StrokeSurvivorBlog

We retained home health care services, and met Steve’s new therapists…physical therapist Paul, and Nick the occupational therapist. They are wonderful and there was an immediate rapport between them and Steve. The speech therapist is the same one he had in the hospital. He called her “Look Left Sue” because she kept telling him to “look left” when he neglected his left side. So there is a comfort level with all three of them. They can’t come in every day as I thought, but they will try 2-3 times a week and assign us homework exercises to work on in the meantime.

Bellin Home Health Agency has been wonderful and they offered to send out an aide to assist me in Steve’s daily care if needed, but I don’t feel that will be necessary. Tomorrow they are coming to install Tele-Med. It’s a machine that can be programmed to weigh, take blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, oxygen and respiration. It’s hooked up to the phone line and all the info is transmitted right to the Agency who then gives it to the doctor. That technology just boggles my mind!

We were looking into getting Steve a scooter or power wheelchair, but we were strongly advised against it by several people. One man named Jim, a stroke survivor, said it would make Steve lazy and he wouldn’t use his legs very much. Eventually that lack of use would result in him losing his ability to walk. So although we could have gotten one to use for free, we refused it.

But Steve wants to get on the trails to go back into our woods, so his brother, John, arranged to get him a golf cart to use outside. Just having the freedom of mobility is wonderful…something we all take for granted until that gift is taken away. Thank you, John…what a blessing you are!!