribed medication for nerve pain. It was the same spot where I had been hit ten years earlier, and that spot always felt a bit strange. I was also advised to rest well." Although the medication initially seemed to offer relief, it ultimately proved to be an unsustainable solution. “I spent a lot of time sleeping in bed. Every now and then I'd get out for a walk, but that was just down the street and back again. I couldn't work anymore, couldn't exercise anymore, and my social life was at a standstill...

A few weeks before the headbutt, I had bought a house with my boyfriend. In the middle of a hectic period, I could barely be present. It was terrible. I tried everything to get better: I spoke with a rehabilitation doctor, tried occupational therapy, acupuncture, osteopathy, but nothing really helped. Each time, it seemed to improve a little, but then I relapsed. That scared me. Would it ever go away?”

A strong safety net
I'm fortunate to have loving people around me who supported me throughout this time. My parents, friends, and my boyfriend... it meant a lot to see them. They were always interested and involved. I've also gained a lot of empathy and understanding from my work. That helped me let go of that part for a moment, because I found it very difficult. At the same time, I also knew: I'm not healthy right now, and I can't do my work right now. Yet, I have to be honest, I sometimes felt alone. I find that difficult to say, because I had so many loving people around me, but I was the only one who really knew what I was feeling. And around me, I saw everyone just carrying on with life. Understandable, of course, but it was difficult that I couldn't carry on.

A tip from a friend
Michelle heard about the Functional Neurology Institute (FNI) through word of mouth. "A friend of an acquaintance of mine had similar complaints and had been successfully treated there," she says. "I contacted him first. He told me it was a different kind of treatment than what I was familiar with. His advice was: surrender to it. It had helped him enormously. I was nervous; I had tried so much myself, and nothing helped, but I also thought: I have nothing to lose."

In August, she had her first intake at the FNI. "They did all kinds of extensive tests. Finally, a specialized, deeper look was taken at what was going on with my brain. They discovered that there was an imbalance between my brainstem, cerebellum, and balance organs," she explains. This imbalance prevented her brain from processing stimuli properly. "Finally, an explanation for what I was feeling."

The special treatment
Michelle started intensive treatment at the FNI. "I underwent all kinds of tests and therapies," she says. She also regularly spent time in the oxygen tent. "That was new to me. I had to lie in there for an hour and a half to stimulate oxygen absorption in my cells. The first time, I wondered if I would be able to breathe properly with the mask on, but then… Afterward, things went well. I regularly slept in the tent.

Another part of the treatment was the Gyrostim, a device aimed at restoring her balance. "The first few times I was treated, I was very tired when I got home. I could easily sleep for three hours. It took a while before I really noticed any progress. After two or three treatments, I did notice that I recovered somewhat faster when I had headaches. And the headaches were less pronounced. The test results also showed progress. "The imbalance between my brain hemispheres decreased, and that gave me hope," she says.

Back to normal
Michelle is now feeling more and more like herself. "I can tolerate stimuli again, have conversations, and participate in social activities. Only that spot on my forehead is still causing problems. But that's improving too. Since the headbutt, I couldn't even touch that spot without excruciating pain." Thanks to treatments with a special cream, a combination of Mito-Oxy and MGX-DB10, things are going much better now. I'm now working six hours a day and gradually increasing my workload. That's really thanks to Mr. Van der Kuil. When the test results looked good, he immediately said I could start working again and that I really had to try. I was a bit apprehensive about it myself. I'd pushed myself so hard before, after which I'd feel unwell for weeks, that I was now very nervous. I do work that requires a lot of communication and active listening.

But I'm glad I did it anyway, because it's going really well. Of course, I notice that it takes energy when I do a lot, and I can get quite tired. But if I manage my energy well, I can do a lot more. I've stopped playing handball. I don't have enough energy yet, and I don't really want to take the risk anymore.