cyclist with serious head injuries

[PaulB]

Have had a further update today. The blood clot was not resolving so R had an operation to remove it and has been kept in an induced coma for the past couple of days. Medics now feel that he is well enough for them to start reducing the medication and allow him to wake up. It's still very early days but at least a step in the right direction.

The good news is his age. At that age, the blood is less viscous and collaterals can develop earlier (and on a temporary basis if required) so this will enormously help him get over this. I'm not 19 so there was less going on in my favour but, as the consultant told me much later, residual fitness helped me immensely. If your nephew has fitness AND youth going for him, he'll sail through and be back to normal (like that TdF rider who had a fractured skull this year but rode the 2010 event) 'ere long.

 

[slugonabike]

Thanks for the kind words, we have good neuro centre just along in Southampton, which is where he is being treated.

 

[wafflycat]

Hoping your nephew makes a complete recovery.

 

[amnesia]

Hoping your nephew makes a complete recovery.

+1

Got all my fingers crossed for him !!

 

[vbc]

It probably sounds pretty bad to you but the fact that the medical team felt able to wait and see if the bleed resolved itself is good news. The operation to drain the blood (small hole drilled in the skull) is not a big deal, I had two haematomas drained in the same way after my accident and soon after being admitted.

With youth and fitness on his side, he should make a pretty good recovery.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Sending positive vibes southbound. Don't be too alarmed if he is in a bad way initially - a friend suffered a serious head injury and initially had little memory, took ages to compose a sentence, etc, but went on to a pretty-much 100% recovery.

 

[HLaB]

I don't no why I never saw this before but my thoughts are with him, you and your extended family.

 

[PaulB]

Yeah, I had that thing where you can't, erm, you know, where you think of things what happened in the past....what's it called? You know? Erm.... It'll come to me eventually. Where you bring things to mind? What's it called oh members of this bike riding thing I'm on. Bike Talk is it? Who are you? Who am I? Why am I asking you?

 

[vbc]

Any further news SOAB?

 

[slugonabike]

Have just spoken to me SIL for an update re my nephew. Although now in no danger, he is still in HDU in the neuro hospital and hasn't yet woken up, although he is starting to respond to his name a little. When he does start to wake up he becomes aggitated so they have to sedate him again. However, the amounts of medication are gradually being reduced and the medics seem confident that he will wake up. The next big step will be when he is well enough to move back to Poole but we don't know when that will be. The family have been warned to expect some (negative) personality change and that this will be a long recovery but no-one can tell exactly how things will be. Slugboy (my son) points out that Richard Hammond made a virtually full recovery from his catastrophic head injury so it is not all doom and gloom.

apparantly, they removed a piece of skull to get at the clot, rather than drilling a burr hole. They have not yet replaced that piece of bone, it is being stored in his abdomen to keep it nice and safe until it is needed again!

 

[ttcycle]

soab, i'm keeping my fingers crossed for your nephew but it sounds like recovery will take a bit of time and he does have a lot of positives on his side.

 

[slugonabike]

Have also found out what actually happened. My nephew and some friends had been to a beer festival, nephew was riding his Mother's bike. They were tanking it along a straight stretch of road to catch the last ferry, otherwise they would have an extra 30 miles or so to get home. It sounds as if they were messing around a bit, just general high spirits but enough to distract my nephew who piled into the back of a stationary camper van!

 

[slugonabike]

Woohoo. R is well enough to be moved to our local hospital today! He has said a few words - most of which have been expletives, but that is to be expected at this stage

 

[Baggy]

Good news!

 

[661-Pete]

Tell him to keep talking, whatever it is that comes out! Don't know much about head injuries but that seems to be the best move: stay active. Perhaps if he's well enough to use a computer, this forum....?