Tbi with craniotomy currently 3/52 post op are drs always right about prognosis

[Olliebear12]

Hi my partner was attacked in Spain 3 weeks ago. He received a craniotomy and approx 8 days later regained consciousness for about 12hrs he has been heavily sedated since this and he contracted a multi resistant chest infection whilst having a tracheostomy which led him to have a fever. We were told his cortex is dead on one side with only a dim light on the other. We requested sedation be removed and he has reopened his eyes although he looks vacant and whilst he occasionally tracts it is rare. We have been told there is no hope and that he is unconscious and will remain this way. We have a 7 year old son. Is there any hope of improvement or am I wishful thinking?

[mrsdawno]

I feel for you. This sounds similar to my husband, although he didn't have a craniotomy he did have the chest infection, the sedation and tracheostomy. He had a Glasgow coma scale of 4 so things were looking bad. He very slowly regained consciousness like yours is - only eyes open. Very slowly tracking with them - and sometimes not. The Drs were reluctant to make any prognosis at all after scans.

It took about 6 weeks to go from attack to consciousness where I knew he understood me - it was long, slow and harrowing but they never thought he would recover as much as he has. He then spent 6 weeks in a specialist neuro rehab unit to learn to walk, talk, eat etc.

He has make an amazing recovery: there absolutely is hope so keep going and having his best interests at heart, fight his corner. The Drs sometimes just don't know what is possible, the brain is a fantastic organ but we don't know everything about it.

I wish you both the best and that your husband continues to make his recovery, even if it is slow it is possible.

Dawn

[Olliebear12 in reply to mrsdawno]

Thank you so much for helping me cling to a glimmer of hope. He is currently still in Spain and we are hoping for repatriation as soon as possible!! Hopefully his recovery will take a better turn once in uk. The Spanish drs hold out little to no hope xx

[keeley24]

Not been in this situation myself but I know most doctors give worst case prognosis to avoid giving false hope. Better to have better result than expected than worse. Not sure how often doctors are wrong but it does occasionally happen so there is some hope. I always think there is always some hope as long as someone is alive.

[Olliebear12 in reply to keeley24]

Xxxx

[sca2013]

>are drs always right about prognosis? No, they are programmed to basically give you worst case scenarios. In some cases it might be as they say, however they really have no way to definitively say it will actually turn out that way. In some cases it can turn out to be better than that. Just take things a day at a time and do the best you can each day with that day and let things develop as time passes. I'm very sorry this has happened and wish you all the best going forward.

[Olliebear12]

Thank you xxx