Anyway , shift to Perth didnt change some problems we was having and we split up on the 7/5/00. Iwas working on a sheep and wheat proerty 4 hours nporth of familly....when i got back to work found out Mithchell had accident in Melbourne, was in Intensive CareUnit but should be ok. Had motorcycle accident , car came out in front of him, he flew through air 40 meters, hurt foot , and was walking round after accident gave name , address etc, but collapsed in hodpital , and had an energency craniotomy(are there any other sort??) to relief pressure from blood clot and swelling on frontal left lobe area, was in coma v , but we was told he would be ok in a few days. Wife flew oer immediatly, and basically stayed beside him for next 3 weeks, i waited a coupl of days, ste other two kids up with realtives in Perth and followed

he was not doin good, blood count was down to 6.5 and everyone was worried.We gave him EPO, and his count stopped falling and a few days later went up.

i was goin to go back to perth to get kids but decided to stay till he got out of ICU . he stared re emerging after 3 weeks(accident was on 11/5/00 , 7 days before he turned 18) He stared to expell fliud from body and we was worried it was an overide command situaion fromnbrain, but that settled down, they said was big trouble if that was what was problem. Was funnyat times..eg Vicki Mitchells girl freind, would come an talk to him , and his brain pressure monitor would go up!! lol...i said to Doctors "is tthat so surprising for an !8 yo male!!!

All the time he was in coma , i just hoped we would have someone that could recognise us and somehow communicate with..there wasn't a scrath on his helmet by the way!!

Well , he stated to come around after 2 1/2 weeks..they romoved tubes from throaat etc... when he stared to come round had seizures...made wife worry ,, so told nurses....yuo have been giving him anti sizure medication as he emerged havent you?...Yes they said...so i siad then you expect siezures thern if you giving anti siezure medication before he wakes up?? yes they said....i said then tell wife pls that what is ahpenning is expected..not another surprise or emergency pls..they said OH if you say it like that, yeah ok you write !!! Sheee!!

As he was coming around , left side didnt respond real good, was slower than RHS..his left eye was not responding to good an wouldnt open like right one....i came in and doctors(4) all round him. i said whts up? they told me... i said he got a lazy eye....they say WHAT!!!! asked what does it do when its lazy, and does it do it when he's tired, yes i said, used to run around as ababy with one eye half shut when he was baby when he got tired..used to look funny..they just threw notes on desk and waved arms in air and walked off with look of releif on finding this out, said eye wasn't aproblem then

He came round , and got out of ICU, i went back to Perth, packed up house, put evertything on road train , and put car on semi trailer and me and Levi(14yo) came back to Melbourne, actually truck dropped us and car off in Wagga Wagga, funny about that LOL, we then drove 4 1/2 hrs to Melbourne

Mithcell got out of hospital and into Rehab, found it funny thta they wanted him to walk on a beam to see if banace was ok again...he said he coudn't walk across abeeam like that BEFORE the accident lol

after 3 months they put a Titanium plate back int to take place of the skull bone they had removed for craniotomy,about the size of your hand by the way!! tThat op went ok, but a few weeks later had fliud coming out of nose , another operation up thru nose to patch up fracture behind his eyes!!

Well , today is 19 December, Mitchell has twio screww in his foot stil, got drivers licsence back, sense of humour is as sick as ever, has only lost hearing in left ear permantly, isback at work , and i just finished painting the skiting baords and architraves in the hous he took possesion of 2 days ago

Coral and i are now trying tp sort out out problems out now , now that Mithcell is ok

So , all i can say is put plenty of work into you realtionships and keep them strong with you wives , or husbands, you just dont know what tests are going to be put on you tommorow, if we was together i think would ahve made things easer for everyone

Hope this story encourages someone that people can recoveror, is good to know when everyone is telling you they just dont know what the outcome of TBI is when patient is still in ICU........Thanks TBI Room!!!!

seeyoulateron Peter Cooke

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