Danny Martin-Poitras had a good, unremarkable life. He enjoyed the outdoors, athletic activities, had a job with the Quebec Ministry of Transportation and was happily married with a young son. Everything changed in 2018 when he had two traumatic brain injuries which resulted in hydrocephalus and further medical complications.
Danny explains, “The first one was a head on collision with a motocross bike while I was doing some mountain biking. I recovered fast from this one, returning to my usual activities one month later. The second one was at work, when I hit my head and fell of a truck. Since the concussion, my life has never been the same. I have difficulty with concentration, memory and am currently not working.”
Danny also has dysautonomia, from his hydrocephalus. This is an automatic nervous system disorder which was caused by pressure and irritation on the brainstem. He also has gastroparesis resulting in food staying in his stomach for long periods of time and not digesting normally. The gastroparesis has led to vomiting and significant weight loss. He has also had a feeding tube to increase his weight, more surgeries and health complications.
Throughout his health challenges, Danny remains positive and knows the importance of listening and respecting his body. He does what he can, lives in the moment and continues to enjoy sports, including mountain biking, which he resumed this summer.
Danny has also learned to self advocate for his complex medical needs when speaking with his doctors. Online research has provided him with the necessary arguments to convince his neurologist to perform certain procedures, such as a lumbar puncture (a test to obtain a sample of cerebral spinal fluid).
To raise awareness and educate others, he has written several songs using Artificial Intelligence, about his experiences in the medical system and living with complex health conditions, which are available on Spotify.
According to Danny, “The lyrics are 100% from the bottom of my soul. That was really what I wanted to share to my family, friends or anyone with chronic illness or anyone else who can’t understand what it is to live with something invisible.”
Danny feels gratified knowing that he has touched several people with his music. His song, “October is Dysautonomia Awareness month” was used for the Dysautonomia International’s awareness video.
His other songs are more about him and what it feels like to not be believed by doctors. He has put them on music platforms such as Spotify to raise awareness about living with an invisible condition like hydrocephalus. Over time, he has received several messages from people thanking him for his work and each one is very heart warming to read.
Danny is grateful to his wife, son and family for their ongoing support through his medical journey. Although Danny stopped working in 2024 because of his traumatic brain injuries, he is eager to return to the workplace.
Danny has the following advice for anyone living with spina bifida or hydrocephalus: “Listen to your body. Life is beautiful. You are not alone. Lean on your friends and family and find comfort in strangers who have experienced the same or similar things that you have experienced.”
