March 6, 2013, Day 63

Yesterday afternoon we all met with the Social Worker at Stillwater, where Dad is currently residing. He had called last week wanting to set up a family meeting to go over what needs to be gone over. It was the first time we all sat down with the ones who get paid the big bucks (as I like to say) to talk since we were all around Dad at Maine Medical in January during the initial days after the stroke. Today that seems like forever ago. While we have all been to see Dad on different days, during different times and with different people, it was nice for us to all be there at the same moment with him, discussing what the next step was going to be. It was also a relief to have confirmation of what we have all been noticing, that Dad is doing really well in therapy and continuing to improve daily.

The physical side of his therapy is coming along slowly but surely (not that it's a race, but the tortise always wins). This Friday he gets fitted for an ankle brace to help with the foot drop he has. Although his right arm is still not showing much improvement, the hope is the electric muscle stimulation they have begun will help activate his muscles which will hopefully trigger his brain to relearn how to use his arm. The web of connections our bodies have running throughout to keep us going is truly amazing, with the brain, our own private wizard of OZ orchestrating it all, the most fascinating.  At the moment he has to wear an arm sling constantly so his shoulder doesn’t slide out of its socket and become completely dislocated. You don’t realize how heavy a limb is until you can’t move it anymore and it just hangs there. I’m double jointed in my arms and I’ve joked with him saying he can try and do all the little parlor tricks I used to perform for my friends by popping my arm out. It used to freak people out. He cringes at the thought, then laughs.

Occupational therapy is somewhat difficult as I imagine it would be for any of us in the same position. Not only is half your body fairly motionless, but the side that does have movement isn’t your dominant side. Now try to put on a pair of pants and pull them up. Put a t-shirt on. Try it at home and see how you fair. I did last weekend and I failed miserably. Needless to say, he is still a mod assist and does need that moderate assistance with regards to dressing and bathing himself, but that too does improve daily and will continue to with practice.

As I mentioned in another blog entry, speech also continues to advance, despite the stumbling blocks in communication with the aphasia and apraxia. Most people who suffer apraxia of speech “learn” themselves out of it with the proper help and Dad has a great speech therapist. She’s excited to work with him because she sees great potential in him to overcome this debilitating disorder. She has started Melodic Intonation Therapy with him and he has responded increasingly well to it.

All of this news was fine and great for us to hear. But what was the best news from yesterday’s meeting? The possibility of Dad returning home in 4-6 weeks! That’s right, there is a very good chance that Dad will be well enough to come home in another month. Time and patience, practice and will. These are my new “fours” and you can't have one without the other. These are what I remind Dad of. These are what we all remind ourselves of. All things are possible. Always.