How life can change in the blink of an eye

All too often it takes little more than a few brief seconds for a life to change completely. During even the apparently most innocuous of activities, a freak occurrence can be enough for everything you once took for granted to be viewed in an entirely different light.

While the beast from the east which hit earlier this year caused chaos across the country, for Forfar woman Anne Johnston it at least offered the opportunity to enjoy a day of sledging with her family.

Even when she tumbled from her sledge, she thought little more about it until a few days later, when slurred speech and a struggle with basic movement forced her to seek medical help.

Since then it has been a long and ongoing battle for Miss Johnston, who was diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome.

Still struggling to walk, she is also unable to drive and finds it hard to cope with loud noises.

The consequences of what at first seemed an entirely routine mishap have been profound indeed.

Far from wallowing in self-pity, however, Miss Johnston is determined to use her case to highlight the issue of postconcussion syndrome — and let people know that “things can get better”.

It is an admirable attitude in the face of quite appalling adversity.