Still here!

[Dogsabighelp]

I've had cold/ under weather for a few days.so very tired.I had letter to say I'm due vaccine.I'm trying so hard to keep on top of everything.Im doing my best?I have a kind of acceptance that I won't know my son again,nor will he know me.all 36 years of his life taken in seconds?like I say doing my best.not confirmed but I'm told they had him in a chair yesterday.is this the shape of his life?he would hate it.

[cat3]

It's good for you to accept the lengthy period involved in coming through brain injury D, but to assume there'll be no further progress is really premature. TBI alone can take many months to get through but your son has had to recover from both a brain injury and from extensive physical injuries ........and his brain is still silently fighting.

My family thought I'd be permanently lost to them and end up in care. I was independent again within 8 months and even with the fatigue and other after-effects my life is good and I'm SO grateful to have survived.

Take care of yourself m'love and keep strong. xx

[New_beginning]

I wish you well with feeling under the weather which does play a part with clouded thoughts. Dont let those clouds take over x

[ored13]

Hi again. Feeling ill will be making things harder at the moment as mentioned. But could I ask whether this.is the 1st time they have had him in a chair?

[Dogsabighelp in reply to ored13]

Hi o.so I spoke with hospital again earlier.physio wanted him in chair because of concern with his hips( his pelvis was broken). He had sat for bout half an hour quite content listening to his music whilst they moved his legs,feet etc.the nurse said he seems to have some discomfort so they are giving him some pain relief today I think.

[ored13 in reply to Dogsabighelp]

We'll that's good that they're attentive to him needing to get some time in chair rather than in bed. It's a little step. That will also mean that soon they may be able to take him for a wander and then maybe to the physio gym?

[Kezza72]

Hi, it’s far to early to predict your son’s recovery. I had the same worries about my daughter but 11 months later she’s doing amazing. Sitting out in a chair is significant progress, even though to you it may seem a small thing. Remember the first two years is when you will see you sons progress, and he’s yet to get intensive rehab on the rehab ward. It’s very early days in your sons recovery, just take any progress as hope. Your son could still have a good quality of life. The brain is such a complexed organ and it is difficult to predict at this stage what potential your son has. I can fully empathise with you as I really feared the worse for my daughter but she’s come on leaps and bounds, especially over the last 4 months. Stay strong x

[123Bereft]

My partner is 8 months post ABI and last week he helped himself to sliced banana, this is a first, and he held the phone when I called to talk to him, also a first. He has no speech so I still don't know if he knows me but I like to think that the smile I get is because he knows me. No one can predict how recovery from brain injury will proceed, I read that patients with TBI are more likely to make a full recovery than those with ABI. I have accepted that the journey is long and the steps are tiny, what I struggle with is silly things, like will he ever lie next to me in bed again, will he ever say my name? All the best, cry when you need to but also try and be positive, it is very early days for your son, I hated people saying this because every day felt like a week and I, like you, wanted my loved one back with me and well, but it is true x

[Nanapal]

Hi D, hope you are feeling a little better now. It is a tremendous strain trying to deal with everything and inevitably takes its toll. This is a journey and if like ours you have to accept it maybe a long one. We have had many a low day ( especially lately with the setbacks our son has/is enduring) but we have to keep a positive mindset. Take each day as it comes and try not to let your mind go into overtime regarding the future. As others have said he is only at the beginning of his recovery and will progress so much more when he gets his rehabilitation placement.

Please keep strong - you and your son can and will get through this. Take care Nanapal. x

[Dogsabighelp in reply to Nanapal]

Thanks n your words mean a lot to me.sitting in a chair is a big deal.physio wanted to do it as sons pelvis was broken and they were concerned about movement.he had sat for half an hour listening to his music while they moved his legs,feet etc.they giving him some pain relief and will keep trying to move him about.

[Painting-girl in reply to Dogsabighelp]

Sounds like a huge step forward D xx

[Pairofboots]

You have possibly got the cold due to being a little run down, stress plays havoc with the body. Check your temperature, if it is around 37°C, then talk to the vaccine people, they may say you are ok to receive the vaccination, or they may say put it back a few days.

It sounds like your son is progressing, being up in a chair. The brain takes a long time to recover, and I know many will say it's early days, you will get sick of hearing that. But the brain isn't like a broken bone, six weeks and it is fixed. My brain took months if not years to recover. At first it drove me to dispair, thousands of messages going round and round, trying to find out where they were meant to be. You won't know for definite what memory is intact for some time, and holes can be filled in. I still sometimes second guess myself, is it a memory, or is it something I constructed to fill a blank. My long term memory seems to be, and I have checked it out, is generally spot on. It is my short term memory that is rubbish.

Try not to think too far ahead at the moment it is day to day, but this is no different to how we live, yes we think of preplanning holidays, celebrations, but most of the time we live in the here and now. Remember the story, page by page.

xx

[New_beginning]

Your boy is sitting in a chair listening to music, hes making progress and his needs are being met with movements and they may be familiar staff to recognise his body language with pain relief, reading your post has shed light hes well being looked after. We all have views with care, rehabilitation from personal experience but i hope this update gives you that feel good sensation he is under good care to ease your thoughts in this area.

I hope you are resting, keeping well and shooing those clouds away x