THE Documentary To Understand Severe Head Injury & Coma
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 เม.ย. 2020
- My team and I got a job to make a one hour prime time television special on coma, severe injury, injury from strokes in 1988 - TIA medicine, spinal cord injuries, neurologic conditions, cerebral palsy, etc. It wasn't an easy subject but we decided to focus on young people who had severe head injuries largely due to drunk driving and drunk drivers. It was so sad to see these young people struggling just to remember the word fork or spoon.
Drunk driving is a serious issue in the USA. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), young drivers (ages 16-24) are at a higher risk of being involved in drunk driving accidents than other age groups. In 2019 there were 6,205 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in the United States, and 25% of these fatalities involved young drivers with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher.
However according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 2.87 million Americans suffered from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). The causes of TBI can vary but some of the most common causes include falls, motor vehicle accidents, sports-related injuries and assaults.
Our initial research led us to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, considered one of the best hospitals for the treatment of severe head injury, strokes, and coma. They helped us to understand the problem before we filmed. They have a team of highly trained physicians and healthcare professionals who specialize in the treatment of severe head injury, strokes and coma. The hospital has specialized units for neurosurgery and neurology. They also are home to the Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute dedicated to advancing the understanding and treatment of neurological disorders.
I would like to thank the advertisers who post ads on this video helping me to continue to post films from my archives. They include best neurologist for headaches. best neurologist near me. Best neurosurgeon at Tampa General. Tampa general neurosurgery. scripps neurosurgery. Providence neurosurgery. Ascension neurosurgery. physiatrists. neurosurgeon. neurophysiologist. neuropsychologist. neurology specialist. Doctor for migraine. tonic clonic seizure specialists. cerebral neurobiologist. TIA specialist. coma specialist. brain trauma.
If you are watching this documentary (which won several national awards in its category) you might be wondering who funded it and who appears in it as its host. It was funded by Ala Isham who has done extraordinary things in her life to help those with trauma and their families and to support the victims of crimes. Among other things she founded the Brain Trauma Foundation, the Sunny von Bulow Head And Trauma Research Foundation and the National Center For Victims Of Crime.
As a young person, Ala worked for me as an assistant producer on my 1980 documentary about Alfred Eisenstadt the great Life Magazine photographer.
Ala is a wonderful high-energy person who could have taken her extraordinary wealth and just done nothing. She did the polar opposite and continues to do so. Here is an article on her what she is up to these days:
www.townandcountrymag.com/lei...
I thank Ala for making this documentary possible and for appearing in it with her brother as hosts (which Ala was reluctant to do). - ภาพยนตร์และแอนิเมชัน
In 1988, a high school girl riding home in a crowded car from play practice suffered a severe head injury when the vehicle slid on ice into a fire hydrant. No one else was injured. She was in a coma over a month. When she came out of the coma, her doctors believed she was unaware. Her mother convinced them otherwise, and over the course of six months she regained her speech and most mobility. She also learned to write with her other hand. A little over a year later, she went to the same college as her brother. She struggled and struggles with many invisible issues that the people around her barely comprehend, particularly auditory processing problems, balance issues, and learning disabilities. That is where I met this remarkable girl, who at that time still had to use a cane to walk across campus. We have been married 28 amazing years.
what an amazing story.
I think it's great you found each other. She obviously has great strength of character, if not of body, and I am glad she has a partner who clearly sees beyond the deficits. Bless you both and her mom too.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful story, and may you have many more years together!
Six months only to regain all of that after being diagnosed as basically a vegetable? Nice story. I have been in a coma and was aware when I woke up and had no problems afterwards, but I know someone who was aware as well when he woke up and he spent two months to be able to wipe himself and feed himself again. That’s the only reason why I doubt this story.
Good for you two!! May God bless you both.
My mom was a nurse. A 23 year old woman was brought into the nursing facility where she worked. The woman was in a coma. She was in a car crash. She was 9 months pregnant. Not only did she have a bad brain injury, she had a stroke. They took the baby by c-section & her baby girl survived. She also already had a daughter. 2 very young children without a mother.
The woman woke up 12 years later. Her brain was quite functional. She had to have a lot of physical therapy. Her husband was still very devoted to her. Great family!!! It was a miracle!!!
Thank You
So amazing so happy to hear this
A woman in a car crash would not be brought into a nursing facility. Try, ER. Tired of these fake stories. 🙄
@@daynasafranek7807 After being saved by ER and and spending time in ICU a person who is still alive and not eligible for rehabilitation would go to a nursing home. They have nurses at the facility. But I agree that it is unusual to just wake up 12 years later and have the brain be quite functional. And after 12 years in a coma your limbs would be in very bad shape so walking and using arms would not be an easy task.
@@daynasafranek7807 I was in a bad car accident myself and was sent to a rehab facility, but to those not familiar could easily say it’s a nursing home.
12/31/88 went over a 4 to 7½ story cliff. Coma for 24 days. When I awoke couldn't do anything. Short-term memory was shot, long-term stayed intact so I could remember doing it. They told my wife that I was guaranteed 2 to 3 months inpatient and 2 to 3 years outpatient and didn't know if I would ever be productive in society again. Two weeks after waking I was let out on a day pass, 3 weeks a weekend pass and the 4th week discharged. 11 months to the day after TBI I was finished with outpatient therapy and back to work.
Life is normal for me.
My daughter died 11 yrs ago of an overdose. She was actually alive when arriving at the hospital. But she ended up in ICU on life support, and was deemed brain dead. She went through the two rounds of tests by two different Dr's. No responses whatsoever and she couldn't breath on her own. The next night we took her off life support. She passed 10 minutes later. She had just turned 20. I have to say that I am thankful she didn't end up alive, but not really there. She wouldn't have wanted that. It's a difficult road and I understand what people must go through being in that situation. Thank you for making this documentary!!
I'm so sorry
I'm so sorry. Prayers for you 🙏
My mother, when I was 7yrs old, fell and hit her head and was left unattended for over 22hrs. She was brain damaged. Initially, after she woke from a coma we thought she was going to be ok, but slowly day by day we lost more of her. In the beginning she could walk and kinda talk. We could pick her up and take her home for dinner, and play games with her, and she knew who some people were, saying “mom, dad, Linda, the kids” and occasionally my name “Tammy”
From 1988 thru until 2016 she stayed in a hospital with some others like her, but not good care for what she needed. My grandfather did the most for her, until I got older and could step in. By that time she barely knew who I was and it began to get harder to care for her and bring her home. She did have a stroke early on, and then another towards the end.
It haunts me to think there could have been something in there, someone still wanting to reach her children. There were times where she would occasionally say something that would shock you. Leaving you to believing in miracles. Miss you mom.
Sad to hear but grateful your Grand father and you did yur best to attend to her needs
Thank you for sharing. That is some seriously admirable perseverance from you and your Gramp
That's heartbreaking. 88 to 2016. Wow. if that ever happens to someone I love I'd advocate for them to be able to peacefully go. That's no way to live.
@@griff404 That's a pretty terrible thing to say to be honest, if you didn't know her. You don't know if she enjoyed life or not or if she was aware enough to make her own decisions about her life. By the looks of it she was aware and was at least partially still able to enjoy life.
Read Amanda Skipworth's story here in the comments down below where she describes what she went through in her 5 year coma. She writes: "For all those who are saying, that these people should be removed from vital life support or be outright euthanized, you are speaking to me personally. It is difficult to read your comments.
I was in a coma for 5 years. Since coming back in 2020 (yes, that was a lovely time to come back to the real world), I have been constantly in therapy: physical, occupational, speech (which is all about retraining the brain cognitively) and psychological.
I’m legally blind, I use a white cane and a support cane due to severe balance issues.
Because the cause of my brain injury is so rare, to the best of my neurological teams knowledge, there are no other cases that look like my case. If they had followed protocol, they would have allowed me to die. I likely would have died in 2015 or 2016
You see, my coma was caused by a rare infection that invaded my body, the majority was in my brain. All other known cases of this, that were similar to mine, have been AIDs patients, who have little to no immune system. When this is found, either in the brain or systemically, the protocol is to put the patient on comfort care and for them to be allowed to die.
I wasn’t an AIDs patient, so my doctors fought for me. I didn’t die.
I’m still in a lot of therapy. However, I live on my own, I take care of all my own paperwork, I care for my boxer, manage appointments (average around 10 weekly) etc., I volunteer several days a week, I have good relationships with friends and family, I actively participate in church and social communities.
What I hear, when I read your comments is that I don’t deserve to be alive, that I shouldn’t have been given that opportunity, the life sustaining machines should have been turned off, or someone should have overdosed me so I could die.
To me this is heartbreaking."
My sister was in a car accident when she was 16. She was in a coma 3 months. She now lives with me and we both are old. The mental problems are the hardest to deal with.
Firstly, I’m sorry for the great pains & difficulties you and your sister have faced over the years since her accident at such an awfully young age.
Many families and loved ones frequently say that the personality changes are the most difficult challenge to deal with. Physically your loved one is still there.
But often their personality is just..or significantly changed.
The frontal lobe of course as you well know is responsible for personality, but also impulsiveness, executive functioning (Multistep/complex tasks), and emotional regulation- particularly anger.
Sustaining a moderate to severe brain injury significantly increases the likelihood that a person will develop dementia/dementia like conditions later in life- and often at a younger age than dementia typically emerges.
If you’re noticing a decline in your sisters existing mental cognition, having her assessed for dementia or any emerging medical conditions (sometimes it’s just a UTI!) is helpful.
Do you have much by way of professional support? I don’t know which country you live in.
When someone has been a carer for a long time like you have, they often say _I’ve always looked after them, now shouldn’t be any different/she only knows life with me_ but it’s important to recognise; as your sister ages, so do you.
We don’t have the same level of fitness, ability, and health that we did in years prior.
And even if we did.
Emotionally, spiritually? We get _exhausted_ as carers. Exhausted to our _soul_ .
Life and circumstances change. Sometimes we just recognise it’s time that we get to live our lives for us.
Just getting home help we will often feel we’re abandoning our loved one (and they’ll often tell us just as much!!), nevermind anything else.
But there are _so_ many ways to care for someone, and sometimes isn’t doing their day to day physical care but rather, enriching their lives & wellbeing with outings and trips, holidays and experiences, bonding ventures…everything we don’t have time or energy for when doing daily care.
All this is to say- I recognise that being there for, supporting/assisting, and caring for your beloved sister has been your life’s work.
But I do encourage you to consider what emerging care your sister requires as she ages, and what care you are realistically able to provide- and fives your own aging, if you feel you’re still best positioned to provide your sister with daily _survival_ care, the base of the cake, or if you’re best positioned to provide your sisters _life and living_ care- the cream and chocolate icing, candles, sprinkles, and edible glitter.
And of course asking yourself- if a magic wand was waved and your sister didn’t require care or support, what would you love to be doing?? What does your heart dream of?
Sending my strength and love to yourself and your sister ❤
Oh and also- if you’re not already, depending on your sisters age, it could be helpful for you to consult with a geriatrician.
Also, a neurologist who specialises in aging brain injury survivors.
And you may also find it helpful to connect with the Brain Injury Association Of America (assuming you are American.) but even if you are not they have some great resources on their website about healthy aging with traumatic brain injury survivors, & can offer many different recommendations, resources, and support.
Much love to you both
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Do you have someone who can take over if you can't do it anymore or if there's an emergency? Or someone who can place her in a board and care home?
Thank you for your lifelong care, it’s a real service to society not just your sister
@@ScoobyDoozyI just need to say....wow! You are absolutely amazing ❤ your sincerity, concern, and compassion is soul satisfying. As a mental health clinician (QMHPA-C), who has worked closely for years with severe TBI clients, as well a special Ed teacher prior, and eventually...a mild/moderate TBI survivor myself....your information is so spot on and beneficial. Supportive but honest, hard to hear advice is not always easily given and you spoke in such a way which made it easy to be receptive. My rescue dog was there for me through addiction, recovery, suicide attempts and the most unimaginable darkest times of my life... yesterday morning he passed away in my arms and I'm devastated. Today is my first day in almost 10 years home alone without him being my constant shadow so I always had my comfort companion. I'm hurting very much today. I know your words we're not about that situation however there is something about your compassionate and genuine advice that I provided comfort for my heartbreak as well. So thank you for your time and effort. ❤
Traumatic brain injury survivor here. It happened when I was 14. I was struck by a line drive while pitching softball during gym class. My skull was fractured and I had a blood clot between my brain and skull. When I arrived at the hospital, I had to have surgery done immediately to remove bleeding on my brain. Life has been rough. Now that I'm in my 40's, I feel like everything is getting worse and nobody understands. Thank you Mr. Hoffman for bringing light to this by creating this excellent film. Take care kind sir and I want to wish you all the best!
You are welcome and they send you my wishes for the best of good times for you.
David Hoffman filmmaker
I feel badly nobody understands. Some medical issues have long term consequences. I had a friend with post-polio syndrome. He had no residual paralysis, just a limping gate but he had other problems not visually obvious. He had such a hard time because polio is not so common any more and no one understood he was suffering the lingering effects. I hope people become more enlightened and you get some understanding.
Big Dummy ( I love that user name😅) I hope this finds you doing and feeling better. Just wanted to drop a line of encouragement, and let you know you're in my prayers. Take care and remember to smile and be proud of yourself! ✝️🙏❤️💯
@@gabrielwatson7721 Hello Gabriel. I really appreciate your kind comment. That was very nice of you to take time to write an uplifting comment to a total stranger. Well, I'm doing good. There are many things that could be better, but it is what it is. Lately, I'm trying to count my blessing's and stay optimistic. It's easier said than done, but I don't want to give in to negativity. I hope you and yours are doing great. Thanks again and I will also keep you in my prayers. Take care and I want to wish you all the best!
😎🙏💯
I love you sweetheart. I will be saying a daily prayer for you. Hang in there hun. Breaks my heart how you have had to struggle in life. Many prayers going up for you. Hugs
Truly horrible to see young people in that kind of state. But it should remind us all of how precious our life is and how quickly it could be over or destroyed.
It's horrible to see ANYONE in that state.
Perhaps remind us why we must be careful in securing seat belts, and careful defensive driving. Closed traumas are challenging for all involved especially the patient. Closed head, closed chest or closed abdomen. Blunt force trauma can be the invisible damage that causes pressure inside these closed cavities in the body causing damage bleeding or other injuries. Also remind us why we need a universal healthcare system in America.
We all should be wearing helmets in cars. Driving is so very dangerous.
I have a TBI and what Debbie's mom is doing, constantly talking to and questioning her repeatedly while Debbie is trying to focus on something or a task is the worse thing someone can do. It's already the biggest struggle to get through a thought and having someone constantly in your ear is so frustrating because now you're having to work 50 times harder to keep your thought and it puts so much strain on you.
Agreed! I think it would be a lot better if Deb's mom would help her "find the right answer".( provide cues, clues, etc). Also don't be so critical. Instead praise what she does right and help her by showing her how to fix what she does wrong. (eg. start a task, then see if she knows the next step. If not, show her)
Agreed. It was very frustrating to watch.
Her mother seemed critical and agressive…….who needs that……
Debbie's mom was so annoying!
Yeah, just from that clip at the laundromat I wonder how much her mother's overbearing nitpicking is actually hindering her ability to recover...
Could not imagine that day after day on top of her recovery journey.
I was in a coma. Eyes closed. But could SEE and HEAR everything! As if I was wide awake. I was upset that everyone was ignoring me even when I yelled for them to talk to me. Its like being trapped in an invisible box. The worst part was them talking about my dead husband and thought I couldn’t hear anything. I mourned his death screaming and crying while No one held me because they couldn’t hear me. 😮😢 I came out of the coma. Everyone was shocked I knew every bit of what they said, what they wore, and even the color of flowers in the room.
Not everyone in a coma is asleep. Most of them are awake and conscious of everything you say and do.
How could you know the colors of the flowers. Were you able to open your eyes for some seconds or something
@@lorriecarrel9962 somehow spiritually I could see and hear everything. I was in my body tho, looking thru my eyes and speaking with my mouth. I could even hear my voice with my ears, but my body wouldn’t move and I quickly realized NO One could hear me crying or speaking. It’s HORRIBLE! Luckily for me was only a few days. Some ppl have had this happen for years. A gentlemen on youtube was like this for 16 years! Spirit is the only explanation I can come up with!
Maybe this happens to many comas but they don’t remember it when they wake up?
Oh my goodness, you lived through a nightmare! I'm glad it didn't last long but it probably felt like an eternity for you. I'm so sorry you had to go through that.
Not most dear.
As a person who survived multiple brain injuries I can feel for Deb when she wants to focus on something without being spoken to or distracted from doing her task.
Her mom was a bit controlling but I understand she meant well.
Her mother is emotionally involved and that can sometimes interfere when caring for a loved one. Maybe it would be best to leave the therapy part to the professionals and just let the mother and daughter relax and be friends. It is like a husband teaching his wife to drive a car. In the end the wife has to take lessons from a driving school because her husband doesn't have the patience. I am talking from experience.
I found Debbie's mother to be just awful, impatient, overtalking, condesending and belittling. Awful how she speaks to Debbie at times. Very nasty, spiteful, mocking, accusational, demanding in the wrong way, interfering, bossy and aggressive. Unhelpful putting down behaviour from Debbie's mother. I hope the awful family of Nancy never got their wish to end her life. The way Nancy's husband spoke about her was thoroughly disgusting as if Nancy were nothing/worthless.
Such a vile horrible horrible horrible cold man. Her parents equally vile and cold. They just wanted her gone, it was nothing really to do with her being unresponsive. They just wanted her gone because she didn't fit into their lifestyle because she wasn't deemed beautiful/ perfect/of value and worth anymore. They couldn't possibly have somebody alive in their lives disabled/with tbi/disability bringing them embarrassed and shame. That's why they wanted her gone, because she might have woken up I'm being brain damaged and that would embarrass them and cause shame, gossip etc, and they didn't want that inconvenience and the way they spoke about Nancy was as if she were just an inconvenience and nothing more. Not their daughter, not his wife and mother of hers and his child sadly unborn, deceased in utero. That Family made me sick with anger the way they spoke about Nancy them so unwilling to give her chance.
The problem is the mum, not Debbie but everybody focused on Debbie because she had the brain injury. Some people are more troubled and are considered “normal”.
Around 1980 a 14 year old boy in the high school I went to either fell, or was pushed over the railing on the third floor and fell straight down to the basement where the cafeterias were. I can’t imagine the pain he felt when he hit the concrete floor. His head broke the floor. He was in a coma for awhile but eventually came out of it. He couldn’t communicate and was put in an institution. He died ten years later. To not be able to tell someone your in pain, scared, thirsty, hungry, cold, etc. is heartbreaking.
so sad.
David Hoffman Filmmaker
In 2005, I was 25 years old and I worked in a long term care facility. 3 of my residents were my age. One was there because he overdosed on drugs, another resident was hit in her vehicle by an 18 wheeler truck, and the 3rd was playing around with her friends riding on the outside of a vehicle she fell off and her head hit a curb. It shocked me to see such young adults in a facility for the rest of their lives. They wanted so bad to be free to live again.
Kathleen and her boss' ability to interpret for Patty is so incredibly beautiful. The patience and love it takes to learn how to understand that is stunning.
Been feeling real depressed lately even though I’m physically whole and healthy. This made me cry. This documentary is very sobering and is an incredible way to put life into perspective. I feel a lot of gratitude for my life right now.
I watch things like this for the same reason it's a good reality check. Hope you're feeling better 😊
Hey Angela...hold on
I feel lucky to have a brain that still works after all the things that have happened to me.
The documentaries help to snap me out of my sorrowful state that I wonder in sometimes.
that's awful to look into documentaries like this to feel better about your life. What about those people going thru it reading comments like yours on here that their lives are good for other people to feel like "we ain't so fdup after all" I mean, keep on watching and if it makes you feel better about your life then good. My point is, don't say it.
My son suffered TBI at 20 yrs. old. He was working construction and he fell 10' head first onto a concrete basement floor. Nothing can prepare you for the call that you're son is being life-lifted to a trauma center, this one being in Boston. He was in coma for 3 weeks with a subarachnoid hemorrhage, cerebral edema, 4 skull fractures, fractured neck and back discs, the whole nine. His recovery was very slow but he regained so much of "himself" that he was able to find work, be productive, and have his own place. He's totally deaf in one ear and has partial hearing in the other. He has no sense of smell, and he lives with skull numbing migraines, emotional problems, and general pain every day. But my god, he has come so far! When he got hurt, he'd lost control of his bowels . When he began to get better, he told me" Mom, I don't want to be known as the kid who shits and pisses himself". Dignity has so very much to do with all of this and he worked so hard to regain control over these functions.. My heart goes out to all people who have suffered TBI and to their families. It's life changing for everyone. I feel blessed that my son has come this far!
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thank you for sharing your story. God bless you and your son ❤
I would not want to live this way.
I'm a speech-language pathologist whose Master's thesis was on traumatic brain injury, and I never get desensitized to head-injury patients' struggles or immune to the joy of seeing them make even the smallest of gains.
What does your profession have to do with it? No one gives a s*** what you do for a living.
Joshua, I hope you stop being such a dick someday.
Nakidz. May God bless you for your beautiful great work and care.
@@joshuabranson74 what a douche!
This is harder to deal with than death. I couldn't imagine seeing a loved one in this state..
My friends know what they must do if this happens to me.
@@Hvnzangl819 Sorry Darcie that you lost your son.. Such pain ... only a Mother could know.
agree, its awful
I kind of wish that after my stroke and coming back to reality, that I never left that childlike state....
My family always stayed positive and happy in front of me, but when I started to come back to reality they started to treat me like shit as before.
They say I'm capably smart enough to do chores and take care of myself, but I'm not smart enough to be allowed to do activities that are fun to me because they say it's too dangerously risky. 😡🖕🏽
@@mattdemo6387 I know I'm late but you're gonna be okay.
I was in a head-on accident on 01-01-94 and received a TBI. I had to learn everything all over again. It was a VERY long road and still have severe memory problems, nerve, sleeping and pain disorders as well as PTSD. I feel for anyone that has gone through it.
I have the same thing. Mine was in 2000
I think of people who are struggling and ask the Lord to give them strength it’s been rough for those with disabilities I struggle to but not so bad. I try to keep everyone in prayer.
So do I... I was in accident... I've got TBI..
I have had some major accidents or incidents that could have caused TBI but I have just been lucky in all of them. I was even run over by a truck and I have fallen very hard backwards off a shelf onto a cement floor. I am lucky I still have all my faculties.
Perché non c'è più la traduzione?
I had a brain aneurysm a few years back. Should've killed me, but here I am. I went to rehab with other brain injury survivors. It really made me see how lucky I was.
For all those who are saying, that these people should be removed from vital life support or be outright euthanized, you are speaking to me personally. It is difficult to read your comments.
I was in a coma for 5 years. Since coming back in 2020 (yes, that was a lovely time to come back to the real world), I have been constantly in therapy: physical, occupational, speech (which is all about retraining the brain cognitively) and psychological.
I’m legally blind, I use a white cane and a support cane due to severe balance issues.
Because the cause of my brain injury is so rare, to the best of my neurological teams knowledge, there are no other cases that look like my case. If they had followed protocol, they would have allowed me to die. I likely would have died in 2015 or 2016
You see, my coma was caused by a rare infection that invaded my body, the majority was in my brain. All other known cases of this, that were similar to mine, have been AIDs patients, who have little to no immune system. When this is found, either in the brain or systemically, the protocol is to put the patient on comfort care and for them to be allowed to die.
I wasn’t an AIDs patient, so my doctors fought for me. I didn’t die.
I’m still in a lot of therapy. However, I live on my own, I take care of all my own paperwork, I care for my boxer, manage appointments (average around 10 weekly) etc., I volunteer several days a week, I have good relationships with friends and family, I actively participate in church and social communities.
What I hear, when I read your comments is that I don’t deserve to be alive, that I shouldn’t have been given that opportunity, the life sustaining machines should have been turned off, or someone should have overdosed me so I could die.
To me this is heartbreaking.
I'm glad you got the chance to survive. I only had a mild brain injury. I know you've had a difficult time. See you in heaven!
@@sharonspencer2312 thanks! I hope you are recovering well too! Even a mild brain injury can have major impacts!
I'm glad and happy you both are here 😊 my son was in a near fatal car accident he died 3 times and coma 20 days. He struggles people take advantage of him. He tells me he never wanted to come back he remembers meeting Jesus. My son is amazing I love both of my son's very much 😊
@@sharonspencer2312 please don’t minimize what you’ve been through, we all have our own journey. Yes! If I don’t get the pleasure of meeting you on this side, I’ll see you there!
They are just ignorant Amanda!
Life is precious!
We only get one and i am glad people fought for you!
i feel sorry for both the people that get given up on and also the people that give up as they feel someone would be better off not here.
My cousin was in a RTA one week ago.
An amazing guy with a massive smile- he was always smiling and brings so much joy to everyone!
In that collision, he sustained a Diffuse Axomal Injury grade 3 and was brought to hospital in a coma which he has not yet awoken from.
The physical prognosis is grim, but our God is a miracle worker and we're praying he will bring him back to us!
Even if he's in a diminished capacity he will bring joy to the world and we will still love to have him however he comes!
Life is a miracle!
I'm glad you got another chance!
The part where Debbie was trying to figure out the words with the therapist was fascinating. My mom had to have brain surgery to correct an aneurysm and afterwards she had a similar problem. She'd think very hard of the word she wanted to say then eventually say the totally wrong word. Luckily it only lasted a couple days. Brain injuries are terrifying.
It reminded me of apraxia. My son has it, and when he was little, he explained that he could be thinking "pretty" for example, but "beautiful" would come out.
I went down a flight of stairs, and bled from 4 quadrants of my brain, was in a coma for a month. My family had me in a facility for a bit. Then the "lights came back on." I work, I can walk, I'm a lucky man.
This documentary raises awareness of how a simple hit or a hard one to your head could leave you disabled and shows us that something you have never thought it could be lost could be in a blink of an eye and could change your life forever.
The ability to appreciate this beautiful life is unfortunately oft taken for granted.
This reminds me how lucky I am to have come out unscathed after multiple head hits over the year. Multiple times feeling blood taste after hitting the head onto school floor in horseplay, never having alerted my parents about it, and having gotten an accidental hit with a baseball bat when we all played unsupervised without helmets. This video is important as it can inform city planners, teachers and parents how to talk to children about head hits, whether or not they're resulting in an injury. Slick floors should have no place in schools.
What an incredible woman Patty is to have completed her rehabilitation and the gentleman was able to give her a job as a social worker. God bless her!
Deb was SO over it at the Laundromat lol. Funny how even with brain injury, we all can't help but feel exasperated dealing with our overbearing mothers lmao
Real! 12:46
As a mother of a child in a similar condition I can relate to her mom. When your child almost dies and comes back to live a life that’s dramatically different, it’s hard not to be overbearing. But you are right it still annoys our kids😂
@@Plum_birdserious question here. (My older sister had a stroke and is very similar to Deb in this, 8 months ago) if you're comfortable answering. Is the condition due to an event or something that has always been there? I ask because, well our mom wasn't the best or most present mom growing up, and she definitely didn't really give any mom vibes throughout any of it..
I'm wondering if it was due to an event, if you were an involved and active in their life kind of mom. Our mom wasn't, so to think of her being all mama bear is so foreign of an idea..
I honestly have no idea if I am making any sense
I don’t have a major brain injury but her mom would get a similar response from me. Deborah
I had a car accident when I was 18 and was in a coma for a while-few weeks I think. My Mom always said 2 months but I don't think it was that long. I have no memory of the coma, hospital, and very few of the rehab center. Watching this video makes me realize how fortunate I was, and still am. My Mom would always tell people the story about when I came out of the coma, I thought I was a horse and then a football player. I guess it was pretty bad in the beginning but I recovered fairly well. Am I 100%? No, but still very fortunate. I'm 52 now and though I do still have some issues, I am doing pretty good. Just know that there is hope!
Debbie is amazing how she still can still joke and laugh and did not give up when she went to the canteen shows how powerful the brain is .. determination can make you do things you think you couldn’t do .
I literally just woke up from a coma a few months ago. A lady cut in front of me on my motorcycle and I smacked my bare head off her car at 55. Somehow I proved all the doctors wrong they didn't predict me ever regaining consciousness. Somehow I woke up and was still bilingual! This documentary is insane for me to watch because this should of been me.
Yikes. I am glad you are okay.
David Hoffman filmmaker
@@DavidHoffmanFilmmaker thank you! This was a very emotional documentary for me.
I am so glad you are okay. Be well and best wishes
Why weren’t you wearing a helmet??
There is a reason they are called donor cycles.
Incredibly bad decision.
Genuine question, what was your stance on helmets before and after the accident? I'm not passing judgement at all. I'm genuinely curious
I was in a car accident Feb 2, 2001. I was 32 years old, married and had 3 kids. My heart stopped twice, my spleen had to be removed, my liver was severely lacerated and had to be repaired, I had a head injury, I have a c-5/c-6 spinal cord injury, was on a ventilator and spent 2 weeks in a coma. The Drs told my family was told that if I survived I would be severely brain damaged and would never walk again. My mother said that while in the coma it looked as though I was crying out in pain saying Mommy. She couldn't take it and said if it had been up to her she would have pulled the plug. My husband said he would have kept up with everything until the Drs said there was no hope. While in the coma I only have 3 memories but I know I was aware of things because I would react when my youngest son would come in the room (the whole thing is a long story). I spent two weeks in a coma, 5 weeks in ICU, 5 weeks in an interim hospital getting physical and occupational therapy and being treated for MRSA (in my lungs) and C-Diff. After this I spent 3 months at Craig Hospital in Denver where they taught me how to live from a power wheelchair. I ended up in Oregon and spent 2 weeks at a hospital there where I was taught to bath and dress myself and how to walk again! In God's great mercy I survived and got to see my kids grow up and now be a grandmother to my 6 grandchildren. It breaks my heart to hear these people who want to remove feeding tubes or ventilators. They say there is nothing inside but the truth is they don't know. When this Dr talks about how we have evolved that is the problem. When we think of ourselves as evolved animals what value does life really have? But when we see ourselves rightly, that we are made in the image of God we see we have great value. Life is not ours to take, the Lord will take it when He has ordained it
Amazing life experience.
David Hoffman Filmmaker
Quite an amazing story. May God bless you. ❤
I love this! Needed to hear a story like this right now.
Thank you for sharing. I had a massive stroke 3 years ago, i was in a coma for 2 weeks aand was in the hospital fpr about a month then transfered to an intensive rehabilitation center. I couldnt eat, talk walk or use my left arm. I was told they would be lifelong disabilities but I refused to accept that. My church family has prayed for me. Now, I can eat and talk and my cognitive function has greatly improved. I can compensatorily walk with a cane but still have no arm function. I still di home exercises and believe that I eould still reciver completely. Im 57 yeats old and I won't accept that I would live woth these disabilities until I die. No. My God is a miracle working Hod :). Ypur story was very encouraging.
That lady can understand every word that Patty is saying.
That's called Love.
Incredibly difficult to watch, but incredibly important to see.
Especially for those who deny it, a simply hit could make you disabled, what about a severe one? This films tells it all!
True.
I can’t imagine the emotional and mental energy it takes to care for a loved one who has brain damage. It’s no wonder so many are in care facilities
I’ve worked as a care assistant in several brain injuries facilities and it’s never been easy for me either, it can be very depressing
Terry Shiavo lived in a vegetative state for 15 years until her husband finally was able to have her feeding tube removed. He and her family battled in the court for years. Her family mistook the reflex expressions and movements as awareness but CT scans showed that her brain matter had actually liquified. Terry suffered a brain aneurysm in 1990 at the age of 25. She had previously discussed her wishes with her husband, confirming she would never want to be left in such a state. There must be quality to life as well as quantity of years. We recognize that when it comes to our pets. Why not understand that it is the same for human beings?
Actually Terry went into cardiac arrest because her potassium level was too low - as I remember when I’d had the opportunity to talk with Michael her husband, my colleague, he told me she had been dieting.
There is a case of severe hydroencephalitus where a math professor in England has 125IQ and only a thin film of brain tissue on the surface inside his skull. Brain tissue is not the whole story.
@@michellemartinov6267 you are correct, she had an eating disorder. She suffered a cardiac disrythmic event that caused a lack of blood flow to her brain that resulted in the brain injury once she was resuscitated. Her other family should have never been able to show case her on TV the way they did. The facility where she was at should have never allowed that because the patient or her husband didn’t consent to that…absolutely disrespectful and a total HIPPAA violation. Rules and regulations may be different in the location she lived in, but where I live a health facility can’t even photograph a patient for private records without consent let alone allow patients to be filmed and broadcasted on TV.
@@shannonspage9360HIPPA wasn’t a thing then! I remember people telling others AIDS results calling family members telling them. Before you could call and get information on people in the hospital with no privacy or protection. Glad for laws to protect privacy.
@@chadkline4268 that doesn't mean terri had any awareness in her vegetative state.
i was born in 1984 with hydrocephalus on the right side of my brain and a lvl 4 blood hemorraghe on the left side of my brain, my birth was a emergency since i was dying, they had to do a c section on my mom and then had to operate a VP shunt surgery on me to relieve that pressure of the blood hemorraghe and hydrocephalus, i think i was in nicu for about 5 months (maybe longer) i was 3 lbs 10 ounces when i was born, the doctors told my mom that i would be severely disabled, mentally retarded, not able to bath, feed, clothe myself or do anything on my own without supervision. it's a miracle that im alive cause of those doctor's quick thinking and actions. im grateful to them for that. im also completely deaf in my left ear and partially deaf in my right ear. i try to live life the best i can everyday.
Keep living. It is fascinating to be alive is it not?
David Hoffman filmmaker
I spent 29 years working as a firefighter and paramedic. I lost count of how many patients I attended to that had suffered severe head injuries. A lot though. I also responded often to skilled nursing facility’s that housed the “survivors” of these injuries. I had a duty to act to save life and at times go through the motions of treatment as the patient is assuredly going to die. At times I felt as if I was doing a disservice to the patient by aggressively working to save them when their life as they knew it is over. Nonetheless I did my job and had to leave the outcomes to GOD.
Yes, you had to do your job. Otherwise you could be making decisions that could put you in prison.
Thank you
Thank you for your service. I can’t imagine it would be an easy choice when acting as a first responder.
I was in a coma from a head injury from a 2001 car accident, last year I noticed a decline in my ability to remember things and decided to try hyperbaric oxygen therapy after hearing a Joe Namath interview, I did 40 sessions and even though it was expensive, my memory has been restored.
Legendary Broadway Joe even helps with memory loss! Glad to hear that your memory was restored.
Anne S I have watched his interviews where he speaks about that as well. He also told the story on Howard Stern. I gotta say, Joe Namath really seems like a solid guy and I enjoy listening to him speak. He seems to have put great effort into straighten out his problems and being a good family man. That is really cool to hear your story about this topic that has stuck with me since I heard him speak about it. Also glad that it worked for you and you got success from it.
@@82camino96 It also just made me feel better all over, which was a added plus;)
Anne, how expensive? I have a family member that I think could be helped by hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Hi Anne, i can totally see how oxygen may have helped you. Neurogenesis exists, new neurons do grow contrary to popular belief. I'm very happy for you, God Bless.
im really frustrated for debbie. as someone with a learning disability i know how it feels to have someone constantly handhold you and talk in your ear when you're focusing hard on doing something independently
My sister had an aneurysm rupture about 18 hours ago. She's known she had them for years after tests taken when she was pregnant. She had several opportunities to get them coiled for free and declined because of some people on TH-cam who said there were too many complications. She's still alive but unresponsive and on a ventilator. If her boyfriend hadn't been there she would have died and her son would have been there all alone in their house. She refused to make a will so we don't know exactly who is getting her 3 year old if she doesn't wake up. She's 32. Get. Them. Taken. Care. Of.
Did your sister survive?
I need an update please
I am also here for the update. I hope nothing but good for your family.
So the bf is not daddy and daddy is AWOL?
How is your sister?
Seeing this documentary, I'm grateful to be healty. It's really challenging to live in conditions like that. I wish us all the best
I think Deb was trying her best in putting her clothes in the washing machine-if the clothes get stained that’s ok. It is obvious that Deb was getting annoyed & anxious about her mothers suggestions. Take her being able to wash clothes as a great thing.
My mother had a major stroke at 47 years of age. I was 17 years old.
She is paralysed, partly blind and deaf on right side and has slurred speech.
I became her and my younger siblings full time carer. My father left.
It was very difficult going from being cared for, reliant on her. In an instant I had to be the guardian and provider overnight. The dynamic when she came home was most difficult part. I thought I could put her in charge but she wasn't able to make decisions or make plans. It was a tough pill to swallow.
But I struggled alone, lost all my school friends. But that's what it means to be family.
Extended family to me to put her in a home and go live my life. I was so angry and disgusted by them.
I could never do that to the only person who had my back and loved me.
But I understand how hard it is to care for someone, I can understand why people would.
Now she has early onset dementia (60 years of age) and has become violent. My younger brother took over her care. But we all agree that once we are burnt out or her behaviour becomes more dangerous we may have to put her in care.
That is very sad indeed.
David Hoffman filmmaker
I also had a stroke at 49... my adult sons have a hard time because I am incredibly impulsive, my personality has changed so much. I embarrass them because I say horrible things to people in public. I try not to, but my right frontal lobe has been affected.
@@melodioushaste yes I can emphasise with your sons. My mother does the same. She also has slow reaction time. Her personality really changed. My sister when younger would say mum isn't the same anymore.
It must be frustrating and embarrassing. But it can't be helped.
@@melodioushaste I couldn't read your last comment
Im glad people understand what patti says, she seems lovely..shes very lucky to have such a nice family.
I read an outstanding book about a woman that was unable to communicate after being in a coma for 7 month following a stroke, and it took her surroundings 20 years to realize that she was absolutely aware of everything around her, she wrote about her experience:
Julia Tavalaro
"I look up for yes"
One of the best boks I have ever read.
i love debbies laugh . especially when shes nameing food items you can tell she is trying SO HARD this is the second time ive watched this and it makes me both sad and happy ,they should show this in schools to prevent drunk driving
no they really should. i’m in high school and this has really cemented never drinking and driving
In 1994, when my mother was very pregnant with me and my twin, my dad got hit by a driver who was on heavy drugs (I don't remember which one in particular, it doesn't really matter to the story). She ran a red and t-boned his smaller car. His seatbelt snapped and his collar bone broke, he was ejected through the side window, and his head hit the road. He was life-flighted to the hospital and was in a coma for 12 days. Amazingly, he was able to recover mentally, aside from chronic vertigo and some tinnitus, and this video reminds me how lucky he was. It's amazing that I still have a dad. I haven't seen him in a while thanks to COVID, I miss hanging out with him, but we text each other regularly. Love that guy.
(No, I have no idea what happened to the lady who hit him, and honestly, I don't care. Prison time, I hope, but I never even think about her, never have.)
I survived brain damage resulting from cancer. The doctors told my parents I would never walk again, form words, eat on my own…
My parents didn’t give up, they went to the teacher store and taught me kindergarten through 12th grade. I was in PT, speech therapy, pretty much all of the therapies. I can tell you that the frustration is real. I went to those specific doctors on the unit where they thought I would not fully recover and they (grown men and women) cried and told my parents that it was a miracle
Good on you Amy.
David Hoffman filmmaker
God bless you, and your family too. ❤
I live in MA, and where I live there's a house that an elderly couple left to the town for a traumatic brain injury rehab to be made. The people there are very nice, and the caregivers who help those who have sustained these injuries are a special type of people.
“The courts are interested in procedure , not the truth.” That was a powerful statement at the end.
When I was three years old I was hit by a car and had a head injury. I had to learn to do everything all over again. Every morning when I wake up I tell myself I’m blessed because I live almost a normal life. I was fortunate.
People don’t comprehend how humans can be so fragile. I had a friend that fell in the subway hit her head and became bedridden with a basil fracture
"Barely escaped the grip of death"? They are living death! if this was me I would not want to have been brought back or saved. I would not choose a life like this for my love one either if the decision was mine. Thankfully, today, they have made many strides in dealing with people suffering from traumatic brain injury. But still, this is my worst nightmare.
It's so amazing the technology we have today my son had a traumatic brain injury they told me he would never walk or talk but I never gave up now hes 21 and able to work at McDonald's he has his struggles but I'm amazed everyday of the milestones with him
I was in a coma for two weeks. In that time I lost the use of my legs. I had to learn to walk again. I was 29 and I was the youngest patient in the nursing home I was in for physical therapy. It was surreal. I felt like I was supposed to be helping the older people. I don't know what happened to me or why I was in the coma. My mom knew all of that but she died a month after I came home. I've had a hard time, but I'm still here.
So as an adult you have access to your medical records. How could you not know KNOW why you were in a coma ? That seems very odd.
I was in a coma for respiratory failure. I also lost the ability to walk, along with my balance and most of my muscle mass. My coma protected my brain from hypoxic injury. My coma was drug induced so I could be intubated and mechanically ventilated. I was in the coma for a month and it took me a year to recover properly both mentally and physically.
@@tixie1895 Did you have a asthma attack? I was in respiratory failure due to a massive asthma attack, conscious upon arrival at hospital but very poorly, became critical and placed into a induced coma ventilated orally. My heart had stopped briefly I found out some time after my coma but had rebooted itself, was expected to survive. Was hypoxic, coma to prevent worsening of it and to also allow body to rest. As despite prognosis of me not surviving and if I did I'd have been requiring round the clock care 24/7 there is always hope. I was aware I was being placed into an induced coma. It was explained to me why very honestly and caringly that I do recall despite me being critical. Last imagine before drifting into coma is of them bagging me.
That was almost 6 years ago now. 3 days into my coma then doing a scan to check lungs/chest they made a shock unexpected discovery to them during that scan of me having biventricular heart failure. Wasn't expected expected to. survive prior to that discovery anyway. Obvs I survived, had to relearn to walk as I couldn't, actually thought upon waking either first or second time that my legs had been amputated as I couldn't feel them, and still so poorly I didn't really care. Must have panicked somewhat as icu nurse rather aggressively threw back blanket to show me my legs. No idea how I communicated what I thought as was intubated still I'm certain. Only knew I even had a voice and could speak because of a icu nurse at some point reminding me to use my voice. Until then I'd had no idea voice, me speaking was a thing, never entered my mind/thoughts. I could barely understand most people anyway, they spoke gobbledygook, in a strange yet familiar accent and way to fast or low and distorted for me to understand most people. Could understand my Mum though when I first saw her whenever that was. I remember being extubated. Couldn't read, write, tell time, couldn't lift my arms to brush my hair or even touch my head at all. Immense muscle wastage, weighed just under 4 stone when finally on a ward out of icu and weighed. Still struggling now, was so poorly at home prior to my hospital admission and being dismissed by gp's/doctors as scans/bloodtests were returning back normal they claimed and because I didn't then look ill like I was slowly dying I waa dismissed/ignored/made out as. a fabricator/liar. Told them I thought it my heart. Was dismissed, told no, told that was nonsense blah blah blah. Ultimately I was indeed correct. Cardiologist told me after coma my body was slowly shutting down, it was my heart, unknown virus/infection causing it. Cardiologist told me I was so poorly I'd have gone sleep one day soon then and never woken up again. He told me the massive asthma attack saved my life despite it killing me. as it ensured the unexpected find of biventricular heart failure was found. No asthma attack set off by the virus/infection/heart failure then it wouldn't have been found and I'd have died. Yet anyone looking at me then who didn't know me just couldn't see at all that I was extremely poorly and dying inside from a unknown virus/infection shutting my body down slowly from the inside. I knew I was dying, could feel it, knew I was critical, but nobody medical was listening. Ended up on my sofa unmoving barely asleep most of the time, weight dropping off me, dying and I no longer cared was so tired, in pain and so ill. You are lucky after a year you were better. Not the situation for me, left with health issues, weakness, memory/cog issues, pain, insomnia, severe asthma, et, ataxia and more. x
I had a TBI in 1983 and was in a coma for two weeks at St Francis Hospital and then I was in patient at The Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific for several months before being released.
To say "moving" is insufficient in describing your film, David. You produced an informative piece providing those involved as much dignity as possible. Thank you. Be a blessing.
i find it so interesting that debbie can’t always find the word she’s looking for until given more context, like how she couldn’t find the word for pepper until given the context of putting it and salt on eggs. the brain is so strange
When I was in high school, an older young man suffered a tbi, but was physically fine. He had been engaged to an older high school girl. She ended up breaking up with him because the brain injury completely changed his personality to the point that he was no longer the same person. He had turned into an angry person. I remember thinking how incredibly sad that was!
Debbie is absolutely adorable and hilarious! I really hope she ended up finding her man. ❤
I find it fascinating that even with brain trauma Debbie still has typical mother daughter relationship her moms irritating her beyond belief at the laundromat and she’s expressing it just like a normal mother daughter relationship
It is a normal mother daughter relationship.
For many years my sons only friend or companion was me.. We learnt friends don't stick around.
I find Debbie delightful. 🥰
@@joprocter4573sounds like you poisoned him against society
I had to turn off watching that and couldnt finish the documentary. She didn't treat her like an adult. My toddlers I treat better when they're learning a new task. Who cares about mixing colors I do it every time I do laundry. I suspect her anal retententive personality is what pushed her mother to get her such aggressive help, though...so a curse AND a blessing.
Never will I forget Karen Quinlan and the impact her story had on us all. The folks that choose to help trauma victims are angels on earth.
I remember a little about Karen Quinlan. After reading your comment I looked her up and read more about her.
@@psychedelicpythonNice that you did that, always good to learn new things. 👍✌
I think what makes this particularly scary is that it can happen to anyone at any time. In a second you can lose your entire future.
@@ray_ayy Agree. Serves as a lesson, a re-minder to live each moment one's best. Thanks!
Similar to Terri Schiavo
David, this is so difficult to watch.
It is truly heartbreaking to see our youth in such a condition. It is very sobering.
I'm a nurse on an inpatient TBI rehab unit in a hospital. I've also worked at a local rehabilitation center for both head injuries and spinal cord injuries. We've come so far when it comes to TBI since this film in terms of therapies and medical advancements yet we're still at the same level when it comes to aftercare and help for these patients when they're released. More funding needs to be available to help those with TBI's. We do see a lot of TBI's from car accidents but the majority of what we've been seeing lately is head injuries from people who are drunk and they fall and hit their heads. You would think I'm talking about young people in their 20's or 30's. No, these are people in their late 50's -70's getting plastered then falling down the stairs and hitting their heads. It's insane how many of these injuries we get from this age group. Most of these people are lifelong alcoholics and it finally caught up to them. Unfortunately, because they're older, their recovery doesn't go as well as someone younger and there is almost always permanent damage.
I lost a leg to cancer when I was 15 back in 1987. I thought what was happening was the worst thing that could happen. I was wrong.
My grandmother suffered a stroke when she was 48 years old and was paralyzed on her right side and had speech difficulties afterwards. She was in a nursing home for the rest of her life before she was even 50 years old. The brain is the one major organ that scientists still are unable to figure out!
Litterally, a creamy piece of some meat and veins, can be a complex intelligence system
Sorry to hear.
My mother had a major stroke at 47 years of age. I was 17 years old.
She was paralysed on her right side, slurred speech and particularly deaf and blind on right side.
I was her and my younger siblings full time carer. My father left.
It's not an easy thing.
I was angry when everyone told me to put my mother in a home. To live my life. I couldn't do that to her. She'd curse me than haught me til the end of time 🤣
It's not easy no matter the choice.
Hopefully she had good care.
These can be such tragic occurrences. Ironically, I watched a recent documentary about a man who was "locked in" and he found love and even got married to a lovely lady. Even though she wasn't locked in nor had any disabilities, she was truly in love with him as he was with her. It's amazing how something beautiful can come out of a tragedy ♥️
Debra is trying so hard to get her life back and her mom really loves, cares and is devoted to her. I think that it’s nice she assists her and is so patient and has realistic goals. I hope that things turned out well for her. That is a mom’s love for her daughter.
I had a bad head injury when I was younger cracked my skull and had internal bleeding in the brain I’m lucky to be alive and normal seeing this makes me appreciate what I have
Stories like this makes me appreciate my health.
This was horrible to watch. I never seen anything as sad and depressing. These poor families and their children hurt like this. I never realized how many people are in this shape. Bless them all. I’m so sorry for every one of them.
They should show this video in every school, I am sure it will impact everyone.
Patti was so inspiring. I’d love to know how her life progressed.
Same here! I pray she is still being awesome.
Patti incredible.
My brain damage could be worse. I escaped total disaster. I was hit by a car that was traveling 60 mph while walking. I was told that was the speed of the car. Also I was told that upon impact I went up in the air about 15 feet. And landed on
My side. On the road. I don't remember anything about the accident. All I know is that I had to relearn how to walk. 2 months later. I can walk kinda like before. But I still feel wobbly. I'm lucky to have just feeling wobbly wrong with me. I escaped total mental disaster.
My baby sister was in a car accident at 19. She was in a coma for 8 months but we were told that by 2 years after the accident would be the most she would recover. She has a spastic walk and sounds just like the girl that was proud of how she walked and had a job. My sister has been unable to work or live on her own. Since my parents have passed, she lives with another of my sisters. I have raised my kids knowing if my siblings can’t or get too old, the must look after her as she will never go into a long term facility ever
Do you think That's fair to them? They may never be able to get married if they're stuck with her. Why should your children be burdened with your sister just because of what your sister wants? My grandparents saved their money and never demanded my father or my uncle take care of their retarded daughter, who has to be dressed and bathed and probably can't even be left alone. They wouldn't have been able to afford a caretaker for her while they worked. She was fine in her board and care home.
@@SFVnative I’ve often thought about this kind of thing because I grew up with a friend who has a severely autistic nonverbal sister with developmental delay who needs round the clock care and can’t be left alone. She put it bluntly to me one day ‘oh if I didn’t agree to take care of her they were going to cut me out of the will’. I thought that was pretty harsh, being a caregiver is incredibly hard work. You’d actually disinherit your child because they didn’t agree to take on an incredible lifelong responsibility like that?
Her sister doesn’t have any health issues and will likely have a normal lifespan, as they get older she’ll become harder to manage physically. She becomes violent at times and throws stuff, she’s very strong. Not everyone is capable of caregiving for a severely disabled family member and nobody should be shamed for that.
Thank you Mr David H.
As a person who survived a TBI I have found your film helpful.
I hope it will continue to help others.
Mr.Hoffman I hope I dont have PTSD tonight this ain't easy to watch.I had a issue broke my skull,orbital, severed my temple artery bleed out twice that night and many busted bones. I got lucky it's a long story but I will tell you guys this it made me realize how fast life can change God knows I did.So what im.getting at appreciate your family and friends and tell them you LOVE them because you just never know just how fast life can change.I know its cliche just appreciate every day .
Personally, if this happened to me, I wouldn’t to live as a shell of my former self. However, to see how strong these people are gives me hope and the will to cherish life, no matter the situation.
My dad was 83 when he had a horrific stroke, which initially destroyed half of his brain. The doctor let us know that the subsequent swelling would continue to cause more destruction, to the point that he would be completely dependent on technology to sustain life. Dad had made it very clear to all of us that he did not want to exist on feeding and breathing tubes. When it was clear that he would never regain consciousness, we knew what he would want us to do on his behalf.
Karen Ann Quinlan’s family had said that her body seemed to relax and she appeared to grow more comfortable as they removed the tubes. Withdrawing the tubes can be a blessing.
Amen.
I have made it very clear for my kids that I want them to pull the plug if I ever get in a situation like your dad's. ❤
@@NickanM that’s great. We are still at peace with our decision, because we knew exactly what he wanted, and it was very clear that, given the severity of his brain damage, he would continue to live in a vegetative state. We all deserve to live with dignity.
Okay everyone, this is a reminder to fill out a POLS / Advanced Directive right now. I would never want to be kept alive like this for 30+ years.
let alone having my suffering argued over by my loved ones in court
Fuck You I understand, however you may never know who may actually come thru and return to live an almost completely normal life. ( as I did).
@@franfine2861. If you don't mind me asking, how long were you in a coma for? My brother was in a coma and has severe traumatic brain injury to the left side of his brain😢, but I pray to God he will fully get healed🙏. I've been researching for days while trying to stay optimistic/positive/keeping hope alive.
I had cousin who was in car accident years ago.He fell asleep at the wheel.He was in a coma for sometime...in a rehabilitation center.It was hard to see him like this but i was compelled to go sit with him.He had passed away...and to this day still think of him of course.I never knew anyone in this kind of state..May god be wirh those who are involved in this situation.
A brave and very necessary discussion regarding severe brain damage. Even with the emotional pain and mourning these families have had to endure, they devote their energy to helping others in this situation. It would be very effective to have every driver's ed student, juvenile detention resident and adults arrested for DUI or crimes using weapons be mandated to watch this followed with a discussion.❤😢
Dear friend of mine had lasting damage when he was hit on his bike as a child. It was before we all wore helmets. I always think of him when those dumb things go around Facebook saying how back in the day we did this or that and turned out fine we were so tough. No, we were just very lucky. Not everyone was so lucky. Safety features ARE progress in the right direction.
Debbie’s mother seems very cold and harsh toward her. It was hard to watch Debbie attempting to express herself while her mother interrupts and talks over her. The gentleman helping Debbie identify condiments was so patient and kind. Mom should take a lesson from him.
I agree. At first I thought it was a therapist with high expectations talking to her that way.
I can tell that she loves her very much. I can tell that she wants the best for her and to give her the most happiness. I also think she’s not able to perceive how Debbie feels when she’s having a hard time. Like she seems like the “supportive parent that just doesn’t get it”. But, maybe she does know something we don’t see? Like when she was talking about how Debbie doesn’t feel like she matters because she isn’t what she wants to be. Maybe if her mom was gentler, she would feel belittled. She’s still patient and caring when Debbie becomes overwhelmed but Debbie is working really hard to get better, and probably feels supported with some pressure instead of if her mom was just trying to placate her. Who knows.
Don't judge the Mom. She's doing her best. I know......
If mom has been primary carer no country support them financially. Emotionally.. Socially. Physically.. to be all things to tbi/abi child who can be violent for years following trauma.. Frustration.. Some idea parent in life more than would be normal. Many carers lose their able kids and often spouse by not giving up.. Do not expect same on best recovery.. I found parents who babyfy their survived child just like adhd or other difficulties is holding kid back from best representation of themselves.. That mothers journey has had to be tougher than siberia
I think care and diagnosis has come so much further since this was filmed. Treatments have advanced and education for families and loved ones have increased. Imo.
Thank for making and sharing your film❤ I do want to stress the importance of schools and parents and anyone who cares for or educates children to start teaching them about the extreme danger of drunk/drugged and reckless driving.
How VERY important it is NOT to drive drunk or recklessly, or even to ride with anyone who drives that way. One life, one brain, don't gamble with it for ANY REASON.
Not for fun, not to fit in, not to appear brave or cool, not on a dare, no reason is worth throwing you life or health away.
When I was young I knew I would hate being mangled or disabled from a poor decision so I didn't drive or ride drunk or do other dangerous things....now I can look back on a life where I was able to do many of the things I had wanted to do....but only because I didn't care what other people thought about my choices. You're never too young to value your own and other peoples lives. You may regret some things you do in life, but you won't regret the smart things will you ?!!
I took care of a 30 year old quadriplegic who at 19 drove drunk and hit a tree. He lost the use of most of his body and killed his brother all in the same stupid instant. Being a quadriplegic was very hard for him. There were so many things he never got to do with his life. The guilt and depression he felt ruined what little fun he got to have. A reckless thrill for a moment is not worth this kind of suffering.
I also cared for a quadriplegic who had been a carpenter. He had an accident falling off a second story roof because he didn't wear a safety harness. He didn't have the crippling guilt the other guy had. He did get on with his life and wrote/published a newsletter for organic food co-ops so his life was relatively happy and fulfilling. But he had good insurance and had round the clock care givers in his own home. He still only lived until the age if 52. About 30 years after he got injured. But neither of these guys had gotten a TBI so their struggle was much less complicated. This film should be required watching for all children from 8 yrs. of age through college, and required watching in order to get a driver's license in all 50 states. Love yourselves and each other and be safe as you can.
Hugs, 🌷
Aunty A. 💖
Thank you for making and posting this film. Please don't ever take it down. It was hard to watch and i bet harder to film/edit. Thank you & everyone involved for it.
Our family recently lost a dear and close friend 2 months ago. He was 33 years old. He was in a deep coma for five years. Hope kept us strong and optimistic for a recovery but God lovingly called Roger home on Oct 2, 2033. For anyone going through a loved one in a coma from a brain injury, don’t give up hope. Doctors may say your loved one hasn’t a chance to recover but because the brain is such a complex organ, they truly can’t predict all outcomes. RIP Roger. He put up a great fight until his transition into death. That hope we had truly gave us inspiration and hope for all those brain injured. Thank you Mr Hoffman for this amazing documentary 🙏🏼. Merry Christmas 🎄 to you and your family 🙏🏼💫
Thank you for sharing your friend and your story about him.
Merry Christmas to you and your family as well.
David Hoffman filmmaker
These days, hospitals are keen to unplug you, when you die and come back in a coma state. They told my spouse to unplug me, and that I'd be in a hospital, unable to care for myself. I'm smarter than before. I've taught myself languages, maths, etc. Just have an issue with short term memory, mildly. I started with word searches, easy crossword puzzles, and primary school text books then middle school etc, and moved forward. That helped rewire my brain. Point being, insurance companies prefer you die. My husband-at-the-time snuck me out of the hospital, and took me home. I've perfected many skills since then, and have raised my grandchildren. Edit: In the beginning, I didn't even know i had kids and only recognized my husband. When he brought them to see me, I said, they're mine?! OMG they're so beautiful!! 🥰🕯️
I love Deb she is so funny…❤️
She sees the plate and says Food…You gotta
love her…❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏🌹🌹🌹🌺🌺
Good for the parents who didn't give up on machines. I was in a coma for I don't even know how long. I was told one week. I got some memory back and I had to use a cane at 22. I learned how to walk normally again. I had to move back in with my parents. My mom was in the medical field. I got free care. I got the best care even more that my parents paid for. I remember being back at my parents house. I was able to bathe myself as I loved and still love my daily shower. I got my balance back in a few weeks. I had speech problems for about 2 months. I wasn't allowed out of the house without one of my parents with me. I could babble like a 2 year old. I got better fast. I got speech therapy for a few months. I started to make sense and people other than my parents could understand me. By age 23. I moved back out into another apartment. I got a job in retail. I did well and moved up in pay. I no longer needed roommates. I got a place on my own. Recovery is very possible especially since I'm 20 or so younger than the people who are in this documentary. I grew up in the 80's and 90's. I'm still considered strange and I have ADHD and dyslexia. Maybe I can overcome that, someday. It's been more than a decade since my last serious TBI and I have not been in another coma. I recently had a moderate concussion less than 2 weeks ago. That must be 🧠 injury number 9 for me. 🤷🏻♀️ It's amazing that I'm alive and talking, waking, speaking and able to drive. I think the better the care and the longer parents or a single parent keeps the injured in Recovery is best. It worked for me I could write a book on all the 🧠 injuries I've had. The sad thing is that I still lack legible hand writing so I'll type it up.
Can you please? Amazing story. You must have great personal will too. All the best ❤
Almost 4 months ago my brother
Had a heart attack and as a result have hypoxic brain injuury...
initially he can only open his eyes with limited look around movement..
now
He can move his lips tongue eyebrows elbow,feet finger,shoulder and head ..but very little. And he yawns too
Almost after a month he started breathing on his own... initially was put on a ventilator
..
He was initially having food through NG tube now doctors have inserted through stomach what they say as "peg tube".
He also have tracheostomy tube in the neck
Also mri scans have shown global or severe hypoxic brain injuury
He is only 33
.
he also produce tears in both eyes..
he cannot even control his head ...
...
Right now he is discharge from the hospital and we are caring for at home we are doing physiotherapy ourselves.
To protect him from bed sores
We are changing his position every hour on bed
Thank you for sharing. That is very challenging for you and terrible for your brother.
David Hoffman filmmaker
@@Jessie_Hope p means
Oh Lordy! I won't bitch any longer about having to stay put for a few more months: or more. Mercy.
@True Me WRONG ! I stopped. (Well most of the time anyway.) 😐
When I was around 5 or 6, I stupidly decided to walk along the retaining wall that separated the normal ground from the underground garage entrance. I fell, of course, tumbled down a flight of brick stairs, and slammed head first into the gravel at the bottom, impaling my forehead on a rock. I had to get 13 stitches. I am not sure if I actually would have been considered a TBI sufferer, because it was about 35 years ago. I'm 40 now. I do have some symptoms of it, though. They really didn't have the tech to diagnose such things back then, not well. I didn't go into a coma or anything. I have PTSD, which has very high comorbidity with TBI, and I have memory and concentration problems similar to dementia patients. I'm pretty smart, I mean, I went to college and got a bachelor's degree, but it's little things that are very difficult for me. Finding my keys or purse... remembering what I ate earlier today, or yesterday, remembering the date or what day of the week it is, or even the month. My memory is so foggy that years go by and I just don't form memories the way other people do. I'm very aware that my behavior mimics brain damage in some ways, but I hide it well, and only my family are intimately aware of most of my issues. I have had bad depression since the injury, too. All my life basically. I take a lot of meds and I manage. :)
I am a retired direct care supervisor who had worked with the TBI population for nearly twenty years. I still keep in touch with some of the individuals I assisted and I still look for and love documentaries on the topic. To me, it’s heartbreaking and scary at the same time as I have heard from the individuals themselves about what caused their injuries. You need a lot of patience to work with TBI individuals but most support staff really love what they do from my experience. Their lives were once normal. Some where just at the wrong place at the wrong time. Oblivious. It can happen to any of us at anytime. We take things like fine motor skills and cognitive abilities for granted. 😢
My experience when my heart was stopped for mins was huge euphoria then I could literally feel the electricity in my toes and fingers moving towards my chest. This is when it's crazy so when I could feel it leaving my head. My memories and my being was going with it I could feel it. It's like my being was leaving in the electricity in me. Just as it All Got back to my chest and I was leaving my body, huge sharp pain that literally shocked me back into existence it was painful. Which was the adrenaline shot. Thought I'd share. Stay safe God bless
Nicholas Rourke....This is very interesting to read. If I could ask, when you say your heart was stopped for a few min, was it a heart attack or something else that made you experience this? I’m intrigued by your comment on here.
Absolutely incredible story. As spiritually inclined as I am (I've also had an NDE) I often wonder what it was like when my dearly departed fiance passed on/transitioned due to COVID....I know he's at peace as he was a man of faith but I just miss and loved his earthly presence so much that I still have days where I pray that he felt no discomfort or pain as he embarked on his journey back home.
Good god, this doc had me in chills. Honestly it made me tear up & now I feel just beat as this topic is a very personal part of my life. This just brought me back to a really dark time. I am very glad such docs exist for people to get educated on this very important topic, however I shouldn't watch such things as I lived through the absolute worst of this topic, twice in my life. I truly HOPE no one has to ever experience such things, EVER. Thank you good Sir for creating & sharing such important information.
Locked in syndrome would be a wide awake nightmare.
I had a TBI in 1977 , I was in a deep coma for 14 days. Even today all those years later and after a successful work career it can be exhausting just being normal
I find Debbie to be equally fascinating as she is tragic. I admire her ability to smile through trial and hope she found peace in life 😊
Ed Van Fleet did a beautiful soundtrack! Incredibly powerful especially the piece of music at the end had me in tears, build up of a compelling & very poignant story. A Great work of history David, thank you for sharing it.
This was a very thought-provoking film, albeit terribly sad. Thank you for posting this David.
My dad had a stroke due to high blood pressure and was put into a medical coma and when he was brought out he was left in what is considered a vegetated state, he remained that way for two years until he passed away two days before his birthday, he was 49.
Oh honey, I'm so sorry to hear of the circumstances under which your father passed.
I lost my fiance to COVID when the pandemic first began, and as much as it sears my soul to tread through the uncharted waters of my new reality I couldn't imagine seeing anyone I loved dearly still be here in physicality but otherwise gone.
I am not religious, but I am spiritual.. I've experienced many things far beyond even my own understanding....rest assured we are all made whole no matter what deterioration our physical vessel may suffer, we all retire from this earthly mission inevitability....but even outside of that, he is ALWAYS with you. Love is the closest thing to magic we will ever experience in this physical incarnation and it precedes and transcends this brief but beautiful moment in time that we refer to as "life".
Love, peace and blessings to you and your family. ♥️
My sincere condolences. I'm humbled that I read your testimony here and I wish your family all the best.
Damn I’m so sorry