Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Today is the big day! I am picking Ken up at 11:00 am to come home for good.  We are both very excited and I am a little nervous.  I want everything to be in order for him at home.  We did not get approved for the day program rehab at this time because his speech is not where it needs to be yet.  We will be focusing in on this at home so that he can be assessed again in about a month.  In the meantime he can do outpatient rehab for speech, OT and PT.  It will mean more traveling to various locations for appointments rather than having everything in one place.  He got a new brace for his ankle that doesn't fit so well in his regular shoes so I had to break down and buy the shoes with velcro closures.  All of the hospital staff recommended them but I have been resistant to the velcro.  They are not really cute but I suppose this is no time for vanity:)  I anticipate that the next few days will be busy as we readjust to life at home. 

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Picked Ken up at hospital; bright and early this morning.  We were home by 8:30.  The walk from the closest spot to the house was tiring for him.  Once he rested for a few minutes he checked out the entire apartment.  Then I made breakfast for him and we took a nap.  I was exhausted too.   It is a lot of work looking out for all the obstacles there could possibly be.  After the nap we did his shower so we could check out how it is going to work at home.  We don't have all the equipment we need yet but we did pretty well without it.  Only one minor slip.  No injuries unless you count my minor heart attack:)  I shaved him and got him dressed in regular clothes instead of the sweats he wears at the hospital.  He looks good!  His clothes are too big because he is still down about 30 pounds.  That's okay we will just have to go shopping!  It's 2pm and we are waiting on visitors for the afternoon.  He says he is very happy and so am I!

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Happy Saturday!
This was a busy week with work and being at the hospital to be trained on Ken's therapy sessions.  He will be coming home tomorrow on a pass so he can check out the new place and we can make any final adjustments before he comes home for good.  We are both excited.  He is so tired of the hospital.  I can see it in his face.  Yesterday when I arrived just before noon he was looking so down.  We skipped the regular hospital food for lunch and went down to the cafeteria where he could eat around other people and eat something different.  He perked right up at the bbq chicken and mac and cheese.  We spent some time outside before we started a full afternoon of therapy sessions.  He is walking so much better but it really tires him out so he is in bed by 6pm.  Tomorrow's pass is from 8am to 8pm and I was planning a full day of activity but I think we will actually just stay around the house so he can adjust to here.  I will even have to cook!  It has really only been two months since the stroke but it feels like forever.  He has made tremendous progress  in this short time but we have a ways to go.  I think being at home will be motivating for him.  It is amazing how life changes  Enjoy each day!

October 3, 2011

Finally an update!

Well, it has been a whirlwind few weeks.  I cruised for a week to Grand Turks and the Bahamas where my brother got married.  Congratulations to Dalas and Dawn!  The wedding was absolutely gorgeous and the time to rest and get some sun finally was wonderful. In the week I was gone, Ken continued to make wonderful progress.  His Aunt came to stay with him and I think he needed the break from me as well.  I have to remember that taking time away from each other is good for both of us.  The weekend after returning from the cruise we moved from Silver Spring to Fort Washington. The condo is ground floor, with appropriate width doors and two bedrooms and two full baths. My wonderful mother stayed with me for the last two weeks to make sure I got moved and settled. I could not have done it without her!  I also want to the all the friends and family that came over and helped put things away. 

The great news is that Ken will be coming home on October 12th!  We are both very excited and I will spend the next week getting trained for his care at home.  He will need 24 hour care when he comes home for at least 8 weeks. The other blessing is that a family friend has agreed to move in with us for this time and provide the care so I can continue a normal work schedule.

I do have to admit that I am a little afraid about the future. Mostly because it is not something I can control. Isn't it good I can recognize this!  God has taken care of us this far and he will continue to so I am going to go with the flow.  Who knows why this happened to us but through it we have the opportunity to do everything differently. What I have learned is that things change so fast and you have to be flexible, adjust and grow.  The care of my husband is my number one priority and so everything else has to line up with that, work has to be next because it is what provides for his care. I am working on managing my work life better so that I can be there for my husband.  Thank God that my employer understands and is supportive but I have to be as present there as I am for Ken. Some days are harder than others but overall it is getting easier. 

Well, I pledge to continue to update every other day at least. If you see me falling behind, email me at Saltersmrs@aol.com.

Michele

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Good afternoon! Yesterday evening while hanging out with Ken at the hospital I would swear that I saw his right leg move. When I asked him if he movd his leg, he said yes and then laughed but wouldn't repeat the movement. When I was putting him in bed I would swear I saw him move his right hip. Again ther was no repeat of the movement. Today when I get to the hospital he was just coming back from physical therapy where HE WALKED 100 FEET! He was using a walker but he was able to move his right leg. I knew it! I didn't want to get too excited yesterday but I am ecstatic today. It is quite possible that he won't come home using a wheelchair. This is a tremendous blessing! I also paid the first month's rent and security deposit on our new apartment today. It has taken a while but we have found a nice ground floor 2bed/2bath condo. We will be moving to Fort Washington later this month. Ken finally looked at the pictures of the unit yesterday and seemed to like it. Things are moving!

Monday, September 5, 2011

Happy Labor Day! Hope everyone enjoyed their holiday weekend. Ken's aunts from New Jersey and California came to see him today with his dad, uncle and sister. He had a good time seeing them. He continues to do well in therapy but we know the recovery process will not happen overnight. He was in a good mood all weekend. We went to the hospital church service on Sunday. At the end of the service they went around and had people share their joys and expectations. It was really interesting to hear the stories of the other people. There is one man who is paralyzed waist down and he was the caretaker for his wife who uses a wheelchair due to arthritis. He is very concerned about her and how they will function but he is joyful about the small successes he is having. I can't imagine if both of us were unable to care for each other. There is so much hope here and I know we are at the right place. Today while Ken was using the bathroom he was able to stand independently and he scooted his right leg over when transferring to the chair. I can't say whether the right leg moved on its own or whether hens figuring out how to compensate and use the strong part of his body to do what he needs to do. Either way it is a really good sign. He is very aware of the right side and spends some time looking at the right arm and leg. Hopefully his brain reconnects to them soon. I am preparing for my brother's wedding cruise next week. I am a little worried about being gone for a week but Ken assures me he wil be fine. I started letting the nurses and techs do more for him this weekend. Mostly so I could get used to the idea. Ken has no problem with them helping him. The break will probably be good for both of us. I will finally get to a beach! I have been trying all summer and haven't made it yet. Today is officially one month since the stroke. We have been through a lot in 31 days - strokes, earthquakes, hurricanes...wow. This can only happen once in a lifetime. Many good things are coming I am sure! Good night!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Wow, time flies. I can't believe it is September already. Ken's procedure went well yesterday and he was back to his therapy schedule today. He has learned to maneuver the wheelchair independently so we spent some time outside this evening after dinner and toured the hospital. Tonight was really fun actually, we laughed and joked. His automatic communication comes in spurts and includes some cuss words which I find entertaining. They removed some stitches from his scalp yesterday as well and everything appears to be holding well. Hopefully the rest will come out tomorrow. The swelling in his leg is coming down so hopefully the clot is dissolving. I really miss having my husband at home with me. It won't be long and he will be able to come home. He is so strong and determined and I know he will fully recover from this.
Sleep well!