I had a meeting with Dr. Duffy, one of the neuro team. It was not a meeting that I really wanted to have but need to, to ensure that everyone is on the same wavelength.
From her CT scans is shows that there were no spared cortexes in her brain, all of them have been damaged. H is unlikely to ever be able to communicate and unlikely ever to be able to walk. But he did say that nothing is 100% certain.
We discussed the "purple form", the Do Not Attempt Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR). This is always a very emotive subject. No-one wants to feel that their loved one is "being given up on" or that they will not be treated if they have a cardiac arrest. No-one wants to have to make the decision that their loved one is being "sentenced to death". No-one wants to be the one to turn off life support. The reality of a DNACPR is that the medical team makes the decision. They try to involve family as much as possible but ultimately it is their decision whether or not CPR is attempted if a cardiac arrest occurs. DNACPR does not preclude other forms of treatment, such as antibiotics, fluids, nutrition, etc. It is purely that CPR or defibrillation will not be done. The likely quality of life for the person after a cardiac arrest is taken into account as are the wishes of the person (where possible). In a young fit person, such as Helen, a cardiac event is rare and unlikely and therefore there will be little that can be done to treat the cause. On the other hand, a respiratory event could be actively treated. However a person with a TBI could be in and out of an ICU until the time comes to take the decision just to treat in the residential facility to avoid the "revolving door" admissions. This would be the most likely outcome for Helen, that she has a respiratory infection that ultimately she cannot get better from.
We also discussed transplant, whether she (or we) would be willing to donate organs. My opinion is that transplantation should always be done whenever possible. Helen had a donor card.
I was exhausted after this meeting!!