Brain Injury

[Drisgirl]

Complicated and I know that no 2 are the same.

My cousin fell through a skylight a month ago -he was working.He landed on his head and his brain moved totally to the front temporal lobe.He had other injuries and has had pneumonia.

No-one apart fom his wife and his mum have been allowed to visit but since I was in hospital yesterday we nipped down on the offchance.

I cannot believe it -he can comprehend and write -has no swallowing reflex so chokes all the time.He has no facial expression and as he cant swallow he dribbles.Shock doesnt cover it.

Does anyone have experience of this type of trauma
He will be in hospital for months.

I reckon the fact he can recognise and also write is a good sign -the part of his frontal (temperal) lobe which affects speech and swallowing has been damaged.They are awaiting the swelling to go down.

Its a dreadful subject but I just wondered if anyone recognises those symptoms and what the prognosis was.

[sqad617]

Fronto- temperal lobe is what I think that you are describing.
First things first....what did the MRI Brain scan show? Bleeding and swelliing or both.?
He is presumably is on a ventilator and has a tracheostomy.tube into his throat.
The abscence of a swallowing reflex and facial immobility would suggest a brain stem lesion.
There are other injuries which you have not described.
Always difficult to be sure as to the outcome of severe cerebral injuries as this is, and it may take another month or two to prognosticate.
I'm afraid you will have to be a little more patient.

[jrobinson200]

Hi
My dad had a motorbike accident last year, had a brain injury amongst other injuries. He was in intensive care sedated for 2 days and when he came round he was angry, very angry and frustrated. no idea who he was, who we were. not able to move really, no response when we spoke to him. just nothing. eventually with time, weeks, he came rund to his normal self. he started talking but in one word sentencs. then he talked normally but was confused thought he was in hotel rooms and asked for his mum and dad (whos been dead 20 years) etc. eventually after a month his present memory was working fine, but stil has short term memory loss to this day.
physically, yes he probably 'dribbled' for the first few days. coldnt feed himself. but it got better. took few weeks to walk, and a year on is slow and gets tired quickly.
hth
feel free to talk about your experience..;........

[obNOXious]

At the risk of being beset by ********** trolls I have a very old brain injury which occured in childhood. the effects at the time were pretty devastating and i am left with the inability to recall very odd things like how to speall very simple words, also a snesation of touch which isn't there and a few other unsavoury ill effects, but on the hoepful side, I was in a far more severe mess initially, but this was 40 years ago now and so time has done it's magic and helped considerably. Hope your cousin goes on alright.

[Drisgirl]

Squd -he had a blood clot on his brain -they couldnt operate so he is still receiving medication to dissolve it.

MRI showed swelling as well as the blood clot -they were also able to tell how far his brain had been shunted forwards.

He isnt on a ventilator and nor a tube now -he is breathing well and up until a couple fo days ago he was managing the odd word.

jrobinson -your dads injuries seem to be more like my cousins -he is very agitated -he was unconscious for days then because of his agiation he had to be sedated.He is trying to walk but cant so he is strapped into a wheelchair at the moment to restrain him -for his own good as he has fallen already.

Nox -thanks hun -I dont think we expect a full recovery at all but strangely I saw that he was trapped-his mind was alert but his body wasnt able to respond so he isnt mentally damaged to any significant degree IMO.

Thank you all for your constructive comments as you can imagine it did come as a shock when I saw him but hey where there is life there is hope-he wasnt expected to survive so one month on he is still with us.

[Rosetta]

Dris, I am sorry to hear about your cousin and I hope he has a good recovery.

Though it is far to early, it may be worth making a note of this organisation for future reference

http://www.headway.org.uk/

[ruthann58]

my mum was 80 when she fell down the stairs giving herself a bleed in her brain she was in the local hospital 3 weeks before a bed could be found at addenbrooks hospital they were able to operate and remove the blood clot and she made a nearly full recoverey so dont give up hope your cousin has age on his side my mum also couldnt swallow anthing solid and had to have everything liquidised but after the clot was removed and the swelling went down she was fine, i hope he gets on well good luck ruth

[Drisgirl]

Thanks Rosetta -that will be a great help x

[sue11]

Drisgirl I cannot offer any practical advice, but I just want to pass on my best wishes to you and your family, I very much hope that your cousin will make a good recovery in time.
Best wishes, Sue

[jrobinson200]

yes do not give up hope, it is amazing how the brain recovers and how time heals. when i think bac to my dad 1 year ago to now its amazing. the brain is amazing.

[Drisgirl]

Thank you both for your hope -it was a shock -no doubt.He is only 40 and has a second family 2 boys 7 and 5 -a first family who are 21 and 16 so they are allowed to visit -his elder son is very disturbed ATM (little wonder) -he stayed with his dad anyway -its a struggle for his mum and his wife but they know its a long haul but I honestly think the fact thtat he is compus mentis despite his very apparent injury and the fact he can move limbs - albeit weak on the left side has given me hope.

All the replies indeed have given me hope and I thank you all again -I will keep you all posted sporadically on his progress xxx