Hypoxic brain damage

[Kravelover]

Hi, my Dad had a cardiac arrest on the 16th August last year a few days after falling off a cliff and surviving. He now has hypoxic brain damage and is in rehabilitation. He's a completely new person and almost seems brainwashed? I'm still struggling to cope due to the massive personality change. Does anyone have any tips on how to deal with this? I just want me old Dad back. ☹️

[cat3]

Sorry to hear of your dad's accident and hypoxic brain injury, K. My own odd behaviour (after a brain haemorrhage) lasted for only a couple of weeks, but my family recall it as bizarre and very frightening. I can only imagine how disturbing it is for you after 5 months.

Have you spoken with the Headway team ? They have a wealth of information and advice on coping strategies for both brain injury survivors and their loved ones.

You can phone them on freephone 0808 800 2244 during office hours to speak with knowledgeable, helpful staff.

I hope there are more manageable times ahead for you both...

Cat. x

[KosGirl]

Hi, my 54 yr old husband had a cardiac arrest while driving in Sept 2022, his down time was around 35 minutes but received cpr pretty much straight away roadside. He was put in induced coma for a week before reducing sedation,his response was poor and even spoke about turning off life support at one point. He eventually came round that's when we found out he had 8/9 broken ribs that had to be plated a broken sternum and left arm. He was in hospital for 12 weeks but it wasn't until the week before discharge that we noticed a big change in his behaviour, he would get very frustrated and angry and call me awful names in front of anyone and everyone. When he finally got home I thought things might change for the better, they did for a short time but his moods of frustration turned into aggression due to his brain injury. He has short term memory loss but the hardest thing is he shows no emotion, has no empathy or compassion. He has become very critical and the OCD is through the roof, definitely not the kind caring man I married 32 years ago. He's had the rehabilitation and on medication for moods etc, but now he has heart failure on top of everything else. He attends Headway which is helping but our lives have been totally turned upside down and we've been warned there's still a very long road ahead.....

[Levishaggy]

My son Jack is the same I felt like I had lost my son I had to get used to a new Jack which took me 6 months it's very hard but he is still my son. I just told myself he is still with us even though he is different. It does get easier x

[CanisLupus]

hi and big hugs

There is no easy answer a brain injury is so complex and different for every one. My daughters TBI was 5 years ago and we have been through many personality changes since, some good some bad. I would recommend asking for support for you, therapy may help, it’s a grieving process for the loss and starting to understand the new dad. I wish you lots of sunny days and if it rains, just dance in the rain. Breath and smile xx

[Shreds]

It may not be an answer or even something you would contemplate but there are places in London, Manchester and Leeds that offer hyperbaric oygen therapy that has medical evidence of helping people with all kinds of medical conditions particularly neuro related conditions.

Just a thought?

[Kravelover in reply to Shreds]

Thanks for the advice, he is currently in a rehab centre located in Birmingham. Certainly something I will look at after he is discharged!

[Shreds]

I have checked and see that there is such a facility in Birmingham too. I presume they are similar wherever they are.

You sit or lie in a ‘tent’ chamber and with a small mask, breathe high percentage oxygen for an hour or two per session. Its what deep sea divers use to avoid getting the “bends” for decompression but the medical ones are generally just a lightweight transparent tent with a pipe connected to your mask at one end and the oxygen purifying generator at the other.

You need a good book to read whilst in there, but feel alive and envigorated like you have run a half marathon but without the exhaustion afterwards. 😀

[sca2013]

Probably the most impactful thing is to accept two things 1. Your Dad has changed and is creating his new life. 2. The possibility of his returning to his old self may not be realistic as most who have sustained a brain injury become their new selves, as some abilities are just gone and new ones replace them. I know this is a hard thing to adjust to, as it took me 3-4 years to finally accept that I wasn't going to regain the old me. Once I accepted that and focused on creating my new life got better. I say embrace the new Dad the best you can. You may also find some useful information here that is of value: headway.org.uk/about-brain-...