Just talking about myself i remember making up stories like i had plans already to go to hawaii. so they would let me out of the hospital but they wouldn't. I wasn't happy until I left. It didn't matter what anybody did i wanted to be at my house where I could do anything i wanted to at anytime. For example if i wanted to take a bubble bath I couldn't in the hospital. It is still hard for me to comphend commands it takes a little bit of time to think about what they want me to do. you need to explain things simple to him if you want him to do something. Don't make him feel like a child It took my boyfriend and myself awhile to get use to that because i felt like i was stupid and we both knew i wasn't and I had to relearn just be patient with him

Talk to him about what is going on in the world and your life. Tell him you know he is frustrated but it is very important that he rest and take it easy right now. Let him know he has a bunch of friends here waiting to meet him and help him. I wish we could talk to him now. Tell him I said allo. He might enjoy some car magazines or things about his interest. Puzzles books, a journal, access to a computer. When i was in the hospital they let me use the computer some to see what I could remember how to use it. It was so frustrating... my mind and body just were not working together. I have had to relearn how to do things. I was so excited when i was able to learn something new i had never done before. I was so worried my brain would not be able to heal or learn ... But it does heal but not always the way we think it should. You and he and the family will have to work hard together to make a good recovery. You guys can do it.

I had a triumph today! I walked on the treadmill for 15 minutes!

Hi!! I've been to 3 hospitals. I know all about it. Just play games with him. Do things to improve his memory. My memory is sooooooooooo bad after my accident. Showing him pictures is also a good idea.

Sorry guys, I should have explained myself better. He's not really up to where he can play games and what not, he doesn't have enough control of like his arms and stuff and he can't communicate yet.

When Thomas was not able to really do anything these are some things we did with him.
Read; told stories of his past; what was happening currently; we got the therapy balls that he could try holding in his hands; showed him pictures; worked his limbs for him that he could not move freely on his own; put lotion on his hands and feet; sang to him (even though inside I was probably screaming SHUT UP :))

Oh Bec I feel so bad for you and your family. Is he responsive? Does he try to pull out any tubes?
All I can relate is my own experience with Wes my son. He went through a stage where he wasn't able to make himself clearly understood and he would get so frustrated. He would either whisper or yell, he would also try and bite us to stop us keeping the tubes in, eg. nasal tube and cathetur. Happily we can laugh with him about it now. The worst thing was he would ask us to strangle him. Thank god this stage didn't last long!!! But as the nurses said any response is a good response better than nothing at all.
I used to read surfing magazines to Wes. I also used to massage his feet and legs and this seemed to help to calm him down.
Best wishes to you Bec. Its such a long road.

Talk with his Therapists and Caregivers. There are things you can do that will help him focus better and become more comfortable with his needs and goals. the more he has Family supporting him in the "correct" directions, the more he focuses appropriately on his Therapies. Good luck wiht him andlet us know how he is doing!

He's sometimes responsive in commands, not often though. He only has his feed tube that goes into his stomach and a cathertur. He's constantly trying to get his hand to the cathertur, he managed to yesterday - nice for his sister to see..hahaha. I can't find a way to communicate with him, squeezing hands, blinking eyes, thumbs up -he has a lot of movement in his left hand/arm, but I can't get him to respond - sometimes he does but it's after a say 30 seconds, but I'm not sure if he's actually replying or just squeezing. He does reach out for your hand and wrist and things like that. His eyes follow you, he'll look at you when you talk to him. I've got one of his windows covered in family photos and he seems to look in that direction a lot. He's definately improving and becoming more and more alert. But unfortunately as this happens so does the frustration. He seems so angry and frustrated. More so in the passed week. He hasn't tried to talk yet and his traci has been out for about 2 weeks. Hopefully that gives you all a bit of an idea of where we're up to.
Thanks again, Bec

he is properly frustrated because he wants to talk and move and he can't because of the tubes and wires that are connected to him. Its an allfull feeling you just want to jank them out but you know you can't. That is normal about his reaction time. When they remove the feeding tub is when they will get him to stand.

Bec, as Russ mentioned, it's a good sign that he is frustrated and trying to pull out the catheter. Hang in there!!!

One thing nobody has mentioned is the fact that sometimes the injured person takes their frustrations out on those closest to them. There may come a time when you want to walk away because he becomes mean to you in one way or another. Just remember, when they are the least lovable is when they need love the most! It is going to be a long road. Be sure to take time for yourself along the way. Please keep us posted. Your comments bring back so many memories and remind us of how far we've come. You will get there too, in time. Anyone would be proud to have a sister like you!

Heidie brought up a good point Sometimes we don't realize that we do it. We don't have anybody else to let it out on. So don't take it personally. Stay strong for him and your self. When you really feel frustrated with him go outside and take a quiet walk and calm down. He will be greatful for you

What would help a lot is giving him a lot of love, i assure you more than snything that his self esteem has been dropped very much because of this. Show him that although he is very different now he will always be the same in your hearts.because he will start noticing when he can that he is only an object to everyone else....i tell you because this happened to me...

Oh Bec, havce you stirred up some memories for me so I can surely empathize with you. Believe me even though you you witness the frustration etc that is, as others have said. GOOD/ GREAT as it means he is registering. Carry on as you are with talking, photos etc, Have you an exercise book beside his bed that you/ visitors/ staff/ therapists can write in, sort of like a journal. Keep it chatty, coment on progress, things achieved, not achieved etc. One, it is good to read back to him but in years to come he will really appreciate reading it. Take video recordings, hospital may have one you can borrow. Use tactile things for him to hold. We even took carpentry tools along!!! Son was a carpenter. As he loved WEETBIX someone even brought a large box of these along with a red ribbon around it and this sat at the end of his bed.We played music we knew he loved, someone said Baroque music is great for head injured patients, it sure helped me but alas son was quite visual in his distaste for it!! Do talk to his therapists re you doing some physio exercises with him. One it gives you something to do, but also great for keeping his joints/ muscles working. Is he able to be put in a wheelchair or bed, moved so that he can see the great outdoors. We found this to be most beneficial, his eyes would focus and it was a great motivater.Progrss is often slow, so slow but I am of the firm belief that stimulation in short, repetitve bursts is brilliant and if it is done by those folk he knows and trusts all the better. We got better results than therapists, in time they came to rely on friends and family very heavily.Just keep on keeping on Becs and take time for you too.