Love always prevails: Married neurosurgeon and critical care nurse overcome life-threatening brain injury

Love knows no bounds when it comes to this medical married couple who turned from neighbours to life partners all while overcoming incredible barriers along the way.

Love knows no bounds when it comes to this medical married couple who turned from neighbours to life partners all while overcoming incredible barriers along the way.

Michele and Jason McMillen met in 2004 when they were neighbours in Adelaide.

The bond grew stronger over their shared medical background with Michele working as a registered high-level critical care nurse and Jason, a neurosurgeon in training.

It wasn’t until 11 years later the couple were put to the ultimate test when Michele had a biking accident that resulted in a major brain injury.

Jason, who is now a neurosurgeon at the Mater Hospital in Brisbane, said his experience dealing with patients with similar injuries prepared him for Michele’s journey.

“Probably the biggest thing with brain injury is people don’t understand how long the recovery takes. It’s the conversation I have to have the most with my patients,” he said.

“And you know all that cognitively and you understand it, but it’s very different to live it.”

Neurosurgeon Dr Jason McMillen and wife Michele McMillen. Picture: Annette Dew

Michele worked tirelessly through years of rehabilitation, with her husband close by her side.

“It’s been essential and with Jason’s background, it’s been fundamental with him understanding it on a whole different level,” she said.

Now, almost six years after the accident, the couple are back in the medical world once again with Jason working as a neurosurgeon and Michele volunteering at the Mater once a week.

“My background as a nurse does sort of help understand the demands of his job, and we always make it work,” she said.

“I guess it is a bit of that cliche, with doctors and nurses getting together, but the fact that I’ve got a bit of a medical understanding about his job is great.”

Despite their twists and turns, the couple’s love has always risen to the surface with Jason saying his goal for Michele’s recovery has already been fulfilled.

“The main thing for me was to get her living independently, but it was also really important for me that she was able to enjoy life.”

Originally published as Love always prevails: Married neurosurgeon and critical care nurse overcome life-threatening brain injury