Facts About Vegetative and Minimally Conscious States After Severe Brain Injury

You keep doing what your doing . Nothing is impossible if your willing to do the work. Some Doctor’s and nurses forget that we are human and the human body can prevail with time and work. I believe he can get to a comfortable point where he will and you will feel what your doing is ok. In the end you have your father and that is all that matters. If the doctors you currently have don’t work with you to support your fathers care take to family advocates department and work on getting better doctors it’s time for a change . Every day counts . But nothing can replace the time you share. Some pet may look at it as work or a lifestyle change and that is their issue. They need to look at the outcome and weigh if it’s worth it . Family is always worth . My grandma always said “ every situations have its own outcome “ and I believe if you make a effort the out come will change. Ooorah!!.keep up the good work

That is extraordinary and encouraging. My mother had a respiratory attack in her car followed by cardiac arrest for about 5 to 7 minutes until a police officer began CPR. When the medics arrived another 5 minutes later, the PO handed her off to paramedics who continued and eventually successfully resuscitated her after after another 15-20 minutes. By the time she was out of ER and in ICU, I was briefed that she could have been out anywhere from 10-40 minutes. I was devastated.

Luckily, all her brain stem functions remained intact, but after the hypo protocol was completed. she didn't show signs of improvement or response. She was on a ventilator for a week and doctors initially said she'd probably be on it for a while or forever. They kept pushing me to let her go, but she is a very feisty lady and my gut instinct tells me she is still in there somewhere. Besides, she is not a dog and does not need to be put down. I understand why a hospital's directive is to keep it simple and clean, but for those who are not legally brain dead, there is still a small sliver of hope for some recovery. The neuro said the initial EEG was "inconclusive". So since we refuse to put her down, they referred us to a specialty unit a few miles away.

By the end of the first week, she was admitted to specialty care to at least attempt weaning her off the vent. By the end of Week 3, the doctors saw a marked improvement in her breathing and though they expected a longer recovery, she was taken of the vent for good. She has a lot of secretions but for the most part, she can breath all night without much intervention.

The amantadine didn't prove much helpful though it may help against Influenza A (I think). I was reading about Ambien (Zolpidem) and its paradoxical effects on patients with severe anoxia/hypoxia, Parkinsonism, TBI, and overall profound disorders of consciousness and asked the doctors and nurses in charge what they thought. They had never heard of the experimental trials.

So I convinced them to speak with neuro to approve it for two days (10 mg dose). The first does had no effect. The second dose two days later resulted in response to pain stimuli (previously, she was not responding to any toe/finger pinches or tickling, sternum rub, etc.) and her eyes did not blink (closed or open). She still has posturing, but when her feet and toes are pinched or tickled, her entire leg coils back and toes curl. The doctors did not believe me, so I recorded it and showed them. Two days passed and I asked them to start a recurring dosage of 10mg over five days. Hopefully, this will elicit another response but I am realistic and am not expecting much improvement, though I am still hopeful.

Today the doctors approved the course and will start the third dose tomorrow. I am so excited! I saw for the first time my mother shed tears but not sure if it's just a reaction to her eyes being closed for three weeks or the gel they put in her eyes to keep them from drying out.

I got wireless Bluetooth headphones and play her favorite music and TV shows during the day while I am out running errands or working and take them off when I return to see and talk to her each day. Nurses say though her condition is profound, they have seen crazier things in their career and there is always hope. The doctors are a bit more fatalistic, but they are trained to view patients as objects. I am not giving up on this woman as she is my role model and has always been there for me even when I would push her away. I am scared about the future and the cost, time and effort that will go into caring for her until she passes naturally, but I promised her I will do everything I can to help her as she has brought me into this world and raised me all on her own.

Don't give up on those you love (unless they specifically asked you to let them go). My mother is breathing on her own and while she may not be conscious, there is also the small possibility that she is deep inside.

I hope my next update will be one of improvement. And I hope you all fight for your loved one with patience, endurance and care! Keep your head up!

Hi, sorry to hear about your dad, what was the outcome please? My step dad is in itu following a bleed, and it's not looking very good at the moment, he's had surgery but lots of complications, he's breathing slightly with help of tracheostomy, did your dad recover any more?

Hello there,

I m in same situation like you. Can you please let me know how your dad is recovering. Hoping for the best for you.

Dear SCR,

My father who is 77yr old going through same situation now. I can completely relate to your situation and would like to know any latest developments.
How is your father now? Has he recovered?

This is an update for this post. My husband was 40 days in coma. While in coma his lungs collapse, had pneumonia, kidney and liver failure. I decide to took him out of life support in day 15. I decided to lessen medical advice, his prognosis wasn't favorable. I said my goodbye to my husband and told him that it was on him to continue or let go, wherever he decide. His body fight back and recover slowly. 2 weeks step down care. and later transferred to a TBI rehabilitation hospital. Unfortunately I was obligated to place my husband into a SNF (skilled nurse facility) 3 days later my husband told me that he did not feel safe. Having a loved one at home after a brain injury is very stressful. Fortunately I was told to claim my husband benefits at the VA. It was the best advice I had during this tragedy. The physical and occupational therapy he received helped my husband to gain confidence, to walk again. Two years after my husband stroke he is able to walk with a cane, go up and down the stairs, he have difficulty with balance. My husband left arm is paralyzed, his vision is ok sometimes he needs to be reminded to scan to the left, his speech is different it have a monotone voice. He have hard time connecting emotionally, also he can not multitask anymore. He is now receiving SSD. He had 75% loss of his right bairn. I'm grateful to have him with us. He had share his memories and experiences while in coma. Thank you for reading our experience and wish everyone that is going through the same situation good luck.

My wife is in the ICU right now and I believe she is in the vegetative state. It has been less than a week. She was weened from sedation, approximately 48 hours later she had very small of eye movement and some response that our doctors and nurses describe as reflexes but has only begun to open her eyes. She holds eyes wider and seems to be progressing rapidly. My advice for you is to pray for healing. Speak and think only in positive outlook. Do not use terms like "I hope" or "need" or "can't" only speak as if you already have or the situation you want already is. You don't any more need because you already have and can't. Cause can't never could. You can do what you believe you can do. And read the article again so you can absorb the info and comply as much as possible.

Amen!!

My brother is experiencing the exact same scenario as your sister did. We are on day 6. Not sure where this will go or end. I hope your sister survived and is doing well.

Thank you for sharing your experience. It has been so helpful to deal with what my family is going through. It is similar to what your sister went through.

My sister has been in coma for about 32 days. Doctors were careless and she went into cardiac arrest from bleeding during a tonsillectomy. This is so hard to bear. She has been off the ventilator and oxygen mask for about two weeks now. Her vitals are perfect, she opens her eyes, coughs, yawns, sleep and wakes (which supposedly is a vegetative state).

Please, can you share how your sister is and when she regained consciousness?

I pray God helps us all -- those in recovery and those whose encounters are recent.

Hello, hope your sister is recovering well. My husband (52 years old) had a heart attack a week ago at home while he was asleep. Thankfully I was in the bedroom when he went under cardiac arrest so I was able to call 911 immediately. My 2 sons were also home so they put him on the floor directed by 911 operator. 10 seconds later cops knocked at the door so they did CPR for about 3 minutes till paramedics resuscitated him, They said he was dead for 15 minutes I think it was less. His heart is doing much better after a stent was placed in his heart, he is off the ventilator and breathing on his own,
He opens his eyes but doesn't make contact, he moves his arms and legs, he's not talking.
i see that your post is from Feb 2017, please share if she's now interacting with the world, if she is aware of the people around her. Thank you.

We're going through this right now with my brother. I know it's been almost a year that you posted this. How did it go for your sister?