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Things continue on an upward trajectory - good.
Just a bit amazing today. He had his speaking tube on, (a thing that lets you speak with a tracheostomy), and we were able to sit and have a fairly coherent conversation, using speech rather than writing shakily on a whiteboard.
He's desperate to get out (not going to happen) and he also really wants something to drink and eat - a lot of the conversation revolved around chocolate fudge brownies and churros-con-chocolaté but he's nil-by-mouth right now, and likely to stay that way for a couple of weeks.
I told him about this thread, and I think that he was a bit astonished at its existence, although he's still getting over the fact that all of his friends now know his mum and think she's awesome.
really pleased for you, oldn !
show him philc's gifs thread and the photos one - not too wordy and will keep him occupied for weeks
Great news. Has he been tried off the ventilator now? The weening can be tough.
He's a lot more alert now, but still quite confused: he had to be reminded that he was in hospital (and at one point thought he was in Wales), and he has no recollection of our new cute-but-at-times-annoying puppy, but he can write things on a small whiteboard (shocking handwriting) and can tap a few things out on a phone. He's a surprisingly different person now - he actually seems glad to see his parents now, which is a real pleasure.
This is a bit dark, but I believe there have been other cases where peoples attempted suicides have quite literally knocked the depression out of them due to personality changes caused by the head injury.
Fingers crossed, perhaps and I know it's no consolation, that besides him being alive there is a faint silver lining to all this.
great antidote to the news today...
I'm so pleased that your son's on the mend 8)
really glad to read your updates and see a positive step in each of them. I had to look up 'churros-con-chocolaté' - they look ace! although a bit cruel talking about them with your son when he won't be able to have one for a while! 🙂 . how about STW sets up a chocolate brownie fund? I for one would happily buy the first round for Oldnpastit, Jnr and family.
In one word....
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Nice 🙂
🙂
The gif thread?? Just take out the one with the knees and add in more bunnies please!!
Really glad your boy's doing so well. If a collective whip round for brownies gets on the cards when he comes off nil by mouth, count me in!
Before:
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After:
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[b]RESULT![/b] 😀
thats great.
Great update, so many positive vibes for you and yours OP. Count me in for a whip round too. Look forward to updates as ever 🙂
Yesss!! Excellent stuff! 😀
This thread has gone from one I have been afraid to open to now looking forward to the updates. Fingers crossed the progress continues.
As an aside I visited a relative last week who's been in hospital for 3 months, coma for a while and trachy. He's now doing really well and re-hab will start soon and the trachy is healed up.
Glad to hear, hope that Spring brings more good news for you all.
Just sat here having a brew and found myself wondering how you were all getting on? Any update?
BUMP
What toppers said...
I'm relying on the old adage 'no news is good news'. oldnpastit has posted in the last couple of days on other threads so I guess everything is progressing fine 🙂
Well, today when I visited him, he'd just had his tracheostomy removed (well, stitched up) so he can now speak without needing the magic tube.
That's good, but he's very withdrawn, and hardly spoke, though I did get a few words from him after a while. He's also still struggling with memory - he still thinks it's 2014, and has to be told where he is, although he did know that we'd been in Normandy for a few days last week.
I read a couple more chapters of Three Men in a Boat which I think he quite enjoyed, so I'm going to keep going with that, and then try to find something else that's funny, and doesn't require much concentration.
It's obviously going to be slow and some days will clearly be better than others, but still things are looking positive 🙂
What an amazing family you all are.
Keep going oldnpastit, you are doing a great job.
It sounds like progress is going slowly in the right direction. All the best to your son and family.
Glad you're all still making progress. However slow or fast it might come. Wishing you all the best.
oldnpastit,
Good to hear that he is recovering.
🙂
Keep going mate - I know it must be hard at times but you'll get there!
Have you tried some music therapy? It might help?
Much respect and best wishes.
He can now get out of bed, and feed himself!
So yesterday he had one of those chocolate mousse pot things, and then we wheeled him down to Costa Coffee on the main hospital concourse where he had a hot chocolate, which apparently was "amazing"! He seemed a bit more positive with some real food inside him; it was a pleasure taking him out. Real food still isn't allowed, it has to be pureed, but hopefully he can move onto something more substantial very soon.
As an aside, there are some very ill people in that place though. You think it's bad, but it can be a lot worse.
WHERE'S THE ********G "LIKE" BUTTON, STW?
😉
Great news to hear there's such progress! 😀
😀
Bloody great that.
Great news. 🙂
Brilliant!
Sounds like he's making great progress. Is he looking like getting back on his feet yet?
Happy to hear the good news for you all
Stunning news well pleased to hear it for you and your son - thanks for sharing - onwards and upwards is a good way 🙂
Brilliant stuff!! 😀
Excellent 🙂
oldnpastit - Member
He can now get out of bed, and feed himself!So yesterday he had one of those chocolate mousse pot things, and then we wheeled him down to Costa Coffee on the main hospital concourse where he had a hot chocolate, which apparently was "amazing"! He seemed a bit more positive with some real food inside him; it was a pleasure taking him out. Real food still isn't allowed, it has to be pureed, but hopefully he can move onto something more substantial very soon.
As an aside, there are some very ill people in that place though. You think it's bad, but it can be a lot worse.
POSTED 2 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST
Great stuff.
My dad cared for my mum for 10yrs until it almost destroyed him. She had a post operation(amputation)stroke due to a blood clot. He really struggled with her condition, constantly arguing and being unable to come to terms with it. For me it was frustrating to listen to them arguing and trying to get dad to accept her condition! He now has a herniated asophygous which is a time bomb waiting to explode! Add to that the need for oxygen tanks, warfarin and a few other drugs I can sympathise what you are going through.
My own son is currently awaiting results from his heart consultant @ 35 🙄
Great news, oldnpastit.
All the best to you and your son. 🙂
that's cheered up an otherwise dull morning. Really pleased for you all
Very pleased to hear. Can I recommend M and S Dark chocolate jaffa cakes for him. Not really solid, very intense orange and chocolate taste. They're keeping me going! And yes, there are always people who are worse, as could've been his outcome.
Healing vibes.
He's kind of better, and yet not better. He's still in the rehab ward, and he can sit up, feed himself, talk, move around. His memory is still pretty poor, though he's remembering a few more things. He still thinks it's 2014, and for a while he thought he was in a dream. He's eating more.
But for the most part, he's pretty reluctant to talk, and is pretty much refusing to engage with the therapist people (even though he must know it's for his own good). I don't really have any idea how to deal with this: it's like he just doesn't want to have anything to do with the world. I've known one other person who was like that, and I tried telling him to pull his socks up, and got precisely nowhere.
He's likely to be moved to a different unit where they specialize in motivational problems (or something like that). Not sure where it'll be; they were hinting it would be out of the county. Maybe it'll be a nice bike ride to get there.
Blimey, sounds like you are having it a bit hard at the moment.
Never having been in this situation, it's hard to know what to say but from all you've said so far, it sounds like you are coping really well.
I guess there is going to be plateaus, low points and moments of frustration along the way, but as long as the general trend is upwards then you'll get there in the end.
It sounds like he is getting the care that he needs.
There'll be people with far more eloquence and wisdom along soon to improve on my mutterings...
Best Wishes....
I don't really have any idea how to deal with this: it's like he just doesn't want to have anything to do with the world.
Have you tried talking to anyone about this yourself? Through quite a few of your post I get the impression that your son at times in the past has frustrated you, and indeed does now. Perhaps if you can understand more about your sons perspective, his mental/psychological make up, then it will be beneficial for you both?
ive been following your thread from the side lines, overall your son is making amazing progress 🙂
I guess everything must seem as if it's progressing very slowly oldnpastit, too slowly and frustratingly slowly for you I'm sure, but it's only been two months. And you posted this back then :
oldnpastit - MemberHad a chat with the doctor today, who was hinting in the nicest possible way that there's a long way to go. Quite likely to find that if/when he comes out of the coma that everything is going to have to be relearned from scratch.
Posted 2 months ago
It's still very early days. But he's still on the road to recovery, however slow that might be 🙂
Hard difficult and exhausting times for you no doubt. Take care of yourself, and all those close to your son.
He's a bit more responsive but with that has come some quite serious behavioural issues. He's likely to be sectioned tomorrow on the basis of that, and his refusal to take the treatment and therapy he needs az he still thinks it's a dream and not real. My darling wife is taking it fairly hard.
The staff on the ward are completely amazing, btw.
Being sectioned can be hugely beneficial, which of course is why it's done. Difficult times for you and your wife but keep the positive thoughts, so much has happened since those early dark days. This just represents another small step on the slow road to recovery.
I'm pleased to hear he's physically much better, and i hope very much that he will make a similar improvement in the mental stakes.
Lots of love from Bradford [of all places]
He's a bit more responsive but with that has come some quite serious behavioural issues. He's likely to be sectioned tomorrow on the basis of that, and his refusal to take the treatment and therapy he needs az he still thinks it's a dream and not real. My darling wife is taking it fairly hard.The staff on the ward are completely amazing, btw.
Sorry to hear that, does he have many friends visiting him?
Can we do anything, a fundraiser to help him get on his feet when all this has blown over....maybe for any future education etc? That you can keep a secret until he's better???
For what it's worth I was sectioned twice. Once in UK and once in Vienna.Both times for very similar reasons to you boy. I'm lucky I didn't hurt myself so bad during my attempts. .
It was the best thing that could have happened to me at the time.
I was very strongly against any treatment and refuse to accept I was ill. How wrong I was.
With the constant treatment and therapy I completely changed my outlook on life.
I came out much stronger.
I am now studying a psychology and counselling degree, have the most amazing lady who I love so much and look at life in a completely different perspective.
If you ever need to talk my mail is in profile.
It seems bad but I promise you, it will definitely get better b
I've, for want of a better term, lurked on this topic, reading updates and keeping track.
This is an incredibly brave thing for you to do, to post this, and it does make me realise how lucky I am but how fragile life is.
I sincerely hope things continue to improve and your will, and that of your family, stays strong.
All the best from Hailfax.
@Ernie:
Being sectioned can be hugely beneficial, which of course is why it's done
Yes, you're completely right, it's the best thing for him at this time for all sorts of reasons, but it's still hard as a parent when you see your child like this.
Can we do anything, a fundraiser to help him get on his feet when all this has blown over.
That's a really kind offer. I think though that what he _really_ needs is to get better, and to be able to see himself and the world properly.
@iolo: thanks - it's good to hear.
We all all still thinking of you, your wife and of course your son. I am always touched by how open people are on here, a tough but uplifting post @iolo.
There are many on here with remarkable insights and experience of mental health issues, from iolo's first hand testament to close family member's experiences and ongoing struggles.
Feel free to contact if you want.
He's a lot better today!
He knows what's going on, and he can talk coherently about how he used to be compared to how he is now. He's taking the medication they give him and generally being co-operative. I even got a hug out of him (of sorts).
He's very bored, and they've kind of forgotten he exists as he's sort of in limbo now until he goes to this other place.
I actually raised a wry small from him by reading him jokes from old STW joke threads!
reading him jokes from old STW joke threads!
Hasn't he been through enough already?
😉
Nice! Where's the bloody 'like' button?!
I've just got back from and bloody great ride, and I'd have said I couldn't have felt much better......... but I've just read your up date.
Bloody great 😀
Read him Picolax . Makes me howl with laughter even when i have a bad day.
Glad to hear the drugs do work.
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I keep popping by and your updates are great.... All the best both of you...
😀
Pleased to hear things have picked up again after what seemed like a bit of a dip. Keep your spirit strong!
He's a lot better today!
Smart.
Some lovely posts on here from folk from STW and from some unexpected places
Good to see the direction of travel is positive and look at how far your son has come since yoor first post
The road to recovery is a long and slow road but , thankfully, you are all travelling it.
Pleased for you all and everyone likes a story with a happy ending.
Glad to hear the positive news there 🙂
Yes no yes so that's all good then. Very strong. 😉
Well, I had a pretty amazing time with him today!
He's now in a specialist brain injury place in Northampton. He doesn't really like the regime much, and it's quite a hard place for a teenager to be, but he's cheerful, easy to talk to, and just generally myself and my sister had a fun couple of hours with him.
The best bit was showing him the new car. Last week I bought a 13 year old Mazda MX-5 from munrobiker of this parish (looks great, but is slightly falling to pieces :-). He now wants me to leave it to him in his will, and was really happier than I've seen him possibly in years. He was waaaay more positive about the car than his younger siblings, who dismissed it on the basis that the one on Need-for-speed isn't as fast as the Nitrous-equipped RX8.
Good visit.
Its been some journey you have been on and its all so much better than when you first started posting on this thread
Pleased for you and your family and its lovely to keep getting updates and ones that are positive to boot
All the best.
Great stuff. Slightly jealous of the mx5 too!
🙂 😀
Great times
Sounds like he's (s)miles better 😀
Thanks for the update, more good news not least that your son is thinking about the future, ie being around for it.
Great News!
Good news 😆
great to hear mate, ive been following this with interest and hope, im pleased its all coming good.
What a great thing to read in the morning.
In case you don't already know, Jalopnik.com is in love with the MX5 and this may be a good place to read about them for you and him too.
Wow! Flipping brrrilliant. 😀Well, I had a pretty amazing time with him today!
Awesome news 🙂
Well, he's still improving, memory still not brilliant but better every day. He's *very* bored, and would dearly like to get out before the summer is over.
A ligament went in his knee the other day, so he's gone from being unable to walk at all, to walking falteringly, and now back to almost unable to walk, but for different reasons.
And I finally managed to make good on my promise to bring over a curry yesterday, which he very much appreciated (but wanted something a bit stronger next time).
Glad things are still improving,can you get him out and about at all with the knee problem?