NINETEEN months after suffering the brain haemorrhage that changed his life, Adrian Crowley is still struggling to come to terms with what happened.

But he is full of praise for the work of the charity he believes rescued him from the "desperate" state he was in after his discharge from hospital.

That charity - Cardiff-based Headway - has launched a social group in Newport, to provide regular support and guidance for brain injury survivors in the area.

Mr Crowley, aged 57, from Newport, has only recently been able to talk about the circumstances of his brain injury, and the difficult months since.

But he was determined to tell his story to raise awareness of the new group and the "amazing" work Headway does for survivors and their families.

A retail technician who repaired point-of-sale systems for supermarkets and shops, Mr Crowley was returning from a job Cheltenham in October 2013 when his life changed in a matter of seconds.

"I got to the traffic lights (on the A40) at Monmouth and didn't feel right. I was dizzy," he said.

"The lights went green, I drove towards the tunnels and just before I got there, it was like someone hit me over the head with a hammer.

"I must have blacked out. I can't remember driving through the tunnels. It was very strange, like I was watching myself drive.

"The car slowed down, I remember the speed being about 10mph and a lorry behind sounding its horn and overtaking."

Mr Crowley considered trying to reach the Royal Gwent or Nevill Hall Hospitals, but his overriding thought was to get home.

"I managed it, but I was all over the place. I could only see a couple of yards ahead. But I was keeping myself going. If I had stopped I don't think I would be here today," he said.

Scans at the Royal Gwent revealed nothing, but a lumbar puncture indicated a bleed on the brain. Transferred to the University Hospital of Wales, specialists sought to trace where in the brain the bleed occurred, and Mr Crowley spent a week in intensive care.

He said he was initially discharged to "nothing" in the way of expert support and advice, but UHW brain injury patients are automatically referred to Headway and a couple of weeks later a letter arrived from the charity.

"I was suffering constant headaches, blurred vision, tiredness, anxiety, depression, terrible fatigue," said Mr Crowley.

"I'd got desperate, then the letter came and Sharon, my wife, contacted them.

"It's been brilliant, the support, the way they talk to you, the understanding and educational part, it has all helped.

"I've still not come to terms with what happened. It was so out of the blue. The day before, I'd had a pre-admission check-up at the Royal Gwent, for an operation, and my blood pressure etc, was fine.

"I'm not the person I was - he would do things straightaway but I struggle with the fatigue, I have difficulty coping with noise, I don't remember doing things. It's very frustrating.

"I just want people who go through something like this to realise they don't have to suffer. A lot of people aren't aware of groups like this, and Headway does amazing work."

HEADWAY'S Newport social group, supported by Cardiff-based law firm Hugh James, means brain injury survivors from the area do not now have to travel to Cardiff for such meetings. It runs from 2pm-5pm on Wednesdays, at Stow Park Community Centre, Brynhyfryd Road.

Brain injury survivors have the opportunity to talk to others in their position, and activities include pool and interactive computer games, to help improve cognitive skills.

Mr Crowley said he has gained a lot of friends through involvement with Headway and Mrs Crowley, a nurse at St Woolos Hospital, has benefited from its support group for relatives.

"It's been invaluable. Meeting other carers is a great help because I had to cope with Adrian's difficulty in accepting what has happened," she said.

"It is hard to watch him struggle to just change a fuse."