Hemorrhagic stroke: Speech Therapy

[mmcbucket]

My dad had a hemorrhagic stroke three weeks ago. He is 66 and had a series of TIAs (four that we know of) within the last year. He is now in a care facility and has two rehab sessions daily. The speech therapist told us today that she does not feel additional therapy will help him because he's not responding. He has little if any paralysis, but the stroke affected his memory apparently. It seems like he's made a lot of progres in three weeks and too early to quit speech therapy. He's able to walk assisted and perform other tasks such as feed or shave himself. He recognizes his family, but if we discuss something like politics, he looks clueless. He doesn't respond to commands (like when they ask him to raise his left hand.) Doesn't it seem early to stop speech therapy? Do you have any recommendations to help us through this? Is there something we can do to keep him progressing without the speech therapist?

[Juliaann1959]

I am here representing my best friend, who was traveling the US. As she and her hubby slowly made progress towards the Dallas area, where they planned to take root for the duration of there retirement. They made it as close as Elk City. Due to the bad weather they set up camp for the night in their RV. Next morning her hubby stepped out to walk the dogs, and down he went. She called me and asked me a lot of question's concerning strokes. She is afraid, and alone with him in the middle of a town she has never been in. The doctors have told her the worse. She gets very little information from the physicians that she can understand. I am not looking up info for her here on this site. As I am a regular here myself. Only in another area of medical forums.
  I am asking that anyone with a fresh memory of what it is like in the early stages after a Hemorrhagic Stroke, that would like to share with her what to expect could email her. I know it would help her to not be so alone in all this. I can only tell her what I researched, and found out. That is not like hearing it first hand from people that know, and will speak to her in a language she understands. Seem's her husbands doctors just tell her what test is next, then they are out the door. I will  post this with her email address.
He has permanent brain damage, loss of all mobility on his left side,  90% loss of speech, can not swallow food or fluids, and very little memory. She was told he will have to live in a long term care center.
For now she is living outside the hospital in the RV. Waiting for the doctor to say it's ok to move him to a facility. It would be nice for her to arrive here and have a bit of support, and information waiting for her.
Thank's for listening if anything else. Julia's bestfriend carolyn

[Shrish]

Just my thoughts, as I have gone through a similar experience. My comments posted in Feb. 2005 "Hemorrhagic Stroke Recovery". My 55 yr old mom did not follow commands for the dr's, she often looked at them like she had no idea what they were saying, they would say "give me a thumbs up" or "stick your tongue out". They asked her "what year it was", her name" and she had no idea what they were asking. However, she understands 99% of everything we say, sometimes if she is tired we may need to repeat things. It slowly got better with time but the first four weeks were not good and that has been no indication of her speech improvements to date. It has been three months since my mom's stroke, so do not give up or let them talk you into stopping therapy. I honestly believe half the battle is motivation and believing in them. The neurosurgeon even told us that my mom would most likely never talk and while in ICU for three weeks she said a couple words, so we knew she would prove them wrong. Today she says lots of words and phrases and writes and reads well. I might suggest if the speech therapist doesn't believe in further progress, then it is probably the wrong therapist for you.....positive encouragement. I have found stroke patients need to believe in their ability to recover and to be believed in - condifence they can do it. If therapists are sending any kind of negativity get someone else. I had to change my mom's physio therapist because of it and she is doing great in her ability to walk.
Shrish

[mejoje]

My Dad also had a stroke not Hemm. though about 1 1/2 years ago and after a few month of speech he refused to go anymore. I am far from an expert but Mom and DEad would play games where at first she would say something simple(ussually an object in the room) then he would repeat it they did the same word like 5x then she would point to an object and ask what it was and would have him look at her and if he could not say it at first she would mouth the word then if he still could not get it she would slowly say it with him. Another thing my Dad is real good at is singing, if he can't get it out sometomes by singing it he could get it out. He still has problems but he did get better. Also, as long as he is ok with it go and get some of the First Step learning books for kids, they have some good pictures and letters and such in there. Kepp faith and Give Dad a great big hug and slowly say "I.....LOVE.....You" and after a bit he will start saying it back and it will feel like your birthday! Good luck!