MOM HAD 2 BRAIN BLEEDS

[CARING DAUGHTER]

Mom had 1 stroke (brain bleed) 3 weeks later another. October 9 my nightmare begain. She is onl 67. No high blood pressure don't know what brought this on.  She has been in rehab and no is being moved to a nursing home. Can't walk, can move left arm not much right arm. Has bad bad hemoroids andbad bad headache.  Doctors can not seem to find out why.  My husband and I want to build a room with a ceiling lift. We want to give her back some of her independence.  Her attiutude is really bad she is giving up.  Is this due from the stroke?  I can't seem to get any help to make things better for her.  She is a very independant person and I want her to keep trying. I know if she does she will regain. Do you have any suggestions?

[skuhl]

It sounds like this was a at least partially a right hemisphere stroke, given the loss of mobility on the left side. (The nerves cross). Right hemisphere patients are often noted as having motivation and depression issues.  My mother had a right hemisphere stroke and we experienced that.



When we first detected the depression/anxiety we started an anti-anxiety medication which was a major blessing. It 'took the edge' off enough for her to think on other matters, like getting better.



The other thing we experienced was a complete lack of awareness in therapy staff of the cognitive effects of a right hemisphere stroke. The right hemisphere tends to control spatial ability (e.g., what is 'left', what is 'up').  Therapy staff would put her under pressure to perform and she'd get right/ left confused, get angry and quit. They'd conclude she couldn't do it and then they'd quit.  Mother could still read and so I'd listen to therapy directions, write them out for mother to read several times and the next day she'd do the tasks-- from my notes.



Another thing she encountered was they wanted to lay her down-- without spatial ability she felt totally out of control-- the world whirled. We had to encourage them to try something different.



The left hemispher controls language. Ordinarily the brain is 'in balance'...but when one area is injured, the remaining brain is eager to 'take over' and dominate.  The 'neglect' you read about is really the other sides' dominance.



Our mother's left hemisphere was intact so when therapy would come, her left hemisphere would say 'no I don't want it'.  But if you watch her body language she is scooting to the edge of the bed to prepare for therapy. Her brain halves aren't communicating. We had to train every individual therapist (apparently they don't effectively communicate with one another either) to NOT ask if she wanted therapy (effectively asking only the left brain) and to just start doing it.



She has good reason to be depressed-- her perceptions of the world are screwy and probably very few people are really 'hearing' what is going on or how she is now trying to communicate. You, the caregiver, are in the best position to learn her patterns and to advocate for her to the medical establishment. (On their behalf I should say that they aren't trained to understand the cognitive consequences of stroke).



In addition, to persons of a certain generation hearing they have a stroke is the same as hearing a 'death sentence'.  They assume nothing can be done.  Helping them see others improve may be good.  In addition, taking her home may not be realistic.  It took us awhile to hear that mother felt safer in a home with many people around all the time.