Member number 24.
April 2007 the start of the worst year in my families life. A year
when I would know who my proper friends are and which members care
about family.
April a month that would turn my family upside down and give us
emotions so extreme they become unbearable. a month when we would
become stronger as a family but embark on the challenge of our lives,
the beginning of a constant battle with healthcare professionals,
support services, legal persons, to name a few. The new challenge of
arguing with persons. a walk into the unknown and under assisted area
of care for persons and there families after severe head injury.
In April my son suffered a severe head injury which has left him
severely disabled. but instead of getting information, counselling,
guidance, we get nothing. As a healthcare professional myself I find
this absolutely appalling.
Being a healthcare professional, they don't frighten me, so I will
stand my corner and fight to the bitter end for what I believe to be
every bodies human right to recieve care. Unbeknown to me I was in
for
a big fight and still in it. It does'nt matter to those involved i'm
still emotionally torn and shattered from my young sons injuries,
nothing is ( and ive worked this out all on my own) going to be
handed
on a plate. this does sadden me.
Ive been appalled by the lack of support, information and the utter
dismissal of rehabilitation facilities for those with brain injury.
Nothing against those who have a stroke but i've noticed that these
people are given priority cards for rehabilitation, I wonder if its
because the hospital gets brownie points if they treat and offer
stroke
victims instant access. which is fair enough, i'd want it.
this is a sad state of effairs when most severe head injury patients
are young, and don't get the same care. everyone should be given
continuous and ongoing rehabilitation even if its just stimulation.
My son is 17 years old and everybody barring his family has thrown
him
on the scrap heap because he has severe head injury and needs to
learn
from scratch how to communicate.
My son now gets physiotherapy, speech therapy, stimulation, and many
more things!! IS he LUCKY! I think not I give him these. The hospital
has given up on him at 17. the reason being he can't communicate.
Maybe
he does'nt know how. Maybe they could take time away from the
computor
and teach him! Then again that would be a fantasy world.
I have always believed where theres life theres hope1.
In my eyes rehabilitation i.e. physiotherapy would stop the
contracture, speech therapy would teach him to move his mouth, and
most
importantly stimulation would awaken him.
Had I not been a vivid reader and sort out information I would never
have known about stimulation to assit him recover, because no one has
taken the time to inform me of that.Was it not for me he would lie in
bed looking out of the window in his own world. I'm not having that.
He
would'nt even be got up into a chair but left to vegetate, but they
dont care he's just a number.
My daily routine so far after the other children go to school, is I
wash my son I help him clean his teeth, do physiotherapy 3-4 times a
day, get him up unto a chair, change him, I read to him, flash lights
at him, make him smell things, make him feel things, I cuddle him,
love
him,talk to him some times shout, cry and tell him tales. We even go
out for fresh air. If I dont do these things who will ? to top it all
he's still in hospital!!!!
Ive sacked social workers who are more interseted in policies and
protocols than my sons care and they cant give me direct answers and
information.
Ive wrote to managers in hospitals about reduced care and won my
fight
to get my son 24/7 care when that was removed. Ive shouted at nurses
who just sit and stare at him or sit texting friends and not talking
to
him and ive shouted at them when they dont wash there hands and leave
him in a wet bed.
Ive over ridden doctors who tell me he cant have certain medicines
for
his spasm. Ive gone over junior doctors heads and phoned the
consultant.
The worst kind of guidance Ive had came from a social worker who when
she realised id had to sell my home and would soon be homeless that I
should get a tent.
Yet despite all this and more, im just a mum fighting for something
that should be offered to all individualls who suffer brain injury.
CARE, LOVE & DIGNIITY.
I find it appalling that brain injured people and there families have
to take on an establishment to obtain what should be offered to them.
I think that once it becomes obvious that a patient who has had a
brain injury leaves ICU it should be incorporated into all hospital
care pathways that they have referral to a head injury team (
although
im sorry to say wernt much help to us) headway and a benifit adviser
no
matter what there position/prognosis.
No matter how little and how mild the improvement is everyone
deserves
attention rehabilitation and support. Instead of a brick wall.
We as a family will endeaver to support my young son, for as long as
it takes.
I dont care that ive had to sell our home, give up my job, hes my
number one priority, we will get him home, we will care for him, give
him dignity, self worth, love, support, cuddles, kisses and
normality.
With or without medical assistance we will survive this mine field.
Because were family we love him and we will survive.
Member 24 goes on to say.
Since my sons head injury we have been treated as second class
citizens, no information. no assistance, guidence, lack of
communication, lack of rehabilitation, lack of support, lack of
understanding about head injury even with healthcare professionalls,
there should be with hind-site a ward designated with specalist
trained
nurses for head/brain injury. head/brain injury means A FIGHT

Read about Craig's visit to Liverpool Football Club Here