My wife has been fighting Encephalitis since August this year and was moved from a hospital to a rehabilitation centre in October. They raised a concern that she's not as cooperative as she used to be. She needs to be forced to do any exercises, whereas two weeks ago, she was more eager. She also appears to have asymmetry in her skull. She had her skull bone removed, so the shape is changing depending on her position. I didn't notice anything worrying, but they suggested a CT should be done. Is it common for people to have slower periods during rehabilitation? Is that caused by any particular reasons or is it just a process? I know it can be anything (and I did some googling already), but I would be curious to hear your experience.
Written by
GCherokee
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I’m sorry about your wife. Unfortunately, this is normal and expected for E cases. Up, down, forward, backward. Try to assess her progress in terms of months and years instead of days or weeks. It will take a long time.
I hope she can get any scans or tests that are needed right now.
I know it must be a really hard for both you and your wife right now, but it’s definitely early days. A brain is incredibly complex , and her recovery is going to be an ongoing process for at least the next 18 months .
My first year after diagnosis was a roller coaster, both for me and my husband. After 6 months I developed a sudden allergic reaction to my epilepsy meds. My hair fell out, and to me, it felt like all my skin had gone on fire. I used to take my clothes off to press my skin against our leather sofa to try and cool off, as I felt utter despair . My lovely husband managed to get my symptoms reviewed in hospital , and my skin improved as soon as my epilepsy meds were changed .
Then 12 months after diagnosis I’d recovered well enough to understand how poor my memory was and how severe my fatigue levels were. I became very depressed again, as I felt like I was a huge burden to my family. When I was reviewed by my consultant, he advised us it was still early days, as it usually took two years to see how far an injured brain injury could recover . It was great advice, as it gave us hope. When I went to a hotel on holiday that summer, each day my husband would challenge me to try and remember my way back to our hotel room by myself, with him walking behind me. By the end of the holiday I’d managed to do it ; it felt like a miracle. For me , that’s when I began to feel more like myself .
Sorry this answer is a bit of a ramble ! What I’m trying to say is rehabilitation is not easy, so don’t expect rapid results, just be patient and results will gradually evolve. ❤️🩹 .
Hello GCherokee, just to let you know our daughter (22 years old) has days where she is trying really hard and doing fabulous tasks, then other days is not interested in doing anything. I call this the slow mountain climb. 3 steps forward, 2 steps back. Hope you're all doing ok. We can only take it one day at a time and hope. Stay positive 🌻
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Autoimmune Encephilitis 
Is there light at the end of the ever growing tunnel?
Support Advice
Feeling 'odd' again 
