Man Shares His Courageous Brain Injury Survivor Story

Editor’s note: This story was written by a new member of the BrainTalk brain injury survivor group on Facebook. I appreciate Asad’s willingness to share his story, as I know how challenging it can be to retell the most horrific moment of your life.

Meet Asad Raza Malik

I am Asad Raza Malik but people call me Asad, and this is my traumatic brain injury story-

I live in Dallas, Texas  away from my family as my family lives in Pakistan, Austria (Europe) & Dubai (UAE). English is NOT my first language and I am speaking & writing English only because of my Education as I have done my MBA & ENGINEERING.

Before my accident (TBI), I was a Director of Procurement in a NON-PROFIT in Dallas, TX. I am from Pakistan & I have been living in the USA since 2012 and I am a USA Citizen. I don’t remember anything since my traumatic brain injury (TBI)  as I have lost my memory from the accident & I was medically diagnosed with a TBI. 

This accident couldn’t kill me as GOD wants me to live & this accident has made me stronger. Like I said I don’t remember anything but I am told by my family about my accident.

So let me share with you the tragic accidental story:

It’s a long story but in short I went to Pakistan to meet my family, especially my OLD parents. My Dad DIED on December 09, 2018 when I was in Coma in Lahore – Pakistan at the Hospital because of my accidental tension & I came to know about my father’s death while coming back to the USA after 6 months by my brother because of my TBI condition.

On the 5th day of my arrival in Pakistan with my family, I got into an automobile accident in the city Sialkot of Pakistan. My accident happened on October 07, 2018.

On the same day & with great efforts of my Brother-in-law, I moved to a very good hospital called DOCTORS HOSPITAL which is a 2.5 hours drive in a nearby main city Lahore, Pakistan. In that hospital, I lived in a coma for almost 3 months.

My Blessed elder brother who lives in Austria, upon hearing about my sudden accident got very upset & quickly came back to Pakistan by leaving everything (Job & Business) on his back in Austria – Europe. My other Brother-in-law who lives in Dubai (UAE) also came back to Pakistan after hearing about my accident by leaving everything on his back in Dubai. They both lived with me at the DOCTORS HOSPITAL, Lahore – Pakistan until my discharge. With my elder brother I came back to the USA  now in a Wheelchair as my right hand, right leg & my mouth to speak were Paralyzed (Disabled) due to multiple strokes,TBI & the COMA.

Right after my arrival in the USA, I got botox injections by my Neurologist so I could start walking but still my right leg, right arm & mouth are 50% Paralyzed (Disabled).

I couldn’t speak the first few months after my coma but then I started talking but not fluently.

I can speak 3 languages

– PUNJABI (Native language)

– URDU (Pakistani National language)

– ENGLISH (Bcoz of Education)

In Dallas, TX, according to both of my neurologists, I am very blessed & lucky to be alive because many people die from traumatic brain injuries. 

MY CURRENT SITUATION AFTER 2 Years. & 10 Months in August 2021:

I am medically fighting my (TBI) Traumatic Brain Injury with issues like:

– Paralyzed Right Arm

– Paralyzed Right Leg

– Paralyzed Mouth to Speak

– Short Term Memory (STM)) Loss

I am still fighting with my memory on a regular/everyday basis.

For your information there are two two kinds of memories & those are:

– LONG TERM MEMORY (LTM)

– SHORT TERM MEMORY (STM)

Here are details for them after TBI accident:

– My Long Term Memory (LTM) is fine but I don’t remember exactly the time duration for LTM.

– My Short Term Memory (STM)  is lost from around the last 8-10 years but I don’t remember the exact time duration as my brain is damaged from the TBI. 

To be very honest I forgot all my BAD past like all my GIRLFRIENDS. 

Below are my daily exercises:

– Writing English with my Right Paralyzed Hand for almost 40 minutes

– Speaking with family in URDU & PUNJABI in PAKISTAN over WhatsApp for almost 60 minutes, as a Speech Exercise.

– Walk almost 5 miles with my Paralyzed Foot for almost 140 minutes

So, in total I am spending 240 minutes = 4 hours, daily.

I have two issues with my speaking:

1. I speak very FAST

2. I repeat the things in my speaking

I am 40 years old & completely fit other than the TBI & Paralysis issues

I am taking only BACLOFEN for loosening muscles in my paralyzed right arm & right leg, prescribed to me by my Neurologist.

For my main treatment, I am doing 3 different classes of therapy twice a week. Each class is one hour per day. 

– Physical therapy

– Occupational therapy

– Speech therapy

I am really thankful for your support in advance.

I feel that I am doing better thank god, but recovery is VERY SLOW with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

Please pray for me that I have power over my INJURED MIND!