Serious car crash concussion snuck up on intensive care nurse
Lydia Markham thought luck had been on her side when she walked away from a car crash without a scratch in April but she had in fact suffered a serious concussion.
The nurse, who works in neonatal intensive care and is a top figure skater, was travelling from her home in Wellington to Auckland to visit family and do a figure-skating test when the accident happened at Taupō.
‘‘I just had a bit of a sore head,’’ Markham said. She continued her trip on a bus. But after flying back home, she noticed something was wrong and was diagnosed with concussion. ‘‘I had this major fatigue,’’ she said.
‘‘I had the headaches and I was really sensitive to noise. I was initially told it would just be three weeks and then I’d be back to work and my daily activities.
‘‘But when my headaches and fatigue persisted, I went back to the doctor and that was when I was told I needed to take things slower for a lot longer.’’
She was referred to ACC, which arranged rehabilitation with a local physiotherapist. ‘‘[That] was a game-changer,’’ Markham said.
Data from ACC showed Markham is not alone. As of May this year, the agency received more
than 8600 new claims for concussion-related injuries, costing more than $193 million.
ACC injury prevention partner Nat Hardaker said concussion symptoms included loss of balance, becoming confused, having a blank look, and having headaches or blurry vision.
It was important for people to recognise the signs because delaying treatment for concussion could mean a longer recovery time,
she said. ‘‘If you or someone else has a suspected concussion, it is important to be seen by a medical doctor as soon as possible.’’
It is the same message from Markham, who did the figureskating test despite having concussion.
‘‘I shouldn’t have been on the ice if I had known,’’ she said.
‘‘If you have any serious accident always get it seen even if you think you are OK.’’