My Dad's stroke

Randy & Robyn · Apr 24, 2005

A few people asked me to post an update on how my dad was doing after his stroke. It has been nearly three weeks now. A week ago they transferred him from the hospital to a nursing home where he is getting daily therapy.

He is definitely making progress. He is eating well, can now sit up fairly straight and hold his head up. He is also becoming more aware of his left side and able to see to his left again. The slur to his speech is almost non-existent. Remarkable how the brain can rewire itself so efficiently.

At this point it is hard to say if he will walk again but there is hope since he has good strength even on his left side. He still has trouble getting his left arm to do what he wants. He says it has a mind of its own now. He will go to scratch his head and wind up giving himself a pretty good *** to the nose. Then you will hear him uttering a string of expletives at his renegade arm.

We know he is in good hands there and that helps. The staff is awesome. There are paths outside around a small lake. They have a bird sanctuary as well as two dogs and seven cats. Definitely not your typical nursing home where people go to die. Maybe I should put my reservation in now.

Randy

Ross · Apr 25, 2005

Sounds good Randy. It will be a long road, but if he's doing this much now, I would think walking may well be in the future. The home sounds nice, but no offense, a home is a home and if there is anyway to avoid one, avoid it. I hate those places no matter how nice they are. In fact, if it's too nice, it makes me suspicious as to how patients are treated when no one is around.

Karlynn · Apr 25, 2005

Good news Randy. It sounds like he's made a lot of improvement in a short time.

Glenda · Apr 25, 2005

Randy, I'm so glad that your dad is doing better. Those things are so scarry. You never know how fast the body will heal itself. Everyone heals at a different pace. It sounds like he is in a great place with a good support system.

geebee · Apr 25, 2005

Randy,

Thanks for the update. It sound like all is going very well considering. I will pray that walking is in his future but, there are a lot of worse things than getting around in a wheelchair (like not being able to get around in a wheelchair).

Give him my best.

McCln · Apr 25, 2005

The best thing is to never delay the rehab for stroke victims. A supervisor at my job had a stroke four years ago. She is younger than your dad, but she had to do therapy for months following her stroke. It takes time and patience. She has been back for three years and looking forward to retirement at the end of this year. Good luck to your father on his progress. He will be fine.