"I'm not normal," laughed James Piercy as he launched into his show, What's going on in his head? at the Edinburgh International Science Festival (EISF). Standing on the stage in Edinburgh University Student Association's debating hall, the only outward sign of any physical problems is the black patch he wears over his right eye, but Piercy has fought back from brain injuries sustained in a car crash in January, 2011, which claimed the life of his wife. "Why do I talk about this horrible stuff?", Piercy asked his audience. "My job for 20 years was as a science communicator, traveling around festivals like Edinburgh talking about science and engineering. So it made sense to me to start talking about my life since the accident." Piercy was left with a haemorrhage in his right hemisphere, which is now monitored with a subarachnoid bolt, and a diffuse axonal injury in his left hemisphere, which has caused him more problems. Piercy's neurologist has described the speed of his recovery as "phenomenal", which Piercy puts down to writing this show about his brain injury. Apart from a slight weakness down his right.hand side and blurred vision due to problems with the muscle below his right eye, fatigue has been the main challenge. "I'll probably be a mess tomorrow," he smiled after delivering two shows on the same day at the EISF, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, before going on to perform his first stand.up comedy routine that evening. Piercy's talk led me exactly where he had planned, from squirming in my seat at the start of his show as he explained in graphic detair about his injuries, through to warming to him by the end of the night, thanks to his use of humour.
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