Saturday, June 14, 2008 Don's Day

It hardly seems possible that it has only be 2 weeks ago that Don had his first stroke - somehow it seems like months.

Britney is updating for us now as she is with him all day and witness to the amazing progress Don is making.

Please enjoy her thoughts about the day:

When I got there this morning, mom was feeding him breakfast. Good news! His appetite is back. He ate all his eggs, cream of wheat, sausage & gravy, almost three thickened juices and his ‘magic cup’ of fortified chocolate ice cream. Every bit!

Then later, the occupational and physical therapists had sessions with him. They said he was in good shape for rehabilitation. The occupational therapist felt some muscle contraction in the arm and hip. The normal way that patients proceed is to start using the leg first then the arm. For the arm, he will have more movement in his shoulder first, and then eventually wrist and finger movement. The physical therapist said he was doing well. He tried to talk to her a little bit. She said it was good to try to ‘force’ talking as much as possible. So, when we are there we should ask him to use his vocal chords. Also, since dad likes to talk on the phone, we should call him and let him exercise his vocal chords. Last night, he talked to me and Mary on the phone. Paul Wilson was there with him, and he told me that he and Chel distinctly heard Dad tell Mary “I love you”. The physical therapist made an appointment for him to work out in the rehab gym that afternoon.

We also did our speech therapy homework twice this morning.

Then Dad got three visitors at 11:15, so I decided to get a bite to eat so I could be back to help him eat lunch. I told this to the nurses. However, when I returned, his food tray was on the table in front of him, and guess what? He had picked up his bowl of applesauce and was ‘drinking it’. I laughed; it really took me by surprise. At lunch I loaded his spoon sometimes and he fed himself. He gets tired of that after awhile and so I take over. For lunch he had most of his chopped roast beef in gravy and mashed potatoes, all of his pudding and applesauce, some thickened liquids, and all of his vanilla ‘magic cup’.

Then after lunch we waited, waited and waited for them to move him up to his room on the 8th floor. We packed his things and then waited some more. It took longer because they had to discharge Dad from the hospital and then admit him again to the rehab unit. (?). So finally I moved his things up and they said they were coming to pick him up for the gym. This took a lot longer than it sounds, but eventually they did come to get him (in a wheelchair), and we went to the rehab gym. Here’s the really good part: they had Dad practice standing. He stood up very straight and looked very balanced. Then they had him walk. He moved his left leg and the therapist moved his right leg. He walked about three feet. I was very proud of him. Also, when the therapist asked him if it hurt he said “A little bit”. I was standing too far away to hear him (his voice is still weak), but she heard him and he repeated it several times. The therapist thinks he will do really well in rehab. After we got back to the new room and answered a lot of questions, he lay down and fell fast asleep. The therapist said he would be really worn out. I left at 4:30.

A couple of other things--his new room on the eighth floor is room 8436. It is much bigger than his last room and there are four extra chairs. This is also where we will have his group meetings once a week to discuss his progress with all of his therapists and the therapy doctor. He also has his own phone number; it is 816-932-3043. In the rehab unit he will have physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy in the morning, then lunch, then all three therapies again. It is important to his progress that he rests between therapy sessions. The best time to visit him will probably be in the evening.

More tomorrow!
Britney