Jae's Story

Hi, my name is Jae.

On December 23, 2017, I had a seizure and passed out at work.

The paramedics had to revive me. They cut off the shirt and jacket I was wearing, (embarrassing), put me on a stretcher and took me to the nearest hospital.

After a few hours, I was airlifted to a hospital more equipped to handle my care as the first hospital told my family I was beyond help.

My daughter insisted I be transferred.

The doctors determined that I had a stroke along with a traumatic brain injury caused by an aneurysm bursting.

I had to have surgery to stop the bleeding and to drain two bags of blood from my brain.

During surgery they found four additional aneurysms.

In 2018, I had four more brain surgeries to help prevent the aneurysms from bursting.

I was upset when I woke up with my head shaved, but then I realized how grateful I was that my life was spared.

Growing up, I always had migraines, sometimes landing me in the hospital for days.

At one point I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and was on four blood pressure medications at once.

After my stroke, when I had learned I was on life support and that I almost died, I secluded myself.

I just wanted to be alone.

I slept a lot.

I also cried a lot, and wondered "why me?"

I had to learn to walk talk and do the normal things again.

I became depressed.

"Why was I still here?"

It consumed me so much until I didn’t want to be here anymore.

I started having these attacks where I was lighted headed and couldn’t breathe.

It felt as if I was losing my mind.

When I went to a basketball game that year, the huge crowd of people contributed to me having a severe anxiety attack.

That day is when I knew it was as time to seek help.

So, I reached out to a therapist who diagnosed me with depression, anxiety, and panic attacks.

I was prescribed medications.

Medications that I still currently take.

My therapist challenged my actions and my way of thinking.

She was someone that didn't already know me, so she wasn't bias and didn't judge me.

Mental health disorders are real and come in all forms.

I feel they are not discussed enough.

Some people hear “mental” and think "Oohh they are crazy."

"No, I have a chemical imbalance in my brain."

Proper medications have helped correct the imbalance and have helped me lose the unwanted thoughts I was having.

I want my story to be heard so that someone who may be having these thoughts will seek help.

Please talk to someone and find a therapist, psychiatrist or a doctor if this is you.

Do your research online so that you can get the proper help and medication you may need.

With all of this being said, I’m glad I reached out to someone, talked through my problems, and got prescribed medications because I am here today to tell my story.
-Jae

Written by: Natasha BYTS