Hi! My name is Danika Duffy. I’m currently based in Seattle, Washington, but I spent most of my young adulthood in Mammoth Lakes, California. I joined the Mammoth Snowboard Team at 15 and dreamed of becoming a professional snowboarder. Admittedly, I didn’t have a ton of natural talent, but everyone said I was “coachable.” Read: I would try a trick over and over and over again, no matter how hard I fell. I ended up banging my head a few times. That’s how people referred to it then...just a bang to the head; something you could power through if you really wanted to do well at the next contest. I always felt nervous when I hit my head, like I should slow down or take a break. But when you’re young and you have people you trust assuring you your head is fine, you believe them.
As the years went on, I gradually spiraled into anxiety and depression. I struggled with my vision and developed insomnia as well. I didn’t connect my symptoms with my head injuries until conversations about chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) became more mainstream. At that point, I started to suspect I had post-concussion syndrome. Finally pinpointing the source of my symptoms brought temporary relief---quickly followed by panic. I wasn’t aware of any proven treatments for post-concussion syndrome, nor of any measures I could take to prevent CTE. This panic started to consume my every waking moment. I became obsessed with the possibility that I could have CTE, or that I could be forever plagued by my symptoms. When I finally worked up the courage to speak with a doctor about my fears, I did not receive any reassurance; instead, I was told my symptoms would only get worse as I got older.
I let this one conversation, this one opinion, dictate the course of my life for many years. I stopped snowboarding. I took jobs that seemed easy, that I could perform while still ruminating over my head and my post-concussion symptoms all day. It truly wasn’t until I saw my friends (including Kelsey!) come forward and publicly talk about their experiences with post-concussion syndrome that I realized I didn’t have to live my life this way. Slowly, I began to regain control over my life. I adjusted my diet, integrated mindful movement into my life, and started cognitive behavioral therapy. While this minimized many of my symptoms, I still didn’t feel completely right. It wasn’t until I had the opportunity to do hyperbaric treatment that I finally, finally started to feel like myself. After completing the hyperbaric treatment, and attending Plasticity Brain Center in Orlando, Florida, 99% of my symptoms went away.
I am so grateful to have had the resources and support to seek these treatment options. I attended (and recently graduated from!) law school in hopes that I could somehow advocate for individuals with TBI’s and facilitate treatment for them. I am confident my role at Save a Brain will enable me to connect others to the help and support they need as they navigate their TBI recovery.