Stories from Caregivers: Denise from VIRGINIA
VA
Denise
FROM VIRGINIA
My husband "Ronnie" and I had been married 4 years. He suffered a severe head injury (fractured skull with bleeding on the brain that resulted in a grapefruit sized blood clot) from an automobile accident. Ronnie had surgery called a craniotomy to remove the clot. He was in a facility setting for 6 1/2 months enduring many hours of physical, occupational and speech therapy. Prognosis was poor and doctors advised me that he would be vegetable if he survived. His recovery did involve different types of care. Starting with inpatient hospital care to acute rehab then to skilled care. When, Ronnie was released from skilled care, he came home to private care then to adult daycare then graduating to homebound care. The brain is an amazing organ and it does so much for our bodies. Ronnie has an injury to the motor cortex and suffers from right side spastic hemiplegia. He is able to walk a short distance with a cane and uses a power wheel chair at home to prevent falls. He lost the use of his right arm/hand as well. When a person suffers a loss of a limb or limbs the body does learn to compensate for the loss as well as the individual learns to compensate. A person may adapt a different way of personal hygiene or a different way of dressing. Today, we are approaching the 10 1/2 year mark of recovery from TBI. Will we be successful? Yes, '"we" are a team and "we" continue to face the future with endurance and strength. You don't need physical muscles to be strong as "Love" is the strength in recovery from a chronic accident or illness. Has the journey been tough? Yes, but we are tougher.
