My Story

I was 36 years old when I was diagnosed with hydrocephalous.  This is unusual.  Most people with the condition are either diagnosed soon after birth or much later in life.  I probably have spent the majority of my life to date with significantly more fluid than brain within my skull.

It hasn’t seemed to affect me.  I got great grades in school, have gained a veterinary degree and have worked as a practicing veterinary surgeon for over twenty years when I finally became symptomatic and experienced a cognitive decline making it very difficult for me to cope with the cognitive demands of my job.

I stopped working as my reactions slowed and I narrowly avoided being injured by cows three times in a week.  In hindsight the job had become harder and I was exhauseted trying to keep up with its demands.  I was forced to finally admit to myself that I needed to stop and do something else.

I have found that reducing the challenge to my brain through stopping work, although initially a relief, now feels like a burden.  I really feel that slowing down, admitting defeat, is telling my brain to give in a nd stop fighting.  I need a new challenge and the result is this blog.  I have always been a technophobe, so this is pushing me entirely out of my comfort zone – and I love it.  There are bound to be glitches, it won’t look completely professional but it has made me happy and that is all that really matters at the end of the day.  I hope it can inspire people with brain injuries to believe that they can do more than everyone expects them to, and with my stories raise the profile of brain injury in young and middle aged adults and the support that they may require.

This blog is about the times when things didn’t go quite to plan in my veterinary career, whether this was due to my brain or just the unpredictability of  working with animals.  I hope they are entertaining, please share and follow me, I don’t want to be famous or an influencer but the more people following me the more powerful my voice will be to highlight my cause.  

I have changed names and details of all my cases and muddled them around to maintain client confidentiality.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.  Best wishes.

Hamish McMushroom