Brain trauma and recovery possibilities

[Fekko]

Dear Sir/Madam,

A friend of mine (female 29 years old), has sufferd brain trauma after a car excident. Part of her brain was removed because it had become pulp. After 3 months in a coma she woke-up 2 months ago. At the institue here in Belgium they started giving her excercises (swimming, walking). For a long while after she woke up from het coma she did not respond to anyone just stairing at the seeling. Now after 2 months of therapie she talks a little bit but just automated responses (like saying YES to a question but whe know that is not the answer). She still wairs a diper.
The institue says that is all they can do for her.
Can you give me any advice on how to persue a different treatement that might bring her back a little bit more into the real world and maybe regain some basic functions like walking by her self, talking a bit more but as a true response and maybe lose the diper? I know with the right therapie maybe we can do more for her and maybe some functions will be taken over by other parts of the brain.

Thank you very much for your effort.

Best Regards,

Fekko Roelofs

[LSiddell]

I am not a doctor but a fellow forum poster on another message board had a 23 year old daughter hit by a car (hit and run) about 5 years ago. She was in a coma for our 6 months with no response to stimulus. Slowly she opened her eyes and started to come back around but it was extremely slow and hard on her parents who where with her every day. After she was strong enough to go home, her Mom & Dad worked with her daily, exercise, relearning to brush her teeth, brush her hair, eating at the table. Every day mundane things. After about 4 years she is actually walking with a cane and walker and is actually quite self sufficient. She was a vegetable. They told her parents that she would have to be in a hospital for the rest of her life. She would never walk or talk again. She is doing both. It was through the determination and will that she was able to get this far. I hope this helps and I pray that your friend makes a recovery. The secret is to believe and never lose hope.

[CJ's Mom]

Our son was involved in an auto accident sept 06.  He is in a subacute facility in Edison, NJ which is giving him Bromocriptine and Amantadine to help him cognatively.  It is helping him to speak accurately ( saying yes correctly to questions like am I dressed in blue?).  He is also in a diaper and a wheelchair but I pray that he will be able to walk again.  He is getting therapies everyday to help him regain strength in his body and mind  like tilt table and mat exercises and speech individually and in a group.  It is a very slow process but there is always hope.  I hope you find more help.  The Brain Association of New Jersey may be able to help 1-800-669-4323 or 1732-738-1002 or www.bianj.org.  Also I found this other web site very good www.thirecovery.org
I hope this helps and God bless you and your friend.
Denise

[Fekko]

From the bottom of my heart i would like to thank you all for responding to my request. It helps me a lot reading your responses.

Thank you ever so much and God bless you!