Thursday 4-11 and Pictures

Some news I forgot to include from last Thursday. From Grandpa:

When I came in this morning about 9:00, mom was happy to see me, but complained she had been awakened at 6:00 ("That's the middle of the niiiight!") to go to the doctor. She claimed she had gone there, but as the wait was long she had given up & gone back. 

Anyhow she claimed also that at breakfast she had eaten a whole banana! I could not believe this, but later saw the speech therapist who confirmed that this was true! The therapist said that this was quite a milestone, but she stressed that such eating of rather solid food should only be in her (the therapist's) presence only. 

Then mom settled back in a rather noncomittal mood, leaving uncertain where the day would go, but i tried to liven her up with some music, and when the therapists came she agreed to be cooperative. 

After some exercises in bed with the one therapist (lifting the arms, and also with a 2 lb weight), they helped her move into the chair, and she helped rolling the chair to the exercise room where they had her stand up in a contraption she had been in before. She seemed pleased with the accomplishment but again scared them with stating she felt dizzy and breaking out in a sweat. However, her vital signs were OK and they took her to the middle of the room for a rest while they observed her sitting there with a rather absent look. However, she then suddenly broke the spell by saying, "Can anybody tell a good joke?" I then suggested she sing something she had composed, which she did, a happy tune. 

The PT (Annabelle) then worked for a while with her on exercises of her right leg, and indicated she was satisfied. The PT asked me however to discuss with Dr Chopra this frequent almost seeming to black out. 

Mom & I then sat in the room for at least another half an hour until she asked to be back in the bed which seemed deserved after the good work she had done. 

While we sat there, this doctor W (?) came by and said that he was making a slight change in her medicine, so as to correct her soda level which he stated was 129 and should be <135. 

All in all this was a good morning.

Although not overly enthusiastic, Lena agreed to be moved to the chair (4/11/13)

With her left arm & left foot she helped move the chair to the exercise room 

Resting from having stood up (assisted in special contraption)

Practicing lifting right leg

Lifting right knee

Saturday 4/13 and Pics

Per an email from Grandpa:

• When he arrived, Grandma still had her breakfast in front of her.  She had eaten some of the oatmeal but had no banana as there is no speech therapist on weekends. She seemed to feel good, and when the nurses came to clean her up she agreed readily to be transferred to the chair.
• Jonathan arrived, a favorite physical therapist, and this morning he did two new things with her.
• "He had her work on the NuStep bicycle. She was at first hesitant, but improved as she went along. As you all know, mom is often a kind of combination of being negative and a moment later cocky. When he installed her in that machine she gave her usual talk of her right leg not having been any more of use even before the stroke. But once she got going, she got better & better, and then said that such machines were below her dignity. Anyway she did more than 10 minutes on it."  -- Grandma is so funny!!
• "He had her stand up between 2 bars where she supported herself with her left arm on a bar. At first when she did this, she acted like she might faint, an experience other PTs have had with her. However she recovered almost immediately and indicated that she had had a tremendous fear she could not do this. But she tried this a second time and did better."
• After all this she was tired, and about 11 she went back to lie on her bed and take a nap. 
• Today is kind of cool, so we'll see how she feels this afternoon about going outside. 

She did more than 10 minutes

Standing up with help by Jonathan

Friday 4/12 and Pics

Per an email from Grandpa:

• Nothing very exciting to-day, but progress seemed to continue.
• Grandma had a banana and a drink for breakfast. :)  I know she likes bananas for breakfast, so she's probably pretty happy to be able to eat them again.
• Occupational Therapy came in the morning.  Grandpa says Grandma "was not overly cooperative," for instance when the PT wanted her to count her repetitions of an exercise, she was reluctant to do so, saying, "that's not my department, that's my husband's department..." Always a feisty one, she is.
• Grandma spent the rest of her morning in the wheelchair, and Grandpa wheeled her around the facility, but not outside since it was raining.  By about noon she was tired again and wanted to rest in bed, so Grandpa left for lunch.
• Grandpa came back to find Grandma had 2 visitors from the church "circle" Grandma belongs to.  
• She didn't eat very much of her lunch, but she is getting at least some of her daily calories by eating on her own, so this is great progress. :)
• She had some Physical Therapy later in the day (leg bending, lifting her behind, etc.) with Annabel, and did well. Yay!
• In the afternoon Grandma was complaining of being bored, and thankfully it had stopped raining, so Grandpa took her around outside for an hour and a half or so!   Wow!  Grandpa reported that this long second "walk" shows Grandma's increasing ability to keep herself sitting up and alert.  Hooray! 
• Someone told Grandpa later that a neighbor, 95 year old Gene across the street, who is in a wheelchair, accompanied by her care taker, Brenda, had visited Grandma on Thursday midday.  Grandma confirmed this information when Grandpa asked her -- I would think this is good progress with Grandma's short term memory, since previously she has had trouble remembering days or even hours earlier.

Monday and Tuesday Pictures from Grandpa

Monday - Grandma with therapist & nurse aide

Tuesday, being delivered at Sajak Bldg for appointment with Dr, Farhadi, neurologist.

Lena at HH Rehab back from visit with neurologist Dr Farhadi

In bed after tiresome day, entertaining PTs and others with a song, which she stated was her own composition

Some other notes from Grandpa not covered in my mom's message:

• Both yesterday & today, Grandma was too tired to do therapy in the exercise room, but she was still able to to have good sessions in her bed, practicing sit-up, and moving her right arm & leg.
• The neurologist also stated that the pain of which she has complained in her right thigh muscles, etc. cannot be caused by the stroke but probably results from not having used those muscles much in a while (I believe this answers a question Lizzy once raised).
• The doctor was very pleasant and the transportation by HH vehicle was very professional, but in Lena's current condition this was relatively a pretty tiresome experience, and she was happy to be moved in her bed after this was over.

Tuesday 4-9 Pictures from Rosemary

The delivery van. Had a nice wheelchair elevator on the other side, very snazzy.

Mom settled in her snuggly bed.

Also from my mom's report: "After mom's PT session, she started singing a nice song with no words. It was pretty, it sounded very spiritual.  She said she made the song up a long time ago. Mom still has a very good voice.  She said this song was a happy uplifting song. That made me very happy too."

Tuesday 4-8 Update from Rosemary

Today's update comes from my mom/Rosemary:

• Mom went straight to the hospital since she figured they would still be in this meeting with the neurologist and ran into Grandma and Grandpa in the hallway! Ha!
• Grandpa said the doctor was nice, but they did not have any brain scan, and that they just came to visit the doctor and talk about her progress?  Hm, we thought there would have been a CT scan.  (Grandpa later said in an email that when he asked the doc said they could do one, but he didn't see the need.)
• The doctor had showed Grandpa the previous brain scans and told him that Grandma had a small bleed and she was going to recover from this, quite possibly fully recover.  What FANTASTIC news!
• He also prescribed one baby aspirin a day, since Grandma is not to go back on Coumadin after all of this.  He wrote a prescription so that it could be administered at the rehab center.
• Because Grandpa wasn't sure what he understood/remembered from the meeting, Mom had the receptionist in the neuro office agree to send Grandpa a copy of the doctor's visit notes to Grandpa, so hopefully he'll get that in about a week.
• Grandma was tired upon returning to HHRC, so Rosemary and Grandpa left for lunch so Grandpa could nap awhile.
• When they got back, Grandma was already under attack of the physical therapists. Two of them working with Grandma.  Her right leg was hooked up to the stimulator leads and every time they started firing on her muscles she had to extend her knee.  She did okay. She did not really enjoy that exercise...
• Then they put hand weights on both sides: 2 lbs on her left, 1 lb on her right.  Bending and flexing with every last ounce of energy she had.  Those therapists are great and do not take any excuses. Grandma told them she never uses her right arm, or she uses it for different purposes and she did not understand why she needed to lift weights. haha
• Then the therapists flattened out the legs portion of Grandma's bed and sat her up. She then had to pull herself forward, up, keep her chest and head up, THEN with her left leg and foot, she had to push her right leg and knee out off of the bed, so she could turn and sit on the side of the bed. That was a lot of work. The therapists supported her but they made her do it.  She did well. She worked at keeping herself balanced, both feet on the floor.
• Then she got hot and clammy (her room is boiling hot and dry but she claims she is cold) and the therapists put her back in bed.  They both commented that mom did really great.
• Rosemary noticed that Grandma did not eat much of her lunch.  She did eat more than half of her chocolate pudding.  (No surprise; she's a "chocoholic"! -Christina)

WHAT A GREAT DAY!  :D

My mom plans to return to HHRC on Friday.  I think Joyce will be there Saturday, and I hope to make it out on Sunday. :)

Monday 4-8

Update from Grandpa:

Monday morning Mom had very little energy. She said she was "out of it". When the therapists came, she told them so.  When she was moved into her chair, I volunteered to take her out on a walk outside in the nice weather (about 70 degrees & sunny) in order to try to liven her up. We had a really nice walk but after less than half an hour she wanted to go back saying she was tired & once in the room she said she was "collapsing" & wanted to go back to bed. When the therapists saw this situation, they agreed to try later. She then went to sleep & I went for lunch.  

About 2 PM I came back and found that she was a lot more peppy. Soon one therapist showed up & decided to work with mom on the bed, things like moving her leg muscles, sitting up, etc. However at some point this was discontinued when the PT noticed that mom was breaking out in a cold sweat (her cheeks & neck became quite clammy).  

After mom rested for a while and also had a visit from pastor Bill of our church. During his visit a PT named Jenny showed up with that muscle stimulator that she worked on mom's left arm for 20 minutes, and after that she also had mom do some sitting up until again she was tired.This PT stated that mom has made some good progress. 

Also I was told today that mom has been promoted in her eating, in the sense that she has started on the pureed diet where she gets 3 spoonfed meals a day which she eats under nurse supervision! In this connection, a sign on the wall behind her bed, stating that she was an NPO, was removed.

Great update!  Sounds like Grandma is getting a bit better at fighting the sleepiness during the day.  Every day, little by little, we see progress.  Wonderful to hear as always.  <3

Sunday 4-7 Update from Joyce

Sunday's details were from Joyce, sent to me late Sunday evening.

• Joyce arrived around 2 when Grandma was getting cleaned up.  She was in a great mood, very alert and smiling.  Was excited to see Joyce and said, "We were just talking about you!"
• The 2 aides with Grandma love helping her, stating that she constantly chats about everything and makes them laugh.  One nurse commented on how sweet grandpa was with Grandma.  "This is how you hope it is when you get old," i.e. that your spouse is there for you. She thought they were very endearing.
• Grandma spent a lot of time outside, going all the way around the rehab center, sitting outside in the sun. There was a gentle breeze and wonderful sunshine. They went to a particular part of the road where Grandpa reminded Grandma that they always would walk this way to get to the rehab and walk around. Grandma recognized this area, and assured them that she could remember where the house was in relation to where they were. Wonderful!
• Afterward, they hunted down a lady on the second floor (more like nursing home on that floor) that Grandma knew that was there for a few years.  They talked for about 15 minutes, just glad to see each other.  The lady definitely remembered mom, and when she asked about mom being there, mom just said something like, "Oh I had a problem but I'll be walking out of here pretty soon!" Joyce says she really did say something very much like that. Ha!
• After this visit, Grandma was starting to get tired, so the nurses put her to bed to rest for a 15-20 minute nap.  
• Later, Dr. Chopra came for a visit. Here's what he had to say:
• Grandma's had a few UTIs since the catheter was in, and now out. He has once again put her on an antibiotic for that, but felt she shouldn't have so quickly gotten that infection, so soon right after the other one. We'll watch this. Might need a urologist to look into this further. 
• Mom was trying to follow this conversation and the doc REALLY noted how clear and coherant mom was. He stated those UTIs really make her more muddled, so that's probably part of why she's had many more "good" days late. 
• Doctor also confirmed the neuro appointment Tuesday is probably an evaluation and maybe a CT scan to follow up.
• Grandma said that she gets cold at night, so Joyce was going to leave a note for the nurses to make sure she gets extra blankets.

Sounds like great news all around.  I'm sure Grandma loved visiting that lady upstairs. As social as she's been, visitors must really make her day, too.  If anyone asks how to help, I would say to visit her, or send her mail, or maybe one day we can see about setting up video chats on Grandpa's computer. Wouldn't that be fun!

Sunday 4-7 Pictures

One of her favorite nurses-aids had put her in the chair 

Enjoying the sunny weather

Visiting a friend who has been a patient in this Rehab Center for years

Back outside again 

Just relaxing in the sun for awhile (Grandpa's Subaru in the background)

Posing with Grandpa's Subaru

Saturday 4-6 "Mom's Best Day"

From: GRANDPA

Subject: 8 iPhotos 4/6/13 at HH Rehab
Date: April 6, 2013 9:08:37 PM EDT

To me this was perhaps mom's best day.

It started with the arrival of Jonathan in her room. He and mom bond very well together and he inspires her to try her best. He took her outside (the weather though sunny, was nevertheless kind of chilly so we bundled her up). He had her find various things such as a yellow bush, a white truck, a bird feeder, etc. He also had her do some exercises such as turning her head, pointing her right foot forward, etc, small advances perhaps, but boosting her feelings of accomplishment, making her remark various times that she was "amazed" she could do these things, which she could not do before. After she was finished with Jonathan, we wheeled her around for a little longer outside, until she noticed she was getting cold, so we then took her around inside for awhile, until she indicated she was ready for a rest. In the meanwhile, Rosemary had arrived and pretty soon after that the three of us left mom to take a nap & we went to the house for some lunch & moving Elizabeth's stuff out to the car as she had completed her one week's stay with me, as my care taker, cook, laundry & dish washer operator, chauffeur, telephone operator, grocery shopper, and advisor, in addition to joining with me in our activities at that rehab center, interacting with mom & the personnel there. (There were several evenings that both Lizzy & I were thoroughly exhausted, & in addition she had to do her work for her job).

After we came back from lunch, Mom had rested, and she was able to enjoy various Utube music videos on her iBook & on Rosemary's mini iPad.

Pretty soon after Rosemary & Lizzy left to return to Virginia, Sally Baldwin arrived, & mom spent a happy & animated hour & a half with her, as Sally is also one of mom' s favorite people.

When I left Mom it was about 5:30, and before I left she suggested I go to church tomorrow morning.

I thought today was such a good day, because she was alert, happy, & optimistic all day with positive thoughts about her progress, and the real possibility that she may lick this thing eventually.

Working with therapist Jonathan (making her find various things such as "yellow bush" 

Sticking out her right foot

Pointing with right arm

Relaxing back in bed

Music videos on Rosemary's iPad

All smiles!

Sally visiting

Sally brought flowers & magazines for Grandma