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Good luck...
Also, when I was able to bring him home he kept thinking I was some strange man and that he was in someone elses house. He also thought the hospital was someones house I just dropped him off at. His mental state was shot! Now, he's greatly improved. He realizes that his thinking was off. He no longer thinks I'm someone else and he knows where he is now. It has been 7 months since his stroke and he is doing wonderful.
I'm sure your dads mental capacity will come back to him. How long has it been since the stroke? Keep us posted and thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing your experience. It is a great consolation to know that someone else has been though it and came out the other side ok!
Will keep posting!
I just don't know what to do other than pray, we really need a positive sign
It's barely been a month since your dads stroke. It took my husband nearly two months for the delirium to go away. Keep the faith. Your prayers will be heard.
God be with you and your family.
You mentioned that your dad was speaking too fast. My husband did that, also. It was almost like his brain was on fast forward. He did that a couple of times. Now, he talks a little faster than pre-stroke but it's not that noticeable. I think it just has to do with the recovery process. Some things you've mentioned I'm sure will go away.
Thanks again for the update.
Positives
Eating and swallowing is fine, he's starting to feed himself, can lift a cup and drink tea/water etc
Mobility is good, no problem walking, climbing stairs, strength in arms and legs good.
Good hand eye coorindination - is able to catch a ball and throw it back.
Can dress himself sometimes, trousers, shoes, dressing gown - no problems there.
Alert for most of the day, is rarely in bed except at night time.
Negatives
Still no speach or recognition
Agitation - pulling at bedclothes, his own clothes etc.
No awareness of space/ danger - will wander around
Cannot use the bathroom, needs 24 hr nursing care
Very defensive/agressive when restrained from walking where he wants to go
Very hard hard to communicate with.
In summary, physically he's quite good but mentally he's very limited. The OT and Speech/Language says he needs a private room free from all distraction if they're to make a breakthrough with the therapy. Thats the priority at the moment. The doctors are treating him with seroquel for the agitation and behaviour problems.
Your dad most likely will overcome most of the negative issues. Thanks for the update.
Wow! What a relief to read that so many other stroke victims have exactly the same symptoms as my 93-year-old mother since her stroke almost 4 weeks ago. Glad to hear that these phenomena seem to diminish with time. She takes Dilantin to prevent seizures, Resperadol (sp?), and at night, if needed, another sedative for these issues. A bladder infection and then a rash from the antibiotic also added to her considerable discomfort and agitation.
Very small improvements.
Agitation has subsided alot
Appetite is great
His speech is a little clearer
He's starting to use the toilet on his own which is fantastic
Physically he's quite strong and well
Can dress himself
He is still disorientated sometimes, doesn't have a concept of his own space etc
Still very frustated about not being able to communicate
In summary, I think we've turned a corner
My husband still gets disoriented at times, but not much. It's mostly after he has awaken from a nap. I contribute it to his brain taking in information of what's going on around him as he sleeps. Seems to happen a couple of times a month, if that.
I'll be looking to hear about more improvements!
He's now 10 weeks in hospital. Its still slow going and at times it feels like 1 step forward and 10 backwards. He is still very hard to communicate with and the therapists say they can't make much headway as a result. This is very disappointing as it appears they've given up on him. I really don't know what to do now, I'm wondering if I bring him home will he improve more? However practically speaking that will be very hard to do as he needs 24 hr care.
My Dad left hospital this week which is a relief as they were doing nothing for him. We've moved him to a nursing home until we get set up to bring him home for good. He seems more satisfied since he left hospital, hopefully the change in environment will help him communicate. They nursing home staff are great and they give him freedom to wander around unlike in the hospital.
Communication is still the biggest problem followed by incontinence. Sometimes he goes to the toilet on his own and sometimes he doesn't.
I've looked up Neuroaid on the internet. I'm thinking it might be worth a shot for 3 months. Anyone have any opinions?
It's good you're satisified with the hospital and as long as your dad is, too, the more he'll work toward getting better.
Thanks again for the update and I'll look forward to hearing from you again.
We've decided to bring Dad home. I'm taking a few weeks off work to get him settled at home. It broke my heart to see him in the nursing home sitting on his own all day. 5 days in and so far so good. He's sleeping great, starting to communicate more, eating well & seems much more satisfied (at times). The biggest problems is the incontinence but hopefully that will cease over time. He is extremely defensive when we try to dress him,
Overall we're happy to have brought him home, the change of environment has had a positive effect. I'm checking out the complementatary chinese medicine as I've lost faith in coventional drugs.
He's getting on great at home, wants to be outside in the garden doing something, the incontinence is improving and he's starting to use the toilet on his own. The agitation has completely stopped. It was a great decision to bring him home, he's adapted great to home life. He's still irritable & cranky in the morning when he's being washed and dressed. Slowly but surely he's improving
By the way, I took my husband out of the rehab facility a week early because of the same thing you said. I didn't like seeing my husband sitting somewhere in a corner like an old feeble 90 year old man (again, he's only 56). I felt he was neglected and I, nor he, couldn't take it any more.
So, congrats on your dady and I'll be looking forward to hearing more about his progress!
Dad is home now for 4 weeks & he's doing ok. He's much happier & contented. We've established that he can read so hopefully the speech therapy can now commence. The incontinence is improving which is a relief. He's sleeping well & eating well. Speech is gradually becoming more clear.
Just to answer your questions
Swallowing is excellent as is his appetite
Eyesight is good, he can read aloud no problem & he can count
He's not on dilantin, he was on seroquel/quetapine but he's been off it for a month and is much more alert & normal as a result
He still has cognitive issues, he'll put on clothes back to front or try to put on shoes when he still has shoes on etc
Speech is improving but communication is difficult. Very hard to get him to follow directions etc but we're managing.
The good news is that the incontinence is now almost gone which is a huge lift in terms of caregiving. He's going in the right direction so hopefully the communication will improve more
Not much change. He has mood swings when prevented from going outside etc and can get very upset(physically & verbally abusive) at times. Communication is so difficult. He just seems to do the opposite to what is asked sometimes which is awfully frustrating. Physically he's in good shape, he rambles endlessly when talking only some of which is clear. We cannot yet have a conversation with him as its all one way traffic. its hard to keep going sometimes
My heart goes out to you because I know you're doing all you can. I sure hope and pray things will get better for you and your family. Your dad still has more time to heal so that's a plus. Hope to see more posts from you in the future! God bless!
Delirium is the presenting feature in a few stroke patients, but can complicate the clinical course of acute stroke in up to 48% of cases. Old age, extensive motor impairment, previous cognitive decline, metabolic and infectious complications, and sleep apnoea are all predisposing conditions for delirium. Patients with delirium have longer hospitalizations and a poorer prognosis, and are at increased risk of developing dementia. The identification of the patients at risk and non-pharmacological preventative interventions are the key measures in the management of delirium.
Delirium is defined as a transient, usually reversible, cause of cerebral dysfunction and manifests clinically with a wide range of neuropsychiatric abnormalities. The clinical hallmarks are decreased attention span and a waxing and waning type of confusion.
Changes in the environment include: Reorientation techniques or memory cues such as a calendar, clocks, and family photos may be helpful.
The environment should be stable, quiet, and well-lighted. Support from a familiar nurse and family should be encouraged.
Family members and staff should explain proceedings at every opportunity, reinforce orientation, and reassure the patient.
ref:http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic3006.htm
Medications to treat underlying cause will be prescribed by the attending doctor.
Hope all is well with you & your husband
Hope to hear from you soon.
I will say a prayer for you, your family & grandpa.
I feel so hopeless today.I just read most of your posts and got some hope.I am so happy that your husband has improved so much, and I hope he will completely recover. I decided to ask you some questions and comment since I noticed you have good knowledge and very positive.
It is 2 weeks after my mom(61years old) Stroke and is still in hospital. She can talk, aware, able to swallow(not completely but getting better). Her left side has been paralyzed, not able to empty bladder yet, not able to sit yet. Today, her physiotherapist tried to bring her out her bed and sit on a chair, but it was a hell. I lost all my hope in a second. She is heavy and even with 3 people it was impossible to control her, I was afraid of arm or hip breaking. As soon as she improves to empty her bladder and gets rid of the urinary infection, we are going to take home. In my country, we don't have a rehab center, and I am not sure even what rehab center is and what people do in rehab center. We are trying to get some info, so we may able to do the same at home. Also, how long after stroke was your husband able to sit. I am wondering if your husband had the same problem in the beginning and how he improved. Also, we are not sure how we can help her to use a bathroom once she comes home, ...if you have any idea or suggestion please please help us out. Thanks in advance.
Update - 9 months after stroke
Dad is physically 100% and has regained some mental capacity. He has some communication but its difficult and he still gets frustrated. He's starting to get out into the community again -attending church on Sunday and going for walks on the road. Speech therapy is difficult as his attention span is v short but sometimes we can make sense of what he's saying. Its still slow going but we're making progress. The best therapy is spending time with him, engaging him in activities he enjoys and can do and keeping a routine.
1/14 Miami Shore Parade
MIAMI QUEENSLAND 4220
AUSTRALIA
Ph: 0407293579
Fax: (07) 5578 6373
Email: ***@****
Website: www.mmsp.com.au
They have a great computer program for speech therapy - I used it with my Mum who had severe disphasia. It made learning fun - and its aimed at adults! Check out their website - they are well worth it!
A long overdue update. My Dad is being cared for at home still. He has a reasonably good quality of life. He never recovered his speech and has only maybe 50% cognitive ability. Most of the time he's in good form, he reads books and papers but we can't tell how much is going through. He has vera very short attention span and is very restless often walking randomly around the house. Physically he's in good shape. Communication is very tough but we can understand each other now.My mother is the primary carer and she's with him more or less 24 hrs a day. Its tough but we're getting on with it. He was never receptive to speech & language therapy so we really made no progress in this area. Its clear that the stroke wreeked major damage on his brain causing him to lose all memory,basic life skills and affecting his behaviour. However we persevere with him as we love him so much.
Thanks for reading this.
God Bless