Delays in Rehab Transfer...

[curlycuz]

Hello all, it's been a month (yesterday) since my father in laws hypoxic brain injury. The initial prognosis was VERY bad. Told he may not survive at all, machine was breathing for him. Then pneumonia, then C diff infection. It's been 2 weeks since he's been "awake" although, I'd argue that he's still sufferin some PTA, he's awake and recognising people more consistently. He is speaking, but most words are scrambled and you only get 2-3 coherent ones in a sentence. He's still got his sense of humour and retains many things. Only last night he was trying to recall why he was at a certain station when he had his heart attack (he was on his way to visit his father who died the same day of cancer ) he doesn't recall that and we don't want to shock him so for now we haven't told him and he hasn't asked.

He's doing So well , his feeding tube was removed yesterday, all that remains is the heart monitoring machine and his catheter. He's walking and feeding himself. He tried to do some writing on a whiteboard yesterday and while he got SOME letters and numbers right, a lot of them were upside down or didn't look anything like they're meant to. It's interesting how he's perfectly retained some things but others are not there at all. A long road ahead.

He's very frustrated and wants to come home bless him. He was meant to be transferred to a neuro rehab this week but the hospital didn't fill in his paperwork. My mother in law stood over them early this week to make SURE it was done and sent. We're not sure why it took so long, but now he's got his psych evaluation on Monday or Tuesday. He can't go until then. He's been moved to a sort of holding ward for now, this is not helpful to him as they're not trained in rehab although the nurse told me last night that they've had a few people in with hypoxic brain injury...

He got very agitated last night and got up and said he was going home. The O/T is furious with the staff as they keep phoning my mother in law , be it midnight or 7am to calm him down. It works but the OT argued that the nurses should be calming him by any means, even sedation. I'm not sure I agree, I think he just need to be somewhere where the staff are used to very confused/agitated people.

Anyway, hopefully he'll be out soon. He wants to get better so badly and wants to practice everything/writing/talking etc... he's just a bit stuck. I guess there's not way to accelerate this process. Any thoughts?

[Hidden]

Well done to him, he is doing so well so quickly. It is going to take time and you cannot rush it, he will learn the correct way to do things when he is ready and if one or two things don't come back properly he can start therapy at that time. I had a broken collar bone, it is now 13 weeks since it happened and it is still mending and painful. Think how much more complex a brain is and it has only been a month!! It obviously takes a long time for the right pathways to return to normal. The consultant told my husband when he had his bi many years ago that other parts of the brain can often take over from those that are damaged. You just need to take each day as it comes

Just remember, he is coming on by leaps and bounds, it is miraculous that he has recovered so much already, he must be a very determined person. I wish my husband had been like that, all these years he has just sat back and waited for things to happen, he has never gone out of his way to try to encourage his brain unless I have pushed him. After all these years he is now sliding into dementia as his brain is just dying. I can't see your f-i-law letting that happen to him!

[curlycuz in reply to Hidden]

Oh Hun. I'm so sorry about the dementia thing. That sounds heartbreaking after all the effort and time to help him get right from his BI.

Yes my father in law is VERY determined. Very intelligent,very much a "right let's get on with it"kind of guy. We're so proud of him.he wrote "I lov you" on the white board for his wife today. What a moment. Also ate 2 meals and protein shake and walked up and down some stairs, made a cup of tea with the OT. Funny how now, he says he takes 2 sugars when before he had none.

He was starting to question why he was at A certain train station at the time of his accident yesterday. We have told him that he was on his way to see a dr about his hips. NOT that he was in fact rushing to be with a fast fading family member who succumbed that evening we are scared to upset him at the moment and until his short term is a bit better there's no point repeatedly upsetting him, is there? He has his psych assessment Monday. Fingers crossed they'll send him to rehab!

[Hidden in reply to curlycuz]

Isn't he brilliant!

[cat3]

Your father in law has made remarkable progress in only one month and obviously has the will to reach his full potential. Honestly Curly, I'd rate this as a good-luck story ! Recovery from any brain injury is a lo-o-ong process and invariably leaves behind a residue of after effects but, with determination and lots of patience, he can achieve a decent quality of life.

He needs to work at his own pace, with lots of encouragement, but not to push to a level which causes him stress/exhaustion as that can lead to defeatism.

It looks like your dad in law has a really supportive and loving family which will be a massive bonus once he returns home ! xx

[CJDA94]

Wow - I thought last week's update was amazing but then so much more in another week. He really is doing amazingly well. It's good that you can see the funny side too - ie re sugar in his tea. My husband forgot that he didn't like mushrooms so had those one day but he definitely remembers now that he doesn't like them! As for the wait for the bed - I know how frustrating it is - we waited weeks and weeks - hang on in there. He will still make progress and get more of that much needed brain rest too. I'm not sure if this is a silly suggestion - but if your MIL is able to calm him down - could she do a recording of a 'calming' message for the nurses to use first - just in case this means she doesn't need to be disturbed? Just a thought.

I'll be looking forward to the next update and fingers crossed he'll get his rehab bed soon xxx

[dedicated_daughter]

My best wishes and hopes are with you and your family. Your father in law is in a better condition at one month post injury than my dad was. However you will need to brace yourselves because recovery is very slow and you'll need a lot of patience. Also be prepared for a lot of frustration, which can be very difficult to deal with. Try to see it as a good thing, because it means that the part of his brain that can motivate him towards a better recovery is still working. In my Dad's case he was so disabled the part of his brain that wanted to fight was broken too. That meant he stayed very easy and lovable to be around, but in a way his passivity has been its own source of frustrations to us too.

[Bradybunch35]

He has had such a confusing time. He has done so well already once he is in rehab (the wait is so frustrating) he will do wonders. The fact that he has retained some info and is up and about is very encouraging. Best of luck to you all xx

[curlycuz]

Thank you all. I realise his recovery is nothing short of miraculous ! We are all so grateful. Today he facetimed his grandkids ( our kids) and he managed to get a few sentences out and made the right noises in the right places for the stories they told him. It was lovely. We kept it short for obvious reasons but he's doing SO great. We hope that next week he'll be moved to rehab. He's just so ready to work hard and then get home bless him. It's like his thought process is all there but his physical self hasn't quite caught up. I bet a few of you know exactly how that feels . Thanks for the kind words and may this story stand as encouragement and hope for anyone who's been through this x