As most of you know I have been pretty much a stranger here the last few months.
As some of you know, my mom had a stroke on 8/10. It was a pretty big one, they consider it two actually as she had a secondary bleed, and she has been in a total of 4 hospitals and rehab facilities along the way. She has improved and we are lucky. She has no use of her right arm at this point, but she has feeling so that's good. Her right leg is pretty bad too, but PT has been able to get her up to 80 steps with a cane and about 50-50 assistance. Her mind is all there but she is suffering from aphasia and apraxia so while she knows in her head what she wants to say it comes out all garbled.
For an idea what it's like and to watch an update on a good man with a sad story, check this out:
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-films-pre ... truly-Dr-Z
It's been a long struggle, basically a full time job, with her care - finding the right facilities to give her the best opportunities, navigating Medicare and insurance, all the while caring for both her and my dad and making sure they are both "OK" as everything is swirling around them. They are both relatively young, mom just turned 69 and dad 70 this past September, but they are old thinkers. Hard workers frustrated that their hard work hasn't put them in the position they hoped it would.
But finally we are turning a corner. We met with a live-in home aide last night that we think will be a perfect segue to her returning home. Once she's back, Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapies will kick back in (don't get me started on managed Medicare). Hopefully being back in her familiar surroundings will give her a boost as well.
Which should give me a break as well and some time to spend on the best message board on the internets. After some RnR in the Keys for New Year's of course.
thanks!