I’ve just joined this website to share a recent event that’s taken my family & I by shock, in the hope of recieiving any information, support and advice.
My beautiful father was involved in a serious road traffic accident where he was run down by a car whilst crossing a road. He received significant brain injuries, including 3 haemmorages within his brain & is currently in Neurosurgical treatment after being transferred from Intensive Care two weeks previously. It is a very unstable time at the moment, my father having been hospital for just over one month now, still very confused & disorientated; his memory (both short & log term) having been affected to a high degree. He also doesn’t sleep very well & we’ve noticed gets very confused at night time especially as he is desperate to come home which is absolutely heartbreaking for my mum & I who want nothing more than to bring him home. My mum is usually the one who isn’t well, my father & I take care of her as she has fibromyalgia & can’t walk when under stress as her joints completely shut off, has high blood pressure & has had 5 TIAs (strokes) in the past 4 years. She’s so strong though my mum, forgetting her own poor health when it comes to her loved one. My parents are honestly the definition of strength.
My father is undergoing physiotherapy to get him walking and occupational therapy to improve his cognition as well as co-ordination.
It honestly feels like we’re living a nightmare at times, but as the only daughter I don’t let such negative feelings last as I strongly feel as though it is my duty to make sure I don’t show weakness when both my parents need me to be brave at this distressing time.
It’s just uncertain as to when my father will fully recover & I understand brain injuries are difficult to recover from.
Any advice or experiences anyone has gone through in regards to both my parents health and to shine some light towards this would be much appreciated.
May or parents be granted the best of health, endless success & countless happiness.
Stay positive and take each 24hrs One day at a time you’ve a lot to cope with and a lot of support to give both your mum and dad, have you got someone you can lean on each day for support and to take care of your day to day stuff at home?
I’m really very sorry to hear about your fathers accident but it’s pretty amazing that he’s managed to come through the initial trauma. Have you had any contact with Headway yet? If not make some enquiries and try to get one of their amazing representatives to come and talk to you and your mum, they have some really informative literature and will be a great resource for you all going forward.
It’s a year since my partner was injured in a serious car crash leaving her with a TBI and we are still going through recovery and rehabilitation ..... it’s a slow road recovering with a brain injury,nothing good seems to happen quickly.
Firstly, please don't panic ; one month is no time at all for a poorly brain to recuperate after injury. One month after a haemorrhage I was distressed and confused and talking utter nonsense ; I remember nothing of that now, but apparently my family were afraid I was lost to them. I was bedridden for 6 weeks then started to become rational and lucid, and the first time my son saw me walk he videoed me on his phone saying how touching it felt for him.
What you're seeing (naturally) are your father's difficulties & discomfort and his desperation to come home. But what you don't see is his brain healing, minute by minute, from the bruises and bleeding whilst constantly searching for new pathways to achieve better cognizance.
It's a complex and lengthy process much of which he won't remember so, meantime, try to look after your own and your mum's welfare in preparation for when your father does come home. It's a long haul m'love so, as Simon says, take it one day at a time.
There are lots of useful leaflets on the headway website to download about all sorts of things that might face a person with a brain injury.
Some will be more useful than others at different times.
On the forum we all write from personal experience but the good folks on the headway helpline have a much broader experience so it will be very helpful to chat with them.
When my husband had his accident last October he was in hospital for 6 months HDU, ICU then neuro rehab. All I could do was take it an hour at a time for the first few weeks, so if you can manage a day you are doing so well and must try to stay positive, your dad won't remember this time. It can be frustrating when you have to encourage remind, encourage remind all the time so YOU have keep reminding your self that the brain has to make new pathways of learning and this takes time. I was told the physical recovery can take 2 years and the brain longer so you are at the very start of the journey. if you have a Headway Nurse at your hospital she will be so helpful and supportive of you as well as the Headway site. I, like you thought that I had to stay strong for our children rather than my Mum ( who is a frail 94) but as time has gone on I found I was wrong. When I shared my fears with them all a huge weight was lifted so I think if you share with your Mum you will be able to support each other as you may find she is trying to protect you form her feelings and fears as well. Our Daughter has been more than wonderful and I am sure your Mum thinks the same off you.
Keep positive and strong but also allow yourself to wobble sometimes as this is all part of the new journey we are on and we need to llook after our self ( so much easier said than done ) so that we can care for our much loved ones.
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Stroke that caused brain hemorrhage, 22 days & still not fully conscious. 
My dad had Brain injury after collapse. 
Worst day off my life.
My husband is a TBI survivor!
