Husband has hypoxic brain injury

[Bellabear12]

Hi

My husband had a cardiac arrest 9 weeks ago and sustained a hypoxic brain injury. He is now in a Neuro rehab and doing quite well but is unable to read, write it tell the time. his memory is quite bad also and doesn’t always remember people. He is just getting to know myself and our daughters again but cannot recap is getting married or them being born. I know it is really early days and he is doing amazing after being told he had global brain damage as he can walk talk and go to the bathroom himself.

[sca2013]

Very sorry this has happened. Yes, definitely 9 weeks is very early. Just take it one day at a time. As time moves forward you all be develop new ways to deal with what has happened and how your new lives will be. For me it has been a little over 4½ years post cardiac arrest where I sustained anoxic brain injury. I continue to learn new ways to live for the parts of my function that seem to be missing like executive function, short term memory and oral communication issues. I look at each day and think what can I do today to make it better than yesterday and just, to the best of my ability, not think about what the losses have been. If I can be of any further support, please feel free to ask.

[Bellabear12 in reply to sca2013]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply. He is doing well just desperate to learn how to read and write again but doesn’t seem depressed he is 51 years old and very fit and healthy so was a real shick, my two daughters 18 and 14 are coping well and he is aware how much he loves us all even though he couldn’t remember us at first. You found like a real positive person and are an inspiration to anyone who has suffered a brain injury. Thanks again for taking the time to reply. Did you have problems with reading and writing again

[sca2013 in reply to Bellabear12]

Yes reading and writing are different now. With reading maintaining focus is a challenge. I can't tell you how many times I have to reread things to understand what I'm reading. Or I misunderstand what I just read and then reply with something that isn't what I would have said if I had understood it correctly to begin with. Upon rereading it later I say to myself how in the world did I come up with that. Haha Hopefully this reply matches up with what you were asking. I have to laugh because sometimes the stuff is pretty ridiculous. Writing-now that has been much more challenging. With typing you wouldn't believe how many corrections I had to make in this message to get it, I hope correct. On average I probably have to correct over half of what I type. What I think I've typed and what shows up is comical. For whatever reason brain always ends up as brian, and vice versa.

All that said know every brain injury is different. One of the things that helped me understand my new levels of functioning was getting a neuropsych (non-invasive) test done. I don't recall what the time frame is after the brain injury until they recommend getting one done though. It lets you know what areas of brain function have been impacted and how much. For example one of the ways it helped me was I found after the brain injury I had a heck of a time with planning and organizing things (executive functions). The test showed a 95% reduction in that area. It is upsetting, yet at least know why I can no longer do those things very well.

For me there has been plenty of anger and frustration adapting to the new me. Before this happened I owned my own accounting and tax firm and was pretty high functioning. I ended up having to retire as I could no longer keep up with the work. I'm 66 now. Even now, the doctors consider me to be high functioning for having a brain injury. In comparison however I have hard time seeing it that way. In some ways I have made peace with many aspects of it, yet still have other areas I haven't accepted yet.

What you say about the love part of it is also true for me. Wishing you a good day today.

[Bellabear12 in reply to sca2013]

You are a true inspiration to anyone who has suffered a brain injury, I know that with love and determination he will re-learn and adapt to his new life. Thank so much for your help and support I feel so much more relaxed actually speaking to someone who is recovering from a brain injury.

[sca2013 in reply to Bellabear12]

Glad I was able to do that for you.

[Bellabear12 in reply to sca2013]

My husband is about to be discharged after 12 weeks rehabbut he still can’t read or write and I don’t know where to go for help. Any suggestions

[sca2013 in reply to Bellabear12]

Have you talked to the people at Headway 0808 800 2244? headway.org.uk/

[Mia67star in reply to Bellabear12]

hi Bella how is your husband now my dad is going through the same it’s been about 2 weeks since discharge x

[Angech in reply to sca2013]

Glad he is doing well! Things take time. How long did it take for him to be conscious after the sedation was taken off? Did he wake up right away? All the best to you! Did they suggest foods and vitamins that help the brain?

[Unionmill]

Hi my husband suffered a cardiac arrest 10 weeks ago at home my daughter and I carried out CPR until paramedics arrived. He is doing really well he is in a Neuro rehab unit, he has a hypoxic brain injury. His short term memory isn't great. However he has made a great physical recovery. He is coming home at the weekend and staying over night. Anybody got any advice, feeling a bit nervous.

[Bellabear12 in reply to Unionmill]

Hi my husband has been home for the past three weekends, I was like you was very nervous as I didn’t know what to expect, he cannot read or write so this is the only thing that frustrates him now but the more he comes home the more relaxed you will feel. I find thar just giving him small jobs to do like hoovering or folding washing makes him feel useful as he was a very active man and needs to occupy his mind. Don’t be too nervous just go with your instincts he is still your husband just different but he needs your full support. My husband didn’t even recognise his home so he had to relearn where things were kept. Keep positive and honestly you will learn to relax the more he is home

[Unionmill in reply to Bellabear12]

Thanks for your reply. Hope all is well with you

[Bellabear12 in reply to Unionmill]

Hi again, was just wondering how your husbands home visit went hope all was ok

[Unionmill in reply to Bellabear12]

Hi yes it went really well thanks.Dont know what I was worrying about. He has a discharge date now 14 September. Coming home again this weekend. He is desperate to get home now.He was So much better at home regarding his confusion. Hope your husband is doing well. What a rollercoaster we have all been on.

[Bellabear12 in reply to Unionmill]

Hi was just wondering how yourself and husband are getting in at home. We are now out quite s but socialising and I feel that he struggles with this as he doesn’t always know what people and talking about and doesn’t have many memories from years ago. He is still struggling with writing and trying to do things he for himself. Just wondered how you were coping.

[Unionmill in reply to Bellabear12]

Hi, good to hear from you. We go somewhere every day if it's only for a walk. We go out for meals with family and friends. My husband is ok 1-1 but more than this and he looses what people are talking about. Which part of the country do you live? Did the doctors find out what caused your husbands cardiac arrest? I have bought a dairy which has 1 page for each day and I write everything he has done that day trying to get my husband to write in it. He does look back in it to see what he has done. It's hard work but things have improved a little it's gonna to take a long time. How are you coping can you leave him at all?

[Bellabear12 in reply to Unionmill]

Hi again we do much the same go for a walk every day. They think his heart attack was hereditary as his mum died in her 50s of a heart attack. We go for meals with friends and family and I fin he struggles with lots of people. We did s charity night for the rehab unit and there was s lot of people there but he coped ok but didn’t recognise everyone as he has been diagnosed with facial blindness but knows people he sees on s regular basis. Husband still struggling with writing but reads ok. Have gone back to work 2 morning but he goes to my parents but have started to leave his for up to an hour as phycologist advised to start leaving him started at 20 mins and worked up to an hour. Life is very different but he still has the same personality but has no memory of the last 20 ish years. We are from north Lincolnshire where are you from.

[Unionmill in reply to Bellabear12]

Hi we live in Rissendale, Lancashire. I have left my husband for 20 mins and then 30 mins. He's not keen on me leaving him. I'm not working at the minute I work in a school as a TA schoolhas been very supportive. We have just been away for 2 nights stayed in a b&b we had a great time. My husband has his own business which has been hard still don't know what will do with it long term. Wishing you a good day. Take care.

Julie 😊