Hello, I’m Aylin, with a small update on my husband. I was told that he will be moved to the Respiratory Ward while waiting for a bed to become available at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability in Putney for rehabilitation.
Although he is still not fully responsive, I sometimes notice his gaze on me when I speak to him. I’m not sure, but I think the painkillers he is receiving might also be contributing to his lack of responsiveness.
I have noticed that his right leg is constantly extended, and his left arm is as well, but only at the elbow—his fingers remain relaxed. He has lost a significant amount of weight during his hospital stay, and a week ago, they placed a feeding tube to provide him with nutrition.
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Thanks for sharing an update & I hope the wait for the neurodisability hospital isn’t too long. It’s good that he is gazing at you when you speak. I suspect that means he knows you are there & can hear you. Keep talking to him.
The painkillers might be contributing to his responsiveness levels but he probably needs them right now. It is worth asking the drs about it though.
Hope you are doing ok too.
Sending best wishes
Ann x
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Hello @Aylin - Thanks for your update.
I have linked this update to your introductory post as I thought it would help to keep the information together and for you to find the help in “one place.”
You can access that by clicking on the below heading.
My husband suffered a severe ischemic stroke
With regards to your husband’s responsiveness and weight loss, these are likely the result of time spent in bed and also the medication. The fact that he has only just placed a feeding tube to provide him with nutrition, may help explain the weight loss. Being nil-by-mouth is a bit of a disadvantage in the sense that you don’t get to eat the hospital meals. But now with the tube in place, he will hopefully get his daily calories and the weight will start to come back up.
It is not nice this has happened, but it is not unusual. My Mum was on IV drip for a month before they put the tube in and even then it was because we queried why she wasn’t being fed or given any nutrients.
It looks like your husband is going down a path not too dissimilar to my Mum’s. If it helps, Mum came though it and has made slow but steady progress. She has been through a heck of a lot and she was 89 when she had the stroke. Your husband is in a much better starting position from that point of view. Age is on his side and he will be offered more help as a result - by that I simply mean he will not be discriminated against on the grounds of age.
Wishing you and your husband all the best.
Namaste|
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Thank you! I never expected to find so much support. I’m also grateful to the people who created this community. For people like us, this is a huge source of strength and help.
I’m still new here and just learning how everything works, but I promise to keep you updated on how things are going. Maybe one day, I can also be of help to someone, just as you are helping me now!
Once again, thank you a thousand times!
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Hi Aylin, thank you for the update on your husband. I am posting this as a stroke survivor and can’t begin to understand how difficult it is for you. My husband and grown up children still speak about how heart breaking it was in the early days following my stroke in 2017 and how helpless they felt.
On a positive note it is good news that they are preparing to move him into a rehab unit when a bed becomes available and in the meantime they are trying to build him up and get some goodness and nutrition into him.
It’s great that he responds to your voice when you speak to him. Keep talking to him and hopefully this will stimulate his brian as it tries to recover following the trauma it has suffered.
Take care of yourself too, you will play an important role in his recovery. Hopefully you have friends or family who will be able to support you too.
Once he is settled in the rehab unit, they will be able to assess him and work out how they can help him on his road to recovery.
Remember there is always someone here, both stroke survivors and carers, so feel free to ask if you have any questions or if you just need to have a rant or need a shoulder to cry on, you are not alone.
Keep talking to him and I’m sure with your love and support he will begin to make some progress as he begins his road to recovery.
Sending best wishes and positive thoughts to both of you.
Regards Sue
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Aylin keep us updated on you and hubby. It is a huge shock for you as well as hubby. The support ive received from people on here since i had my stroke is amazing. Anne
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A little information and questions about my husband:
Yesterday, my husband was moved from the intensive care unit at Kingston Hospital to the stroke ward in the same hospital. I called earlier today just to get information about his condition, and they told me that on Monday, he will be transferred to Northwick Park Hospital. They said they would speak to me about it tomorrow, but I will go crazy before then. They didn’t give me any additional information over the phone. When I mentioned that Northwick Park is quite far from where we live, they just said everything will be fine, as if they were trying to end the call quickly. I am extremely worried. I have read a lot about the hospital online and in ChatGPT, and it has only confused me more.
Is this clinic good? It’s been two months with no major changes, and now, within one week, there are two transfers, one of which is quite serious. Also, we live quite far from Northwick, about 2 hours by public transport. I have a small child, and I don’t know how I will manage. I want to be with my husband every day, but I also need to take care of my child, who is only 4 years old.
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From what I’ve read online, Northwick Park Hospital has a stroke unit. The hospital also has a hyper-acute stroke unit (HASU). Which is probably why they are sending him there. I know it had a good rep when I lived in Harrow, but was about 30 years ago.
If that is the reason for tranfering him, then its in your husband’s best interest for his ongoing care and rehabilition. Unfortunately you come second in their considerations not yours 
But it could also be that it was the nearest one available that had a bed for him on the SU.
Lorraine
Stroke Improvement Group
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@Aylin I agree with @EmeraldEyes that this move will be being made in the best interests of your husband. Hopefully you’ll find out more details today that will put your mind at rest.
If you aren’t able to visit each day maybe you can set up video calls? I know when my dad was in hospital long term and the journey was 3 hours to see him we just went once a week. Not ideal but we made it work. Is there anyone else who could visit on days you’re not able to?
Sending my best wishes
Ann xx
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