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Acquired brain injury can result in many medical problems - some
you perhaps may not think of as related to a whack on the old
scone. We don't presume to be medical experts on any of these
conditions - there are plenty of web sites out there that can
do that. Such as the excellent Australian site by The Victorian
Epilepsy Foundation (www.epinet.org.au).
What we CAN do is tell you a little of our experiences with epilepsy,
weight gain and sleep apnoea. Hmm, sounds like fun doesn't it
kiddies? Let's begin shall we ... |
shake.rattle.and.roll
When your PWABI is sent home from
hospital, quite often they will be sent off with quite a collection
of pills and medications. Some of this is preventative - this
is so in the case of Epilepsy.
Epilepsy is common with a head injury
- not surprising really when you think of the brain's complexity.
Imagine what would happen to your PC's motherboard if it was hit
by lightning - there are just so many components that can suffer
damage it isn't funny and it's a nightmare trying to work out
just which bit is kaput. Quite often it's easier just to replace
the whole thing. Unfortunately, brain transplants are yet to become
fashionable in this part of town, and so the bit that is damaged
has to stick around. The scarring produced by injuries can result
in strange electrical behaviour within this 'bodily command centre',
and a seizure or fit can occur.
(You see, not only did ReTroGrrl's
Retroman have an ABI accident, but her PC was hit by lightning
as well - luckily both things did not occur simultaneously but
she is now able to recognise the similarities)
Let us point out right now that the PWABI is unlikely to remember
a seizure : they may feel nauseous, exhausted and disorientated
afterwards but are luckily blissfully ignorant of the physical
appearance they present while 'fitting'. The PWABI's carer on
the otherhand is not so protected ... watching a loved one in
a state of epileptic seizure is a frightening and ghastly moment
in time. You can't stop a seizure, you just have to let it take
it's course. A minor fit can present itself as a lapse of consciousness
and convulsions, right up to a 'grand mal' where the PWABI can
be in danger of injuring themselves on surrounding artefacts,
froth at the mouth and be extremely disorientated on coming to.
Sometimes hospitals are very naughty
and don't tell you what to expect, what to do, or how to cope
with this situation. Unfortunately, ReTroGrrl was in this very
situation with Retroman - his first seizure, 18 months after his
accident, was a doozy of a grand mal, and took six hefty ambulance
men to bring under control with that blessed serum - valium. In
the process, he had kicked a hole in the wall clear through to
the laundry. The walls were flecked with saliva and blood from
a bitten tongue - his, mind you. Sorry if that is upsetting but
it's best to be pre-warned, yes?
So - a fit will upset you more than
the PWABI, but many people live with this condition on a daily
basis and places like Epinet are there to help, support and advise
you. WE advise you not to wait and see if a seizure might happen
- get information and advice straight away and be prepared. It's
still not going to be a nice thing to go through, but you will
be more confident and not be inclined to panic if and when it
occurs.
keeping.regular
There are many things that can trigger a seizure in someone who
is susceptible to them, and one way to combat the onset of a fit
is to try to lead a regular and ordered lifestyle, with as little
stress as possible. Some of these things can include :
-
Overtiredness
Forgetting medication or mixing up doses or
taking other medications
alcohol
illness
stress
irregular eating habits
-
As an example, our PWABI had mistaken the correct dose of his anti-epilepsy
medications, had been ill - well, actually he had fallen off a ladder
which he had been expressly forbidden to climb up! - and had taken
a strong painkiller. Not exactly an ideal combination of factors.
-
-
So, don't presume that someone with a head injury
is always able to manage their own lifestyle, you may have to take
an active part in 'keeping them regular'. Check that they still
understand which tablets they are supposed to take and when ...
ReTroMan was confused at one stage and decided to take all his medications
at night - unfortunately, the epilepsy preventative did not work
over 24 hours, but was designed to be taken morning and night in
order to provide a complete coverage - oops! Perhaps invest in one
of those pillbox thingys, where tablets can be put into little compartments
for the different days of the week - very handy!
weighing.it.all.up
Head injuries can cause the weirdest behaviour in a person - sometimes
a complete personality change! PWABIS find it hard to see reality
and to judge their own behaviour, and sometimes eating comes into
this problem area. They see something yummy and they want it so
they eat it. Simple. What's the problem? Problem is, they don't
often know when to stop, or realise that it is inappropriate to
eat 3 frozen sponge cakes at one sitting. They were there and they
had to be conquered! They may become cheese fiends when previously
they couldn't care less about the stuff.
Combine this with the extreme fatigue and other medical problems
associated with ABI and there's gonna be trouble. Even Jenny Craig
would find it hard to solve this one, just like you, she can't be
around 24 hours a day and neither of you could logically put a lock
on the fridge or pantry door. ReTroGrrl tried all kinds of things
with ReTroMan but it is still a difficult problem - quite often
particular medications can cause munchy attacks too. A great solution
is to have your meals delivered by a company such as Lite n Easy
- breakfast, lunches, dinners and snacks are all provided and therefore
there is no need to buy in anything more tempting. Unfortunately,
this can be expensive, and although we found it most beneficial,
had to give it up. Oh well.
Try to provide healthy snacks with lots of fruit and vegetables,
and try not to buy cakes and biscuits. They'll only get eaten -
and don't think you can hide them either ... PWABIS come with a
built in sonar radar for food.
Unfortunately, weight gain does not help with fatigue problems
and other health aspects. Such as sleep apnoea.
sleep.tight.don't.let.the.cpaps.bite
Many people suffer from sleep apnoea to differing degrees - it's
not restricted to PWABIs. This is a condition where the airway collapses
and the sufferer actually stops breathing until their bodies natural
reflex to want to stay alive wakens them with a start and they continue
on in this uncomfortable routine all night long. Understandably,
a good night's sleep is impossible under these conditions and apnoea-ites
rise in the morning feeling like they've just spent 5 rounds fighting
with Mohammed Ali. In sever case, they can fall asleep during daylight
hours, proving mighty dangerous as fellow road users.
A common solution is to use a breathing machine at night, called
a CPAP - continuos pressure airway pump, or something like that
- consisting of a unit about the size of a small stereo, a long
hose and a very silly mask. Unfortunately the CPAP has been designed
with practical considerations in mind rather than with any sense
of fashion. It's damn ugly and makes the wearer appear prepared
for a deep sea dive on the lost treasure of the Titanic. But it
works.
And this is how it works. A bit like a reverse vacuum cleaner,
it forces a steady stream of air down the user's windpipe, keeping
it from collapsing, and thereby ensuring a reasonably sound night's
rest. Unfortunately it also sounds like a vacuum cleaner and may
force the PWABI to be banished to another part of the house.
So, if you think you are hearing strange noises in the night, check
that the PWABI is breathing free and easy. If not, get a referral
for a Respiratory Physician and have things checked out. They may
decide to do an in-hospital sleep study to determine the percentage
of oxygen getting to the brain (and ABI sufferers must take care
of their brains!)
a.taxing.situation
And so, there you have but
a small representation of other 'peripheral' conditions that can accompany
an acquired brain injury. Just remember, your PWABi may not have to
worry about any of these, but if you are concerned about anything
at all - changes in behaviour, well-being or lifestyle, seek advice
and assistance from either those groups set up for specific problems,
or even your local GP. You pay taxes in order that these services
are available, so go and use them.
Next time we'll talk about what to do should
your PWABI experience seizures caused by ABI, and we'll hunt up some
more links to other web sites that will help you out.
Stay tuned to this frequency for more transmissions
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