----- Original Message -----

From: Wendy

To: Traumatic_Brain_Injury@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 9:19 AM

Subject: [Traumatic_Brain_Injury] Desperate for guidance-please help

Thank you for allowing me to join your group. My name is Wendy. This
is a long story, BUT PLEASE help me. My brothers fiance has been
diagnosed with TBI after a terrible "freak" car accident on November
7, 2006. Her name is Lisa Chundi Rose, she is 30 years old. My
brother and her have been living together going on two years and he
has been helping raise her two children by a previous marriage.
Chundi has been in a coma now for two months today. She is breathing
on her own. Has been since a few days after the accident. Her eyes
are open, looks around. Her arms and legs move, sometimes her head.
She blinks (sometimes) on command. Her neuro dr is still
optimistic. Her MRI that she had 4wks after accident
showed "significant healing in the brain and brainstem - but still
needs alot more healing" He believes she will come out of the coma.
She has been in a rehab hospital, but they are now saying she is not
progressing enough to stay there. They say she needs to go "home" or
to a nursing home. I know when she looks at me she is now focusing on
me when I talk. What questions should I ask? What do I look for in
a nursing home? I can't make any of these decisions because my
brother and Chundi didn't marry before her accident. Its really all
in the hands of her family - which she never was close to before the
accident. Its just awful. I hope by reaching out to people who
might understand and has been/or knows someone that has been through
this can help me help her very confused/non-communicating family.
Please respond.

Wendy