My amazing brain. Horizon on BBC2 tonight at 9pm.

[randomphantoms]

Could be interesting.

Tells the story of one man's recovery from a major stroke.

Seems to have been filmed by his wife.

[sealiphone]

Has brain injury become sexy(?), with so many programs covering this issue.

Regardless I'll catch this on iplayer, after the more important Vera - Darkwater!!

Just hope it's not dumbed down unlike recent Horizon episodes.

[paxo05]

Hey with all these programs on at moment I'm starting to feelook normal

That will never do.

Then again we may conquer and take over the world ha ha ha .

Think I need to go out and buy a white cat ( or will our Bichon do ?) Then I can be a bond villain and begin plotting our next move.

I know I know I need to take my mess.

Pax

[cat3]

Thanks for the alert Shirl ; I would've missed it. It was a fine example of what can be achieved with proper rehab and all the associated therapies. And the turn-around of progress after the cranioplasty is something we've seen here on Headway many times.

It made me so sad to think that my ex-husband's wife refused permission for his rehab at Walton hospital, renowned as a centre of excellence for neuro-rehab, insisting he be transferred to a nursing home for visiting convenience. Our son and daughter cannot forgive her either ; Salford Royal saved his life then pushed for his transfer, but it wasn't to be.

But the programme took me back to my own struggles and I found myself holding my breath much of the time ! Such an emotive & compelling documentary ; I think we're all emotionally affected by triumph-over-adversity, especially when we can relate personally.

Hope you're doing ok m'dear ! Love Cat xx

[All123 in reply to cat3]

Is that person still with you guys x

[cat3 in reply to All123]

Sadly no ; he survived another couple of years but died from pneumonia. We'll never know how physio/occupational/speech/hydro therapy might have changed his fate.................. x

[peaches2]

Wow, it was an amazing programme! Hats off to all who play a part in helping with rehab, how inspirational! I feel truly blessed that I didn't need to go through all of that. There are no words good enough to describe his wife, she was his rock and to see her fully encouraging her husband brought me to tears, as did his determination to achieve what he achieved!

I don't understand why you would refuse help when it's available and would make such a huge difference to quality of life both for the injured party and their family!

To see the difference after the cranioplasty was amazing, I bet lots of people believed there would be very little hope, if any at all for the patient but how wrong they would be!

I watched the whole documentary with baited breath and tears running down my face but smiling at the progress.

It just shows you that we all must soldier on no matter what life throws at us, in his case....where's there's a will there's a way! With the proper help and support the brain truly can, (albeit slowly), relearn and find new pathways!

It was also very interesting to see the patient as a younger, abled bodied man (also cried at that)....it just shows you that bi can happen to any one of us.

p.s. Cat....no wonder you and your children can't forgive your ex husband being refused the help he needed....that's despicable!!!

[DTBI]

Great BBC2 programme, exactly what happened to my brain other than mine was from impact rather than stroke. Same skull op & coma, luckily mine didn’t impact me physically, just mentally. Chap did amazing though, I hope it’s awe inspiring for other stroke victims.👍🏻

[All123]

Honest truth depends who’s looking after you it’s either you have a monster family behind your back that wants to get rid of you or a family that’s allways gona be there for you till the last moment like my dads in hospital in Fairfield just waiting for rehab our selves he was deprived of oxygen know starting to respond to noise n starting to nod his head on yes or no so just hoping we se more changes in Salford royal wish us the best guys xx

[cat3 in reply to All123]

All the very best to you, your dad & family. Salford Royal is where I'd want to be if need be. They saved my life after a haemorrhage and that of my ex-husband's after the same. Fantastic hospital with an excellent reputation and 1st class nursing care. xx

[sealiphone]

The voice of doom here again!!

Fantastic programme but:

• I would have liked more information about the plasticity of the human brain and how it works and in particular does plasticity mean loss of other functions in higher cognitive skills.

• Why did he responded so well to the horse and what was the psychology behind this.

The aspect of resilience in recovery was very interesting and obviously gave hope to those who are resilient.

My may concern was how the programme reinforced the prejudice against hidden disabilities, barely touching upon higher cognitive skills.

I've only met people who received this level of support when they present as having obvious symptoms.

Another aspect not addressed in detail was Quality of Life outcomes and how this directly effects current NHS provision. In particular how PCT commissioning decisions are made, this is covered in the New approaches to the value of health care guidance, this effect funding and the type of care given to Richard has easily measured outcomes and therefore is more likely to be funded, unlike metaphysical symptoms such as emotions.

These are important issues for the funding of Neurological services in the NHS.

However I was fortunate in having no physical impairment so I'm obviously biased in this matter

[maureen103]

I thought it really showed the importance of aftercare (as well as the importance of family support). I received no aftercare at all. I have never had an appointment with my surgeon since being discharged to my local hospital. Had no follow up appointments with local hospital. No physio, speech therapy or anything else. I have had one follow up MRI and am due another some time about now. I am doing fine though as my family have supported me and encouraged me all the time and of course put up with my stupidity on too many occasions. Maybe I could have been running the world with some aftercare x

[RogerCMerriman]

Do see Richards wife in parts in my wife, Initially the fear that the lost of who one was, ie will I get back the man I married?

And also the fear, my wife has wanted to keep me safe, and struggle with letting me make choices, which haven’t always been safe/wise.