A brain injury is particularly hard for the person who was hurt and their loved ones as the prognosis is not always readily available. How well a person will recover — and if a full recovery is even possible — really all does depend on the person and how the brain injury occurred.
Take for example the recent case involving a high school football player who ended up suffering from a brain injury during a game. After attempting a tackle, the 16-year-old collapsed on the field and started having a seizure. He was rushed to the hospital.
Once at the hospital, it was anyone’s guess how long it would take for the swelling in his brain to go down. But, much to the surprise of doctors, the swelling went down rather quickly after the right side of his skull was taken off. In less than two weeks, doctors were putting the piece of his skull back in place.
Of course though, he and his family is nowhere near the end of the road. Rather, after being released from the hospital, he is once again under the watchful eye of the medical community as he has a high fever and an infection. He was even recently still feeling too badly to even talk to the local news station.
In looking at a case such as this one, it is important for loved ones to remember that even after being medically cleared to go home after a brain injury, complications can still arise. There may also be cognitive and changes that need to be addressed.
When talking about brain injuries, it is also important to keep in mind that a victim’s life may never go back to normal. In some cases, depending on the accident and the injury, someone may require constant care or ongoing therapy.
In the end, New York City residents need to know that all brain injuries are different and not everyone’s outcome is going to be the same.
Source: CBS Minnesota, “3 Weeks After Severe Brain Injury, Prep Football Player Still Recovering,” John Lauritsen, Sept. 26, 2013
