Finding the light
After becoming the first athlete at WKU to suffer a brain bleed, Kennedy Coradini had something new to add to her list of firsts. Although recovery has been difficult, Kennedy is making steady progress and hopes to return to competition next semester.
Kennedy performs a core workout during her weight session. Her exercises vary from session to session due to her memory issues.
Kennedy Coradini, a 19-year-old javelin thrower for Western Kentucky University, is known for her passion and dedication to her sport. In September, during a team weightlifting workout, Kennedy hit her head on a bolt at the base of a weight rack. Despite hitting her head, she finished her workout and went home. Later that night she threw up. Believing it was an isolated incident, she carried on as usual.
“I didn't say anything because I wanted to continue. Because another thing is, I don't want to fall behind,” Coradini said, “I refuse to let that be an option.”
Two days later, while lifting weights again, she began to feel dizzy and disoriented. Despite being encouraged by her lifting partner to rest, Kennedy pushed through, only to feel worse afterward. The next morning, she overslept, which rarely ever happens, and found herself unable to lift her head off of the bed. Confused, she called a friend, who urged her to contact the team’s athletic trainer, Sam.
“I felt so incredibly disoriented. I was like, I felt like I was watching my life through a movie,” Coradini said.
“I didn't say anything because I wanted to continue. Because another thing is, I don't want to fall behind,” Coradini said, “I refuse to let that be an option.”
Two days later, while lifting weights again, she began to feel dizzy and disoriented. Despite being encouraged by her lifting partner to rest, Kennedy pushed through, only to feel worse afterward. The next morning, she overslept, which rarely ever happens, and found herself unable to lift her head off of the bed. Confused, she called a friend, who urged her to contact the team’s athletic trainer, Sam.
“I felt so incredibly disoriented. I was like, I felt like I was watching my life through a movie,” Coradini said.
Kennedy practices in the cold by doing small throws. although she is back to practicing she is not back to her old form.
By the time Kennedy reached the training room, she was in tears from the pain. The trainer sent her to the team doctor, who initially diagnosed her with a concussion and advised her to rest.
The following day, during a treatment session with Sam, Coradini’s body began to convulse. However, her trainers were unaware that blood from a brain bleed had built up around her neck. Throughout the session her condition worsened, leading to full-body convulsions, and she was rushed to the hospital.
“I just kept convulsing and it was like, no matter what I tried to do to stop, no matter what they did, to try to get me to stop, I couldn't stop shaking and spasming just all over the place,” Coradini said.
After a day of testing and uncertainty, the neurologist discovered the brain bleed. The delayed diagnosis meant doctors could not drain the blood, leaving Kennedy to endure hemorrhagic strokes over the following month. Each stroke left her body convulsing and immobile for several minutes at a time.
The following day, during a treatment session with Sam, Coradini’s body began to convulse. However, her trainers were unaware that blood from a brain bleed had built up around her neck. Throughout the session her condition worsened, leading to full-body convulsions, and she was rushed to the hospital.
“I just kept convulsing and it was like, no matter what I tried to do to stop, no matter what they did, to try to get me to stop, I couldn't stop shaking and spasming just all over the place,” Coradini said.
After a day of testing and uncertainty, the neurologist discovered the brain bleed. The delayed diagnosis meant doctors could not drain the blood, leaving Kennedy to endure hemorrhagic strokes over the following month. Each stroke left her body convulsing and immobile for several minutes at a time.
Injury Timeline
Tuesday, Sept. 3
Tuesday, Sept. 3
Kennedy hits her head and throws up
Thursday, Sept. 5
Thursday, Sept. 5
The first symptoms kick during weights that afternoon
Friday, Sept. 6
Friday, Sept. 6
Kennedy wakes up and cant move her head and goes to her trainer and the doctor. She is diagnosed with a concussion and told to rest.
Wednesday, Sept. 11
Wednesday, Sept. 11
Kennedy goes to her treatment session with Sam and as she is being treated she starts to convulse. She is sent to the hospital and is admitted that night.
Thursday, Sept. 12
Thursday, Sept. 12
The neurologist diagnoses Kennedy with a brain bleed and informs her that it is too late to treat it.
Kennedy spent two days in the hospital accompanied by friends, teammates and family.
Even though she was in the hospital this did not stop her teammates from seeing her. At night after practice had ended they packed her hospital room to try and make her as comfortable as possible.
“And so that night, the team came and it was like, I think it was like 12 or 14 of them. They came and sat in my hospital room,” Coradini explains, “they sang, they did karaoke, I know my floor nurses were just like, ‘Oh my gosh. The track team is in fact taking over the hospital right now.’”
Thankfully, Kennedy is now nine weeks into recovery. She attends regular treatments with her trainer and works on rebuilding her memory and reaction time through cognitive exercises. Though the experience has shaken her, she is back to lifting weights and practicing javelin with hopes of returning to full form next semester.
“And so that night, the team came and it was like, I think it was like 12 or 14 of them. They came and sat in my hospital room,” Coradini explains, “they sang, they did karaoke, I know my floor nurses were just like, ‘Oh my gosh. The track team is in fact taking over the hospital right now.’”
Thankfully, Kennedy is now nine weeks into recovery. She attends regular treatments with her trainer and works on rebuilding her memory and reaction time through cognitive exercises. Though the experience has shaken her, she is back to lifting weights and practicing javelin with hopes of returning to full form next semester.
Rate of concussion in the U.S. from 2010 to 2015, by age (per 1,000 members, data from Blue Cross Blue Shield)
"It's like I'm home again because everybody on my team is like my family, and it's like getting to be with them every day and getting to support them and getting to help them because, as much as track is individual, we're a team at the end of the day and they all mean so much to me. So getting to be back there with them and do something I love while doing it with them means more than anything." - Kennedy Coradini
