The TBI Chatroom
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The TBI Chatroom |
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On December 15, 1997, I was involved in a very bad wreck. I recieved numerous injuries which included a broke left ankle, a broke right wrist, broken ribs, punctured chest cavity, collapsed lung, a closed head injury and a TBI. I was in a coma for 4 weeks and a semi coma for 2 weeks. My feed drew up while I was in the coma. When I came out of the coma and regained some strength I tried to get out of the bed several times. But I could not walk so I fell several times. When I was transferred to Lakeshore, I got out of the bed only once then I was moved to a room with a camera and put in what was called a vail bed. To me it was just a big mosqiuto net. I spent 2 months in Carraway Methodist Medical Center, in the NICU, and 2 months and 1 day in Healthsouth Lakeshore Rehab Hospital. Carraway saved my life, but Lakeshore made me whole again. My recovery was/is long and hard. For a period of time, I gave the nurses
and the therepists hell at both hospitals. I was mean, I kicked, screamed, tried to throw therepists off the mats. I cussed, ran my family and friends off (I later found out that this behavior was normal for a TBI patient). But one day I was waiting on my parents to get there for visiting hours. And because I could not yet feed myself and to the surprise of my mom, I asked her to feed me. I had recently come off the formula they feed you through a peg tube. I had graduated to pure'd foods (I can still remember some of what my first non-liguid meal was... Maranara sauce and pured pears are two of the things I can remember). After that I still acted up a time or two but I was mainly good natured. I was eager to join in activites, where earlier I had cried to go back to my room. I started making remarkable recovery from then on out. I owe it all to the Lakeshore staff of nurses and therepists. While I was at Lakeshore I had
a tendon release surgery on both of my feet and the toes on my left foot. I had to go back several times for more surgery and stretching. Then the day came when I took a few steps. It hurt, but at the same time it felt so good to be walking. It meant I was getting better. It meant I was getting to the point where I could leave and go home (you see I really wanted to go home because my parents had promised me they would get me a snake if I did good in Therepy and try very hard). When I was getting ready to leave the Rehab and go to the Transitional part, they took out my peg tube. Just let me say THEY DO NOT put you to sleep or deaden the area. They jerked that tube out of my stomach with no pain killers. It scared me more than it hurt me tho. I finally came home with a shaved head and in a wheelchair, where I recieved my snake (I named him Balboa). I owe my recovery to my family the Lakeshore staff of nurses and therepists.Email Nancy