Be Seen Not Hurt Blog Series - Day 3

Jack’s Story – Mum Terri shares the story of Jack’s brain injury 

Christmas time will never be the same for Jack and his mum after he suffered a severe brain injury the day after Boxing Day back in 2011 whilst visiting family members.  Jack was just 2 years old, and as most independent toddlers do, in the blink of an eye, he ran from the driveway into the road onto a one way street straight into the path of a car that was pulling a trailer.  Jack wasn't hit by the car itself hit.  Jack ran between the back of the car and the front of the trailer.  The reinforced corner of the trailer hit jack up the left side of his face and knocked jack down into the road.  The tyre of the trailer then drove over Jack’s head fracturing his skull and face and squashing his head.  Jack had an open wound inside his mouth from which he was losing a lot of blood. Paramedics arrived and Jack’s mouth, nose and throat were packed to stem the bleeding and Jack was flown by air ambulance to Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Jack was put into an induced coma in a critical condition and transferred to Birmingham Children's Hospital PICU where mum, Terri, was told that Jack had sustained a severe traumatic brain injury.  Doctors extubated Jack on the 5th January and estimated that he would hold his own from 2-24 hours before he would stop breathing.  His mum was warned that Jack also could choke on his own saliva as there would be no capability to swallow. If Jack stopped breathing, there were two possible options.  Option one, a tracheotomy or the unthinkable second option, take the ventilation tube out and let Jack pass away peacefully with no pain.

But, ever the fighter, little Jack breathed for himself on the first attempt.  Terri, Jack’s mum, then spent many a sleepless night looking at machines and supporting Jack through the many complications he would face over the coming weeks.  Then, the time came when Jack was allowed to return home for the weekend. Terri says  “It was scary taking Jack home that weekend because I'd become his full time carer, nurse and mummy overnight.  The realization of reality was heart wrenching. I'd put a double mattress for us to sleep on the floor in the living room while we had our weekend home.  Jack was still unresponsive and just thrashing around.  He showed no acknowledgement of being home.”

Jack then returned to hospital, went through months of therapies, learnt to use a standing frame and was weaned off a liquid diet onto a diet of soft foods.  Jack was in hospital for 3 months whilst Terri worked with the hospital staff to get jack home and into the community.  Jack came home and his mum became his full time carer.  At home, the living room was padded out with mattresses up the walls and on the floors whilst Terri worked with the professional’s direction and did therapies with Jack for at least 8 hours of the day. Terri was told that the first 12 months were crucial.

Slowly but surely Jack came on.  By Christmas 2012, a year after his accident, Jack could stand independently and try a few steps.  Jack could colour match and shape match using jigsaws.

So, to today.  Jack walks independently but is unstable and prone to falls and can’t walk long distances.  He also wears a protective helmet and boots. Jack has hyper mobility in all joints and has reported vision loss. He has a total loss of hearing on the left and the left side of his face is non expressive. Jack cannot talk but can say ‘no’ in moments of frustration.  Jack is still in nappies and Jack has lots of moments of frustration lasting anything from 5 minutes to 3 hours and he has a soft play ball pit to put him in at those times for his own safety as Jack has no regard for hurting himself or others during a meltdown.

Terri says “Living with ABI is not easy, but we are adapting.  There are always new barriers to get through and Jack is now delayed in many areas but has the potential to keep getting better. We have continuous appointments, therapies, etc for the foreseeable future.  But, Jack is a living little boy.  He is very independent, very adventurous.  Now, when we go to the park I have to climb the adventure park with him. I guess this is how life will be for us from now on - an adventure, but I will be there to help Jack to face the many challenges that lie ahead. In Jack’s head, he is a big boy who should be able to do what the other children are doing.  I am there to help him along the way.”