Tbi

[Flostan]

Hi

Are there any set stages of rehabilitation when recovering from a serious head trauma?

Or is it just a case of "wait and see"?

[Nutkin33]

Yes. It's pretty much that!

I think in the first six months a lot of healing and repairing takes place, and after that, it's a very slow process.

I am now two and a half years post TBI, and a I still can see progress!

It can be very frustrating, but don't ever give up!

Good luck, and all the best.

😊😉

[Hidden]

Flostan,

My TBI was 48 years ago and I've itemised certain events over this time as I recall them:

Initial problems ....

Vicious headaches, short term memory not good, unable to express myself verbally without stuttering for words, rages over the simplest thing and the most important: a misunderstanding of female response to me [all seen as sexual]. Petit Mal, depression.

Inability to learn and work properly [I worked from day one after hospital discharge, sacked and found another job]

The absolute shock that I was no longer the Paul from 1950 to 1967 hit me really hard.

After one year ....

Much the same as above.

After five years ...

Short term memory not over good but beginning to function; rages controllable with occasional 'boil over.' Settling down at work and went to college for the qualifications that have now ensured I have an excellent, interesting job today. Still stuttering for words but not as prominent.

Still problems with my libido and the female response. Ability to keep job.

Got Married - separated after 18 months, not her fault.

After 10 years ....

Short term memory functions better; rages much more controllable; keeping jobs down and occasional stuttering for words.

Occasional problems with my libido and the female response.

Remarried, three children, home purchase etc

After 40 years.

Short term memory apparently ok but[!} can't process Morse Code above a few words per minute as I cannot retain character for writing down. If its visual then its ok [interesting I think].

Rarely stutter for words.

What has happened though is that I have had an increase in fitting; nothing for 18 months.

The depression and residual memory problem is attributed to my temporal lobe epilepsy.

Currently ....

As a result of the TBI I am left epileptic, poor spacial awareness [I employ little tricks to get around that], occasional loss of words, memory works usually well, short term likewise.

Libido problems still with me, more problematic because I am now an unwilling celibate thanks to separate beds and bedrooms. I don't smell, I'm very clean and groom and dress well but my wife has lost interest which is damnable because the pressures are as bad, if not worse, than I suffered in my first couple of years. Depression still rears its ugly head, usually controllable it is sometimes very deep indeed - moreso when I become lonely [quite often at the moment].

Be aware that recovery is a very long job. Each case is different but the brain does slowly 'rewire' itself to its ability. I don't remember what the old me was like; all my friends disappeared within a week or two of my leaving hospital and I've never really been able to socialise or make friends.

I'm happy with the new me; not at first because I was the sort of person that I would cross the road to avoid. But, after some self-control I became acceptable.

Some of use suffer badly, some not. I've met persons with half the damage I had and they are affected much more than I; others with worse damage, affected much less. If there is rhyme and reason to this I'm yet to discover it.

Two things to watch if you have a TBI: Alcohol - leave well alone and self-confessed experts

Hope this helps.

Paul

[randomphantoms]

Hi Flostan

I wish there was a simple answer to give you.

Every person Is different before a brain injury and the effect of any brain injury is different for everyone.

There are lots of things that are common.

As has been said natural healing occurs in the first 6 months but improvements continue.

Fatigue is a big problem but learning to manage it and include many rest periods works wonders for being able to function.

Not sure if this is any help. Check the Headway information leaflets.

Lovenhugs

Xoxo

[steve55]

join your local headways group......listen to other peoples experiences.

my brain injury is due to a stroke which affected my frontal lobe.

i am unable to process thoughts before speaking.......so i come across as being rude and aggressive combined with bad language.......i dont know im doing it.

as far as behavours concerned.....i take 800mg epilim x2 daily......works most of the time.... but i can still be unpredictable.

i think the worst thing for me is going from being articulate to sounding like a thug.

make sure you get a headways card........its the size of a credit card and worth its weight in gold.

good luck

[cat3]

'Wait and See' is pretty much what the surgeons advised my family four years ago. They admitted that, every case being so different, they couldn't offer a prognosis.

I had a brain haemorrhage 4 years ago, and have been left with various issues which I've learned to cope with.

'A' falling from a ladder can be badly affected whilst 'B' can walk away. It's the same with recovery ; people can respond SO differently.

All we know is that technology and skill these days is of such a high standard that your dad will have been given the best possible chance of coming through this ordeal.

As I mentioned to Lesley............stay with us and get as much support as you can.

My best wishes for a good outcome for your dad.

Take time to look after yourselves. xx

[MXman]

Hi Flostan,

Exactly what you have said "wait and see" Its a time thing and we all progress on our own journeys. My BI happened in May this year and i make progress every day but I still really suffer from brain fatigue but no the signs for when its going to happen. Its all about acceptance, Patience and tolerance I'm afraid.

I have gained so much knowledge from this forum and just sharing my experiences here and people helping me by sharing theres and there knowledge. Its tough sometimes because people in general especially family members just don't understand what your going through. BIs arnt visible like broken arms or legs so its difficult for people to know that you have an injury. I can seem rude to people even family members as I can loose interest very quickly in conversation, my brain just can't take it in but I let people know that in my own way. Doesn't always come across well though.

I really hope you have a great weekend. N

[Gaia_rising]

Welcome aboard, Flostan.

We're all different, and we all heal differently, at different rates, with differing outcomes. I think, that in the very early days, I wanted a 'timeline', I'd told myself that 12-weeks post surgery, my brain would be as 'knitted' as it was going to be. (Some days, it does feel as if I have a brain made of wool.) I hadn't accepted then that a brain is not like a bone, and that even my old fractures STILL play up in wet, or cold weather, I just work around it.

We can all share our experience, and 'how it was' for us, I'm the mad cow that only had four weeks 'off' work after brain surgery, wrote her own risk-assessment etc. I've just had to issue guidance to my closest colleagues on brain fatigue, because I forgot that not everyone understands it. Me sitting in my office, saying "I'm sorry, I just can't think for a bit." scared them...

Ups and downs, steps forward, and back, but this is a fantastic, supportive community.

[iforget]

It seems we are all united on the "wait and see" front

We were all different before our injury and that can play a part in our recovery. Although there are many issues common to most of us, there are also many specific issues and no two people, injuries or recoveries are exactly the same.

My injury was in 2006 and I chased and moved time lines for the first year... in year two I pushed for improvement and by the end of that year I kind of accepted that things weren't going to get much better and I needed to adapt...

To be totally honest not too much has changed/improved for me since the first few months. My post injury "deficits" turned out to be pretty much permanent, but the way I manage things has changed dramatically and that has lead to an improvement in overall quality of life.

Getting here has been challenging, probably an equal a mix of terrifying rollercoaster and interesting journey. It is definitely a marathon and not a sprint...

Be sure to take care of yourself along the way

[celtic2746]

hi flostan in afraid everyone recovers differently i was told that after a year thats the best i could hope for ! 2 1/2 years on and im thankful things got better than i hoped ! ive been left with short term memory loss ! i wish you well and take care favid