Motorcycle road racer Jamie Coward says he believes he “got away lightly” after crashing at last month’s North West 200 but explained that persistent “brain fog” was a concern in the weeks following the incident.
The 34-year-old came off his Kawasaki machine at Quarry Hill during the opening Supertwins race over the Triangle circuit and was taken to hospital in Coleraine for treatment on his injuries.
He returned home to England a few days later but missed the subsequent Isle of Man TT.
“At first in hospital they thought I had a bleed on the brain but they had to send it off to a specialist to find out if it was or not,” Coward told BBC Sport NI.
“It turned out it was just badly bruised. I was severely concussed and for about four or five weeks I’ve not really felt like myself and it wasn’t really until a week ago that a lightbulb came on and I’m back to myself again.
“At one point it got quite worrying with it being such a long time with that brain fog.”
Coward revealed that he also sustained “a hole in the leg” in the accident on the Saturday of race week.
“I’m not sure what punctured my leg, but either a footpeg or a handlebar or a lever went about four or five inches into my leg and left quite a big deep wound.
“I had to leave that open, let it heal from the inside out, but the worst thing was the bang on the head.
“I’m back to normal, back working and looking forward to getting back on a bike.”