After your loved one's accident, you were likely shocked and concerned to hear that he or she had suffered a traumatic brain injury. The many questions and uncertainties about the future may have your head spinning. You may also be experiencing an emotional whirlwind, including those feelings of anger and frustration that this accident was preventable if not for the reckless or negligent actions of someone else.
Now that you face the long and difficult road ahead, you will certainly be having many intense conversations with the medical team treating your loved one. For now, it may help to have a general idea of what to expect in the days, months and years to come.
Immediate care
The emergency room staff took many precautionary measures with your loved one. Stabilizing his or her condition was the primary concern, and that included providing adequate oxygen to prevent further damage to the brain. If your loved one did not undergo surgery, specialists may anticipate that surgical intervention will be necessary in the future, especially if there is a fracture to the skull, a blood clot forming in the brain or fluids creating pressure around the brain.
After spending time in a Texas emergency room, a TBI victim generally stays in intensive care, receiving around the clock attention and frequent evaluations from medical staff. Once your loved one is stable, his team will take measures to prevent some of the common TBI effects, including these and others:
- Seizures
- Muscle spasms
- Additional blood clots
- Severe anxiety
- Depression
- Lethargy
Your loved one will likely have numerous prescription medications for these or other symptoms. Once he or she returns home -- if the degree of injury allows this -- you will have to be vigilantly watching for other signs to bring to the doctor's attention.
Ongoing care
When the critical danger has passed, your loved one will likely require several types of therapy for rehabilitation, including for any of these issues:
- Improving cognitive functions
- Building physical strength
- Relearning routine life tasks
- Coping with the drastic changes he or she is experiencing
- Relearning communication skills
- Finding appropriate work opportunities
You may also feel the need for counseling or therapy to manage the sudden and overwhelming changes you are experiencing. When a loved one suffers a traumatic brain injury, it is a kind of loss for the entire family. Seeking help from as many resources as possible is an excellent plan. This includes medical, psychological, spiritual, financial and legal assistance.