I had a very long chat with Jans consultant today and if I understood correctly - Jans amazing recovery (touch wood) over the last couple of weeks was not down to the 're wiring' of the brain but a consequense of the neurons in the brain initially shocked/stunned (like in say a car crash) bouncing back to full activity. The re wiring of the brain is a more long term and slower solution.
Does any of this make sense and has anyone else been told this when trying to understand the process better?
Anyway, furniture removals tommorow in preperation for Jan's arrival Monday
Dont panic if Jan has a downturn, expectations are great so you two have to accept the minor issue of a bit of a downturn.
I am so pleased for you that the six week care team are in place. All those questions that pop up can be addressed by the care team.
I am sure you are on top of most of this Graham and you are pretty fantastic.
Wood for the trees: Its Jan that makes the recovery, so dont try to take over, it wont work. Jan is now deemed medically fit, so no staying in bed. For those bad hours that will come along, I suggest she stays in the loung, or if necessary then lies on rather than gets in to bed. A stroke diary is a very useful tool. Just a few lines. Her hospital writes a letter to her GP. Do ensure she has a copy of that letter and you know where to find it. If the letter isnt with you in a fortnight then the GP staff can arrange it.
I know there were rocky times. The odd day when I thought I couldnt even speak with the discomfort. Those wretched tears (I think its worse for us men, we are not supposed to cry). The nightmares. The hour to just wash and do teeth. The visitors who just hadnt a clue (OK) but wanted to tell me how they knew people who were fine in a week or two (not OK). "you look well you cant have had a stroke" and so on
But I actually have very fond memories of those early weeks. The care staff. The utter joy when I stepped over the threshold to the garden. The rather nice feeling that I can watch daytime TV. Yes I have nice memories of the early weeks.
Yes it makes sense. It was explained to me that I had an area of dead brain cells and an area of damaged cells around it. The damaged cells may or may not mend. The dead cells will not mend but the brain will "work around". I believe the techncal term is neuro plasticity.
It could have been the damaged cells recovering that gave me rocket speed recovery in just a few days. But I dont feel as though thats is what happened.Day one 90% paralysed day four walked out the ward and up the corridor. But day 100 still not walking freely.
I am a clot, is Jan a bleed ? Dont know if that will be a different form of recovery.
I know I write too much. Todays society is full of bites rather than meals. And this site is probably best aimed at the SS rather than the carers. But in an effort to help I am sure I am not the only one that gives a rough idea as opposed to going into details.Especially as no two strokes are the same. Also, for us recently, eg say 3 months, SS we dont take much in. Indeed many of us cant work a PC/tablet for some time.
I agree with your comment on control - too many years of managing business's and the need to take control.I will let Jan recover at her pace but I will be there to resolve any problem
Jan has alredy told me that laying in bed is not for her - that determination has seen her through so far, however she has been known to push to hard in the past.Today after my visit to Jan I got a call from the ward (big worry) and they told me that in her quest to get around by herself & her stick she fell!! , doctors looked her over but luckily she is ok (phew).The moto - baby steps!
I have given Jan instructions for paperwork/medication for Monday - and again I am on the case if necessary
I have told Jan about how I have shared her journey with you kind people and I am sure she will respond as soon as she can (I will type if necessary)
Looking forward to monday - all furniture moved an re assembled!
Jans improvenet has been amazing but we are both aware not to get carried away with the moment - celebrate the sucess but keep (pardon the pun) one foot planted
I too believe if a story is worth telling , it usually requires more than a couple of bullet points
The more people write, the more people like me learn and can then use the knowledge in my case when helping Jan cope with her new condition
Went to see Jan in hospital earlier today - and gosh she informed me that she walked to the day room using her new found friend the 'quad stick' and sat in a chair waiting for me to arrive
However , recieved a phone call about an hour after getting home fron the ward(panic set in!) - they informed that Jan fell when 'walking' to the toilet (she aparrently somehow got lost even with a nurse in tow and spun around too quickly and bang).The doctors looked her over and informed Jan she was ok (her bum took the brunt of the fall!) Jan later rang me to confirm she was okay and not to worry!!.I rarely tell Jan what to do - but in this instance I told her to stay in bed and stay safe until her discharge , and definetly no running in the wards!!
The leason for the day - baby steps - all calm now
Graham, I think I have already told you that before I left hospital the staff ward sister told me to expect falls. I did have falls, but, mercifully, few. Do look up videos for how to get up from a fall. It is important Jan learns this. Falling is unnerving, but having the ability to get up empowers the faller.
Another physio told me that although a fall isn't nice, knowing why you fell is important. The most worry falls happen when you don't know why you fell.
Falling is my biggest concern. I know that at the moment I cannot get myself back up. Too large. I have fallen at home and have learned to make sure I always have my mobile phone with me to call for help. Usually the ambulance with a special raising cushion.
As you say learn to get up at a fall if it is safe to do so is essential.
Explore why and how you fell, correcting the cause if possible.
Quite right Kay. Just to cheer you up....in my first year I fell in a woodland area and my partner had wandered off. I got myself onto my knees when a woman appeared and asked if I was alright. I said I was and she said, 'I wondered why you were on your knees'. I thought...well I'm not praying,' but smiled sweetly and got myself up.
I fell in hospital I was coming out of the bathroom I fell backwards onto a hard floor and was in shock when a delightful nurse told me off because she had got to send for a doctor to check me over. fortunately no broken bones. I could have hit her one. Norma.
Maintining a sense of propertion is important I have learned.
Spoke to Jan this morning on her mobile- who told me she was back on her feet again (you worry about self confidence) and to trust her - lesson learnt!
Luckily since being discharged from hospital 3 years ago, I have only had 2 falls and on both occasions someone was at home with me. The most recent fall I was coming back into the house from the garden, which I do every day without any problem but I lost my balance and fell backwards and hit my head on one of our garden chairs. Luckily, no harm done, just dented my confidence. Again my husband and daughter were at home, I wouldn't have been able to get myself up.
We have now purchased a Life Line alarm with a fall detector, which is a pendant I wear around my neck when I'm at home alone or you can get one you wear on your wrist. We have registered the mobile numbers of people who could help in an emergency and if I have a fall or need help, I press the pendant and it goes through to a call centre and if necessary they would call one of the designated numbers or would call an ambulance if necessary. The fall detector goes off automatically if you fall.
Thankfully, I haven't needed to use it but it gives me reassurance when I'm at home alone and makes my family feel secure knowing I can get help if I need it. Early days for Jan but worth thinking about as time goes by.
Hi JOhn, fortunately my husband has only fallen once in the last 3 years, (as I'm just not big enough or strong enough to help him up!). He fell whilst in the garden, he wobbled into a huge ceramic plant container, and instead of helping him, all I could think of was "Bill and Ben the Flowerpot Men"!!!
Hi Graham. Sometimes in the early days, your brain thinks in a different sequence to your feet and you end up tripping up over your other foot or get your feet 'tied in knots' and stumble. I've done this a couple of times when hanging out washing in the garden. I turned around to fetch the prop and legs didn't move but feet did. I ended up in a heap on the earth bit of the garden so only pride was dented. Glad she's Ok and no harm done. Soon be Monday! One more sleep!
The Life Line Alarm fall detector sounds like a brilliant idea, especially as I plan to go back to part ime work in a couple of weeks time (dependant on Jans progress) - thanks very much something we will discuss
As a side note, when I spoke to Jan earlier she has now replaced the quad stick with a normal walking stick and procedeed to walk to physio, climb the stairs 3 times and 'walk' back to the ward (Go Girl! - be safe!)
