It will be 3 years in February that my boyfriend had his TBI. I've just read the post I put on here around that time and the replies I received. Just having a place to air my thoughts at the time and to communicate with other people that had already gone through similar experiences really helped me.
So I wanted to put an update to share with you how things can improve, even after such a long time.
My boyfriend, Michael, is still being cared for in a neurological rehabilitation centre, where he has been for almost 2 years. Since his accident we have had almost no communication from him. He had very little movement and is still being peg feed. We've had the various milestones, where he would nod, shake his head, follow us with his eyes, smile. But then about 2-3 months ago we started to get some words, movement in one arm and leg. Since then he has come on so much that I find it hard to believe and I keep looking back at videos I've taken and the dates they were taken to remind me of the difference.
When I now visit he says "hello, how are you" - I give him a hug and he puts his arm around me and hugs me back. He tells me he loves me and sometimes chuckles when I make a joke. At lunch time I wheel him into one of the communal lounges and watch as he feeds himself some lunch. When the staff pass us and say hello to him, he says "hello" back.
I learned at the very beginning of this journey that with brain injury everyone is unique and no one really knows what will happen but a lot of people told me that once it gets to about 2 years, "that's it" - well I'm glad to say that in Michaels case, it wasn't.
I may get my wish of being able to take him back to Southmead Hospital and then to the Brian Injury Rehabilitation Unit (BIRU) in Bristol to say "Thank you" to all of those doctors, nurses, therapist and careers that saved his life and took care of him.