Sharing hope for improvement after severe TBI

There's always hope. Never stop trying!

More than seven years after a disabling stroke, I am still making progress.

In fact, on my YouTube channel, I recently made an episode about regaining some movement:

Short Answer: Yes. Long Answer: My son was in hospitals for 7 months after falling 30+ feet out of a window onto the pavement. Severe TBI with Diffuse Axonal Injury (shearing/ tearing) of nerve fibers (axons)). He returned home completely wheelchair bound, unable to eat solid food or swallow liquid well, speech difficult, no bladder or bowel control, short-term memory loss...the list was long. He was cognitive and responsive, but his world was 6 mins and 6 feet around him. Empathy wasn't readily available. Many of these deficits are due to the awareness area of the brain being damaged, and the prefrontal cortex (with nearly all TBIs) was impacted. Progress was slow and hard-won, but he was making progress. Less than a year after his return home, COVID hit. All PT, OT, and speech therapies came to a halt. After they were back in session, they lasted about a year and then he was "graduated." His injury was Fall of 2018. He was "graduated" in Fall of 2020. My husband and I were befuddled. We felt like he had so much more potential for recovery. I began researching Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). I was skeptical and wanted to understand, to the best of my abilities, if there was science behind this. After three months of research, I ran across a study (Hyperbaric Oxygen Brain Injury Treatment Trial (HOBIT)) that is seeking to understand what level of atmospheric pressure is best for HBOT treatment of Severe TBI. I called one of the universities that was participating and was surprised to get a return call from one of the research doctors. The science is already there. The physician said they had seen early evidence of success. This convinced us to take a gamble on HBOT. I say gamble because every brain injury is unique and we were almost 3 years out from injury when we made this leap, and because our insurance wouldn't cover the costs, which amounted to about $10,000. Fall of 2021, knowing the research and what would be most likely to have positive results, we worked with a clinic outside Boston, MA, Hyperbaric Medical Solutions. Peter spent 2 months (5 days a week, approx. 1 hr. session/day) receiving 100% Oxygen at 1.5 ATA (atmospheric pressure). We didn't see any incredible improvements. Near the end, my husband asked our son, "What changes do you see?" And our son answered, "I can see forward." We weren't sure what he meant. Then, we returned home and within a couple days, it was apparent. The awareness part of his brain was healing. He no longer lived in the 6-min and 6-feet around him world. Over the next 5 months, he made big gains. He began working on walking with a walker. He began eating food. He could hear his bladder and bowels. We are now 7 years from his injury. Progress is still A LOT of work –for him and us– BUT he has made progress and continues to make progress. He is on the verge of walking on his own, he It is still hard won. So... yes, with perseverance, progress is absolutely possible. There is hope!

Recovery is a life time process after a brain injury. Gains, whether small or large, are the most important parts of her recovery. There is not a calendar for recovery, her brain is re-wiring itself, which takes more energy than everyone elses brain do daily.

Absolutely. Brain cells regenerate, but more slowly. Nerves regenerate, but slowly. Choline, a B vitamin, is very important for this regeneration as are many other nutrients. Add specific nutrients in safe amounts for a prescribed time. A wholistic doctor would be the person to help you.

@scottrl There is a book for recovering from strokes and yoga. Especially eye exercises for stroke relief. written by two optometrists.

@texgrand6 There is a Brain Plasticity Center in Highlands Ranch, CO. I am going to try hyperbaric oxygen treatment : 40 sessions x 60 minutes 3-5 per week, for a total cost of $6K dollars. It has a to be a hard shell chamber.
I was a pedestrian hit by a pick up truck in Dec 2023, so almost 3 years ago. I still can't smell anything or taste anything. Insomnia is resolving, migraines come and go. I lost my RN license, so life is different. Has hyperbaric o2 helped anyone with TBI? I'd like to ask WC to assist with payment...i hope it's not too late.