Talk to him, voice is amazing. And if he is young he should have a good recovery. Medical science has gotten good.

If nothing else, hugs.

he was under heavy sedation at the the time . His wife was talking to him the whole time telling him to wake up...that I was there to see him! Thank you so very much for your caring.
Hard to type when u are crying.
Thank u!

I was in a coma for 4 days from a head injury. I can tell you every one who came to see me because I could identify their voices. My daughter brought the latest Rolling Stone & read it to me. I heard my best friend tell her husband to stop crying because I might hear him. I have no visual memories but I can tell what was said and who said it.

Hugs.

My best to you and him and his wife.

I needed that.
He is my sweetest Nephew.
I love him with all my heart!

I've been amazed sometimes at how resilient human beings can be and how often someone who seemed to be without hope of recovery, surprises everyone including the doctors.

Take care of yourself, and take it day by day, hopefully you will see him slowly recover.

I have a friend who was in a terrible accident after which she was in a coma for two weeks, among other things. When she woke up, she remembered nothing, no one except the guy she was in love with and that she wanted a cigarette. Other than those two things, she had no memory of who she was or her family. Doctors said she would recover somewhat but would most likely be like a child. She was 22.

To make a long story short, her fierce love for her boyfriend drove everything she did. We were sad feeling that there was no hope for that relationship. But, as time went by she slowly 'grew up', it was like watching a child growing, she even went through the teenage stage again, that was hard lol! She is now married to the love of her life and has two beautiful sons. I always believed that it was her love for him who she constantly called for, that made that miracle happen. So there's always hope even when it seems least likely.

As a newbie here....well I had a rough time at first...However I am strong and resilient just like my nephew he will survive .....I will survive.
The power of love can make it happen.
Thank you so much!

are so sad tonight.

Rehab can take a long time but can go further than you imagine. I hope that's the case for your family member. Sending healong DU vibes his way. And maybe comforting ones yours.

Gabby is my hero...thank you!
Mass eye and ear after the 14 day rehab!
Thanks for the DU vibes....it works!

Voices he knows, Audio from the wedding and anything that smells familiar. candle lit for you and yours

Stay strong......as is your husband is doing. Been there and done that. You both need each other. It DOES make a difference to stay strong.

I am single....no husband for support now....tho he wouldn't have been much support anyway!Friends yes and they have been great....but u can only call during decent hours to talk. At DU you can talk the night away.
Thank you all for the help.
I can't tell you what it means to me!

and hopes that all the healing goes well and that this is all over soon.

I love the fact that we are here for each other.

Please keep us in the loop. Sending prayers his and your way.

hugs to you.

someone to share your feelings with. All I can share is a thought for your peace of heart, and I wish you a good rest tonight.

We had a friend who had a traumatic face and brain injury about 9 months ago. He was sawing a Sheet of Plexiglas with a power saw. It buckled and come up and cut his face to pieces, his nose was almost taken off.. It went into his brain and he was in a coma.. They were very worried . It took a few months but he is pretty much back to normal. The plastic surgery on his face was amazing.. He looks so good... Please keep the faith, miracles can and do happen all the time..

So glad your friend made it ok!

I"m certain your love and positive visualization of his face healing will go far to helping him recover quickly.

dark chocolate that is natural is a great quick healing element and I have personally met folks who healed more quickly because of using it..
http://www.enrichgifts.com/Dark-Chocolate-guards-against-brain-injury-s/82.htm

good luck and remember to put your loving hands (or ask his wife) on his head and know that you have healing love and light you can channel to quicken his healing path.

Ten years ago ,my then 15 year old daughter was hit by a car as she walked across the highway...She suffered a TBI ( Traumatic Brain Injury)...It was the hardest tie of my life and her...but here we are 10 years later and she is expecting a baby in March..she is beautiful, loving and healthy...she still has some short term memory issues but has learned to take notes and live her life.....Blessings sheshe2 ......Your friends are lucky to have you in their lives

I hope he gets better soon. Sounds like he's surrounded by people who love him, so that's a good thing.

I've found that it helps to do something creative in times like this. Make something special for him. It doesn't have to be fancy, just something that says, "I'm thinking about you."

A couple of years ago, a good friend's daughter suddenly became very ill, so I threw together a small quilt for her and rushed it to my friend (who lived out of state). It really meant a lot to my friend, and creating it gave me an outlet for my fear, sadness, and pain.

Hugs!

We will keep you in our thoughts. And in our prayers! I posted about the death of my mom one night, about six years ago. It was late. Before I realized it, there were at least a coupla hundred responses, and the comfort, kindness, love, and sympathy were of GREAT help. DU will buoy you up in a time of pain and anguish.

But there may still be a happy ending for them. May every miracle of God, medicine and science help him heal. Your friends at DU are here to support you.

They will understand.

While DU will help, get a real life hug. Even if you have to go tell a stranger, get one on one comfort.

you all are helping me get thru the nite!
Tomorrow have Friends at work that will help....then family and friends after that!
Hey Obxhead....on a lighter note ...met u yesterday at elleng post for Cantor. donated...hope you and elleng rock on tuesday..give her my beast!

Best wishes to your family member and to you!

You came to a good place to share. You have friends here, who care.

Here's hoping for a happy ending!

Heart to you.

I teared up a bit reading your post. I know I'd be sobbing myself if I were in your position. Please shore up your strength and hold onto it until your family member gets better! Then, I know you'll be able to cry tears of joy. I wish you the best.

in my thoughts. I am so sorry and I am sending healing vibes your way.

just let you cry out your sorrow

from total strangers. I am a Newbie here. However we have all come here for a show of support for one man that can heal this Nation.

So I guess it should not surprise me to see the outpouring of compassion from the people here that answered my post. I cannot answer all your posts.

However I thank you all from the bottom of my heart!

are not alone and that healing vibes are being sent to you and your family members. I wish I could do more

When something happens to someone you love we can be overwhelmed by the pain, but even in this, love can serve a purpose. It can help make us a better, stronger, and a more compassionate person. Although the physical presence and being, which we valued and treasured so much, may no longer be there, the being of two spirits melted by love into one soul, will always be. The measure of love is not the good times, it is the bad and difficult times. Love is our lifeboat which enables us to survive the tempests and stormy seas life throws at us.

I would like to share with you the following regarding the ultimate meaning of love. It is something my mother shared with her children when my father passed away. I think it is both inspirational and beautiful. I hope it gives you comfort:
-----
When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you.
Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire,
that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.
All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart,
and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.
But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh,
but not all of your laughter,
and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.
--- Kahlil Gibran, "The Prophet" ---

We must never demand more from love, or any relationship, then merely having experienced it; for they all serve a purpose, although it may not be the one we want. One of my favorite authors, Marianne Williamson, wrote that above every relationship is an angel saying "grow ... grow ... grow." No demands only preferences is the way we should approach any relationship, since only that approach will make it into a love relationship. No matter what is the final chapter written in any love relationship, "It is better to have loved and lost, then to have never loved at all."

Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh,
but not all of your laughter,
and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.

Thank you....this is one of my favorite parts of Gibran's The Prophet. I haven't heard it in a long time!

Ruck up. He needs you to be strong. Grieve and then go help someone.

or his wife getting acknowledgement from him as she shows him the photos you are looking at
It sounds terrible what happened but there is hope and recovery -peace to you
hugs to you

We're here for you...

Sorry. Not buying this. OP has previously posted an attention-fishing thread. This smells similar.

I am angry and mad and so very sad right now. How dare you say that I am posting something illegitimate! You do not know me.
My life just got turned upside down in 24 hours! Who the hell are you to say I smell fishy!
How the hell would you feel if you were told by the police the morning after the wedding that your Nephew( he is the love of my life) fell off a second floor balcony.... we still don't know all the facts he was alone when he fell. Others believe he fell down concrete steps...the logistics don't support the balcony theory.
Who the hell are you? Why do I bother you so much? What have I ever done to you!
You are one insensitive ASSHOLE!

A reminder of how fragile life is. I will say a prayer for him and for you. Peace.

...and I have learned that folks are much tougher than they think. You will get through this I promise. And you will be stronger for it. Take care of yourself, so you are able to help out when needed. One day at a time... Bless your heart. <3

bearable and, in the end, a blessing.

swelling to drop down. Then you can assess and work on rehab. remember, the brain never stops trying to fix itself. I wish you all the very best. Never give up. Never stop trying. Hugs to all of you, honey.

"The brain never stops trying to fix itself." When I was a young teenager, many moons ago (about 30 years, to be exact), I contracted viral encephalitis and nearly died. My brain was damaged in three main areas, leading my doctors to tell my parents I might never recover fully. 30 years later, I am alive and amazingly functional, though in very different ways than I was before my illness. My brain adapted.

My heart is with the OP. I would also tell them to keep hoping, and add my hugs.

It sounds like his wife is loving and hopeful, to be posting wedding pictures under the circumstances. Her love, and the love from friends and family like you, must be a wonderful comfort to him. I'm sorry for the pain and fear you are all going through and I hope, and believe, that there is good reason for his wife's optimism. This is such a difficult time... someday, it will be a memory and a reminder of the power of hope and love and good medicine.

The love in the pics .......I don't even know how to explain it... simply said...beautiful!

Healing takes time. He may come out of this okay. In my career as a nurse, I've seen people wake up after weeks, even months, and walk out of the hospital and go home.

My sister ...his mom and big sister are both ICU nurses...my mom is also a retired nurse...it so helps to have them in the family to help explain all the medical lingo!

what a tragedy

If it's any consolation they are getting quite good at building faces and it looks worse than it is when it's in recovery. Once the swelling goes down and scars fade it can be hard to tell it ever happened.

I'm sorry to hear about this. I know it sounds trite, but time is the greatest healer, for both you and the person who was injured.

Many, many people recover fully from brain trauma, but it can take some time. Obviously, I don't know the specifics of this case, but you must allow time for this person to heal, and try to stay strong and be of good cheer when you visit him and/or his spouse, be strong for them, and try not to dwell on the injury but on the people you love.

I wish you and them all the best!

Nobody can say how much that will be, but his brain is still healing. There's a very reasonably good chance that 2 years from now you'll all be amazed at his progress (including him). It takes time. Have your grief for your own needs, that's very important, but then turn that energy into support.

you and your friend and his other loved ones.

I hope he gets well.

I know how it feels. Hoping everything will turn out for the best.

Sending thoughts and prayers to your nephew.

Thank you all!
I cry on my own time.
I support them on their time!
Again Thank you!

I recently watched the video that accompanies this article (left side of the page, part way down) - it is about several cases where doctors have used high doses of fish oil to repair brain cells & to speed up the recovery process. I thought it was incredible - both in its simplicity as well as its apparent effectiveness.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/19/health/fish-oil-brain-injuries/index.html

I really hope something like this might be used to help more people with such injuries. Best of luck to your relative. I hope for a full and speedy recovery.

Cheers.

Ps- An interesting side note, apparently fish oil is also having some success for people suffering from depression.

especially feeling all the love you have to give him.

Know that your nephew, you and your family are in my prayers. It is okay to cry...it's healing. I saw upthread someone suggest how important it is to talk to your nephew constantly of all the good times and the plans you all have for happier times to come.

I was in a coma for 2 1/2 months and remember hearing the doctor telling my husband and family members to not only talk to me, but to rub my hands an feet. I can tell you, the times that I did surface it meant so much to me. Stay strong for yourself to give comfort to your family, but if you feel the need to cry now and again, do so, it might make you feel better.

Peace

That had to have been agonizing. I'm so sorry. My best wishes. I hope he makes a full recovery and the two of them can enjoy a belated honeymoon. Hang in there. We're here for you.

Is there a chance he'll fully recover?

What higher purpose could we have than to try to help someone through a crisis?

I am just so sorry for your fear and pain. I hope that his recovery is much quicker and more complete than you can even imagine. But we're here for you, whenever you need a shoulder to cry on, some words of encouragement, or help celebrating his improvements.

this horrific situation. Why do bad things happen to good people?...and especially when they are just beginning the wonderful journey of marriage.

Hugs to you all all involved.

Glad you turned to your new DU family for this and I hope it helps.
My thoughts and prayers are with you. I hope your nephew will be making progress very soon!

who said call your friends. Middle of the night? so what! A friend in need is a friend indeed.

My best to your nephew, his new bride and you.

only had 20% chance of survival & family was told to be ready to find a "Home" for me.
In 48 hours I was talking & walking in 36.

I still have plenty of problems but learned to stay away from alcohol.

TBI is pretty serious but they have learned a lot & forming new neural pathways & relearning skills is do-able.

There were about 18" of staples holding the skull skin together & 6" titanium strip & 3 rectangles w/ 4 screws in each plate holding the skull together.

The hospital was 8 days, then physical rehab 3x a week for about 10 weeks.

Worst part of the whole ordeal no more beer & they were ready to 302 me as 1/2 cocked dangerous bad tempered SOB but I pretty much quit caffeine & now no straight jackets.

I have no love for any sports that lead to head injuries esp FOOTBALL and college football is the worst. People risk their sanity for no reason & every one else makes out.

I still have 2 m/c's but do my best to not accelerate or brake hard in order to be as gentle to my brain as possible.
Yes I wear a helmet 100% of the time & yes I get the finger given & cursed at alot when I yell at helmet less riders.

FYI I crashed a Honda CB1100F at 120 mph & walked away. no head trauma, good helmet lots of burns.
I got hit by a car thrown 90 feet & hit a stone wall, walked away good helmet.
I went under a tractor trailer w/ 80,000lbs of gravel in it, dodged all the wheels & was hit by an axle, the oil pan was as big as a coffin! Minor bruised kidney, pink pea & walked away.

I gave up inline skates & bicycles cause helmets were too flimsy & head trauma very likely.
It is a scary time, I understand. TBI treatment has come a long way & I know 3 people that have had strokes or aneurisms & it took them a little time but no one but a neurologist or neurosurgeon would be able to tell.

I saw a great show about TBI on the pentagon channel & of course can't remember where or when but here is a great site with all kinds of good credible info from DOD.

http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2012/0312_tbi/

And for you! Hugs and good vibes to all of you.

ETA: Just read above that he's your nephew! Extra s from one aunt to another.

That means a lot!
His wife brought him an absentee ballot!
He wanted to vote! Good news!

Now let's get out there and kick some ASS for the O team!

We are fortunate to have world-renowned Craig hospital in Denver for spinal and brain injuries and I have seen some miraculous recoveries. I hope your nephew will get great care. And I hope he is covered by the kind of insurance everyone deserves.

Keep Your hopes up & remember Gabby Gifford!!

Thanks for reaching out to us!!

in my prayers. I am a believer in prayer and the healing grace of God. Just take care of yourself also. It is always sad when young couples face tragedies at the beginning of their new life, but sometimes it makes their life together all the more special and complete. May God watch over all of you and may his healing power touch the life of that young man. Be blessed!

How lucky the couple is to have you as family and friend. Hugs to you sheshe2. Many blessings for a speedy recovery for your loved ones!

off a married life like this. Nothing I could say will make it better but I sure will keep you in my prayers. I remember my niece wast born with water on the brain. What was her chances in life? Here she is getting ready to graduate from college this May. She is a twin. She just got married in the middle of Sept. She is doing very well. God shed his grace on her. She married a wonderful young man. But life is very precious. You never know what will happen. There will be good days and bad days. You sure sound like a good friend to stand by them and help with the little things she may need. Good luck to you and god bless.

You are a kind and true family member to feel so deeply.

I hope all works out for the best.

I am new here but you have my support and from what I have seen, all of DU as your friends to reach out to.

Welcome to DU!