Monday 16th July

Monday 16th July

So based on the feedback from my Mum...I have to keep my daily updates shorter and keep the detail for my personal diary!

So here we go...something to lift all of our spirits.  Mum met with the Doctor today - he had come to check out Dad's mental ability.  He spent some time speaking with Dad on his own, to Mum and Dad together and then took Mum in to a private room to have a chat.

He said the fact that Dad had even survived the stroke at all, let alone the progress he has made, was a surprise. He was impressed with Dad's ability considering the extent of the brain damage and reiterated the need for brain stimulation. When Mum mentioned the research we had done on computer stimulation, he agreed that computers are a good source to help stimulate and improve the brain.

According to Mum the Doctor said at the rate of progress Dad is making, his memory could come back in the next three, six, twelve months, when the brain finds new pathways.

The Doctor did say that he could see from the MRI and CT scan that Dad had had a previous stroke....news to us all.  Mum said I've been married to Alan for 42 years and I'm not aware of him having had a stroke.  The scan showed some scarring on Dad's brain and the Doctor was convinced it wasn't from this stroke.  However, he also said that this is common in many people.

He advised Mum that the PEG wasn't a bad thing, as it helps to prevent infections.  

The OT also spoke to Mum as she'd heard we didn't think Dad had progressed last week.  She said her report showed that Dad had received physio on four days - twice in one day.  When  Dad had his shower last week, the physios spent 80 minutes with him and carried out much of the physio work in the shower.

To continue the brain stimulation, Dad was taken a Saga magazine, which he seemed engrossed in reading, a book in a large font size and a book of word searches.

Dad didn't eat any breakfast today, he ate half a bowl of soup 'himself' for dinner, and ate all his tea and main meal fed by Mum this evening.

Hope that's short and sweet enough?  Tomorrow we meet with the SALT nurse (Speech and Language Therapist don't you know) and view some potential nursing homes.

Love you Dad x