Fargo woman still recovering from brain injury that required more than a year of treatment – InForum

FARGO – Whether they result from a sports injury or a seemingly harmless car accident, brain injuries can be difficult to treat and recover from.

Just ask a young mother of twins in Fargo who never imagined that a minor accident would result in months of recovery and treatment.

“I didn’t know this was the beginning of a journey,” said Becca Gaikowski.

Gaikowski will soon be celebrating a special anniversary, her “brain anniversary,” as she calls it.

Gaikowski was hit from behind in an accident near Lindenwood Park in Fargo. Her head hit the steering wheel several times. Scans and X-rays showed no abnormalities, but Gaikowski's brain was damaged.

“I actually thought I felt fine,” Gaikowski said. “I just felt weird.”

Eventually, Gaikowski became tired and felt mentally confused. Treating her injuries required a team effort and over a year of therapy with several specialists, including Progressive Therapy Associates in Fargo.

“When you meet a person with a brain injury, you meet a person with a brain injury. No two people have the same needs,” said Janet Grove, a certified brain injury specialist at Progressive Therapy Associates.

After all the work and help from experts, Gaikowski is now back at work and a mother of twins. The days when she thought she would recover quickly on her own are long gone.

“Some days I wasn't sure if I would make it here, but now, three years later, it's unbelievable,” Gaikowski said. “I have a fiancé, twins, I don't know, it's very humbling.”

Progressive Therapy Associates is offering free brain injury screenings on Wednesday, September 25, at 835 28th St. S., Suite B.

Learn more about brain injuries on the North Dakota Brain Injury Network website at ndbin.org.