Help or advice required - my sister's stroke

[squinun]

Hi to the forum members, I am looking for some advice and guidance as I am in a new and unanticipated situation. My sister who is 41 and not married, sufferred a massive left-brain ischemic stroke and spent 2 and a half months in the ICU and has just come home 3 days ago. She has right side paralysis in the arm and leg. Her speech is more or less intact as in she can talk well but sounds a little like how a child would sound. One of the noticeable things about her speech and behaviour is that she sometimes cannot express exactly what she wants but still gets frustrated that we are also not understanding what she wants, and it gets difficult for us as family (and the professional caregiver that we have employed) to understand what she is really asking for. As an example, yesterday she said "give me my phone" (as in her mobile) over and over again without giving any of us time to go and get her phone, and each time she asked for the phone she would cry a little more to the point of throwing a tantrum. When I got her phone, she said "no, I want my phone, give me my phone". Again I gave her her phone, and again she kept saying "no, give me my phone. Are you stupid, don't you understand English, I want my phone". It seems that she wants something in particular but the word "phone" is in her mind. Today she asked me for "the calculator thing for the phone" and when I asked her what it is exactly, she just said its the calculator thing for the phone. She doesn't seem to have the patience when I ask her what the object she wants looks like, what does it do, what does it resemble etc. Neither will she draw it on a piece of paper. This is just one example of her asking for this, but she actually means that. In addition to this, she calls me dad, and when I tell her that I'm not dad, I'm her brother and I give her my name, she says I know you're my brother, but she'll still call me dad. She calls the nurse and the physiotherapist by another name, not their actual names.

I would like to know if anyone has similar experiences to this and what they have done to address such issues and if there are any professionals who have helped make a difference.

This is an entirely new experience for me, and I can begin to understand how difficult it can be for anyone in this kind of position.

Thanks very much for listening, and any advice or guidance will be highly appreciated.

[sara12345]

So sorry to hear about your sister.   My mother has some of these problems at times, having had a hemmoraghic stroke and then at least 9 TIAs since then.  She is 88 years old.  She has gotten mad when I don't understand what she means.  And says the wrong word and can't understand that she is saying it wrong.

When she got very irrational and angry, the staff at her facility gave her Seroquel at night to "get her settled down".  I see that the medication is for schizophrenia or bipolar illness which my mother has never had either one, but it has settled her down.  

This may or may not be helpful for your sister.

Take care.

[spongebobah]

sorry to hear about your sister. she is still young and she get well by time, don't worry just try to calm her down whenever you can.
when did she start talking?
Is she on physical and speech therapy?
Is she on any medication right now?

if you can answer these question we may be able to help.
Regards

[spongebobah]

Sorry Sara12345,
I want to send the reply to Squinun and not you.

[sara12345]

Yes to Spongeboba's suggestion that you should definately try to get your sister physical therapy and speech therapy.  I don't know with the paralysis whether she is eligible for the PT, but she is talking and could certainly use the speech therapy.  

I had aphasia after my carotid artery dissection stroke which means I was speaking jibberish (sp?) and hardly able to speak and I also had much difficulty understanding what other people were saying to me.  I had speech therapy 2x a week for months and had not nearly the major stroke that your sister has had.  About 4 months later I was doing training sessions again for adults.

Please let us know how your sister is doing.  Again so sorry to hear about her.  She is fortunate to have you.