Mrs. Huber gets angry when she is unable to perform certain actions in a targeted manner

Point of contact for loved ones

Following her cancer diagnosis, Ms Huber and her family were assigned a dedicated contact person who helped them adapt their daily lives to the new situation. It was particularly important that this person was willing to listen to their concerns and questions and helped the family cope with the challenges brought about by the illness.

Orientation aids in the intensive care unit

At first, Mrs Huber felt disoriented and anxious in the intensive care unit. She was grateful for the helpful guidance and clear explanations regarding the ongoing medical treatment, which helped her to find her bearings.

“I had the feeling he was looking forward to the operation.”

Ms Huber was briefed by the surgeon about the upcoming operation. During this discussion, she learnt where the tumour was located, how the operation would be carried out, and what the risks involved were. This information helped her to better understand the situation. Overall, she trusted the surgeon, as she perceived him to be competent.

Compared to others, Mrs Huber took her condition less seriously.

Mrs Huber took her cue from the condition of the other patients on the ward. By comparison, she took her own situation less seriously, which shows just how strongly her perception was influenced by interacting with and observing others.

Back home, her family cried a lot.

It was only afterwards that Mrs Huber realised the heavy burden this had placed on the family.

"Perhaps I’ve pushed it out of my mind."

Before the operation, Mrs Huber was unaware of how uncertain her prognosis was and that a poor outcome was possible. Before the procedure, her husband couldn’t find the right words to talk to her about the possible implications for the future.

She only underwent an imaging scan during her second visit to the doctor

As her GP was unavailable, Mrs Huber had to visit another surgery where the staff did not know her. She was given painkillers and balance exercises and sent home. It was only during her second visit that the doctor on duty took action, as Mrs Huber was exhibiting symptoms typical of a neurological condition.

Mrs Huber used to have one appointment after another

Ms Huber has learnt to reorganise her daily routine. She now allows considerably more time for appointments than she used to. In doing so, she compares her organisational skills with those she had before her brain injury and realises just how much her planning has changed.

Delimitation

Mrs Huber learned to set better boundaries

Tea and a chat: a small gesture with a big impact

Mrs Huber was very anxious before the operation. It helped her a great deal when a nurse brought her some tea, sat down with her and listened attentively.

A message for the worst-case scenario

Mrs Huber left a message for her children in case she did not wake up after the operation.

Restricted visual field

Since her operation, Mrs Huber has had a restricted field of vision. This visual impairment affects various everyday situations. She illustrates this particularly clearly using the example of food preparation: tasks such as chopping food are more difficult for her, as she cannot reliably see things in the lower part of her field of vision

Problems with orientation

Since her operation, Ms Huber has found it difficult to find her way around both virtual and physical environments. This is evident, for example, when she works on the computer, where she struggles to navigate between programmes or use the keyboard. She experiences similar problems in large car parks, where she struggles with spatial orientation. At the same time, she reflects critically on this experience and notes that difficulties with orientation in such situations may also be part of her personality.

Mrs. Huber gets angry when she is unable to perform certain actions in a targeted manner

Compared to other people with brain injuries, Mrs Huber feels that her own limitations are less severe.