My 1st post

[house4]

Hi my husband had a hypoxic brain injury 2 yrs ago He was on life support for 9 days He couldn't walk talk or eat afterwards Six months later we taught him all those things but his short term memory is dreadful He constantly gets urine infections and goes town hill mentally more so each time afterwards He forgot how to eat a few months ago and we are struggling to maintain his weight has anyone else experienced this? Thanks for reading

[randomphantoms]

Hi and welcome

I'm sorry I can't help but I'm sure others can.

Please ring the Headway helpline when they open on 3rd of January.

Love n hugs to you both

Xoxo

[cat3]

Has your husband had any speech and language therapy to re-teach him which sounds/exercises can stimulate the muscles involved in swallowing actions ?

You don't mention whether he's home or still hospitalised but I'm assuming that he'll be receiving nourishment by PEG to prevent malnutrition ? And does he see a dietician to advise on essential nutrients ?

Sorry for all the questions but I think people will identify more with the issues if they have an up to date picture of your man's situation.

Urine infections can be debilitating physically but can also cause mental confusion and I wonder whether he's getting sufficient hydration to keep infection at bay.

It'd be handy if you could fill in the details m'dear and ALSO have you tried contacting the Headway helpline for printed information on brain injury. They're lovely people and it's a free call on 0808 800 2244 (office hours).

Hope to see you soon. Cat x

[house4 in reply to cat3]

Thank you for your quick reply My husband has his first speach and language app in a weeks time During the past 2 yrs his first appointment was offered 8 months ago but was cancelled He has been at home since 5 months after the event Unfortunately he got caught up in a Web as he was in hospital for a simple operation as a private patient but was transferred to a Nhs Intensive care unit after his cardiac arrest then transfered to an Orthopedic ward where he sat for 6 wks without any Neuro imput We spent every hour of every day helping him Then he was sent 40 miles away to a 10 bedded unit for Neuro rehab Unfortunately the other patients were very aggressive as alot had brain damage from drug related problems He went thro being very aggressive at times plus spitting at people It was a secure unit all locked One day he was found hanging out of the window He didn't get any real therapy there just kept safe After 6 weeks or so we decided to bring him home We struggled with his aggressive behaviour but took each day as it came Within a year the mood swings were not so often we picked up signs and signals to avoid confrontation He went from peg feeding to a normal diet We push fluids daily as much as he will take He has had 12 urine infections since his injury and just spent 8 weeks in hospital with sepsis from a urine infection He's on long term antibiotics The eating problem starting overnight several months ago he just puts the food at the front if his month and on his lips like a baby would and can't think to push it back His tongue is constantly moving going round and round all day long l know this is a side effect from a previous drug He's having special shakes 3 times a day plus l puree his food He lost 2 stone in the first year then another stone recently when in hospital but at the moment he holding his weight Don't really want him to be peg fed because the risk of infections We will see what they say at speach and language He's been very unfortunate as the Neuro imput rehab etc has been really non existing up until year ago I've now a specialist nurse who calls every month to give advice she is amazing and offered me more support then anyone else A friend at our local hospital found out about her and put her in touch with me So sorry this is so long

[RecoveringH in reply to house4]

From a herb perspective to support the immune system and the bladder - if you puree food, you might consider adding puree nearly raw fennel and carrot or puree cooked apple and ginger or puree cooked vegetables with thyme. Every bit helps on a weak immune system.

See link below for more details.

www . naturalnews . com /

035742_herbal_remedies_urinary_tract_infections_bacteria.html

Hope the appointment goes well next week. Do keep us posted with how you got on. What a beautiful act of unconditional love having him at home with you, persevering through the challenging early days. I hope the daily routine gets a little easier over the coming months and years.

Best

[cat3]

What a dreadful set of events ; I'm so sorry to hear this.

But thank you for the extra information ; hopefully there'll be others looking in who identify with some of these issues and can offer support/advice.

It makes my 'event' look straightforward ; a bleed on the brain followed my two months treatment in a hospital 8 miles away.

But your husband's main problem is obviously his Dysphagia, which is impacting on many other areas of his health. From the little I know, it's a condition which is routinely corrected but with stubborn cases sometimes taking months/years of therapy.

Obviously the memory issues don't help, when successful treatment relies on learning and remembering new techniques for chewing & swallowing. But I'm sure the therapists have various memory aids for getting around such obstacles.

I hope you'll find the support you're looking for house4, and remember that the helpline is always a free phone call away.

With all best wishes to you and your husband ; I hope the therapy will produce good progress. Cat x

[Ansell1980]

You and your family sound amazing as to get through what you have all been through must have been really hard!

My thoughts are with you and your family. i hope things can get a bit better for you all

[angelite]

Hi House4,

I think doctors need to be looking into why your husband keeps getting urine infections. Sometimes, the bladder does not fully empty, one possibility being nerve damage after brain injury, leaving a residue of urine which can increase the risk of infection. Other reasons need to be ruled out.

patient.info/health/urine-i...

Hopefully Speech Therapy can improve his swallowing. My partner had a stroke that affected his speech and swallowing - he found this therapy very helpful for both. Angela x

[Hidden]

Hi there. Have you had a Carers Assessment from the Social Services Department? I found it very helpful and they had many suggestions that I hadn't considered. They also found me lots of unexpected support. On a financial side, the Carers Card they gave me gets lots of discounts at local companies, as money is often a problem when the wage earner is sick. As far as the aggression goes, you are right that you can learn to spot the triggers after a time. If you think there is any likelihood of him ever becoming physically aggressive (as my husband unexpectedly did one morning putting me in hospital), Social Services can arrange for a Lifeline to be added to your phone. I wear a bracelet with a button that will summons help immediately. It is very reassuring to know that if I fail to realise how stressed he is getting and he loses his temper, I have help at the press of a button. It has only happened once, but now I am watchful for triggers.

Lots of luck to you both.

[house4 in reply to Hidden]

Hi yes I've had a carers assessment but any help i need i would have to pay fir it as my husband has over the financial limit I will not use this money as whilst i can do everything I will as that money is for a rainy day My husband has had many aggressive outburst but all the doors and windows are locked so I let him get on with it until he settles myself I keep out of the way These outburst are not so common now He sat on the toilet the other night and wouldn't get off it As he was safe I left him sitting l didn't argue with him 1 hr later he just got off as usual as he would have forgotten all about the situation because if his short term memory Your life line is an excellent idea Thank you for sharing your story