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My Story
Click on the link below to watch my story by 7 News:
My name is Tyler Fuller and I am 22 years old. When I was 19 years old, I went to Middleton, SA, to celebrate the 2020 New Year. In the early hours of January 1st, 2020, I fell head first off a 10 meter cliff edge at Middleton beach, and landed on large rocks below, with my head taking the entire impact.
I was treated at the beach for a large, deep cut on the back of my head, and for not responding. I was taken to the Victor Harbour hospital by paramedics and had stopped breathing not long after my arrival. I was then put in an emergency helicopter, flown to Flinders Medical Centre, and underwent a 6-8 hour life-saving surgery on my head and brain. This surgery consisted of neurosurgeons taking out about a third of my skull bone to ease my brain swelling, called a Decompressive Craniectomy . I, therefore, had to wear a soft-padded helmet for many months following the surgery.
I spent 19 days in a coma in the ICCU at Flinders Medical Centre. The nurses were amazing and I am now mates with two of them. While I was in the ICCU, I had to have a tracheostomy done, where surgeons cut a little hole just below the throat and above the chest to access your windpipe where they can place a breathing tube.
Once I was coming out of my coma, I was taken to the head & spinal ward and spent the rest of January on the Neurological ward at Flinders.
On the 30th of January, I was transported to Hampstead Rehabilitation Centre to start my rehab. I was there for the whole of February. Due to the trauma on my brain, I had to relearn a lot during my rehab. I lost the ability to talk properly once I woke from my coma and I struggled to walk again without using a walking frame. I couldn't even read a clock or colour in between the lines in colouring books. A lot of this relearning was done at Hampstead.
On the 28th of February, I was finally able to return home, and to get used to living my new life with a traumatic brain injury.
The following months consisted of more rehab completed at Flinders Rehabilitation Centre and the Daws Road Repat.
On the 15th of June, I had my titanium plate surgery done by Professor Matthew McDonald at Calvary Hospital, a procedure called cranioplasty. In a standard procedure when a decompressive craniectomy surgery needs to be done, the skull that has been taken out is frozen to later be put back in. My skull, however, was contaminated with sand, and was not able to be put back in. Therefore, I had a titanium plate made up for my head to replace part of my skull.
After my plate surgery, I had no more rehab to complete. I was very lucky to have recovered so quick and so well.
The following months after my plate surgery, there was, what I liked to call, a "dent" in my head, a part of my left temporal lobe that my plate did not cover. I felt extremely uncomfortable, so I spoke to a referred plastic surgeon, Dr. Nicholas Marshall.
On the 18th of January 2021, I had an expander put in my that area. Due to the skin growing over so tight, I had to have this area expanded. This expander was in my head for over a month.
Everything seemed to be going well, I was recovering exceptionally. However, on the 31st of January, I had a seizure. I was very lucky my brother was home for help. He caught me as I collapsed, and I started convulsing. I was frothing from the mouth, I had gone blue, and my eyes rolled to the back of my head. My seizure went for over 5 minutes. He called an ambulance and I was in hospital for the night.
I am now diagnosed with epilepsy due to my accident. My seizure was a combination of a focal seizure and a generalised seizure. I take medication twice a day called Keppra to help with this.
On the 15th of March, I had my fourth and last head surgery. This surgery was to put in the polyethylene implant that would stay in my head and fill the gap.
Since my last surgery, I haven't had any other big issues in regards to my brain injury. Other than my epilepsy, I have also been diagnosed with short-term memory loss and hemiplegic migraines.
I am so grateful to have such an amazing recovery. I couldn't have done it without my family, friends and the outstanding, talented surgeons whose risk saved a life.
Click on the link below to watch my story by 7 News:
Achievements
I have taken such an interest in not only about the brain, but in organisations and other people's work who support brain injuries (check out the promotion tab). I have wanted to be part of helping make a difference when it comes to brain injuries. Below are some of the following things I now do in regards to support and publicise brain injury awareness:
NRF
The Neurosurgical Research Foundation are a research organisation in regards to everything about the brain, spine and nerves. I was told about this organisation by Professor McDonald. So, I read about the organisation and really supported what they were doing for people who have problems with their brain.
I decided to run the City-to-Bay half-marathon and I started up a fundraiser through the NRF. My goal was to try and raise $500. That goal was reached overnight! So my next goal was to reach $1,000, which also reached quickly. In the end, we ended up raising $2,964, which went straight towards my choice of area the NRF offers to fund, which was for traumatic brain injuries.
I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting to some of the team at the NRF, and had the opportunity of an article written about me (see NRF's article below).
The NRF got in touch with FMC and I had the pleasure to have two neurosurgeons, Jake and Jorn, put their hand up to run the half-marathon with me, and one neurosurgeon, Emma, to walk some of it with some of my family and friends.
Click on the link to read the NRF article about me: https://www.nrf.com.au/news/tyler-fullers-story-life-after-a-tbi
The Advertiser
Once my fundraiser received a lot of attention and publicity, the Advertiser heard about it. I received a phone call from a writer from the Advertiser, and I told her my story and the reason for why I am doing the run.
A photographer came out to take pictures for the newspaper article. My brother, Kynan, and I got a photo together as he was meant to run the half-marathon with me, but unfortunately fell sick for the run (see the Advertiser's newspaper picture/article below).
Podcast
Jess from 'Inspirational Tales' contacted me on my Project 19 Instagram page asking if she dedicate an episode on her podcast about my story. Jess is doing amazing things with her podcast, giving people a voice and sharing this with such a wide community. Check out my episode below, and give others a listen too!
