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My Sister!!!!!
So its been about three months scince my sisters car accident!!! like i said preivously, she is improving. I mentioned the shunt and asked about is nessecity. She had the shunt placement 3 weeks ago and has already had 4 surgerys and the last surgery they removed the shunt due to infection. I know you said that it is like a foreign object in our bodies. My first question to you is, normally would a doctor keep trying to place the shunt? will i eventually just be excepted bye her body? or if it never does what would they do? are there any other options then the ventricle drain, if not would they just leave a drain in forever? We know the doctor is planning on re-inserting the shunt once the infection clears, but we have not discussed, if it doesn't work the next time. Im just wondering cause if it doesnt work, what can they do ? and cant she die if it just doesn't work and her Pressure just rises to high. If a shunt wont work will they just keep on trying and is this issue common? Also i know you said the most recovery occurs in the first 6 months, but recovery can also happen after that. And i know its never the same in any person and you cant really know in advance. But when you say that do you mean, (in the pattern most patients follow) do they never really make to much progress from where they are at six months? becayse my sister can't talk but she has a trach. When they plugged her trach for 3 days she started to say "hi" but then she got the infection so its now plugged again. Im wondering if you think its cause she hae been moing the muscles or because she just doesn't know how to talk. When you asked her she would try but i just cant make out what she was saying. The reason i asked about the 6 months is cause im just wondering if she will ever be able to talk and i know you are not her doctor and you cant really say, but like the reason she dont talk is because she has a trach, she was trying anyways and the reason she cant walk is because she has been tied down for 3 months and know she is loosing muscle. But are those things that could continue to regain after 6 months and are they just like that because she is forced not to be able to do? I know that they are stemming from the TBI but know it seems that they are forced to prevent problems..
Answer:
My Sister!!!!!
Thanks for the update. Sound like your sister is a real fighter. If they can get the infections under control and replace the shunt maybe then they will know just how much she will improve. Also then they may be able to gain some ground with physical therapy etc. Keep us posted and our prayers are with you.
Purple98Lady:smile: