User stories

Instead of writing I could just record using the recording function in the app and replay it later on in the day.

On 9th February 2014, I was involved in a severe car accident near Braintree, Essex, when a speeding drink-driver collided with my vehicle.

It was quickly recognised that I was in a critical condition, and the Essex Air Ambulance worked alongside the emergency services to safely extricate me from the vehicle. A thorough head-to-toe assessment revealed life-threatening injuries to my head, chest and pelvis, including a severed aorta. I had to be anaesthetised and ventilated at the roadside. The medical team also decompressed both sides of my chest, administered concentrated fluids to help reduce brain swelling, and stabilised my pelvis with a splint to help control internal bleeding.

The Essex Air Ambulance responded promptly, providing me with life-saving treatment at the scene before airlifting me to Addenbrooke's Hospital. I remained in a coma for several months and subsequently underwent extensive rehabilitation. Despite the initial medical expectations, I have made significant progress in my recovery, learning to walk and talk again.

In the years following my accident, I have remained focused on my rehabilitation and have also become involved in fundraising efforts to support the organisations that played an important role in my recovery, particularly Headway.

I would say since my brain injury I have always tried to be organised because that's who I was before my accident. The problem was I couldn't write as fast as I used to. I would write things down then forget where I put them. In meetings I found that I couldn't write as fast as people were talking, so I found the recording app on Recallify really useful. Instead of writing I could just record using the recording function in the app and replay it later on in the day. I use the app the same way for little reminders too, such as for upcoming events and to remind me to take my medication.

Written by Tara

Something that used to feel a burden became a lot more manageable.

My name is Megan. I’m a medical editor living in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. Nearly 10 years ago I was diagnosed with post-infectious autoimmune encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). In my case the inflammation followed an infection, when my immune system mistakenly attacked healthy brain tissue.

The lasting effects I live with are fatigue and neuropathic pain. My coordination can also be impaired when I’m stressed, unwell, or tired.

I spent over 6 weeks in hospital, and afterwards I had to relearn basic skills like walking and talking and build my strength back up. In the early days I was constantly overwhelmed. I struggled to communicate because I couldn’t find the right words, which brought a lot of anger and frustration. I had extreme fatigue and headaches, and double vision that made it impossible to look at a book or a screen.

When I was well enough to return to work, I found it overwhelming. I got tired quickly. Tasks that used to be routine took far more effort, and I had less capacity to get through the day.

For me it was a gradual realisation that one of the hardest thing to manage was other people’s understanding of my condition. A brain injury is often invisible. Because people couldn’t see it, they expected me to behave the way I always had, when that wasn't possible anymore.

Being that ill showed me who my real friends were, and I value that. But I was also struck by unexpected kindness from friends, neighbours, and colleagues. Moreover, I was just so happy to be alive, and so grateful to everyone in the NHS who cared for me.

One of the toughest things was impaired emotions, which really affected my confidence. When I was sad or in pain, I laughed, often hysterically; when I was happy, I cried. It came quite late in my recovery, around 8 months after the injury. It made work difficult, particularly when talking with clients who were unaware of my condition. Others sometimes found it awkward, or even funny, without realising the effect it was having on me. I was lucky to have incredibly supportive colleagues, and slowly it did improve.

I came across Recallify after being invited to test the app through my volunteering with the charity Encephalitis International. I found it really intuitive to use, and a great support throughout the day. I liked the different forms of input: you can record a voice message rather than type, or the other way round. It really helped with my day-to-day organisation, and it’s handy that it links to your calendar app.

When I’m overwhelmed or stressed, planning and cooking a healthy meal can feel like too much. Recallify lets you upload images, so I’ve saved screenshots of my favourite recipes. When I can’t think what to cook, I just ask the app, for example, “I fancy a salad, what recipes do I have?”, and it brings up the salad recipes I’ve saved. Then, when I’m out, I can ask what ingredients I need to buy. Something that used to feel a burden became a lot more manageable.

Written by Megan Lee