Question about rehab for traumatic brain injury

[MikeInWV]

My girlfriend was in a car accident on December 9th 2009.  After about 13 days in a coma she began to wake up.  She has been taken off the ventillator and is breathing on her own, with oxygen support only.  She has had a tracheostomy which is receiving the oxygen, and had a feeding tube inserted into her stomach.  She is moving her hands and feet to a limited degree, and we are conducting passive range of motion exercises with her.  She has not spoken yet, and while her family and I believe we have seen some signs of purposeful movements in response to us asking her to move a hand or foot, the doctors are not convinced that her movements are not reflexive. She is about to be moved from the ICU into the general neuro ward and we have been told that soon she we will need to select a rehab facility.  I have been told that a rehab facility that specializes in brain injuries would be better than a general rehab facility and have also been told that the more her loved ones can visit and spend time with her the better.  That presents a dilemma for us.  I have found several rehab facilities that specialize in brain trauma, but they are too far away for visits other than on weekends.  There are several general rehab facilities that are close by which would allow her family and I to continue to see her daily.  Which is more important?  Getting her into a facility that specializes in brain injury rehab, or getting her into a facility that is close enough for us to visit daily?  I want her to have the best possible chances to recover, and do not know which is more important.  Any advice will be appreciated.

[mommy90]

Please help someone posted that they were in a coma ,heard everything that was said around them. Was awaking by a drug the doctor gave them ,to clean their system. If anyone can help i think you.hope 910

[soccermomct]

Hi Mike,

I just have to post this for you, My 21 yr. old son was in an accident on Oct. 5th of 2009 and he too was in a coma for 2 weeks and then the ventalator for another 2 weeks, while his trake was in he did not want to talk and it took about 3 weeks after it came out to start talking. Please keep encouraging her to move and try and comunicate with you anyway she can, with my son it started as blinking once for yes and twice for no and then progressed to barely legable writing and then finally he started to speak softly to us and as time went by louder so we can hear him. He went to the Brain Injury Rehab Center in Orlando FL and spent 3 weeks there and now he is at home with us and about to start outpatient rehab. With my son his movements started off small and then one day after 2 months he had what they called a brain awakening and started to move more and started to particiapate more with us and the staff. Please keep talking to her and touching her, my son says now that he can talk fully, he says that he remembers me being in there and some of the things that we talked about. The dr.s only go by medical terms, I am sure that they have mentioned the Racho scale by now or if they havent they will soon, it is a scale to tell where the patient is in response to the surroundings and brain activity, my son stayed at a 3 for the longest time and then one morning when I can in he had jumped to a 4 which is what the rehab that he went to was looking for. At a Rancho 4 he is able to participate with the rehab and get further in it faster. If you would like to contact me I would be glad to talk with you and maybe give some advice where I can. I was with my son from day one all through ICU and the nuero floor as well as rehab and now here at home, and anywhere I can help I will. Please feel free to email me at ***@**** my name is Marcy

[islandgurl]

Hello,
sorry to hear about your girlfriend. Having had experience with this with a family member, very similar, coma, trach, feeding tube etc.. , I would say go for the facility that specializes in brain injury rehab!!  Don't even think twice about it. She needs the best care for her specific injury which is a brain injury.  Good luck and hang in there, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.  regards

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Welcome to the MedHelp forum!
Since your girlfriend just had a traumatic brain injury, very severe it appears from your description, it would be good if you could move her to a rehab facility specializing in brain injuries first. You and family can visit on weekends. Then when she improves, she can be moved to a facility close to home.
Hope this helps. Wishing your girlfriend a speedy recovery! Take care!