My daughter is coming home

[14th]

My daughter has a TBI in 2014 following a car accident. She was in a coma for 1 month and in hospital for 6 months. Since that time she has been in rehab, in a minimally conscious state for 2.5 years and now is fully aware, eats normally, has the feeling back down one side of her body and slowly learning to walk. My question is when she comes home what is there to do during the day. At rehab her days are full of various therapies and I do wonder how we can maintain her progress and keep her stimulated as once she comes home her health funding ends. If anyone has gone or is going through a similar change of circumstance I would love to hear your experience and receive any tips you may have.

[leila65]

Hi

Firstly congratulations on your daughter coming home! My son comes home today too so share some similar worries and I'm wondering whether your speach therapist or OT are supplying you with some packs to work with your daughter? My sons team included me in his therapies which has helped me understand where his difficulties are given me a better idea how to support him. I think one of the greatest supports is love and communication just your presence can be healing in its self and visits from friends and family to help her reorientate to being home. Here are plenty of brain injury apps out there depending on how the injury affects your daughter. I do regular word search and suduko with my son now... Something I never thought he would be able to at one stage! Do you have access to a community team or is there any brain injury charities nearby? I know Theresa couple near me in the northwest that I will be asking for help. I hope you can find support near to you too. Sounds like you have been through an immensely difficult time so hoping you have some support for you too. Best of luck to you both xx

[14th in reply to leila65]

Thank you for tour reply and sound advice. Good luck and I hope today is the start and a new and better stage to you and your sons journey. We will be roughly 3 months behind you so would love to keep in touch

[leila65 in reply to 14th]

Thanks so much and yes that would be lovely... Its been a long 5months and my sense is no one can understand what you go through unless you have been through it. So it's good to connect with people who understand please keep in touch

[Rachel497]

Wow! That sounds so awful. There is funding out there . Apply for “Personal Independence Payment” (PIP) . It’s funded by DWP (Department for work and pensions ) . Good luck and tell your daughter to keep fighting!

Best wishes Rachel

[14th in reply to Rachel497]

Thank you

[WinB]

Hello and welcome to this site, I also had an SAH and I was given up on. My husband brought me home and I have got better at home than hospital. I sang a lot as my sisters used to sing to me. Keep Daughter happy and away from people who tell you their worries as I found that gave me headaches and I was on a downer after they had told me their troubles !! So happiness and songs helped me, and having a shunt put in to wake me up as hydrocephalus kept me in cuckoo land. My husband was brilliant so I am told and my Daughter. I knew I was getting better after a row our first since SAH ha xx ... They got me a foot pedal I used, and had fun putting it on faster speed. Which wound me up but also laughed. I was told I'd never walk. 1 step then 3 then 6 and then heaven a zimmer frame I could go to the toilet alone ..Heaven !! Keep Daughter happy and busy and now and again take her out for a treat as getting out was to me the biggest treat ..Tell Daughter to never give up and with your love She will get there not tomorrow but soon look back months not a few days and see how well she is doing as we are in it for the long haul. Good luck to Daughter and she has Youth on her side xxxx Good luck all of you xxxx Remember the inner spirit is strong xxxx

[14th in reply to WinB]

You have given me such hope xxx thank you

[WinB in reply to 14th]

Hope she does well and with you she can xxxxx Now go get em lol xxxx Long Journey xxxx

[StaceM8]

Almost exactly, I had a very bad accident, was in a coma for 4 & a half weeks, suffered a serious head injury & 6 months in hospital. Difference is, mine was 25 years ago & only found this site 5 years ago - & so glad I did, It's fantastic.

Anyway, look at my profile & I'm happy to help in any way I can ;o)

Where du live - I'm about a mile from Gatwick

Stace Xxx

(One thing I will say, it is very helpful to break up your messages ;o)

[14th in reply to StaceM8]

Thank you for your message

I really want to help my daughter To walk independently in the home. Whilst she has slight paralysis down her right side I think it is confidence stopping her walking. Any tips?

[StaceM8 in reply to 14th]

In time, her confidence will grow I'm sure Xxx

[14th in reply to StaceM8]

I hop so

[WinB in reply to 14th]

My right side was effected more also so I started off by laying on a lounge chair I twisted my ankles either way and then moved toes up. Like easy ones to start off with and my Sisters came round and we sang I realised I was sort of tapping my feet to music..to me it was a soft shoe shuffle to my Sisters it was a thud clomp ha ha xxxx Stood up and realised how weak muscles were. Hubby took me swimming in a therapy pool but I was so weak I couldn't dress myself properly or dry self. Afterwards we had a coffee and my Daughter was a great help. I had chairs in between me and loo that I could rest on when back went. Wish Daughter well and if you see us swinging the lead you have my permission to tell Daughter off ha ha xxxx She will get there xxxxxxx Hope Christmas went well oh and I got a lid to put on toilet as we had a low one xxxxx Sell on Amazon xxxx

[14th in reply to WinB]

The idea about the chair and toilet is really helpful, thank you. Hope you had a lovely Christmas

[WinB in reply to 14th]

Was good but had the dreaded cold ..So I blame hubby for coughing on me lol Well got to blame someone xxxxx

[FlowerPower62]

Good news she's coming home. Is the Brain Charity in your town? Not sure if it's s national or local organisation. I take my husband to ukelele lessons there, it's really good! We both have a go. It depends what she likes. But yes, it's important for her to do things, as long as it doesn't tire her too much. Good luck! X

[14th in reply to FlowerPower62]

Thank you and how is your husband getting on

[FlowerPower62 in reply to 14th]

He's doing ok thanks. X

[StaceM8 in reply to FlowerPower62]

Headway is a National charity

[Exhaust]

My daughter also in a severe RTA December 17 . 6months in hospital then home with family ,support workers and therapists . She sustained severe TBI, which as with everyone on this site has is a very different person now . Because the accident happening the way it did , an RTA she is entitled to financial support . Is this not the case with you ?

[14th in reply to Exhaust]

Sorry to hear about your daughter. My daughter has cognitive damage no short term memory, talks in loops and confined to a wheelchair.my question really is what do people do to keep their loved ones stimulated. We are getting bored with cinema, Costa and the park

[StaceM8 in reply to Exhaust]

It should be the case & has been in the past, then they stop the support, you have t fill in loads of forms & U start to receive the benefit you're entitled to & then, in my case, 6 months later they stopped it again & again u have to go through the same old rigmarole.

This does seem to be a common occurrence unfortunately.

Hopefully this won't be the case with U, but don't be surprised

[ghost_writer]

Hello. Firstly, it is good to hear that your daughter is recovering. I had a TBI from a road traffic accident when I was 6 years old and I was also in life support for about 3-4 weeks so I know first hand what it is like to go through such an experience, but would like to assure you that hopefully she will pull through and live a successful life.

There are all sorts of online activities and apps you can find but apart from that I feel that perhaps reading can be a big help and also getting creative, whether that is with painting, making arts and crafts or other things. In my case, I do creative writing and somewhat helps me to escape into my "own world". All the best to you and your daughter

[14th in reply to ghost_writer]

Thank you are really helpful advise

[yemmahabou]

Congratulations on your daughter coming home. It is wonderful news.

How did she come out of her VS. Was it gradual ? What sort of stimulation did she get in rehab ?

My daughter has been in a minimally conscious state for nearly 5 years now. She is at home with me. Every afternoon I massage her arms/legs

do passive exercises. I sing, play music and read to her. I am anxious to know what else I can do to bring round !!!

Any idea/suggestion would be appreciated as I am really desperate to have my daughter " back ". I miss her so much and will not give up on her.

Thank you for any help/info

[14th in reply to yemmahabou]

Hi Yemmahabou

My daughters awakening was very gradual starting with the tiniest movement in her right thumb. What we did is what it sounds like you are doing. Massage her limbs, talk to her play music and just loved her back to life. I wish you all the luck going forward

[yemmahabou in reply to 14th]

Thank you for your reply

I will carry on with massage/exercise/music

and will carry on hoping.

I hope that your daughter continues to improve.

All the very best

[Charlie90]

I r been in hospital around the same smount of time no plans for discharge yet but do think I wonder what I can do during the day, I don’t want to plan too much as I know fatigue will play a massive part of my day I was hoping to do yoga from YouTube and I’ll also have out patient therapy to attend aswell even thst will be a full day along with thing like getting washed and dressed making lunch is a jam packed day don’t want to be over doing it