Stroke Warning Signs

Gladys brought this information home from the adult day center that she attends and I thought it was good information to share. It is from the American Stroke Association.

Whether the stroke is your own or that of a friend, parent, child, spouse or loved one, your life is affected. Today there are a treatments that can reduce the risk of death or disability from stroke, that’s why it’s so important to know the warning signs and to call 9-1-1 immediately if you or someone else experiences them.

Stroke Warning Signs

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding

Call 1-888-4stroke
Visit: www.strokeassociation.org

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When Aging Loved Ones Need Physical Therapy

Gladys began physical therapy today.  I started to notice some changes in her walk, the way she sat and how she avoided using her right arm, but I thought they were normal signs of aging.  It wasn’t until her doctor’s office was trying to schedule Gladys for a mammogram and I asked if the procedure can be done from a seated position because I didn’t think Gladys could stand long enough for them to complete the mammogram.  That’s when the nurse began to ask a lot of questions and it was determined that Gladys needed some physical therapy.

The sad thing is that I probably contributed to part of her condition.  Gladys does not have cartilage in her arms and it is very painful for her to use them.  When she came to live with me, Gladys was able to take off her shirts that didn’t have buttons, zippers or snaps by herself.  When I saw how painful it was for her to move her arms, I began to help her put on and take off her shirts; taking them off in way that minimized arm movement.  As a result, she is no longer able to take them off by herself.  Why?  Because the muscles in her arms have stiffened due to lack of use.  Also, because she has become accustomed to my helping her with it, so now she expects my help.

Being a caregiver for an elderly stroke survivor with dementia has its challenges.  It is challenging because they can have such limited use of their limbs and the combination of the after effects of stroke combined with dementia often means they forget how to perform simple tasks.  When they are in pain, you want to help, but sometimes helping means enabling.  That balance is sometimes hard to find.

Anyway, we’ll see how the therapy goes.

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A Caregivers Scare, Part 2

The last few days caregiving has been very stressful and tiring.  On Monday we thought Gladys was getting better after her seizure on Sunday night but Monday evening everything went downhill.  She is lethargic, having problems standing and moving her legs and arms.  In addition to some other issues, her appetite is not as healthy as usual.  I just figured out these are side effects of the medication she was give for a bladder infection but I can’t reach the doctor until tomorrow morning.

We had a doctor’s appointment yesterday but I had not seen the correlation between the antibiotic and her recent problems.  One of the reasons I didn’t see it is because the doctor and nurses kept telling me how a bladder infection can cause changes in behavior in elderly people.  So at first I thought that was it.  Another reason is they think Gladys may have had another stroke.

I’ve spent the last three nights sleeping on the couch so I can hear Gladys better when she needs help.  Since she started taking the antibiotic, I have to help her get out of her chair, help her to to the bathroom and my husband and I have to put her into bed.  Needless to say, I haven’t had much sleep and my back hurts from helping Gladys up and down.  I’m looking for some kind of sling to help put Gladys in bed.

I have a new found respect for caregivers who have to do this alone.  If I had been on my own the past few days, I would be absolutely exhausted.  But my husband is a lot of help and my daughter comes over and gives me a break.  There are so many caregivers who have no relief at all and are prime candidates for caregiver burnout.

Hopefully we will be back to normal in a few days.

Related Reading:

A Caregiver’s Scare in the Middle of the Night

Effective Communication Between Caregivers and Doctors

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