NOVEMBER: At work 16 months after car crash

PAmELA ASHcROFT, 36, is a PR executive from Barnet in London. She suffered a brain injury after being knocked down by a car 16 months ago and finally recovered enough to return to work in november.

PAMELA SAYS: August 25 last year started off as a normal morning. I don’t remember what happened — or anything of the previous five days before the accident — but I’ve been told I was hit by a car driving at speed at about 8am as I crossed the road to catch a bus to work.

I had to be airlifted to hospital, with bleeding on the left side of my brain. My right knee was also broken.

The first thing I remember was opening my eyes and seeing my family by my bedside.

I was allowed out of hospital after two weeks and then went to a rehabilitation unit until last December.

My memory was really poor for months afterwards. In the shower, I could never remember whether I used shampoo or conditioner first. Slowly it’s improved.

I was on a walking frame until October last year and then I was finally able to take some steps. I had to use a walking stick as I was so frightened of falling.

I suffered from really bad anxiety attacks and couldn’t even leave my house on my own or go to work.

As well as my NHS rehab programme, from March to June this year I saw a private psychologist and I had amazing support from the charity Headway.

It took months but finally I went back to work in November. My first day back was really emotional. It felt like I was a different person but I finally had a sense of purpose again.