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Sorry, Hatrack, I only post when I want something... I came back from Japan a few weeks ago, and I've been lurking and sort of posting ever since. Anyway, the meat of this post.
On Friday, my dad had a seizure, apparently due to a marble-sized bit of bleeding in his brain. The doctors still haven't told us what it was, they don't know yet. The MRI just showed blood. He's having a CAT scan tomorrow. They think it could be a defective blood vessel or a stroke, or even cancer, though they're not sure.
He's been awake and responsive, and cracking jokes since Saturday morning. I'm glad, but still a little worried. He did an occupational therapy thing today, and my mom had a flip-out because he couldn't think of any words that started with M right away. (I couldn't either when she mentioned it, but then I have a cold, so...) I'm just a little worried that my dad has minor brain damage... What should I expect in this situation? So far he doesn't seem to have changed at all.
I was wondering if anyone had advice on what to do to make recovering from this thing as easy as possible for my dad and my family. What should I do if it turns out he does have brain damage? Is there anything I can do to keep this from happening again? Can I have a few prayers or hugs or something? Sorry to be so needy when I haven't been around for so long.. I'm just not sure what to do.
Posts: 4816 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I think there is alot to be said by simply not speaking of brain damage more than ABSOLUTELY neccesary. When the doctor is diagnosing the problem and talks about it fine, dont brood about it and worry afterwords. You don't need to be in denial but treat your dad as if nothing is wrong. You would be suprised by how the body responds to the mental direction it is given, and you spend your energy convincing your dad that something is wrong, his body might believe it more than is healthy.
Thats all I got, I know that were my dad to have a seizure it would scare the hell out of me, but I know he wouldnt want us all standing around him weeping for him. Best of health to you dad, I hope his malady is as insignificant as possible!
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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My dad had a concussion from falling onto concrete from a second-story height a while ago. So I've been...well, not "there", exactly, since there's a significant difference between a concussion and the whatever-it-is your dad has, but...not fun.
My guess is, until you know what it is exactly, you can't know what to expect except maybe what you can extrapolate from his behavior right now (and even that might vary; in the days following the accident Dad went from perfectly normal to "sure, I've got three kids, and their names are Caroline and Susan and...", with our names being Jennifer, Adam, and Miranda--very scary, according to my mom, who was there at the time while I watched my younger siblings at the house).
If it's minor and he doesn't seem to have changed at all, your behavior toward him probably shouldn't change either very much (you know what I mean...the way people act around people once they know they have a physical or mental problem, acting like they're deaf or stupid when they're neither, whatever). And the changes you should make are probably ones you're already making--avoid brain damage jokes unless he makes them first, be sensitive to behavior changes that might be related to his condition, don't go around asking him to list words beginning with the letter M unless the therapist says it's a good idea. Minimize embarrassment and frustration...
I hope everything turns out right. Think of this post as a note that came attached to a ham-and-potato casserole/Jello salad/comfort-food-type thing delivered to your door.
Please give your dad our love & encouragement. The waiting to be diagnosed is tough, especially when the list of possibilities is so long and with a broad range of prognoses.
I hope that you all get some (relatively) good news and that his condition is both managable and with a good chance of full recovery.
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When I read the "think of words that begin with M" bit I tried and I completely blanked for about half a minute too. So that doesn't necessarily mean brain damage, especially if he was feeling stressed or pressure to do well.
And I second everything that Bob said. ((Ryuko))
Posts: 9866 | Registered: Apr 2002
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Yeah, I wouldn't stress over that one thing the OT was working with - we all can blank under pressure. Don't put too much stock in just one thing.
quote:So far he doesn't seem to have changed at all.
That's incredibly reassuring. Continue to take comfort in that fact.
As for recovery, just be there and love and support him as much as you can. Whether or not he has minor brain damage is beyond your control - don't stress over it too much. Just be there, wait for the results from the docs, get second opinions if you think you need them, and be a well informed advocate for your Dad. Also be as much of a source of strength and support for your mom if you can. And don't forget to take care of yourself too. Medical emergencies in the family are very stressful and can be all-consuming, remember to take breaks when you need them.
Definitely sending you prayers and well wishes for his complete recovery.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Brain damage isn't necessarily the end of the world.
My father had four brain aneurisms, three of which had surgery to correct, the fourth left alone because it was inaccessible. All four aneurisms were in different areas of the brain, so lots of different functions were destroyed. He was supposed to die, but didn't. He was supposed to be in a coma forever, but wasn't. He was supposed to be a vegetable, but got better. He was supposed to not be able to function, but he can...
Brains can and do rewire themselves. My father lost his ability to speak, do math, spell, walk, go to the bathroom, and pretty much everything else... All gone. But now, he can talk, walk, do math, read (he goes through 10 or more books a week from what I hear), drive, and he does the household chores like cooking and cleaning. He doesn't and can't work outside of the home, but he's functional nonetheless. Well, now he's just old... Anyway, that was 25 years ago.
The point being that, depending on the severity of the damage, you might notice nothing different to little quirky differences to major differences. But, again, depends on the individual, the type of injury, and which areas of the brain are affected.
I wouldn't worry at this point. I know, hard not to...
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((Abby)) Quidscribus is right, the brain can heal itself through rerouting around damaged areas in surprising ways, especially if the damage is minor.
Try not to worry too much until you have a full diagnosis.
He can speak and is coherent, so missing the 'm' question is minor. Don't let your mother and don't you stress out about something like that, therapy can be frustrating and long so save your energy and have patience.
I hope and pray your Dad has a full recovery.
On a related subject, my brother's mother-in-law had brain surgery last month and the subsequent swelling has caused serious side effects. She has little long-term memory and jumbled thought processes. She is repeatedly confused about why she is in the hospital, I guess kind of like the guy in Memento. It must be very frustrating and scary for her. Though her doctors expect her to recover eventually, it could take a long time. Posts: 6316 | Registered: Jun 2003
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Thanks for the support guys. My dad had a bit of a problem yesterday with a migrane, so he hasn't gotten his CAT scan yet, but hopefully he'll be happy today, because his best friend from Chicago is coming up to MN to see him as a surprise. It was crazy because he totally didn't know dad was sick YESTERDAY. It could be he was already around for business, but he's a cool guy.
Posts: 4816 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I'm keeping my fingers crossed for your dad! That's awesome that his friend's coming to town - I'm sure he'll appreciate it. Posts: 952 | Registered: Jun 2005
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