Hello. My name is Gail, and I am an Osteopathic physician. My son–Joshua–is 42 and when he was 32, he suffered a traumatic brain injury with anoxic encephalopathy due to drugs. His roommate let him lay there for three days before he called 911, he thought Josh was “sleeping it off”.Every doc who treated him said he would die. HE didn’t. A month in the neuro ICU after coming out of the coma, and six months in a nursing home (if he’s gone to any nursing home with a free bed he would have died); I took him to the nursing home where I saw patients, and all worked to save him. He has bad impulse control problems. There’s too much to explain here in one piece. He lives every day trying to be normal. HE lost his hearing, stroked his entire brain, suffered a heart attack, was in kidney failure, etc. He has trouble keeping jobs because of his problems, He wants to be normal, and starts every day trying to lead a normal life. It breaks my heart watching him go through life. He’s had several injures since then that have aggravated his health
Welcome, Gail
You and Joshua are are in a difficult spot, and we’re really glad that you found our community. While we can’t solve everyone’s problems, the thing we can do is “get it”.
This group is populated with great people who have “been there” and who understand only too well what living with a TBI means – whether that TBI is your own, or it’s your friend’s or your family member’s.
Joshua is fortunate to have a mother who cares, and who also knows more than the average lay person about treatments and the ways of the medical world.
We hope that you will find support and comfort here. Reach out, and join in on the conversations. We’re glad that you’re here.
Seenie from ModSupport
Thank you in advance for the help I am sure I will find here
My mother has issues post injury with me. There’s a ton of life adjusting to do. Especially with the drug history hes gunna need even more backup. I know tbi and hard drugs personally… healthy diet. Fish oil. Select vitamins (test levels with doc) normally ide say give him some cannabis but again with the drug history getting a slight stone may even trigger worse drug use
HEllo to you. Due to the memory issues that come with the TBI, it’s hard to get through to him. HE no longer lives in the same state, but half way across the country, so helping him is difficult. He’s 43 but needs the help that a teen would. I guess you understand
@MaddDogg93 and @Gail, you’re both new members. Welcome tour community.
Did you know that you can have a look at another member’s profile (and then go on to message them) by clicking on their avatar, right on the post? Also good to know that only a member can do that. Anyone else reading on the site cannot access any member information, nor can they message anybody.
All the best to both of you
Seenie from ModSupport
I may understand nothing everybody is different ESPECIALLY with brain trauma. Nobody needs to treat me different so I doubt i understand but i do understand the general issues you have. Maybe a psychologist and psychiatrist can build a safe recovery plan to lift him to better understand.this takes a long time and severe cases never fully recover as they were. There’s always hope and recovery but at times we have to accept the fact it’s just how it is.
Thanks MaddDog93
Josh’s problems started years before the “event” that culminated n the coma and eventual TBI. We’ve tried everything and done everything–you name it.Poor Josh is mentioned regularly in my journaling since his birth! He has found cognitive therapy to be helpful and medications.
One of his biggest issues is his impulse control
Hi my name is Marie my son also lives whith tbi from a skiing accident in 1990
Hey Marie,
Welcome to Ben’s Friends
My name is Merl and although I’m a member of the Modsupport team here at Ben’s I’m also a TBI patient.
I was involved in a MVA as a young child, was told by the dr ‘bit of a bump on the head’ and sent home. Turns out it was a bit more than a bump on the head and it’s been a HUGE rollercoaster for everybody involved.
This neuro-journey is not an easy thing for anybody.
Merl from the Modsupport Team