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South Bend BMX star Brett Banasiewicz continues to make progress from the brain injury he suffered during a training accident in August.
Monday night, he posted an "essay" on his Facebook page, updating his fans on his progress.
He offered a number of details, and wrote that he doesn't remember the crash, or many of the things that happened in the past five months.
Here, in full, is what he wrote:
"Now that my brain and body are starting to heal I have been able to ask a lot of questions and learn how serious my injuries were from my crash in Virginia Beach last August. I remember nothing of the crash or even some things just before the crash, like winning the Dew Cup, although I have got back a lot of my old memories that evidently were foggy for me soon after waking up from my coma. I now know that there were multiple injuries and bleeding in my brain, my brain even shifted from the swelling, affecting a lot of things, like controlling my body temperature, my short term memory, my moods, my ability to focus, my eyes, my ability to swallow, nerves that control my facial muscles & tongue, and even how I sleep and dream. I also do not remember much from the past 5 months, although some things I can be reminded of or shown pictures and the memory comes back like an ah-ha moment. I have always known who I am and who all my family & friends are, so I did not have to relearn that! Because they had to intubate(which actually means I died) me in the ambulance (shove a tube down my throat into my lungs) because I stopped breathing my throat and vocal cords were damaged along with muscles and nerves, and the biggest reason why I can’t talk like I use to yet. My brain injuries have also slowed my ability to talk, but as everything heals and I bust my (tail) in therapy my voice is starting to come back. I also have learned that I split my left eyebrow open and possibly damaged the area that controls my left eye, and I am now wearing glasses(stunna shades)and doing therapy to strengthen my eyes and ability to track things. I damaged my liver, which was treated with medication for a long time. I damaged my right lung. I damaged my spine in my neck. I got a staph infection and sinus infection from the hospital. I had a lot of bad reactions to medications I was put on. But I am happy to say I am healing. The swelling in my brain has gone down to almost normal levels now. I have had surgery on my vocal cords and I am about to have more done. I am getting stronger every day. My left side was temporarily paralyzed but I can fully use now although I am still weak. I am walking, even running, boxing, throwing, lifting weights, working on my balance and coordination. My mind is strong and getting back to what I was both physically & mentally before the crash and right now that is all I care about. I want to be back on my bike but I can’t yet, not the way I want to ride, but it is coming. I have a long road ahead. The doctors told my dad and trainer it would take 2 years for me to be me again, it would be 6 months before I could even think about walking by myself and it would be at least 9-10 months before I could talk. Well I am here to tell you I am showing the doctors how it is done, I was walking at 3 months, said my first words at 3 months, and sure not going to take me 2 years to come back! I just need you all too understand all of this is frustrating for me. I want to talk and ride more than anything and I am busting my (tail) to make it happen with some great therapists, family & friends here with me. Please don’t ask if I will ever ride again, because I know if there is anyone who can do this it will be me, I just can’t say when that will happen, but I am telling you it will."