Will mom recover from the Stroke

[KarimaB]

Mom had recently what the doctors called a Caudate nucleus stroke with apraxia and left sided hemineglect. This all started about 4 weeks ago, when mom felt like she couldn't hold anything with her left hand and started losing focus to the point where she could not put or take off her clothes. Initially we thought it might have something to do with her recent diagnosis with meneire's disease but after a visit to a neurologist couple of weeks later, who sent her to the emergency room, they determined that mom had a stroke, "a subacute ischemic changes involving left posterior parietoccipital and right frontparietal high convexity cerebral cortices" was what was written on her report. She was admitted to the hospital, and at that point mom was still able to walk, talk and eat, after 3 days at the hospital, she was released and were told to follow up with outpatient therapy PT/OT. Since then and since we were in the US, mom preferred to go back to home which is In Morocco to do therapy with healthcare professionals that can understand her and speak her language as well as be close to her family and my other siblings, and so we flew to Morocco after we got clearance from the doctor to do so. Once we got to Morocco, mom was still a bit talking, walking with assistance and eating a little, however a week later her condition worsened, and she pretty much couldn’t walk, her speech became slurry and couldn’t swallow. We placed a feeding tube through her nose and started therapy for her, but didn’t seem to be making any progress, and she removed the tube twice, so we had to take her back to a hospital where she stayed for about a week in an ICU, they placed the tube again so they can make sure she gets her meds and feed her, and then she was moved to a rehab center where she’s currently receiving therapy. Mom seems to be conscious and laughs a lot at my sister jokes but has not made any progress as far as eating which led them to place a peg tube through her stomach. She does open her eyes, although she’s very sleepy most of the time, seems to understand what we are telling her and occasionally will answer with one word or nod her head, but no more than that. Can someone who has knowledge or lived a similar experience tell me how it was and what to expect. I have great hopes that she will be ok and she will recover, I just can’t imagine my mom not recovering, just thinking of it makes me go crazy, she is all my life. Please tell me she will be ok.

[KarimaB]

Thanks bosco555, why is not a good idea to put them on depression meds, mom's doc does have her on it, since she had been very moody and unresponsive with them. Sorry to hear about your wife, did she get any better? Thanks again.

[bosco555]

thought i was reading my wife story....your'e not by yourself...learn to use  therapy and range of motion exercise...don't let them put her on depression or psyche medication...make sure nurses and md are on the same page...spend as much time with your mom... pay close attention to everything  the nurses do...come to the hospital unanounce and at different times...trust your thoughts and eyes... use your cell phone to record o/t, speech and physical therapy...make sure you review these sessions...you may discover something you didn't see or hear the first time..take plenty of pictures...your mom  progress may surprise you...your mind is working 100 miles an hour...its easy to miss slow progress..and this is what its all about...this pictures will slow you down and show progress...also serves to show your mom her progress...on bad or confusing days picture progress will come in handy....pictures are worth a thousand words...oh,welcome to the club...no membership is required....bosco