One year one my brother still minimally conscious

[Leab2017]

I have posted on healthunlocked about my brother who suffered a traumatic brain injury last year , in the past year he has spoke for 2 days only hasnt spoke since and also wrote his name once , he gives me cuddles when I ask which I was starting to believe was just a habit so yesterday he had his hand on my neck I said can u squeeze your sisters neck he did ! We play the hand squeezing game which some days he’s more compliment than others, we have recently relocated him to a rehab centre as he had been basically been left in bed at a previous home with no physio etc he was declining drastically, since being rehomed the physio team have said his muscles are loosening up nicely they asked if he is in any pain yesterday and he pointed to his head (he had a metal plate put in where they removed his skull after the accident a few month back and there is still a fluid build up) I’m pleading for anyone out there who has experienced the minimally conscious state and the process of coming out of it? We know time is ticking now but we hold on to hope he’s in there as why would he write his name and also started writing my sisters name , he used to smile at story’s we used to talk about from before the accident but they all stopped when he went to the home where we have removed him from , I miss him so so badly the day he spoke he was back he grabbed my hand and was crying saying aww aww as if he hadn’t seen me in so long and wouldn’t stop shouting for our mum , any information would be greatly appreciated

[cat3]

Well done for getting your brother into rehab. My ex husband (Geoff) had a haemorrhage 6 months after mine but, sadly, became minimally conscious until he died 2 years later from pneumonia. It had been a constant battle for my son and daughter to persuade Geoff's second wife to allow him the rehab he deserved, and which he'd been offered by the renowned Walton Centre. She had the final say, being legally next of kin

She insisted he be transferred to a local nursing home in the misguided belief she knew best. But we knew from my experience, and from Geoff's consultant, that he needed regular physio/speech therapy and regular mental stimulation to progress. As it was, he developed repeated chest infections from constantly lying flat, resulting in pneumonia.

It'll always rankle that Geoff was denied treatment which could have saved him, and it wasn't for lack of trying (contacting solicitors/GP/consultants etc.) from our son & daughter.

Thank God your brother has loved ones who're giving him that chance to develop his full potential. Take your brother photos, music, & anything familiar which might stir his memory and imagination. And your continuing physical contact will be reassuring and SO comforting ; my son used to stroke my hands in ICU and it felt so soothing.

Wishing your brother good progress and an ever improving quality of life.

All best wishes, Cat x

[Leab2017 in reply to cat3]

Thank you so much for your reply , I’m so sorry for your loss it’s heartbreaking, I picked up his decline after much anticipation thinking is this the end of the road for him i just needed to give him this last chance and I sent an email to which the results have been great previous care home is getting shut down! Life’s so cruel it’s hard to keep going sometimes , thank u again for taking your time to reply

[Clgn83]

Hiya, my partner has a TBI too, I take him for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy which I believe helps but takes a long time... Go on YouTube and watch Curt Allen HBOT ... if you have a centre near you, it’s worth a try, anything is too get a your loved one back xx

[Leab2017 in reply to Clgn83]

Thank you for your reply I will look into this I hope your partner gets better soon