Anyone suffer from this following a stroke?

[mhickman]

My husband age 56 suffered a stroke in March of 2009. He had a heart stent in January of 2009 , a renal stent in February and began to have tremors and would get weak in the legs. He went to a Dr. in urgent care. She told him to contact a neurologist. I guess the blood was flowing too well and something broke off and went to his brain. Well one week later he suffered a stroke. Then a brain bleed as well. He spent two weeks in ICU and 2 months in the hospital. Almost a year in occupational therapy and PT. He has been home since May of 2009. He is not able to drive or work...sometimes after he sits for a long period of time upon standing will get very shaky (almost tremor like) and his legs become weak. he will go to the floor. I have addressed this with his doctor and neurologist who say it is a symptom of the stroke. I am very frustrated because he has had them since he came home from the hospital and he has just learned to deal with it...He had one yesterday pretty scary. I am taking him to the doctor this week and make them find out what is going on.

[mhickman]

Yes he has a cane.  It alone is not enough to keep him from going down...If he feels  a spell coming on he will sit down in a chair if one is close by. I will try the blood pressure monitor. He has an excercise bike and does the stretching exercises on the floor. This man is amazing, he went from using a lift to stand in the hospital ( he was bedridden for almost 2 months) to a walker to a cane. He obviously has a ways to go. I just wish we could get a handle on those spells. I appreciate your comments... It Lets me know i am not alone in all of this. Sometimes a person feels so helpless! Thanks tons!

[rumpled]

I would get a blood pressure monitor and measure it on him both sitting and standing - it may be that when he stands, his blood pressure cannot rise fast enough and that is why he blacks out or weakens up like that.

Was he given any supportive tools - i.e. can or walker to use so that he would not fall as much. Are you permitted to get any more OT or PT at home to teach him more - as well, is he keeping up on his exercises so that his strength stays up?

Sitting for a long period is actually really bad - makes him more prone to bed sores and limits circulation. If you can get more help to make sure he moves more often, that is better.

He is going to be weak - he had been through a lot - he (and you) have to work at getting him back).