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Life at the Nursing Home
It’s been 12 weeks since Steve had a major ischemic stroke. Six of those weeks have been spent at Woodside Nursing Home where he is presently. Our insurance benefits are limited to pay nursing home costs for no more than 100 days, which means that Steve will be discharged July 12, 2008 or before. It seems like such a long period of time, but the therapy he is getting 6 days a week will determine how active he will be the rest of his life. So although it is hard to be away from home, he must persevere. When that time comes, he will still need outpatient therapy.
The rehabilitation dept. has added an additional hour of physical therapy on Saturdays. Monday through Friday he has almost 3 hours of therapy a day between physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. This is much more than we expected, so we are thrilled that he is getting the most out of his stay there.
Steve wants to come home so desperately, but he knows that I can’t manage him by myself yet. Just “a few more weeks” I keep telling him. I have brought him home a few times after church to see how he can maneuver around the house and he is doing well for the most part, but it is physically demanding on me. Lifting the wheelchair in and out of the trunk and lifting his leg in and out of the car is taking its toll on my back. This arduous journey is wearisome for both of us and I am feeling especially worn out, so please keep me in your prayers that I will be strengthened to go the course.
The doctor adjusted some of Steve’s meds and today he put him back on a lower dose of the nitro-patch because his blood pressure was still too high, which puts him at higher risk for another stroke. Hopefully this will work without the side effects of dizziness and headaches.
HIs left eye is tingling again and reading gives him a headache. The speech therapist works with him on problem-solving techniques and puzzles, but all that concentration gives him a headache too. He can tell you how to fix any problem you have with your house, lawnmower or car, because that comes from his memory which is from an unaffected part of his brain. But learning something new puts his brain in a cramp.
Please pray with me according to the Bible verse that says God has given him a sound mind.
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7
He is having severe pain in his left ankle in the same spot which caused him to go down when he broke it prior to the stroke. He is concerned that it will give out on him again, so we’re making an appt. with the orthopedic doctor again to get an MRI of that area, because nothing could be seen on the x-ray when he went for a re-check a few weeks ago. Please pray that the source of pain will be discovered, treated and healed.
Steve’s sleep is disrupted many times throughout the night. Part of that is due to sleep apnea, and part is due to the alarms and call buttons that are set off by other nursing home residents. Elaine next door has fallen several times in the night and he’s heard her crying for help. When no one comes, he presses his call button to get help. A man in the room on the other side of him took a nasty fall from bed too, so you can see why Steve’s sleep isn’t too restful. He is going in for a sleep study on May 29, so please pray that the right measures will be taken to correct this. Sleep apnea deprives the brain of oxygen which is another risk factor for a subsequent stroke.
He is very emotional and it’s so hard on him. This week the nursing home is celebrating weddings, so there are some special activities planned including a mock wedding, live music, dancing, “champaigne”, cake, etc. He watches the other residents who are so much older than him, who listen to the music and reminisce about the happier times in their lives. And that just drives him to tears when he sees how incapacitated they are now.
The stroke rehabilitation is coming along but it’s a slow process. He can move his arm a little more and grasp his fingers slightly to close around mine, but he can’t open them up just yet. The walking is going alright, but he doesn’t trust his left leg to hold him up, so he doesn’t put much weight on it. It’s a balancing act every time he walks and he tires very easily as a result. Almost all of his weight is borne by his right leg and his hand using the cane. I’ve noticed a lot of muscle deterioration in his left leg, hip and arm from lack of use. Please pray that he will regain that muscle tissue and functional use of those limbs.
Thank you for your prayer support. Please continue to hold us up in your prayers that God will continue to strengthen and encourage us throughout this stroke recovery process.
Love, Kathy