Stroke Patients

[my4helpers]

Nine weeks ago, my 44 yr old uncle suffered a rare stroke. Although he cannot talk or move from the neck down, his progress so far is absolutely amazing!! He is able to wiggle his toes and fingers a litter and he can clench his fist (not all the way) and open it slightly again. The doctors tell us that one day he will be able to talk, walk, and eat again. Anyway, can any of you recommend any activities we can do with him? My cousin and I are committed to visiting him twice a week and working with him for a couple hours each visit. It's so funny because I "act" like a nurse/physical therapist. I make sure he's comfortable, wipe off his face, lotion his hands/feet and I massage/work his feet/hands. On the other hand, my cousin "acts" as his speech therapist/activities director. She gets in his face and has him say different words so we can get better at lip reading. She also thinks of activities to do with him. We are so funny, but we love being there for him and he enjoys our company. When we walked in today he just smiled. Today she took wet macaroni with us and had him close his eyes and then she put his hand in it to try to guess what it was.

[grannyrn65]

Sounds like you are using your noggin. I am assuming your uncle is no longer in an acute facility. Was he transferred to a stroke rehab cebter? Or a nursing home? Have you talked with his physician, as well as the therapists working with him, for their suggestions as to what the two of you can do to help him. I am not putting you down but if he is in a stroke rehab center, he should be receiving a pretty heavy schedule of activities to help him. While you can continue to assist him with rehab techniques, he will all ready be tired, from his day time rehab.

The senses need to be provoke, as well as fine and gross motion to his fingers and hands. Passive range of motion to his arms and legs is helpful. Having him pick of jacks is something that would help his finger movements and grasping. Being in a couple of different size plastic containers, having him put them into one another will help his eye hand co-ordination.

Good luck

GrannyRN65

[GRUNGE]

if he is ambulatory kicking a ball helbs coordination, also get a small weight and have him move it in big circles on a table, this helps with left and right brain coordination.

you can also get pictures of animals and write out the sound they make. have him put them together as quickley as he can

[Neveranurseagain, RN]

You might also read the book, "My Stroke of Insight" which will give you some good information that will help you and him as he recovers. And read to him also-newpapers, novels or anything else that may interest him.

[carolmaccas66, BSN, RN]

Sorry not being rude, but what is a 'rare stroke'? Do u mean he hadn't had one b4?

[systoly]

Try to get PT,OT,ST.

[my4helpers]

Sounds like you are using your noggin. I am assuming your uncle is no longer in an acute facility. Was he transferred to a stroke rehab cebter? Or a nursing home? Have you talked with his physician, as well as the therapists working with him, for their suggestions as to what the two of you can do to help him. I am not putting you down but if he is in a stroke rehab center, he should be receiving a pretty heavy schedule of activities to help him. While you can continue to assist him with rehab techniques, he will all ready be tired, from his day time rehab.

The senses need to be provoke, as well as fine and gross motion to his fingers and hands. Passive range of motion to his arms and legs is helpful. Having him pick of jacks is something that would help his finger movements and grasping. Being in a couple of different size plastic containers, having him put them into one another will help his eye hand co-ordination.

Good luck

GrannyRN65

The stroke happened nine weeks ago. When it happened he was rushed to the hospital. After a week of being in the ICU, they were keeping him sedated and nothing was being done. My cousin and aunt requested he be sent over an hour away, to a bigger hospital that had a stroke unit. As soon as he was sent, my uncle was assessed within 24 hours and we were given grim news. The doctor said that he had two choices: either to die or they would insert a traech and a feeding tube and he would remain in a LTC facility and will never be able to go home. Being that my uncle is to his mind and he communicates by blinking, he had to make the decision. Four weeks before the stroke occurred, his son (my cousin) was killed in a car accident, but thank God he made the decision to live. This past seven weeks have been spent on trying to get him closer to us and last week he was finally moved. It's not a stroke rehab center, but it's a huge nursing home that holds skilled residents, Rehab patients (this is where he is) and also has a unit for assistant living. They also have apartments you can rent for when he gets better, he can spend the night their with my aunt before he gets ready to go home for good. Their job is to eventually get him off the traech, eat, walk and send him home! He has only been their a little over a week so the rehab is still very light. He should have been having rehab these past few weeks, but the place he was at was not working with him or he could have been so much farther. He was originally told that he would always remain at a LCF, never eat, walk or talk again and it's so nice to see him proving everyone wrong. We use a letter board for him to communicate and he shakes his head yes and no for each letter. A few weeks ago he started laughing and smiling.

I guess I am not really wanting ideas on physical movements or anything. I mean my aunt has taught me to work with his fingers and I will continue to do that as well as his legs. His nurse told us to just keep up with his range of motion when he is not in therapy because his fingers were getting stiff. I just thought if anyone had any games or fun ideas to do with him. The only part of his body he can move is his head. It's amazing, when he sits up in a chair he has FULL neck control and he can support his own head. He has came such a long way these past nine weeks.

[my4helpers]

Sorry not being rude, but what is a 'rare stroke'? Do u mean he hadn't had one b4?

You are not being rude. He had what is called a Brain Stem Stroke. The doctors told us that this was a rare stroke. After this happened, I did lots of research on this and I had to go through so many grim stories just to find a few success stories. I also read that this type of stroke occurs in younger people, which he is only 44. I also read that with this type of stroke, most people die within four months, but he is slowly making progress. He is also in a state which they refer to as Locked In Syndrome, but my family refuses to use this term! My cousin and I want to continue to go two times a week and make it fun for him. Plus we go back separately several other times a week. His one nurse told him that either he has a huge family or else a great support team. My aunt and uncle lost their son back in Aug. and now my aunt is dealing with his. She has been so strong and my cousin and I thought we should step in and relieve her two times a week, but we want to make it for my uncle.

[April, RN, BSN, RN]

It's wonderful that your uncle has such caring family members like you. You should ask his therapists what you can do to help while he isn't in therapy. They know his condition better than any of us do. You have good intentions, but sometimes more activity is actually be detrimental to the recovery of some patients. As someone else mentioned, therapy is very hard word for patients like your uncle and they get tired very easily. He might need more rest outside of therapy as opposed to more activity so that he can be well rested and be ready to work hard during his next session. His therapists would probably be more than happy to suggest safe activities for you and your family can help out with. I'm sure he is very grateful to have you there for him and your aunt during such a difficult time.