A Happy Easter!

I went out to Annapolis with my mom and sister today; Joyce and Andrei joined us soon after. 

First impressions: I had not seen Grandma in two weeks and I was IMPRESSED.

• Grandma was supporting her head, turning her neck and speaking much better (helped that she had her teeth in)
• She was much more alert and was alert for a longer period of time than last I saw her.
• Grandma followed and joined in conversations much more like her "normal."
• She seemed to have much better control of her arms and legs, but she did complain that it was difficult on the right side, comparing it to when your arm is very asleep; you can move it, but you don't have as much control or feeling.
• She cannot yet sit up on her own, but she is able to push her torso up from the bed a little if someone is trying to help with a pillow or the bed. And she can hold herself up in a seated position (with some assistance, once you've turned her on the side of the bed and helped her up). Two weeks ago, she was not doing this; now they're talking about having her try (supported) standing!

Some challenges I still noticed:

• While Grandma was much more alert on Sunday, she did tucker out after a couple hours of lots of stimulation throughout (6 guests in the room, YouTube music videos, "dancing," conversations, etc.) When she was tired, she was a little more "mumbley" like she was when I saw her two weeks ago, but she was a bit more "with it" until she started to fall asleep. So even her "good days" seem to be improving gradually. :)
• Grandma acknowledges that she seems to have memory and alertness issues.  
• She says she only remembers "episodes" of the last month and I'm not sure how far back she can remember since the stroke. I don't think she remembers the stroke at all; sometimes she can't remember why she's in the rehab place. I'm pretty sure she can't remember much if any of her time in the hospital.
• Grandma realizes that she seems to go in and out with her alertness. She says that she doesn't always know it is happening, though, but she is quite aware of the fact that she is sometimes "off the map" as she says.
• While she has very good memory of things from her past, childhood, even before the stroke, she has some confusion from time to time about details of the present - the year, her age, etc. When you tell her the correct information she'll hesitate with it, even after you've walked through the math (2013 - 1923 = 90 years old).
• She has some trouble reading smaller print that she didn't have issues with before.  She may need a new prescription, but it could also be a little neurological. 
• Grandma wasn't sure why the nurse came in to check her blood sugar at some point and didn't realize she was being tube fed ("I haven't been eating anything in days, I don't know why they do that").  Upon explaining that to her, she understood the whole thing, but I'm not sure how much of it she would remember a day or even a few hours later.

Grandma's mood:

• Grandma says she's kind of lonely in the rehab place.  I'm sure this is a combination of not remembering family visits (as I've discussed before, she doesn't always remember when people visit, even later the same day) and not having really anyone to talk to when family leaves; she can't exactly call in a nurse to chitchat with her when she's bored, and you know Grandma likes to talk, so this is surely difficult.
• She says the rehab place is ok, but that she "might have only another year to live and it's kind of a sad way to live it out."  When we tell her that she's making great progress and eventually will be able to go home, she seems encouraged by this, but she doesn't always remember on her own that is the goal, thinking that this is it, this is all she'll get better.  Thus the importance of constantly reminding Grandma how she is doing.
• Grandma says she misses outside.  Again, we just tried to focus on the positive and remind her that once she is capable of sitting in a wheelchair for awhile on her own and supporting herself, perhaps she can be taken outside in the wheelchair, and she seemed to like that idea.

So all in all, a great Easter Sunday.  I was really glad to see Grandma having a "good day."

Elizabeth is staying with Grandpa this week and will probably be reporting on the blog a bit while she's there.  There is also a "Care Conference" with the doctor on Tuesday that Elizabeth should attend so it will be interesting to see what comes out of that.