I spoke with my wife's hospitalist who wanted as much info as to how my wife was before I took her to the ER, just two days after confusion and speech problems occured, and other medical info. She wanted to know if my wife was intelligent (yes), independent (yes), and high functioning (yes).
She told me it was good that they got to treat it as soon as they did and that since it was acute symptoms it was better than if it would have taken time to get to her and that they are treating her correctly and will continue to do so.
So she says she expects my wife, who is still confused at times, though much more alert than ever, and speaks to herself or in sentences where only half the words makes sense, to make a "full recovery to where she was before the virus".
So I ask her if I'll she'll be able to talk the way she was and she says that she can't guarantee and that only a specialist, like a infectious disease doctor, could answer that.
What gives? I mean I thought "full recovery" would mean she goes back to the way she was.
Help this doesn't make sense to me at all.
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Dr. says " should recover from before" but speech can't confirm?
- By Anarchy_X
- Posted October 21, 2009 at 9:51 pm · 9 replies
- In Life after encephalitis
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9 replies
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- By WendyStation
- Posted October 22, 2009 at 12:41 am
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Hang in there, Anarchy. In my opinion (survivor, HSE 1999) your wife has months of improvement ahead. No one can predict for certain what targets your wife will reach... but the medical community sound optimistic that she will recover fully.
How old is your wife?
- By WendyStation
- Posted October 22, 2009 at 12:40 pm
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Ah, your wife's youth is a benefit to her recovery.
My heart goes out to you, Anarchy! Hang in, my friend.
- By Anarchy_X
- Posted October 22, 2009 at 12:42 pm
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I'm hanging, just haven;t talked with my wife in over 4 weeks and it's killing me, but I do have hope that maybe it's just delirium that she has and it'll go away soon and she'll be back to me and her life and job that she loves.
Thanks for your support Wendy, believe me it means alot right now. :-)
- By MichelleN
- Posted October 22, 2009 at 8:24 pm
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It took a little while for me to be able to communicate decently, but now I'm better able to communicate to the point that if people don't have a long conversation with me they can't tell I have a problem. It did take some time though, but even around 5 years people say they can still see improvements. You're likely to keep seeing improvements for a long time.
Michelle
- By SickOfBeingSick
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 1:07 am
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Hi Anarchy_X,
I have found that doctor's ideas of what "full recovery" means are not the same as patient's or care giver's ideas of what it means.
Only time will tell.
Cathy
- By one_lil_red_hen
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 3:02 am
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Patience!!!!!!!!! That's all I can say, you'll need lots of patience with your wife and yourself. This wasn't the flu.
This was an inflammation of her brain. I'm sure over time she's going to make improvements.
I'd be interested in what her doctor considers a full recovery. Sometimes what someone says and what you're thinking don't match up.
What's your wife's name, I'd like to pray for her.
You need to be sure to take care of yourself as well.
Hang in there.
~hen
- By jerseagal
- Posted October 23, 2009 at 4:01 pm
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I use the term I am "fully recovered" . That doesn’t mean I am exactly the way I was 6 years ago pre-E.
E has changed me, as has marriage, motherhood, grandparenting, and the recent death of my husband of almost 40 years.
I am the same person but changed.
Since E I am much more patient, I am less emotional. I have mild aphasia, I have hearing issues. I have memory issues, I am much more empathetic to others, I have pride in my tenacity, I have lost many math skills, I have a lust for life and enjoy nature more then ever before, I use a thesaurus because I have trouble retrieving seldom used words. I accept my self-differences as did my family and friends.
I have changed but I have fully recovered my self. I know and love who I am.
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