Tobias' Journey stays exciting...

Tobias' Journey: 

Exploring Mirror Therapy for Brain Bleed Recovery

Hey there, dear friends and family! Today, I want to assure you that Tobias, whose story is a testament to the power of determination, creativity, and innovation in the world of rehabilitation, when a family works together and puts their trust in God or the universe, or whatever you like to call the power of love and hope.

Tobias experienced two years ago a life-altering brain bleed on the right side of his frontal lobe with some bleeding in the lower layers, left of his brain. The severity of his bleed is due to a lack of intensive care beds in the hospital in 2021. This unexpected event left him with some challenges, but what he's doing now is truly inspiring. Life in the now, not in the past. The past serves as a base for now. 

Tobias' Brave Battle

Two years ago, Tobias' life took an unexpected turn when he suffered a brain bleed on the right side of his frontal lobe. This challenging situation left him with various physical limitations, including reduced motor function in his right arm and a mere 2% functionality in his left side due to high tonus and spasticity.

However, Tobias is not one to back down from a challenge. With unwavering determination and a thirst for recovery, he decided to explore an innovative rehabilitation technique called Mirror Therapy.

Mirror Therapy: 

A Glimpse into the Study

Mirror Therapy is a cutting-edge approach to rehabilitation that harnesses the brain's incredible ability to adapt and heal. It involves the use of a mirror to create the illusion that the affected limb is moving freely, just like the unaffected one. This technique has shown promising results in various neurological conditions.

We decided to try something at home. What, just as explained the Mirror Therapy! 

Tobias is embarking on a six-week journey of daily Mirror Therapy sessions with one of us, each lasting 30 minutes. This tailored rehabilitation plan aims to leverage the brain's neuroplasticity to rewire neural pathways and improve motor function, particularly in his left side. Let’s see …. Right?!

The Study: 

Hope on the Horizon

Tobias' Mirror Therapy journey will be just a part of his ongoing sets of Therapies by our excellent therapists: Tina W., our Physical Therapist who just got her license as a Bopart Therapist; Janine B., another wonderful Physical Therapist who focuses on patients with neurological issues, then we have Lena our speech therapist, Jeanine our Occupational Therapist, Penny-Belle, our teachers helper and not to forget Mandy who loves to play games with Tobias, takes him on walks and helps me around the yard. It is a fantastic set of genuinely wonderful people. 

The Mirror Therapy will be led by me, a desperate, dedicated, and creative Mutter (Mom). (lol) To be honest, mothers generally have so much strength, mental power, love, creativity, and resilience within them when it’s about the well-being of their sick child. The study, on "Mirror Therapy for Post-Brain Bleed Recovery" should help my own curiosity of the effectiveness of Mirror Therapy in cases like Tobias'.

Preliminary findings from similar studies (in a professional setting)  have encouraged me. They have proved and demonstrated notable improvements in motor functions, decreased spasticity, and increased overall quality of life for participants. This provides a glimmer of hope for individuals like Tobias and, of course, us as a family, facing similar challenges on their road to recovery.

Tobias' Progress: A Beacon of Inspiration

We'll follow Tobias closely over the next six weeks (stay tuned on our blog), documenting his progress, challenges, and triumphs as we include daily Mirror Therapy sessions. 

Tobias is slowly getting parts of his short-term memory back, but for us, it is noticeable. His story is an inspiring reminder that resilience and innovation can lead to incredible miracles on the way to rehabilitation. A brain injury is rough, folks, but I am telling you there is so much we just don’t know. Therefore, never give up hope on yourself or your loved one if you are affected or one of your loved ones. 

So, stay tuned as we embark on this journey with Tobias. His experience with Mirror Therapy will hopefully bring his left side closer to a prior functional site of his body.  We hope to spread hope to those facing similar challenges and shed light on the potential of cutting-edge therapies in medical recovery. Together, we can all learn, grow, and overcome fears of not having the strength to move forward, heal, be happy, or stand the life we live. 

I am a Christian and was taught the stories of Christ by my elementary school religious teacher in my early years. To this day, Jesus, his way of living, and his comforting messages are an integral part of my daily routine. Life has a purpose and provides us with an opportunity to perfect ourselves, not necessarily in the manner the world teaches, although I do value education and progress. (so much that I am going to start with 57 years of my Master in Education in a few weeks – just for me this time – learning is a preventive action – to keep your brain healthy perhaps) 

By perfection, I mean the intrinsic growth of our inner selves. Challenges are an inherent part of this journey.

Jesus was well aware of the challenges he would face in fulfilling his mission for us in this life, including the brutality he would endure. He promised that we, too, can overcome our challenges. Let's NOT give up hope for a better life; let us try to be happy now. Let's not wait for happiness; let's be happy with each moment.  Believe in yourself, and trust the One who will always stand by your side during trials. As Tobias said last week: "Mom, I love you! Mom, God loves you, too." Tobias noticed my tears and recognized that I was sad and needed comfort. 

Best wishes, 

Katja and Family