When a Fender-Bender Turns Into Something Bigger: My Story

In 2018, I was in what most people would call a “minor” car accident. I was stopped at a stop sign in front of one of those massive retailers when someone hit me. At first, I thought it was just whiplash—nothing more than some soreness and stiffness that would eventually go away.

What I didn’t know then was that this “small” accident would snowball into something much bigger.

The First Signs: Concussion, Neck, and Back Pain

Right after the accident, I dealt with the usual suspects—concussion symptoms, neck pain, and back pain. Within a week, things started getting stranger. Headaches, dizziness, and fatigue crept in. I finally had imaging done, starting with an MRI of my neck and back.

Here’s what it revealed in plain English:

• Spine curvature & muscle spasms: My lumbar spine showed some mild scoliosis and straightening, often a sign of muscle spasms from trauma.

• Disc issues: Several bulging discs from my neck down to my lower back.

  • C3-C5: Bulging discs pressing on the protective lining of the spinal cord.

  • C5-C6: A disc herniation with a small tear.

  • C6-C7: Another herniation with a tear, causing mild narrowing in the spinal canal.

  • L4-L5: Bulging with an annular tear flattening part of the protective sac around the spinal cord.

Not catastrophic, but definitely not “just soreness.” My body was clearly trying to tell me it had been through more than a bump at a stop sign.

The Stroke Nobody Saw Coming

About a week after the accident, I had what would later be identified as a stroke. Yes, a stroke—something you’d never expect after a minor fender-bender. My symptoms kept worsening until I was finally sent for a brain MRI.

But here’s where the story gets even more frustrating.

The MRI Shuffle

It took a month to actually get my brain MRI. Then, after being rescheduled twice (thanks, doctor’s office), I finally had the scan and met with the doctor for results.

To my face, he said: “Everything looks good. Nothing’s wrong.”

But when I got the written report, it told a completely different story:

• There was a 0.4 x 0.3 cm CSF space in my brain, possibly a prominent Virchow-Robin space. (Think of it like a little pocket of fluid where it shouldn’t normally be so obvious.)

• The report also added: “A negative MRI of the brain does not rule out post-concussive syndrome… Clinically significant mild traumatic brain injury can have a normal MRI of the brain.”

In other words: just because the MRI didn’t light up like a Christmas tree didn’t mean I was fine. I had symptoms of a traumatic brain injury, and my lived experience backed that up.

What I Learned

• Even a “minor” car accident can have major consequences. Don’t let anyone brush off your symptoms.

• Imaging reports and doctor explanations don’t always match. Read your written reports. Ask questions. Advocate for yourself.

• Timing matters. Waiting weeks or months for scans and results can change everything when you’re dealing with brain injuries and stroke risk.

I was “lucky” enough to discover the hard way that concussions, disc herniations, and strokes can all be connected. My life changed because of an accident at a stop sign—and I’ll never again underestimate what “minor” really means when it comes to trauma.