A thunderous crash, a “normal” scan, and a life running on fumes—until falling asleep at the wheel forced a reckoning.
We sit down with nurse practitioner Kelly Tuttle to chart the unvarnished path from concussion to diffuse axonal injury and the hard-won strategies that actually make daily life safer and work possible. Kelly breaks down what CT and standard MRI miss, why diagnosis still leans on history and symptoms, and how the right referrals—PM&R, vestibular therapy, neuro-optometry, cognitive rehab—can turn chaos into a plan you can trust.
What surprised us most is where help finally came from. Kelly’s access to advanced imaging and top specialists arrived through a legal channel, not her health plan. That twist opens a bigger conversation about navigating the system, documenting symptoms with precision, and becoming your own advocate when you hear “you’re fine” but your body says otherwise.
Kelly’s story doesn’t end at recovery; it evolves into purpose. She shifted from cardiology to neurology, then designed resources for survivors: her book After the Crash, an audiobook for low-vision and low-tolerance days, a recovery journal, a Substack, and a growing library of videos.
If you or someone you love is struggling after a brain injury, you’ll leave with language to use at appointments, a map of which specialists to seek, and encouragement to slow down without giving up your life.
If this resonated, follow the show, share it with someone who needs hope today, and leave a review so more people can find these tools. Your story could be the lifeline someone’s waiting for.
To connect with and purchase Kelly’s book visit her website at: kellytuttle.org or purchase her book, After the Crash from Amazon.
To download a free chapter of host Sylvia Worsham’s bestselling book, In Faith, I Thrive: Finding Joy Through God’s Masterplan, purchase any of her products, or book a call with her, visit her website at www.sylviaworsham.com
Transcript:
If you’ve ever struggled with fear, doubt, or worry and wondering what your true purpose was all about, then this podcast is for you. In this show, your host, Sylvia Warsham, will interview elite experts and ordinary people that have created extraordinary lives. So here’s your host, Sylvia Warsham.
Hey my brainhost, it’s Sylvia Warsham. Welcome to Released Out Review Burpes. And today is Kelly Tuttle. And I know that her story needs to be heard because to have a traumatic brain injury, my goodness, I know that that’s a scary thing for anyone to hear or to even read about. When I read her story, I thought, wow, that it would be so traumatic just to even read about that. I can’t imagine living through that. And then when I read that she just doesn’t want people that have currently living through that feel less alone, I I could relate to that so, so much. Kelly, thank you so much for joining us on Release That Revealed Purpose. Well, thank you for having me, Sylvia. It’s a pleasure, truly a pleasure and an honor for me to be able to host you. I really want you to dive deep into how this happened and why on earth you didn’t drive yourself to the hospital or somebody had to drive you to the hospital that you actually went to work the next day. I find that’s so that’s such a woman thing to do. I I have to say it, girl. We won’t drive ourselves in the hospital when we’re like in critical condition, but we’ll drive our spouses, our mates, our children over. We just don’t do it for ourselves. So please, please share with us how it all went down, how you got that uh traumatic brain injury, and what happened as a result.
Yeah, so I I totally agree. I think your per your perspective is eye-opening. I think that now looking back, it was kind of a woman thing, and it was kind of a a nursing thing, too. Um but my story starts with the thunderous clap of metal and the shattering of glass and people coming out of their house to see what’s going on, traffic was stopped. I was driving home from work and another car pulled out in front of me, and I just couldn’t stop in time and I ended up t-boning them. And uh I decided uh I would just it was back crash, but I would shake it off, and I arranged for my friend to drive me to work the next day. I declined the ambulance. Um and at work I work with fantastic registered nurses and nurse practitioners, and I noticed something was wrong, and they impressed upon me to see my uh general practitioner the next day, and I was diagnosed with a concussion, taken off work for two weeks, and for me I left with a feeling that I would be better after two weeks. So I rested and started to go back to life after two weeks, and I pushed myself despite having headaches and dizziness and uh uh incredible fatigue, and until one day I fell asleep at the wheel on the drive home and the car popping off the road woke me up just in time to slam on my brakes before I hit a tree. And instead of letting my doctor know, which you should do if you fall asleep at the wheel, I decided I’ll just take a nap in between work and home in my car on the side of the road. I do not recommend that for anybody, but this kind of shows you my thinking process. And uh fortunately, I had lunch with a colleague shortly after who was at the time a neurology nurse practitioner. I was a cardiology nurse practitioner, so she was really interested in my recovery and asked how I was doing, and I had mentioned falling asleep at the at the wheel, but it was okay because now I was taking a nap between work and home. And she said, uh no, that is not okay. You need to see a physical medicine rehab doctor, and you need to get a brain scan, a brain scan. I hadn’t had any at this prior. And I said, okay. And uh after navigating through the healthcare system, I finally got my appointment with the physical medicine rehab doctor and got on to the right road recovery and referrals to the right therapist and uh learning about my brain injury and um starting to get the healing going, and then she took me off work for three months and so I could do that, and then two weeks before I was to return to work, I Sylvia, I was freaking out. I was like, what does my brain need to support its performance at work? And I was trying to read my recovery books, my therapist handouts, my favorite websites, and it was exhausting because at the time I could only read for five to ten minutes, and then I couldn’t remember what I had read, and I would get headaches and dizziness and just so tired. And I didn’t want anybody to go through that. And so when I decided to write my book, I reflected on that moment and wanted to make the goal of my book to be quick, easy to the point, with strategies and tools you could support your brain while you return to work as it was healing. And I made it it was important for it to be also an audible because um it was so hard for me to read. And I’ve heard that from other survivors, and uh so that began my journey. Goodness, girl. Thank God you’re here.
Because I think people need to hear your story, because you I mean, you’re a nurse practitioner. Now, this does you don’t know this about me. I come from an entire family of doctors. Oh, okay. They’re the worst patients, and nurses too, and nurses too, because y’all know, right? Y’all know, but it can never happen to you for whatever reason. I don’t know why that is, but you’ll have to dive into that one later for another book for those that have traumatic brain injuries uh and you’re in the medical field. But I just thank you, Lord, for saving her life. Thank you, Lord, for giving her a good friend that she could rely on and tell. Because if it were up to you, you would have skipped telling your friend and you would have never gotten the brain scan. And I bet what did the brain scan show? I’m I’m curious now.
I’m glad you asked that because there’s a myth that uh if you have a concussion, your brain scan will show it, and that’s not true. Um, so I originally had a CT scan, it was normal. Then I had a T3 MRI, and it showed um some co uh copper spots, which our blood cells are made out of, have copper in it, and so there was some bleeding a very small amount. But it wasn’t until I had a a functional brain MRI, which is normally just used in research, um, and it showed that I had uh diffuse axion injuries, which is um if you think of the brain cell, the neuron, like a tree, it has branches on top, branches on the bottom uh roots on the bottom, and most get sheared when the brain is shifted suddenly. And then it showed some volume changes in my ventricles and and changes in the sizes, uh size of my uh the size of the ventricles in my brain, which didn’t show up on the CT scan, didn’t show up on a 3T MRI. Um so I I like to tell people don’t trust what the MRI um results are, even if they’re normal, that doesn’t mean you didn’t have um cellular damage occur uh with the brain because those scans don’t look at the cells, they’re looking just at the growth structures, like if you have a tumor, um if you have a ledge bleed, if you have a skull fracture, they’ll show up. Um, but at the cellular level where your symptoms um originate, they’re not gonna show up on those scans. So currently, right now, all we have for diagnosis is um a hist your history of your um injury, which could um have been a fall or a car accident or um you know blunt force trauma or a blast from a bomb, and your symptoms, and that’s how we get to that diagnosis. Oh yeah, there’s been a concussion, there’s been a brain injury, and um the treatment is based on your symptoms because every brain injury is different, everyone’s brain’s response to the injury is different, so their symptoms are going to be different, and they’re gonna need um a different uh approach to care and support.
Okay, so you mentioned that this was the scam that you had that finally showed the traumatic brain injury is only used for research purposes. That kind of intrigued me. How did you get to do that scan? Like what was it about your case that they said she needs to have the scan done?
Yeah, it was because I had a pending uh lawsuit against the other car driver, their insurance company. And the uh lawyers are aware of the specialists around the country to get you the scans to help support your case.
Okay. So that’s the only way you got to the actual truth. Yes. Because there was a lawsuit, but let’s say and they all have that. So how do they what are the lawyers like what was there the testimony, the the symptoms, like what could regular people do that don’t have a lawsuit to get to the appropriate scam to ensure that they get the to the truth? Do you know what I mean?
Exactly. And um, yeah, so let’s let’s talk about a little bit about the medical um industry and um my lawsuit. So if I had been left to the hands of my general practitioner, tragedy would have probably hit. I probably would have lost my job, I would have lost my home, maybe my marriage. And it was the my lawyer when I hired him, I thought I was just hiring him to negotiate between me and my car insurance. But it turned out he would I ended up hiring someone in the in my corner for the fight to find out what happened to me and the treatment and care I needed. And it was through a lawyer, not my health care insurance plan um plan or my doctor that I was sent to specialists that really made a huge impact on my um recovery. And so that’s one of the things in my book is that I talk about symptoms and the specialists you need to see because if you don’t see if your general practitioner is not passionate about traumatic brain injury, they’re not gonna know the most updated information on how to care for a person with a concussion. Um and you really have to become your own advocate um in the in seeking the care that you need and be knowledgeable about what’s really out there. And um that’s one of the things that I wanted to um help my readers learn that there are these specialists, you may have to pay out of pocket to see them, um, but they are worth seeing, and they’re just not part of the traditional care that you get in uh the healthcare system here in the US right now.
That’s really scary, actually, to hear. Because you’re right, if they’re not up to date with the latest and greatest, they won’t know where to refer you. You’re not the only person I’ve heard this from. I had lunch with a a good friend of mine um a couple of days back, and she had these electrode things uh that are connected to her neck and to her back. So she had it here and here. It’s like sprint PCS or whatever. I was like, what is that? And she said, my lawyer was the one that alerted me. She had been in a T-bone accident with an Amazon truck driver, and they were the lawyer was the one that alerted her to go and seek the care of a very big-time specialist, orthopedic specialist that specialized in these electrodes. And so she was able to get some some relief from the neck and back pain that she suffered from being T-boned by an Amazon truck, and they spun. It was it was a horrible accident as well. And so I’m I’m like, this message really, I think God really wants this message out. Uh to get these information or to bypass some of these loops that will stop you in the medical um in the insurance industry, because that’s really who’s gonna stop you. They’re not gonna want to pay, you’re gonna have to fight them. Um, we’ve been in those situations before with my father’s um brain tumor. There were some things that they were wanting to cover and some others that you had to fight for. And he was a medical doctor, and so of course, he’s gonna like make his way to the best of the best, right? Because he had a brain tumor um that had developed because of exposure to H in Orange in Vietnam. You know, and he so all these things are really tricky to navigate, but they’re a must to navigate if you’re gonna get to the root of how to get the best support for you. So what was the in your opinion, Kelly, what was the greatest lesson you learned just from going through all this?
Well, um, I the greatest lesson I learned was I had been before my brain injury very active and um goal-driven and on the go, on the go. Um, and then after the crash, I had to slow down. I didn’t have a choice. And with that, I learned how to live a more simple life, a more life filled with uh mindfulness and gratitude, more compassion and empathy and understanding of others around me. And um that is the greatest gift that I got from from going through this traumatic brain injury.
Yes. Did you go back to work? Are you still a nurse practitioner?
Yes, I I um did go back to work. I did a slow trickle. I do talk um uh about in my book after the crash um how I think I went to work back to work too soon, how I should have slowed it down. Um but I did eventually go back to work and I um figured out strategies and tools to support my brain’s performance. And um I even changed my career. So I was a cardiology nurse practitioner, and then when I was trying to recover and learned so much about the brain, I was fascinated with the brain, neuroscience, uh, neurobehavioral um uh research. And um a friend of mine encouraged me to go into neurology, and so I took all the classes and the CEs and did everything I could to qualify for a training position, begged and pleaded and got it two years after the car crash. And um I practiced in neurology for seven years, um, and then I had to retire because um I couldn’t keep up with the workload, and I had seen a psychologist while I was early in my recovery, and he had warned me that eventually I would probably have to retire early because I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the demands of my of my job. And uh he was right, he was spot on. So I was prepared, I had consulted with a financial planner, um, I consulted with a um financial coach to help me with budgeting and controlling spending, and um eventually was able to retire um and do this now full-time.
So, what is this that you’re referring to?
Alrighty, so what I am doing is help trying to help people uh get back to work after uh brain injury. And so that I first started with the book and then I started creating YouTube videos with extended with information for my book, but also extended information because I’ve learned more since I finished and published my book. Um I’ve written an ebook, um how to um uh getting back behind the wheel, it’s on Amazon. I um a strong proponent of journaling, so I created a journal which is also on Amazon, and it’s uh called um my uh brain injury uh recovery journal. And I started writing for Substack, which is free, you can choose to pay, but it’s free because I wanted um people to be able to get additional content because I’m trying to kind of like make my information more uh more platforms available, but also more accessibility. So some people can uh read after their brain injury very well, some people can’t. Uh so that’s the Substack for my readers, uh YouTube channels for my um followers who aren’t able to read. And um, and then um in the plans is creating a uh podcast. That’s my next step.
I think it would be a very successful podcast because there’s not a lot of people that need that information. That there’s so many topics you could bring people on, and insurance companies, like, how do we get around these webs? Like, how do we navigate the system? How do we navigate the healthcare system? You’ve been in the healthcare system, you know. It’s interesting though, like the irony. You’re you’re in the healthcare system and you struggled with it, and the the person that gave you the solution was a lawyer of all things. I mean, it’s just it’s like I became a statistic just to give you the irony of what happened to me. I didn’t have a traumatic brain injury. My major turning point was a medical complication due to taking birth control pills after the age of 35 and developing blood clots, well, not blood clots, actually pulmonary embolisms, because they never traveled from the leg. They never traveled from the leg, they develop. And and then I ended up with Bub Curry syndrome because I took a flight from South Texas to Houston during Easter weekend, and I had six doctors walk into my room and say, We’re in trouble. And um, I had passed two blood clots that passed through my heart to get to my left lung, and they didn’t stop my heart. Um, it was miraculous. Like how I got on a flight with pulmonary embolisms and like landed and didn’t die in the air is miraculous in itself. Uh, you’re a nurse practitioner, you know why. Um, so I mean, I wrote a book with the testimony on there, right? I’m very faith-based because you when you receive miracles within 72 hours, it’s a miraculous recovery. The medical community was like blown away. They could they couldn’t grasp the concept that here I was. I became the the side effect that I talked about because I was a pharmaceutical rep for Pfizer at the time. So I’m like, come on, the army of this is just it’s funny, it’s like it’s getting hilarious, but um. Oh, with Budcary syndrome, that’s deadly. I remember my my dad, um, a doctor, my brother and sister are both physicians, and they didn’t tell me that it carried an 80% chance of dying. Nobody told me I was an ICU and everybody was crying around me, and I I couldn’t understand. And I was just trying to survive, right? And the only thing I could do was surrender to God because the my my medical team was not confident I was gonna survive the night. They had already told my parents, prepare yourself. I think this girl’s gonna die. And um, because but Kiery is deadly, it’s such a beautiful name for such a deadly um syndrome. But I think your podcast would do phenomenal, in all honesty. I think your testimony is very, very strong. Um if people wanted to follow you, Kelly, where do we find you?
I would definitely recommend going to my website, kellytle.org, O-R-G. That’s a good start. And um, but I’m you know, like I said, I’m on YouTube, and that’s at Kelly Tuttle, Brain Loving Advocate. You can find me there. And um my substack’s The Mindful Return. And so will be my podcast, The Mindful Return.
It’s all about branding and labor, you know, like they gotta know it’s you, right? And I know you mentioned the book a couple of times. Can you tell us the name of your book and where we can purchase that book in case people with traumatic brain injuries want to buy it?
Yeah, so it’s uh after the crash, how to keep your job, stay in school, and live life after a brain injury. And it can be found on Amazon, but on other um in uh indie books, carry it, uh bookstores and so forth. And um it’s also on Audible.
Okay. It’s good to know because I do take my dog on walks, and so I can hear it and be efficient. What’s my time? Uh any last words of encouragement you want to leave anyone currently undergoing this crossroads in their life?
Um, you know, there is uh one of my favorite Japanese proverbs is that the warrior falls down seven times but stands up eight. And I used to think before my car accident that they stood up on their own because they were amazingly strong. But then after my um my brain injury, I have learned uh the loving support of others around me. And I believe now when I think about that, that that warrior is helped to stand up by his comrades, his family, and his friends. And I recommend when you’re going through a tough time, don’t sit alone. Reach out to your found trusted family and friends, go to a support group, get talk therapy, um, and um start building your tribe and your supportive community to help you get through your dark days.
I love that because it is so important, isn’t it, Kelly, to have a good community around us, especially during major crossroads, because that’s when we’re weakest, we’re our most vulnerable. We want people around us that have our best interests at heart that will guide us into the light that we currently are living in. We can’t get there alone. We really can’t, we’re not meant to be there alone. No, we’re meant to be in community. Um, and so I I love the fact that I’ve made your acquaintance because you are a beautiful and warm soul. I can feel it coming through the screen. Yeah, your energy is beautiful, and I know that as a guide, I mean your voice is very calming. So you’re gonna do very well as a podcast host. I just know it’s uh I know your this is your next step, and I hope you take it soon. So sooner rather than later. Um, because if you’re already feeling that much to do this, it’s because it’s the next step for you. And I’m here to just confirm that for you today. Um, it’s been a beautiful pleasure having you on my podcast and and the show. And I know that the listeners on the other side are gonna gain so many pearls of wisdom just by listening to your story and just everything that you shared with us on the show has been very beneficial to them. So thank you for coming on release that reveal purpose. And for the listeners, remember Matthew 5.14 to always be the light. Step into your divine purpose just like Kelly has. You know, use these turning points, use these crossroads to to look within and really find that light and step in there with so much confidence and love because this world needs you. We need your voice, we need your purpose, and we need your to step into it confidently. And uh, I’m here to tell you, and Kelly is also here to tell you that you can do this, we can do it, so can you. There’s nothing stopping you. It’s only your doubt. So release your doubt so it can reveal your purpose. Have a beautiful rest of your week. Bye now.
So that’s it for today’s episode of Release Doubt, Reveal Purpose. Head on over to iTunes or wherever you listen and subscribe to the show. One lucky listener every single week who posts a review on iTunes. We’ll win a chance the grand prize drawing back to win a twenty-five thousand dollar private VIP day with Sylvia Worship herself. Be sure to head on over to sylviaworsham.com and pick up a free copy of Sylvia’s gift and join us on the next episode.