Hi, im looking for some advice/reassurance this is normal ....
My mother had a fall nearly 3 weeks ago which resulted in a bleed on the brain and pressure. Luckily she didn’t need surgery but they did put a bolt in her head to monitor the pressure. She was in intensive care for 1 week then high dependency for nearly 2 weeks. She’s just been moved to a neurological recovery ward, awaiting to see what rehab she’ll need or where she’ll be transferred.
She’s awake but very confused. It’s like she has dementia. She doesn’t realise she’s in hospital, some days she just sleeps, which really worried the Drs initially and she had numerous scans which showed nothing worse. She’s still on a feeding tube, I can see her body regaining strength, she can move all her limbs now but is yet to try sitting up unaided and walking.
What concerns my family is the confusion. She tends to get stuck in a loop, fixating on something for example having a glass of water. Understandably she gets very agitated and frustrated. She didn’t recognise my sister the other day or a photo of my son.
I’m just wondering if this is normal to last this long? Drs/nurses say just take it day by day but say they just can’t say if she’ll come round so to speak. Has anyone suffered/or relative had confusion for this long or longer and made a good recovery. I’m not expecting her to be the same as she was but just to be aware of her surroundings and us.
Many thanks
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Nicci1881
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Hi Nicci. Please be assured that the brain can take many weeks to recalibrate after trauma, and during the healing period confusion, frustration and lack of recognition are extremely common.
My family thought I was lost to them forever after a bleed on the brain as I apparently either talked complete nonsense, refused to say a word or tried to escape my bed (plus tubes etc) in search of 'a ciggy'.
I thought my daughter was a neighbour so addressed her by the neighbour's name (very upsetting for her) and complained that the spotless, modern ward ceiling was filthy and I needed to get up and set about cleaning it.
Please allow more time for your mum's brain to compensate for the injuries and readjust. It was around the 6 week point that I started making sense again and was practising walking without falling.
It's a frightening time for you, but please don't assume the worst because you see no changes. Your mum's brain is healing minute by minute and, after a period of inactivity, is striving to grasp the 'where and why' of her surroundings and her physical state.
Please keep us updated. I hope you'll see some progress in your mum sooner rather then later. Best wishes, Cat x
Thank you so much for replying cat3. I’m so pleased to read your comment. I know it’s very early days but just hearing from someone who has suffered and come through it has giving us more hope. X
It's seven years on for me now Nicci. But for the first few months life was lived 'one day at a time' until my son, daughter and I could all look back to see how far I'd come !
Stay with us m'dear and I hope we can look back together when you have your mum back with you again, xx
Hi, my partner was in post traumatic amnesia for roughly 2 months. It's tough going isn't it. Whilst you're in it, feels like longer with no light at the end. I was told they don't remember and if they do it's like a bad dream. My partner does remember some, trying to escape the hospital as he wanted to be home for me and the kids, also on mother's day he wanted to take flowers to his mum's grave so that was hard for him and that j barely visited... I did every day.
I'm Not saying what awaits you at the end of the tunnel is any better, but there is light from this phase.
Hi Nicci my son went through trauma causing a bleed to his brain too and he is 7 weeks on. He didn't recognise his dad calling him dave... And was extremely confused when he came out of induced coma. He couldn't talk for sometime... Then just jumbled whispered words making no sense. He now talks fluently and his awareness has grown massively in the last 3 weeks and though he cannot remember name of objects and people often he is making great progress I wouldn't have thought possible in those first few weeks. It's hard to take each day as it comes when no one is giving you hope so I hope the replies you have received help you to keep going. Things do take time but I pray for positive change for you all. Wishing you luck x
Thank you leila65, I’m pleased to hear your son is making good progress. We’re 4 weeks in now and although I can see her physical strength/movement improving her mental state is still bad. She’s very agitated/aggressive at the moment. The drs keep giving her meds to help keep her calm and stop her hallucinating but it doesn’t seem to work at the moment. Just praying we start to see some improvement soon.
Aww that must be so tough... I really do know how lucky we have been with Jack and looking at other patients can see everyone responds differently... I hope your mum improves it must be so disorientating for her... I will keep praying for you both x
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