I Died, Music Carried Me || Trisha Marie Ellard
I was extremely happy. I loved my daughter & husband and had a great job. On Oct 29, 2005 I went to sleep & didn't wake up for 10 weeks. The first thing I remember was somebody saying "Squeeze my hand" I didn't squeeze, I kept thinking squeeze your own fucking hand! I thought I was still at home in bed.
I had been feeling very tired of late, my husband is a driller on off shore oil rigs and worked a 4 week on/4 week off roster. He had been gone 5 weeks. So I thought I was tired from him being away and working full time with a baby. I was wrong. I picked him up from the airport, told him I had been feeling a little funny and was sorry but needed to have an early night and went for a lie down. I had been having a slow leaking brain haemorrhage, without knowing it, which was making me feel tired. I am lucky, I guess, that it burst the night he flew home, or I would have been dead in my bed with my daughter in her cot.
My husband left me. I had life insurance and some money was released to me. But the authorities put me under full orders of the Public Trustee and Guardianship Board. This meant they took away all of my money and medical decisions. They took away $1,14000.00 and then forced me to take methadone as a pain killer. We thought I was severely brain damaged but I kept trying to overturn the orders, (not easy when drugged up on faux heroin), but on the 5th attempt, armed with 3 psych reports, I succeeded and got all orders removed. The first thing I did was order the Doctors to stop the methadone. At first they said no, but, finally agreed. I was allowed to reduce it by 5mg a day. I took the last 5mg on Xmas day in 2012 and it was like I just woke up from my coma! By Xmas lunch time, my Mum and I had the giggles.
Mentally I am fine, except I suffer from short term memory loss. I am legally blind and a hemiplegic – my left arm is completely paralysed. I have the use of my left leg, except for the ankle, and have been referred for surgery to support the ankle to stop it rolling. If successful, i will be able to walk again! The worst thing that happened, the thing that has hurt the most, is the result of the methadone use. It caused me to get gum disease and the bastards ordered me to have my teeth removed. I can't wear the bottom dentures, so I think I look disfigured and hate myself. I desperately want to get implants, but, they cost $20,000.00 and now that the Public Trustee blew all of my insurance money, there is no way I can afford them. I hate that being in the wheelchair has made me fat, but, I know if I start walking again, after the operation, the wight will drop off. But I will never feel pretty again with no fucking teeth!
After spending 2 years in hospital and rehab trying to get better, sometimes I would think "fuck it, is all too hard!”. Then something amazing happens. Solo (of Horrorshow) guest listed me to Clipsal so I could see Bliss n Esso, Horrorshow and Jimblah play live. Illy guest listed me to his sold out Cinematic tour. James put me on the door for Sietta's Invisible River album launch, but, my carer cancelled her shift and as I can't go out alone, I missed out. My favourite group of all time is The Hilltop Hoods. They are inspirational to me for so many different reasons. These lads have had the guts to refuse to be stopped by all of the doors closed in their faces. They have refused to give up doing what they believe in. They have not compromised themselves to be successful and they are so honest and good at what they do. These lads are my heroes. If these boys, who didn’t finish high school can keep trying and never give up, then I can do the same for my daughter.
2014. This will be my 9th year in a wheelchair but today is not forever. My daughter has gone from being angry at me and embarrassed by me to inviting me to join her class for their mega fun day at school this week. I have never been so nervous in my life. I really don't want to do anything to stuff up... Lily-Belle is really proud of me and that is all that matters. Still being alive is getting better every day. The hurdles and hardships are manageable and the love of my family and friends and immense support from the Australian hip hop community make anything still seem possible. I am broken but I am okay.