Recovery from Stroke

[Yokel]

Great that she is eating more normally now. It sounds like she is also a bit more determined?

She has always been determined, but perhaps not as worried about small details as some of us. I am not sure she shares my view of progress a being a series of small steps. As for food, she has relatively small meals but it is proper food that we all eat, at normal mealtimes, plus a few small snacks.

However, she is not just a passive care receiver - she does contribute to family life, and when I was unable to hold a conversation due to toothache that even Opiate painkillers would not touch she chased the referral.

 

[Yokel]

Mum had her bed examined today - I was not there but it has been either lengthened or shortened, and she does appear to be in a better position. The senior Physiotherapist came out and did the lifting her into a wheelchair thing, something which had not been attempted for a while so that was another positive. The senior Physio also said she will have a word with the OT regarding a possible recliner.

She did say her (more suitable) wheelchair was delayed, a problem that had impacted a lot of people.

 

[Yokel]

There is still no news of the wheelchair - can it be blamed on supply chain issues? It is only coming from about twenty miles away, not the other side of the world! The OT/Physio have not be in attendance since the day of the above post, and due to the change in weather a riser recliner would be more suitable, Delay delay delay - the same old story.

Mum is considering purchasing her own - but the question is doing a safe transfer.

She has had a specialist nurse examining her leg today. The care plain has been changed (not sure how) and she also things that being in more of a sitting position would help, and help build strength up. She used to pull herself up with her arm but has not done that for over a year.

 

[Solo Dave]

Keep your chin up pal, it can't be easy and it is very clear from your posts that you are a decent sort.

Many would've simply left the old dear to the tender mercies of the local 'care' authorities - not every old person has the luxury of decent, concerned and caring relatives.

 

[Poppy]

There is still no news of the wheelchair - can it be blamed on supply chain issues? It is only coming from about twenty miles away, not the other side of the world! The OT/Physio have not be in attendance since the day of the above post, and due to the change in weather a riser recliner would be more suitable, Delay delay delay - the same old story.

Mum is considering purchasing her own - but the question is doing a safe transfer.

She has had a specialist nurse examining her leg today. The care plain has been changed (not sure how) and she also things that being in more of a sitting position would help, and help build strength up. She used to pull herself up with her arm but has not done that for over a year.

look on e-bay if you are getting a wheelchair - they are very expensive new! It's frustrating isn't it but just keep going - you are doing right by her

 

[LepetitCaporal]

There is still no news of the wheelchair - can it be blamed on supply chain issues? It is only coming from about twenty miles away, not the other side of the world! The OT/Physio have not be in attendance since the day of the above post, and due to the change in weather a riser recliner would be more suitable, Delay delay delay - the same old story.

Mum is considering purchasing her own - but the question is doing a safe transfer.

She has had a specialist nurse examining her leg today. The care plain has been changed (not sure how) and she also things that being in more of a sitting position would help, and help build strength up. She used to pull herself up with her arm but has not done that for over a year.

How auld is your mother ?

 

[Yokel]

Keep your chin up pal, it can't be easy and it is very clear from your posts that you are a decent sort.

Many would've simply left the old dear to the tender mercies of the local 'care' authorities - not every old person has the luxury of decent, concerned and caring relatives.

Thanks. I suppose I should be grateful for how much she has improved in the last year. It was Rememberence weekend last year when she returned returned from hospital after she lost consciousness when being hoisted for the first time. She has safely been out of bed, and is eating normal meals.

I am frustrated for her in the time it takes to get everything to come together.

look on e-bay if you are getting a wheelchair - they are very expensive new! It's frustrating isn't it but just keep going - you are doing right by her

The wheelchair is an NHS item as it was ordered by the therapists to specific requirements. It is just a few months after it was meant to be

How auld is your mother ?

She is 77.

 

[Yokel]

Unexpectedly the Occupational Therapist visited this afternoon - I am sure that Mum said that she was going to call next Thursday, but sooner is better. She has discouraged Mum from buying a chair without trialing it first, but also said the one Mum had seen looks suitable. She is referring Mum to hopefully get a riser/recliner supplied by the NHS, if they have something suitable in stock. An unexpectedly positive afternoon.

It is a shame that we cannot get her in the wheelchair - still not here. With Christmas coming we could have done with getting her into the kitchen.

 

[Yokel]

The Occupational Therapist has been in touch and a riser recliner chair that is suitable will hopefully be delivered next week. This will be a huge step forward for Mum and her building up her strength, being able to eat more easily, do normal things like cleaning her teeth, and needing less support.

The specialist leg ulcer nurse also said that her leg was looking better.

 

[Yokel]

The recliner/tilting chair was delivered yesterday - quite a sophisticated one. The Occupational Therapist and a Physiotherapist turned up thus morning to do the first hoisting and getting her into the chair, but the hoist was a cause of concern - not only was it lacking an inspection label but it seem to be at risk of breaking. Operation abandoned.

However the hoist has been replaced and we are going again in the morning.

 

[Yokel]

The replacement hoist arrived at about 2030 last night. The same OT and Physio came out this morning, and Mum was hoisted into the new chair, and stayed in it for about half an hour. She found it uncomfortable, but it was her first time and and I came be adjusted. We need to build up the time she can sit in it - hopefully so she can sit up and enjoy Christmas dinner. However, the therapists may not be out again until next week.

The longer term plan is to build her strength up and get her back to standing with the aid of the ReTurn stand - and needing one one person to help her with that. The chair is wheeled, so it would give her the option of moving around a bit. By the time warm weather returns she should be ready to go outside.

 

[Yokel]

Mum has been expressing her dissatisfaction with the chair all day, I am the lucky person who gets to listen. I do understand what she is saying, but the OT and Physio did say that they would look into raising the legs more and lowering the back more, as the range of movement was limited.

I will play around with the controls.

 

[Yokel]

I played around with the controls, but it did not seem to move much - particularly the back. I looked on the manufacturer's website and identified what I think the exact model is. There is a video and it should move a lot more than it has so far - the therapists were meant to be investigating.

I have sent a message to the company, and after trying to get a brochure from another supplier there is a rep visiting on Monday.

 

[Yokel]

I think that Mum is slightly happier now. I contacted the tilting chair manufacturer and was able to supply the serial number and they sent me a link to videos on how to adjust it and a PDF user manual. Then the OT phoned, said she had the same things and agreed with Mum that she needs a wider chair.

The chair can be adjusted so the back goes down more and to increase the width. They are coming out for another appointment on Wednesday.

 

[Yokel]

FFS I seem to have jinxed things - again. They do say that no plan survives contact with reality. Due to a (hopefully minor) leg infection Mum started a course of antibiotics last night, and they have made her very drowsy, so she cannot be hoisted and so on. No OT/Physio visit Today!

I will not be tempting fate again by describing things before they happen.

 

[Yokel]

They will not be attempting hoisting until after Christmas. They could have come out this week, but as Mum had only just finished the antibiotics she thought not. I know that it is only a few weeks, and will give them time to tweak/adjust/replace the chair, but one of my goals for this year was to help her get into a wheelchair, build her strength up so that she can stand with the ReTurn stand like she did before, get her out in the fresh air, and get her into a car to go shopping or to visit a garden place.

 

[Yokel]

Mum is eating well this Christmas and has been enjoying the seasonal fare - it helps that my brother is doing the cooking and is staying. Mum seems very down though, such as this morning when she was complaining about not being able to get a mobility vehicle, therefore a wheelchair is useless - yet I thought the plan was to adapt a normal car. I try to help and listen but I am running on empty myself.

I do understand that emotional lability is part of the after effects of the Stroke, and I sympathise. I think that unexpectedly losing Coco (the cat) last Thursday, only a few months after losing her brother Jasper, has hit her hard. I also think that she is well enough to remember what she used to be able to do, but she seems very down.

 

[Electromagnetic]

Mum is eating well this Christmas and has been enjoying the seasonal fare - it helps that my brother is doing the cooking and is staying. Mum seems very down though, such as this morning when she was complaining about not being able to get a mobility vehicle, therefore a wheelchair is useless - yet I thought the plan was to adapt a normal car. I try to help and listen but I am running on empty myself.

I do understand that emotional lability is part of the after effects of the Stroke, and I sympathise. I think that unexpectedly losing Coco (the cat) last Thursday, only a few months after losing her brother Jasper, has hit her hard. I also think that she is well enough to remember what she used to be able to do, but she seems very down.

Eating well is excellent news. I hope the chair and mobility issues get addressed in January. Great that your brother is taking on some of the support work.

 

[Yokel]

There have been real frustrations this new year. The OT and Physio were meant to visit a few weeks ago, but Mum had managed to get Cellulitis so antibiotics were called for, not lifting and shifting. We have been waiting for them to be in contact, only to get a phone call a few minutes ago offering to visit. Apart from the short notice, Mum is expecting a visit from the nurse... It just seems to take forever to sort anything out.

 

[Yokel]

The Rehab people were due to see Mum last Friday (the day of the storm) but sensibly did not due to roads being covered with fallen trees, and then there was a nice power cut all night and all day. This week was half term, which for some reason meant that they could not visit.

Why is everything so ***ing slow and hard?