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26 year old in coma. Help!
I live in Bangkok with my wife of 6 years and two weeks ago my wife's sister contacted us.
She was complaining of bad headaches and a sudden loss of vision. We took her to hospital as soon as we could. At the time the country was celebrating 'SongKran' which is the Thai new year. This meant most of the surgeons were on holiday for a few days.
She was diagnosed with a benign (but large) brain tumour. The surgeon stated the only way to remove it was with 'normal surgery' i.e. - 'cut the tumour out'. Sorry for my lack of medical terminology but I hope you get the drift!
The surgeon said that due to the size and position (right in the middle of the brain) the sugery carried a substantial risk. However, without sugery she could die quite quickly. Surgery was carried out 6 days ago.
After sugery she woke up and could blink to answer questions. Mentally her brain activity appeared to be fine. The surgeon said the sugery went as well as could be expected but she was still in danger.
Within the next 24 hours her situation deteriorated badly. She was in a coma and having seizures. Her legs and arms on the left side would move and she would clench and unclench her left hand. She had no movement in her right side. Her brain had swollen up badly.
Her face appeared to be swollen and the surgeon gave us some reasons for her condition. He said that people have a kind of 'air pressure' in their brains. And that the normal number is '10'. He said she had risen to a peak of '70' and that they needed to operate to reduce this. She had the 2nd op 4 days ago and the number reduced to a '25'. However, this was apparently still dangerous.
Her seizures stopped but she is now in a very deep coma. The ICU nurses and the surgeon are saying that she will almost certainly die. They even allowed us to stay past visiting hours as they didn't think she would make it through the night. They also said her brain was taking in blood but not releasing it. Effectively they said parts of her brain are now dead. An ICU nurse also said my sister in law has had this tumour from before she was born(?). Is this possible?
They are keeping her on life support for as long as she stays alive. I should also point out she had problems with her blood pressure which has now returned to a more normal level. One nurse even said she has improved a little but that she is still likely to pass away.
Currently she is in a deep coma, with no movement. She is on a ventilator and has a machine to aid her heartbeat. I think I counted about 2 tubes and 12 wires that she is attached to.
Lastly, the ICU she is in looks very modern and she has a team of nurses watching her constantly.
I think we are all looking for hope. Is there any way she can make a recovery? Is there anything we can do to help? Has anyone been through or had a family member with the same thing?
She was complaining of bad headaches and a sudden loss of vision. We took her to hospital as soon as we could. At the time the country was celebrating 'SongKran' which is the Thai new year. This meant most of the surgeons were on holiday for a few days.
She was diagnosed with a benign (but large) brain tumour. The surgeon stated the only way to remove it was with 'normal surgery' i.e. - 'cut the tumour out'. Sorry for my lack of medical terminology but I hope you get the drift!
The surgeon said that due to the size and position (right in the middle of the brain) the sugery carried a substantial risk. However, without sugery she could die quite quickly. Surgery was carried out 6 days ago.
After sugery she woke up and could blink to answer questions. Mentally her brain activity appeared to be fine. The surgeon said the sugery went as well as could be expected but she was still in danger.
Within the next 24 hours her situation deteriorated badly. She was in a coma and having seizures. Her legs and arms on the left side would move and she would clench and unclench her left hand. She had no movement in her right side. Her brain had swollen up badly.
Her face appeared to be swollen and the surgeon gave us some reasons for her condition. He said that people have a kind of 'air pressure' in their brains. And that the normal number is '10'. He said she had risen to a peak of '70' and that they needed to operate to reduce this. She had the 2nd op 4 days ago and the number reduced to a '25'. However, this was apparently still dangerous.
Her seizures stopped but she is now in a very deep coma. The ICU nurses and the surgeon are saying that she will almost certainly die. They even allowed us to stay past visiting hours as they didn't think she would make it through the night. They also said her brain was taking in blood but not releasing it. Effectively they said parts of her brain are now dead. An ICU nurse also said my sister in law has had this tumour from before she was born(?). Is this possible?
They are keeping her on life support for as long as she stays alive. I should also point out she had problems with her blood pressure which has now returned to a more normal level. One nurse even said she has improved a little but that she is still likely to pass away.
Currently she is in a deep coma, with no movement. She is on a ventilator and has a machine to aid her heartbeat. I think I counted about 2 tubes and 12 wires that she is attached to.
Lastly, the ICU she is in looks very modern and she has a team of nurses watching her constantly.
I think we are all looking for hope. Is there any way she can make a recovery? Is there anything we can do to help? Has anyone been through or had a family member with the same thing?
Praise the Lord! How exciting for you to witness this improvement despite the surgeon's feelings about what he felt the outcome was going to be. God holds her life in His hands!
A few weeks ago the doctor asked us to get other family members to rhe hospital as she only had a few hours left to live.
She survived the night. Then the week.
Then things started to improve. Her swelling has now completely gone and there is decent brain activity. If you hold her hand she will clench it and she moves her head. She is still in a coma but the hospital are already letting her do 'some' of the breathing herself.
The surgeon did say he was 100 per cent sure she was lost but is amazed at her fightback. She now has a very good chance of waking up.
All in all, for anyone else going through this I'd advise them to stay realistic and prepare for the worst, but not to give up hope and to talk to the patient even if they are in a deep coma.
She survived the night. Then the week.
Then things started to improve. Her swelling has now completely gone and there is decent brain activity. If you hold her hand she will clench it and she moves her head. She is still in a coma but the hospital are already letting her do 'some' of the breathing herself.
The surgeon did say he was 100 per cent sure she was lost but is amazed at her fightback. She now has a very good chance of waking up.
All in all, for anyone else going through this I'd advise them to stay realistic and prepare for the worst, but not to give up hope and to talk to the patient even if they are in a deep coma.
As long as she still has a brain wave, please keep her on life support and if you are a Christian, I hope you have a lot of prayer support during this most difficult time. My grandpa had brain tumor surgery at age 53 and the decision was made to take him off life support only after the brainwave was flat, which meant my grandpa was with the Lord and no longer in his body.
Thank you for your comments.
We have just been to the hospital again and despite being told on Saturday that she had only a few hours to live she is still battling away.
Her blood pressure is now normal and there appears to be less blood coming out of the tube in her head.
We are not deluding ourselves we are prepared for the worst but I have heard of patients waking from a coma after similar events six months down the line.
I've got a feeling the family will be asked to make a decision soon about switching off life support but after hearing stories of people waking up months down the line they will wish to keep her on it.
I think I feel the same way. The staff are desperately trying to save her as they don't want to lose someone so young and they are suprised that she is still fighting.
I know the odds of her waking are slim but even if there is a 0.1 per cent chance of recovery we will give her the right to fight.
We have just been to the hospital again and despite being told on Saturday that she had only a few hours to live she is still battling away.
Her blood pressure is now normal and there appears to be less blood coming out of the tube in her head.
We are not deluding ourselves we are prepared for the worst but I have heard of patients waking from a coma after similar events six months down the line.
I've got a feeling the family will be asked to make a decision soon about switching off life support but after hearing stories of people waking up months down the line they will wish to keep her on it.
I think I feel the same way. The staff are desperately trying to save her as they don't want to lose someone so young and they are suprised that she is still fighting.
I know the odds of her waking are slim but even if there is a 0.1 per cent chance of recovery we will give her the right to fight.
I am very sorry to hear about your sister in law. It does not sound like she has a good prognosis.
There is not really air pressure in the brain, but there is fluid, and the fluid needs to be at a certain pressure, too much or too little is dangerous. It does happen normally after surgery that there is *some* swelling, and that bit of swelling can be controlled by medications, but if it gets too out of control, as it did in this case, it is dangerous. That is what caused the seizures and all.
I am not sure about the congenital nature of the tumor as well, as that would have to be determined by pathology. Tumors by the brain stem are in a very difficult area as that is near a lot of nerves and blood vessels.
I am not sure what hope you are looking for as if she has part of her brain that has died, and that tissue will not ever recover, and the doctors are telling you that she is likely to pass away soon... I am sorry to say that this is not looking at all well.
There is not really air pressure in the brain, but there is fluid, and the fluid needs to be at a certain pressure, too much or too little is dangerous. It does happen normally after surgery that there is *some* swelling, and that bit of swelling can be controlled by medications, but if it gets too out of control, as it did in this case, it is dangerous. That is what caused the seizures and all.
I am not sure about the congenital nature of the tumor as well, as that would have to be determined by pathology. Tumors by the brain stem are in a very difficult area as that is near a lot of nerves and blood vessels.
I am not sure what hope you are looking for as if she has part of her brain that has died, and that tissue will not ever recover, and the doctors are telling you that she is likely to pass away soon... I am sorry to say that this is not looking at all well.
I do not know about the tumor being congenital;born with it, but the situation definitely sounds grim.
Secondly, the best thing you can do for her is keep her comfortable. They are unable to get the pressure and swelling down; NOT GOOD; too much damage to the brain. I believe if you remove the machines she would not last very long, and if she miraculously did, she would be in a vegetative state.
Very sorry for this unfortunate experience.
Secondly, the best thing you can do for her is keep her comfortable. They are unable to get the pressure and swelling down; NOT GOOD; too much damage to the brain. I believe if you remove the machines she would not last very long, and if she miraculously did, she would be in a vegetative state.
Very sorry for this unfortunate experience.
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