Hi there. My partner had a bleed on the brain just under a year ago due to falling off his bike he was in a coma for 4 days. He was operated

[MortyzMrs79]

On and part of his scull was left floating. He has seen a neurologist only twice since his accident and returned home straight from hospital. Alhough he has recovered quite well he still isnt himself. He suffers with headache, mood swings, after even minimal activities he is so tired and will sleep for days only waking to clean and eat. Ive noticed that his roll alot and his trail of thoughts is quite random and his concetration is almost non existant. If and when he leaves the house or is not with me he is so anxious. I am really worried about him and just wonderd if there is any nhs help available to us to help him with how he is feeling. He is/was such a happy free spirit i hate seeing him like this. Xx

[Kirk5w7]

All classic resultsf from TBI, time is the biggest healer and patience but you also need support to point you in the right direction, I can still sleep for England 2 years on, while sleeping your brain is repairing don't think nothing is happening. It's amazing how I can start a puzzle, or jigsaw or something and get overwhelmed by it but after a sleep it all starts clicking into place.

Contact the headway helpline and ask for direction they'll be only too happy to do that and meanwhile pop back here for support too, it can take a daY or two for us to log on and reply .

Best wishes Janet xxxx

[MortyzMrs79]

Thank you janet! Im going to make an appointment with his doctor today!! He hasnt really spoken to anyone about the after symptoms of his TBI and due to his lack of concentration he hasnt been able to process any written information even after reading it. Im having to read his post and fill in forms ect it all gets to much for him and he starts to get annoyed witg himself. I have bought him brain training games and her really enjoys doing the tasks however their is a task where you speak aloud and he has tried this many times but he starts to stutter and pause and then slurr a little. He does the number crunch in the paper every day and is now enjoying wordsearches and arrow words. Does any one know if he is entitled to DLA as there is no way hes even almost ready for work! Xx

[Hidden]

What a shame that your hospital/GP did not arrange for your husband to receive some neuro rehabilitation after his stay in hospital. In my husbands case they would not let him return home without rehabilitation. It would not have cured all of the issues that you mention but at least they would have been explained to you and some coping techniques and appropriate medications could have been discussed.

All of the things that you mention appear typical and it really does take time for them to ease or go away but be prepared that some may stay with your husband and will just have to be managed. Calling Headway is a good start but also try your GP and ask if there is any neuro rehabilitation that can be provided in your area. Unfortunately resources are limited. If you are able to attend any appointments it will give you and insight and understanding too as this can be frightening and upsetting for partners. Just under a year in terms of brain injury is pretty early. The information sheets on the Headway site are very informative too.

Stay strong both but do seek further help it is out there but you often have to look for it.

Thoughts are with you both x

[MortyzMrs79 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you meowth.. Ive known my partner since we were 14 we started as neighbours progressed to sweethearts and then friends. We have always been in contact and we spent a bit of time together in jan last year just as friends. He had his aaccident in march and became close again which resulted in us being together now. Hes definately my soul mate. which is why i understand him and i can see when things become a struggle. I offer my help so the option is there if he needs it but i try and encourage him and praise his efforts even for the little things. He needs help in understanding the recovery process i thik this is why he gets so snappy because he could do all these things before and now even doing his zip up on his coat can sometimes be a frustrating struggle. Im going to give headway and his gp a call and see what help is available. Thank u for ur reply. Xx hayley x

[Hidden in reply to MortyzMrs79]

That is a really lovely story and you are lucky to have each other, having each other will help. you are so right that he needs help in understanding the recovery process and what might improve and what he might have to live with. Be prepared yourself for a change in the person you knew - it is often the case after brain injury. My hubby and I have been together 21 years and describe our journey as "getting used to our new normal" together, there was a deal of getting to know each other again as he will never be the same outgoing person that he was and there are things that he used to do that he won't do again. But we live a full life we just operate in a slightly different way now. Life can still be very good but the recovery process is a long one.

I hope that you get the help that you both need and have a fabulous future x

[headwayuk Partner Headway]

Hi MortyzMrs79,

It sounds like you're taking steps in the right direction with making an appointment with the GP. Hopefully this will help with identifying and accessing the right kind of support that your partner needs at this stage.

Regarding DLA entitlement, it has now been replaced by a new benefit called PIP (Personal Independence Payment) now, so any new claims will need to be made for PIP rather than DLA.

You can ring the Headway Helpline on 0808 800 2244 if you were wanting any further information about this, or if you wanted to order any booklets that you think might help your partner- for instance, we do have a booklet on Coping with communication problems. The Helpline can tell you about the other booklet titles that we can offer which support various other aspects of brain injury.

Kind regards,

Headway.

[philstretchdavis]

Hi, I had all that. Unfortunately no one to help me though. I had mine 10 years ago and have only just been assigned a support worker. Because of Brain Injury, the brain has to work that much harder to keep on an even keel, which is why you sleep longer and more often. The only cure is patience and time. Eventually life becomes clearer and easier.