Humans of Reno: Concussions Don’t Define You, A Student’s Story
Twenty-year-old Cassidy Vaughn has been suffering from post-concussion syndrome for almost a decade now after receiving her first concussion at age eleven. But as Taylor Harkrader reports, despite setbacks, Cassidy is back in the gym trying to find the new best version of herself.
Hitting the Gym as Part of Recovery
Maxing out her weight on the leg curl machine, Vaughn is pushing herself harder than ever in order to get herself back to where she once was. After having to quit some sports entirely due to the effects of her first concussion, being back in the gym is something that Vaughn isn’t taking for granted.
“The physical aspects were obvious,” she said during a recent workout. “I had to stop playing soccer for a while. It was my fourth concussion that the doctors deemed me unable to play soccer anymore.”
But that didn’t stop Vaughn from being active. She started playing lacrosse shortly after, but again had to quit after suffering two more concussions. Though she still goes to lacrosse games on campus and supports the team she once played on, Vaughn misses the sport.
An Enduring Love for Sports
“They didn’t really say, ‘Yay, start playing lacrosse’ but I did it anyways.”
Unfortunately, the physical aspects weren’t the only side effects of Vaughn’s many concussions and as she’ll tell you, what came next was much worse.
Vaughn refills her pill organizer in preparation for the upcoming week. A drug called Concerta is just one of three medications that she has to take in order to live with the side effects of her concussions.
“Emotionally it’s taken a harder toll on me than physically,” she said. “Depression set in when I got my fourth concussion my sophomore year of high school.”
But again, Vaughn did not let this stop her. Four years and two more concussion later, she is back in the gym and starting new.
“Being back in the gym helps me feel normal again,” she said. “My doctors won’t let me go out and play team sport because it’s ‘too dangerous’ and stuff which I get but it still sucks. Memory wise I can’t do much, I’m working my hardest, but I can always come back from the physical things.”
Vaughn expressed how hard it was to come to terms with her newfound disabilities and says the gym is something she feels like she has control over.
“I don’t know where I’d be in my life if I wasn’t active. It makes me feel like I can still make a change to the effects that the concussions have on me.”
Despite all of her obstacles Vaughn is in the gym five days a week and maintains a 3.0 GPA. She says that one of the most difficult, yet crucial parts of recovery is asking for help and admitting to your friends, family and professors that you need it.
