Soren update

[redbird]

roadnotes has posted an update on Soren's recovery.

Quick catch up:

I had the meeting with his team on Monday [10 Nov.]: speech therapist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, doctor, neuropsychologist, and social workers (the neurologist was off duty). I have three pages of notes which include: transcortical motor aphasia, apraxia, perseveration, limited multitasking capacity; slightly more movement in right side of body, including right trunk, ability to flex right hip; problems balancing because of lack of control of right side; subluxion, because right shoulder girdle is weak; medically stable; off blood pressure and heart-rate meds; on assorted pain and mood meds (he dislikes the Percoset, even though it's effective, because it makes him woobly); no more suicidal ideation -- in part because the pain is being managed better.

One of the most important things about his pain management is that after much discussion, one of his nurses and I finally convinced the doctors that, yes, Soren does have a smaller than normal bladder, and making him wait for a normal man's level of fullness before catheterizing him meant that he is in pain/agony for at least an hour, several times a day. That alone has made him a happier person; he's still in pain, but he doesn't have an overloaded bladder on top of the other pains.

I am beginning to suspect all hospital kitchens of evil: they've been putting bananas on his lunch trays here, as well. A memo has been sent, I believe. (Fortunately, he doesn't like bananas; unfortunately, the smell sometimes puts him off eating.)

I'm working during the weekdays, and seeing him in the evenings. We've been watching Jeopardy; he can't find the words fast enough to guess the questions, but he's still enjoying watching. We are also watching The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, and he's been laughing his head off. (We may have to get cable at last.)

On Tuesday, he got a visit from Eric Schwartz (of "Keep Your Jesus Off My Penis" fame), who's an old friend of mine, and that brightened up his evening as well. (No, Eric did not sing, which is both a bad -- he's got a lovely voice -- and a good -- he's got a wicked mind -- thing.)

Soren enjoys having company, and has no qualms about telling people to slow down, to repeat themselves, or to be quiet, so if anyone wants to drop by during the afternoon (visiting hours are 2:30-8:30), his therapy sessions usually end by 3pm.

I'm sorry I've not been updating as much. I'm trying to catch up with things like bill paying (which he handled), email, work, financial issues, and reviewing the list of potential sub-acute rehab places for him to go to. As most people probably know (I didn't), all insurance companies use charts: a stroke victim with, say, paralysis on one side, inability to walk, aphasia, etc., will get a certain number of days paid for in acute rehab, then a certain number in sub-acute rehab.

His anticipated discharge date from Rusk is 25 November.

Here we go again.

[Comments on this entry should go in roadnotes's journal.]