Abit naffed off with how long for a full recovery!!!

[JasonH99]

Feeling abit naffed off as I suffered from a Brain Hemorhage back in August 2007, but what gets me is I had no symptoms or anything before hand what so ever!!! So that what Doctors say about having side effects is aload of NONSENSE!!!! I mean I'm 24 now and all I want to do is work but I want to be a sports coach but my balance isn't so good so this is my downfall!!!! Anybody know how long it takes until a full recovery?

[Kirk5w7]

Hi Jason, how long is a piece of string? For many of us there is never going to be a full recovery. My brain has areas in it that will not recover, your brain does not recover it has to relearn new pathways to replace any that have been damaged and in some instances this is just too big an ask.

This is why no-one can tell you if or how long it will take. It varies because of a lot of reasons. Your age is one as is the way your brain was used prior to the trauma. The way you tackle your rehab counts too.

My rehab consultant was brilliant, his mantra was practice, practice, practice. It's the only way to lay down new pathways.

Think of a baby/child and how they learn and also how long it can take to gain skills. It could take years to regain some skills, if ever.

I am 4 years on and still seeing improvement but I'm having to work hard for those improvements now.

Tai chi is helping my balance, I'm only just beginning to think I may be able to drive again, spatially I have been challenged but that is improving, slowly, I've yet to see if I can coordinate for driving.

I do sympathise, the frustrations are enormous.

Take care, I hope you get back to you soon xx

Janet x

[JasonH99 in reply to Kirk5w7]

I just want to move on in life and find a decent lady and to maybe start a family with but then again I've got my parents saying that maybe iff I had children with someone that the same might happen to the baby and its took me 9 years to get where I am now! I miss normal life and have at times have had suicide thoughts!!

[Kirk5w7 in reply to JasonH99]

Oh Jason, don't let this define you, there is still so much out there for you.

Brain injury is a long hard, and sometimes lonely, road.

It's so difficult to stay positive and focussed. Have you had any counselling? I haven't as yet, but I am pursuing it now because I recognise I need help to deal with the issues that a chronic condition brings with it.

I'm hopeful it will help not only me, but that if my spattitude changes it will help those around me.

You do need to share your thoughts of suicide with someone, that is not the answer. Although your life has changed from how you expected it to be, there is a life out there for you.

Seek out the help you can, it won't be handed to you but fight for it. As a starter ring Headway to point you in the right direction.

I was hitting a brick wall when my GP suggested acupuncture, which has helped give me renewed energy to push on forward, and now thinking of driving again.

When I told my GP 2 years ago that I would probably never drive again he said " never say never". And I can see that it may be so.

9 years can seem so long, but yet as I said before look how long it takes a child to master many skills.

Hang on in there. Work yourself a plan out with goals to work towards, don't make them too difficult or complex, achievable ones, even if it's only 10 mins of balance training a day, increase it slowly. Toddlers don't balance well when first learning to walk, how do children do it? They climb on climbing frames, walk on walls, practice any way they can. My GP said he wouldn't be surprised to see me walking on the neighbours walls down the street, I didn't but did walk on edging stones round the flower beds in the park! There's definitely a niche for adult play grounds.

Trouble is we get embarrassed, but shouldn't should we?

In 63 now and still have a lot of living to do, join me Jason, get out there and grab life. You've been given a second chance, you know more about what life is all about than most people, don't waste it.

Love Janet xxx Take care x

[JasonH99 in reply to Kirk5w7]

But I'm more naffed off because I was only 15 and was still in school and not even had a job but my plan was as soon as I would of left school was to be a sports coach !! Where as now I can't do that!!!!! I just want to get back playing sports!!!

[Kirk5w7]

I know it would be wrong of me to say I know how you feel, I don't I can only imagine, I can understand how cheated you must feel. The frustration must be enormous, I know how frustrated l get. This is why you really need support from people who have been trained to help you work through it and work towards the best outcome you can have.

Swimming is about the only sport I can do now, you don't fall over in water!

Are there any sports you have tried? Or like me is it a no no moving your head about too much? Even cycling on a static bike is useless for me, I could manage a recumbent bike but they don't have them at the local gym and I can't afford one, not that I think I'd go out on one.

What have you explored? What possibilities are there?

[JasonH99 in reply to Kirk5w7]

I think I might get a balance board and see how I get on with that?

[Kirk5w7]

It's a start, they had me on one in the rehab unit. Standing on it and reaching across a table to pick things up, they used to move the things just out of my reach to help me practice.

Be kind to yourself and come back whenever you need to.

Janet x

[Matt2584]

The short answer is that you won't fully recover from your brain injury.

I had my first bout of surgery on my head in 1996. I remember doctors saying back then they had no idea how long recovery would be.

I am not expecting to fully recover any time soon.

BUT... That's brain injuries for ya.

I have adapted to what I can do now and I've got to say that I actually like reasonable quantities of my life :).

Take care,

MJ