Jocelyn Pepe is an entrepreneur, working mother, and former endurance athlete who fell and hit her head on the road while training for a triathlon. The accident led her to readjust her priorities and realize how to be fulfilled after a significant brain injury. Below, Jocelyn shares her Inspiring Story to help others in concussion recovery live their life with purpose.
To this day, Jocelyn Pepe has only had one brain injury, albeit a very significant one – a concussion she suffered during a triathlon training ride. While on her bike, the former endurance athlete could not reach her brakes in time to stop and avoid a crash. She blacked out and hit her head on the side of the road but does not have any memory of the accident until being awoken by medics in the ambulance.
Jocelyn was raced to the hospital and received an MRI on her brain. The scan was clear of any brain bleed, but her jaw had been displaced and she lost two teeth. That, however, was only the beginning of her journey.
At the time of her fall, Jocelyn was studying for a master’s degree in psychology and neuroscience. She didn’t know much about concussions herself, just what she heard being around her son, who played hockey and experienced multiple concussions of his own.
In the months after she was discharged from the hospital, Jocelyn began to experience a number of different symptoms, some of which persist to this day. They included constant exhaustion, the inability to look at screens, nausea while driving, frequent debilitating headaches, and sensitivity to light, sound, and heat. It was so difficult for Jocelyn to string thoughts together she made the difficult decision to put her master’s program on hold.
One of the biggest changes to Jocelyn’s life after her concussion was navigating how she was perceived by people around her. Though she may have looked fine on the outside, she was still struggling internally.
“I felt as though people didn’t understand how difficult it was inside my head, as it was not a visible injury anymore,” said Jocelyn. “After my jaw and teeth were repaired, it was as if I was back to normal. I had to really prioritize brain recovery on my own.”
Jocelyn tried piecing together her healing slowly, working with various professionals including an oral surgeon, physiotherapist, a neuro-optometrist, naturopath, a chiropractor, and a neurologist. With their help, she started feeling a bit better day by day. After about eight months, Jocelyn was able to finish her master’s degree and gain a deeper understanding of concussions from a scientific perspective.
For now, Jocelyn still has her ups and downs but has found ways to manage her symptoms. From rest and ice compression to neuro-optometry, color therapy to realign her sight, and nerve blockers to mitigate the head and neck pain, these are among the treatments which have helped. She has adjusted her expectations on how much is possible mentally and knows there are days she might not be at her best. Ultimately, Jocelyn makes sure to consistently rebalance her physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual wellbeing.
“Immediately after the accident, I wanted to get right back to my triathlon training and goals of making the podium,” said Jocelyn. “At the time, that was part of my grieving process. It’s just about adjusting to a slower pace of life and turning your experience into a purpose.”
Jocelyn no longer rides road bikes or competes in triathlons. Instead, she focuses on low impact exercises which require less time commitment, including practicing yoga and taking daily walks. Jocelyn’s tried going on runs, which have been tough on her neck and head, though it’s slowly getting better.
Jocelyn’s passion for helping others led her to found TrU, a business which builds team wellbeing and healthy organizational culture through executive coaching with a mental health focus. She reached out to the Concussion Legacy Foundation after finding us on social media and relating to our hopeful content and messaging. She recently filmed her own #ConcussionHope video to remind others that healing with a concussion requires a whole-person approach. Now through her Inspiring Story, Jocelyn wants to show those recovering it’s possible to live a purposeful and fulfilling life following a brain injury.
When mismanaged, concussions can have devastating consequences. However, with proper management and support, concussion patients can expect a full recovery.
There’s more to treating a concussion than prolonged rest in a dark room. There are a number of treatment options to consider that may noticeably improve your symptoms.