Diane Hurst - Brain Injury Survivor

Can you share about the brain injury event itself?

I’ve had more than eight concussions throughout my life, beginning in childhood and continuing into early adulthood. Despite this, doctors never used the term traumatic brain injury (TBI) until my late twenties. My official diagnosis came in the summer of 2023 after experiencing three consecutive concussions in a short period.

That summer, I was already dealing with health issues when I lost consciousness in my partner’s bathroom. Paramedics had to break down the door to get me to the hospital. I woke up completely disoriented with a noticeable bump on my head. Given my extensive history of concussions, doctors were particularly concerned. For the first time, a physician explicitly referred to my condition as a traumatic brain injury and referred me to a neurologist and the brain injury clinic at Penn Medicine. Hearing that diagnosis was both validating and terrifying—I finally had an explanation, but I didn’t know what to expect next.

Looking back, my concussions occurred in a variety of ways. Some were from sports injuries, while others were more severe. When I was seven, a serious car accident left me temporarily blind in one eye for a couple of days, and I missed school for a week. At eighteen, I nearly drowned after getting caught in a rip current, requiring a water rescue. Each injury built upon the last, but it wasn’t until 2023 that the true impact on my brain became undeniable.

How did you feel during the first days, weeks, or months after the injury?

At first, I treated this head injury like any other concussion—lots of rest, fluids, and reduced activity—while waiting for my appointment at the brain injury clinic. However, my fatigue worsened significantly, and I began experiencing extreme mood swings, particularly uncontrollable rage. I had outbursts over small things, which was completely out of character for me. Before the TBI, I had never been the type to yell, throw things, or have fits of anger, but suddenly, it became part of my daily reality. This put a strain on my relationship with my partner.

My OCD and ADHD symptoms also worsened. I became easily overstimulated and felt constantly overwhelmed. I became unreliable, frequently cancelling plans at the last minute. Before the injury, I prided myself on always being 15 minutes early—but suddenly, I was chronically late.

Physically, I experienced chronic neck and back pain. Later, my physical therapist discovered I had damaged my first rib, which affected how my eyes connected and communicated with my neck. Even when I finally started therapy at the brain injury clinic, I struggled to keep up with my physical therapy, occupational therapy, and cognitive speech therapy appointments. Even when I wrote them down, I often forgot about them.

My short-term memory was significantly impacted, and I struggled with word-finding, sentence formation, brain fog, and frequent tongue-tied moments. It was common for me to receive packages I didn’t remember ordering, which was both frustrating and disorienting.

What kind of rehabilitation therapies or treatment have been most helpful through the process of recovery?

My cognitive speech pathologist has been instrumental in helping me rebuild word-finding skills and memory recall through exercises, tools, and strategies. Occupational therapy (OT) has helped me manage executive functioning, energy conservation, and time management. Learning how to pace myself and avoid overexertion has been key to preventing severe fatigue.

In physical therapy (PT), I’ve worked on my balance, which has been one of my biggest struggles—especially when closing my eyes.

What have been some of the biggest challenges you or your loved one has faced during recovery?

The hardest part has been my change in personality. I feel like I’m grieving the person I used to be while learning to accept my new reality. Coming to terms with what I can no longer do has been an emotional challenge.

My relationship also ended recently, and while we had other issues, I believe the TBI played a significant role. My withdrawal from social situations and personality changes were difficult for my partner to understand, and I often felt alone and misunderstood.

If there have been setbacks or repeated injuries, describe that journey:

Unfortunately, I have had several additional head injuries since my initial TBI diagnosis.

Most recently, in February 2025, I suffered another concussion after hitting my head on a paper towel dispenser. I had already been experiencing setbacks from an overwhelming amount of stress in October 2024, which had impacted my cognitive function. Because I was already back in treatment at the brain injury clinic, I had a solid care team in place, which helped me recover as best as possible.

That said, I’m still not where I was before these setbacks. Each additional concussion has set me back months in recovery, and the frustration of starting over again and again has been exhausting. However, I’m trying to stay positive and celebrate my progress.

How has your life changed since the brain injury?

I haven’t been able to hold a stable job or bring in a reliable income. I’m still figuring out how to appeal for disability benefits, which has been an uphill battle.

I work as a model, and I had built my passion into a career, but TBI-related cognitive challenges have made it impossible to keep up. Some healthcare providers have judged me unfairly because of my appearance. Since my brain injury is invisible, doctors have sometimes questioned my struggles—until I start speaking and they see my symptoms first hand.

Beyond financial difficulties, losing friends along the way has also been a painful part of this journey.

What role has support from family, friends, or community played in your journey?

Being part of a brain injury support community has been life-changing. It’s helped me feel less alone and given me a place where I feel truly understood. Unfortunately, many of my family and friends don’t fully grasp what I’m going through. As much as they try, I often feel misunderstood.

I’m especially grateful to be part of Hope Survives, a nonprofit that provides a support group for survivors like me who truly understand this experience.

Have there been any moments of breakthrough or unexpected positives along the way?

A few months after my TBI, I got two cats—Benny & Flynn—and I genuinely believe they saved me.

They provide me with a sense of purpose and responsibility, and they have an uncanny ability to sense when I’m struggling. Their cuddles and emotional awareness have been incredibly comforting, and I love them so much.

What has surprised you about this journey with brain injury?

The way random pieces of my memory have resurfaced over time has been surprising—and hopeful. It gives me confidence that, by continuing my recovery efforts, I can keep strengthening my brain and healing.

What do you know now that you wish you knew at the beginning of this journey?

I didn’t realize each concussion compounded the damage. If I had been more aware and cautious, I might have been able to prevent some of the harm.

What does "hope" mean to you?

Hope means not giving up. It means staying positive, having faith, and trusting that things will get better.

If you could share one encouraging message with another survivor or family, what would it be?

You are not alone. Trust the process, and know that there’s a community of people who truly understand what you’re going through.