88 y.o. with left brain stroke last Sunday

[folkiemama]

Hi everyone:

This is my first post.  My mother-in-law who is 88 had a big stroke 1 week ago today.  (She lived alone and was without care for several hours.)  The stroke was in her left brain and it affected her speech, swallowing, and she is paralyzed on right side.)  She was due to be discharged from the hospital to home last night with her granddaughter moving into her home to take care of her.  (We live 2+ hours away).  She will need 24 hr care.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Some concerns-- swallowing is very compromised but they determined via swallowing test that she can swallow if placed in a very upright position.  (She needs to take several meds for her heart and bleeding in stomach in addition to food and liquids.)  Her speech is limited to a word here and there.  She seems to be alert cognitively- based on how bright her eyes look and her facial reactions, but her granddaughter thinks she is not remembering things from one day to the next.  She was supposed to be coming home on a foley cathether but not sure if that happened or not (worries about UTI's?)  She has not been having BM's, but passing some gas.  Is it common for bowel and bladder to also be paralyzed after a stroke in the left brain?  I guess our main hope is that her mind is still there and that she will recover her ability to swallow and communicate a little bit.  What is the best way to find in-home help?-- her granddaughter obviously can't do this all by herself and with us living 2 hours away, we are not going to be much good on a day to day basis...  

Thank you,
Terry

[piliruba]

I wonder , is your niece trained in care taking for stroke patience ???
I have some experience in that ( nurse training 2nd year ) and she needs so much help for her basic needs she might need some one well trained to assist her . and about her medication I suggest to take action in checking for options . SHE REALLY NEEDS MORE SPECIALIST HELP !!!
Do you have a hospital bed ready for her at home ?? /do you have emergency procedures in case you need to act quickly ?/ is the bathroom already adapted ???
Does your niece know the techniques aplied on how to turn her ( decubitus alert ) ? without breaking her own back while doing that ?? Did they teach your mother in law how to mobileze in bed using the parts of her body that are responding ???
ONE WEEK WITHOUT THERAPY IS TOO SOON !!!
AND PRAY, pray, pray ....together with her .. pray away from her /pray all the time ...

JESUS I TRUST IN YOU !! is the shortest prayer I can teach you for now and teach it to her too .....
  

[lahinva]

Why are they sending her home so soon.  My dad who was 80 when he had his stroke went directly from the hospital to a rehab facility.  He stayed there about 2 months and then he came home with help from my mom and some care givers.  You need to work on getting therapy for her so that she can improve.