Grandma H Adventures

It’s been 14 days since Grandma H has been with us. The second half of her time here has certainly been better than the first half. Aside from a few unpleasant episodes (such as the "musical bedding" episode), I’d say Grandma H is adjusting better than I’d expected. Here’s a short summary of what happened last week:

~ The "musical bedding" episode... after about a week of sleeping on the bed, Grandma H declared the bed is just too soft for her. So she wanted to try something else. First she said she wanted to sleep on the couch, and so I helped her onto the couch and tucked her in. After about 5 minutes, she changed her mind and said she wanted to sleep on the chair. I was reluctant to fulfill her request for this one because we (hubby and I) felt she wouldn't be comfortable and might fall out of the chair. However, we helped her get into the chair anyway because she was adamant about sleeping in it. Well, about five minutes later, she announced she wanted to go back to the bed. But, that didn't last very long either. She sat up and pointed to the couch. So, we put a sheet on the couch (again), along with a couple of pillows and tucked her in (again). To my surprise she actually slept on it the entire night (with the occasional bathroom breaks, of course). I though she'd be content with her decision. However, she played "musical bedding" again the next night. Her final decision was the couch, and it's been her bedding of choice since. (I found it so amusing that I had to stop and take a picture during the "musical bedding" ordeal).

Resting in the chair.

~ All the unpleasant screaming and yelling had stopped. After the first incident where she had gotten out of bed by herself, she never did try to do it again. Also, she has been sleeping close to three hours straight during most nights, and there have even been a couple of nights where she slept five or more hours at a time. So, yay!! 

~ Grandma H “sang” along with us during opening and closing songs when we did our usual Family Home Evening (FHE) time. She even said the closing prayer. I was quite impressed even though 98% of what she said was unrecognizable. What mattered was the fact that she remembered how to pray and was willing to do so. I was quite amazed that she agreed to pray because she reverted back to Buddhism years ago and was actively engaged in the religion up until she had the stroke. Now that I think of it, Grandma H had been participating in prayer time since the first night she got here. I guess I'm just surprise because I didn't think she'd join in.

~ We've been working on her physical and speech therapy. The two pictures were taken during her speech therapy session. M, who didn't want to be in the picture, and Grandma H enjoyed coloring together. For speech therapy we worked on identifying objects and naming different colors. For physical therapy we tossed and kicked an inflated balloon back and forth. Grandma H enjoyed this activity just as much and M and I did. I didn't take any picture of this activity because I didn't want to interrupt the therapy session. 

 

Grandma H showing her pearly white dentures.

Coloring a flower pattern on a rain boot.

~ On Saturday (January 11th) we went to the Dallas Zoo. We rode the monorail train and Grandma H really enjoyed being able to see some of the animals on the train route. She pointed at the animals, laughed and had a great time. After the short train ride we strolled through the zoo to see other animals, which included the elephants and the giraffes. M got to feed the giraffes and Grandma H attempted to do it too, but she couldn't reach high enough (because she was in her wheelchair). Nevertheless, I thought it was a great experience for her to be that close to an animal (and almost fed it). (No pictures from the zoo trip because I forgot my camera while hurrying out the door).

~ On Sunday (January 12th) we took Grandma H to church with us. She did fine during Sacrament meeting, and she almost made it through the entire Sunday School lesson before she got bored. During the third hour, I took her to Young Women's with me. But after about 15 minutes Grandma H mumbled a few words and her face showed signs of boredom (again). So, we left the room and hung out in the foyer until church was over.

Overall, I'd say Grandma H is adjusting well and doing much better than her first week here. Aside from the couple of times when she was feeling down and homesick, I think Grandma H is getting the hang of things and the routines. I will admit that it's still a bit difficult at times, but I enjoy having Grandma H here with us. And I hope she wholeheartedly feel the same way.

Mom's Rehab Update, Week Four

Last week, each of the therapists wanted me to get more involved with Mom's rehab care. Getting hands on training will help me know what I need to do when we're at home. In other words, I've been working with Mom on her speech, occupational and physical developments. And will continue to do so until Mom can completely do things on her own; which in this case, will take awhile for complete rehab, if that.

Here's what I've been assigned to do:

Speech Therapy-- Decide what Mom need to work on the most. For example, should we start the session with counting numerically, or would looking at pictures of household items (and try to trigger her memory) be more productive?

Occupational Therapy-- Assist Mom with grooming and with each of her meals. She is able to feed herself. All I would need to do is place food items and plate/bowl in front of her so she can reach them. Remember not to do everything for her, but help her when she needs it.The goal is to continue to get Mom to some level of independence so she doesn't feel helpless. 

Physical Therapy-- Do arm and leg stretches several times a day. Help Mom get in/out of bed, as well as get in/out of wheelchair. I would also need to assist Mom when she needs to go "potty."

I will admit that some of these tasks are tough. What makes it even more difficult is the "language barrier." Meaning, I can understand maybe 60% of what Mom says. Even then, there have been times when I had to really listen and think about what she had said. Furthermore, I'm not sure how much Mom truly understands me (or anyone else) when she is given directions. So for now, its more of a guessing game (including body language and hand gestures) until Mom can understand and speak clearly. Tough days ahead for sure!

Mom's Rehab Update, Week Three

Good news! Mom's discharge date is set for January 1, 2014. Yay! We are excited and hope things will work out smoothly for everyone involved.

This week's therapies are pretty much similar to last week's. So, I'm going to just include short notes of activities during each session.

Speech Therapy-- Worked one syllable words, identified objects from a flashcard, practiced counting numerically, practiced days of the week, practiced moving her tongue up and down.

Occupational Therapy-- Worked on tasks that she will eventually do daily, such as get dressed, shower (with assistance), comb hair, etc. Also worked on releasing muscle tension in her right arm and stretching/straightening the fingers. OT also did a short session that involved electro convulsion therapy on the right arm ( there were some muscle movements in knuckle joints but not so much in the upper arm).

Physical Therapy-- Worked on transferring from bed to wheelchair, and vice versa. Did strengthening of the leg exercises (leg lifts and bicycling), scooting left and right, standing for about a minute at a time, walking across the parallel bars with assistance, and practiced standing up on her own.

 Along with working on her movements and speech, learning to move around in her wheelchair is another task. So, during her free time, we would go out into the hallways and have her practice "driving" her wheelchair. 

Overall, things are looking good for Mom. Just a little less than two weeks and we can head home!

Mom's First Three Days at Rehab

Last Friday (December 6) was Mom's first day at the rehab center.  She let it be known that she's going to be difficult to work with; stubborn and opinionated. But I have been told that stroke victims tend to be difficult and grumpy.

The first night an RN placed Mom's legs in compression cuffs to prevent clogged arteries in the leg.  An hour later, she took them off, with only one hand. Then she demanded that her ankle sock and support hose be taken off.

The second day a CNA combed her hair, detangled it, and tied it in a ponytail. She looked great. Clean and refreshed. But that did not last very long. For as long as I could remember Mom have always preferred her hair down and untied.  So, off came the hair tie.  Now I see where my daughter gets it from.

Breakfast usually consist of cream of rice with brown sugar, pureed omelet, pureed banana, and applesauce. 

Lunch usually consist of mashed potatoes with gravy, pureed vegetable (peas or carrots), pureed fruit (banana or pear), and/or applesauce. Sometime pureed meat is included (which is usually beef or pork).

Dinner is very similar to lunch menu items. It usually consist of pureed beef, pork or turkey, and sometime paired with mashed potatoes and gravy, pureed vegetable ( peas or carrots), and pureed fruit (banana or pear), and/or applesauce. 

Drinks that accompanied each meal were usually water, orange juice and/or apple juice.  However,  a recent lab result showed low sodium in Mom's system. So, no more juices; only chicken and beef broth, and some water.

Saturday, December 7... Due to low sodium in her body, the doctor ordered an IV, thinking it would be the easiest method for increasing Mom's sodium level.  But, it turned out that she did not like it, so she made a HUGE fuss, to put it nicely.  After awhile the nurse called the doctor, and the IV got taken out.  Obviously, actions of "anger and non-contentment" is something that can be understood across all nationalities. In other words, you don't have to speak the same language to know when someone is upset.

REHABILITATION UPDATE ( for December 6-8 )

The Occupational Therapist (OT) did some movement evaluation, which included leg and arm stretches. Therapy exercises have included re-learning how to shower, get dress,  comb/brush hair, stand, and walk.

The Speech Therapist (SP) evaluated her eating, chewing, swallowing, communication, and of course, speaking abilities. SP also worked on counting, recognizing and identifying objects, as well as understanding what they are used for.  It took at least three tries before Mom could count numerically. She managed to count up to number five; did it once with a combination of both English and Khmer. And then once again in only Khmer.  For the most part Mom can perform the functions. 

SP recommendation: work with Mom on a daily basis by encouraging her to move her tongue around the mouth for increased muscle strength, encourage her to smile often to work on facial muscle, and lastly, when she feed herself, put a mirror in front of her so she could see the food in her mouth while "chewing" and know that she needs to work on the right side of her mouth.

The Physical Therapist (PT) worked on mobility.  She had Mom do ankle and leg movements, as well as stand up and use the parallel bars for support. The PT said "she's a hard worker."

Overall, Mom has made progress, considering it was only three days of rehabilitation therapy. This week will be a full six days of SP, OT, and PT. I am hoping for more progress. Despite her disability and condition, Mom can be cherry and upbeat most of the time. But just like anyone who has suffered from a stroke and unable to communicate effectively (with a language barrier at that), she does have her moments.

Tragic News

On Monday morning I received news that my mother had suffered from a stroke.

I thought I was prepared for any bad news. But that was not the case. I was actually in shock and it took a little while for everything to sink in. When it finally sunk in, I was in tears. I felt lost and could not focus on anything.  There were many tasks that day that I had left unfinished. When my husband got home from school that afternoon, I informed him of what happened. Minutes later, he was looking for airline flights for me, and I flew out the next day.

According to my older brother, the terrible event took place around 4 a.m. He was asleep but thought he heard a faint cry for help coming from my mother's room. He quickly got up to check, and found her body limp, but her hands held tight onto the door knob. Medics were immediately called, and they arrived soon after.

My brother and sister-in-law never left my mother's side. They stayed with her until I arrived. And have been back to visit everyday since. My nieces and nephews, and extended family members were also there, for support. They are awesome like that. 

According to the neurologist, my mother had an ischemic stroke. The right side of her body is paralyzed. Her speech is majorly impaired, thus making it difficult to understand her. However, for the most part, she is alert and aware of her surroundings.

Today is Thursday, December 5th. She is now at the inpatient rehab facility, which is part of the hospital. Physical therapy will start tomorrow. Right now, the goal is to have physical, occupational, and speech therapy one hour a day, six days a week for the next three or four weeks.

I am amazed at how fast my mother is progressing.  I believe this was made possible through the power of love and prayer from friends and family. On behalf of my family, especially my mother, I would like to thank everyone for thinking of us and remembering us in your thoughts and prayers. I will try to keep everyone updated on her progress.