Sorry for the delay in posting an update but things have been rather hectic recently.
Douglas went into the Royal Infirmary on the 8th July for closure of the PFO. As requested he was really zonked out for the whole procedure so remembers little of the whole affair!! Closure was done using the femoral vein to place a couple of wee umbrella like devices, one on each side of the hole.
According to the cardiologist, it was a straight forward op and all went very well with no complications.
Doug was back home by around 9pm the same day.
He will have a follow-up examination at the Western in around 3 weeks just to check that all is still OK.
Needless to say he is a very relieved young man! I think the PFO business was really weighing heavily on his mind and he is mightily relieved that it is all over. As he says ... no more excuses!!
He had an appointment with the eye man on the Friday and it was decided that since his left eye was not really self sustaining, it would be necessary to do a small op to insert a gold weight above the muscle in the upper eye lid. We all expected a lengthy delay but, on the following Monday he got an appointment for the procedure to be done on the Wednesday (15th).
Doug was a bit taken aback at the speed of the whole thing and was somewhat reluctant. However, on the day, it turned out that he knew the eye surgeon from his climbing days at Alien Rock!! Talk about a small world. She explained it all to him and, to our delight Douglas agreed.
He has now been renamed 'Man with the Golden Eye'! As he says it is wonderful to be able to close his left eye for the first time on 15 months.
Hopefully this will stabilise his eye condition and even lead to improvements.
Iain
Thursday 16 July 2009
Wednesday 24 June 2009
..... Back on a bike again !!!!!!!
Tuesday 23rd was a momentous day .............
Douglas went for his first bike ride since April 2008!!!!!
OK, so it was on a recumbent tricycle and definitely not up to his high standards but, hey, what a step forward :-)
Sheena and I took him out to Dalkeith where he and one of the Physios (Margot) borrowed a recumbent for a couple of hours to try it out and, much to our delight, off he went complete with brand new crash helmet, a birthday present from the guys and gals in the Coop.
They covered a couple of kliks including some short sections on the public highway, the rest being on a beautiful cycle path (part of the original Borders railway).
Needless to say Doug was all fired up about it and is planning for another outing next Tuesday if it can be arranged. The chap who lent the bike is quite willing to let us have short loans provided we can arrange transport from Dalkeith (and safe storage obviously).
Watch this space!!!
Iain
Douglas went for his first bike ride since April 2008!!!!!
OK, so it was on a recumbent tricycle and definitely not up to his high standards but, hey, what a step forward :-)
Sheena and I took him out to Dalkeith where he and one of the Physios (Margot) borrowed a recumbent for a couple of hours to try it out and, much to our delight, off he went complete with brand new crash helmet, a birthday present from the guys and gals in the Coop.
They covered a couple of kliks including some short sections on the public highway, the rest being on a beautiful cycle path (part of the original Borders railway).
Needless to say Doug was all fired up about it and is planning for another outing next Tuesday if it can be arranged. The chap who lent the bike is quite willing to let us have short loans provided we can arrange transport from Dalkeith (and safe storage obviously).
Watch this space!!!
Iain
Monday 22 June 2009
... and as for the PFO ...
Douglas now has a date for closure of his PFO (hole in the heart) of the 8th July.
He will be in the New Royal Infirmary pretty much all day and, hopefully, will not have to stay in overnight.
Seems incredible really that such a procedure is now classed as 'minor' in the great scheme of things.
He appears to be fairly relaxed about it all and I think is secretly relieved that he will have one less thing to worry him.
We are not certain precisely which closure method is to be used although it will be done in the same way as fitting a Stent i.e. going into an artery in the groin and working up to the affected part of the heart.
Hopefully we'll find out more when we eventually get the actual letter from the surgeon (postal strikes etc. permitting).
So things they are a movin'
Iain
He will be in the New Royal Infirmary pretty much all day and, hopefully, will not have to stay in overnight.
Seems incredible really that such a procedure is now classed as 'minor' in the great scheme of things.
He appears to be fairly relaxed about it all and I think is secretly relieved that he will have one less thing to worry him.
We are not certain precisely which closure method is to be used although it will be done in the same way as fitting a Stent i.e. going into an artery in the groin and working up to the affected part of the heart.
Hopefully we'll find out more when we eventually get the actual letter from the surgeon (postal strikes etc. permitting).
So things they are a movin'
Iain
Friday 19 June 2009
Home Sweet Home ....
Well Doug has survived the first full week at home under the tender care of Mom and Pop!!!
It is great to have him home in familiar surroundings and to be able to resume a more normal life style.
Doug was rather concerned that it would be a case of 'out of sight - out of mind' where the rehab programme was concerned but in reality it has been quite the reverse!
We now have a well established schedule for each day that starts at around 7:30 am with breakfast closely followed by a wash and brush up session that can take us through to about 9:45.
He has a short rest period up to 11:00 am when he is taken in hand by the physios and OT's for around an hour of pretty intensive activity.
This is followed by another rest period then lunch.
We are trying to ensure that Doug gets a post prandial nap up to around 3pm and its then all hands on deck for the afternoon and evening of more domestic stuff.
Douglas is really doing very well indeed having acquired a new lease of energy and commitment with his discharge from the Astley. Of course it is still all too slow for him, but none the less he is progressing. Most notable is the improvement in his standing and mobility. He is now able to stand unaided (albeit a bit shaky for now) for periods in excess of a minute - and getting longer by the day too! This really helps his confidence in using the zimmer and and in particular in washing, dressing and using the toilet. As he said to me the other day, try doing all that with one hand, standing on one leg and you'll get an idea of how it feels! Needless to say I haven't taken him up on that - I've got trouble enough already :-)
Physio is also addressing co-ordination (hand and eye) issues and in improving Dougs use of his left hand which still tends to be 'forgotten' much of the time.
Doug is hoping that the OT's may be able to offer solutions to the vision issue when he is trying to read PC size screens and text. There appear to be some solutions available but whether or not they'll suit remains to be seen. In the meantime I'm acting as a somewhat inefficient secretary in this respect.
There does seem to be a very slow improvement in his ability to blink with the left eye although we still need to apply liquid tears as a lubricant four times per day and tape the eyelid shut over night. Not the best of situations but needs must when the devil drives.
Visiting friends have also added a new dimension and he has had several outings without M&P fussing around :-) I cannot express my thanks enough to his circle of friends who are such an important part of the support team and do so much to bolster Dougs spirits and help him back into the great outside world.
Needless to say we are all having to learn new ways of doing things around the house which is not helped by the fact that some of the 'essential' modifications have not yet happened (like a door on the downstairs toilet!!!!) Having said that, the City Council have been great in providing the mechanical bits and bobs like handrails at the front door and bannisters on the staircase. We are so fortunate in this respect.
As regards visiting ........ afternoons and early evenings are the ideal since it gives Doug a rest period after his rehab exercises in the late morning and time to have lunch. So I'd suggest 3pm onwards but if that's not suitable, just give me a ring and we'll see what we can do. We usually have tea at around 6pm.
For those who have tried finding us in Cammo ........ I've just painted up a new house number so you don't have to worry about trying to recognise car number plates or anything else!
Iain
It is great to have him home in familiar surroundings and to be able to resume a more normal life style.
Doug was rather concerned that it would be a case of 'out of sight - out of mind' where the rehab programme was concerned but in reality it has been quite the reverse!
We now have a well established schedule for each day that starts at around 7:30 am with breakfast closely followed by a wash and brush up session that can take us through to about 9:45.
He has a short rest period up to 11:00 am when he is taken in hand by the physios and OT's for around an hour of pretty intensive activity.
This is followed by another rest period then lunch.
We are trying to ensure that Doug gets a post prandial nap up to around 3pm and its then all hands on deck for the afternoon and evening of more domestic stuff.
Douglas is really doing very well indeed having acquired a new lease of energy and commitment with his discharge from the Astley. Of course it is still all too slow for him, but none the less he is progressing. Most notable is the improvement in his standing and mobility. He is now able to stand unaided (albeit a bit shaky for now) for periods in excess of a minute - and getting longer by the day too! This really helps his confidence in using the zimmer and and in particular in washing, dressing and using the toilet. As he said to me the other day, try doing all that with one hand, standing on one leg and you'll get an idea of how it feels! Needless to say I haven't taken him up on that - I've got trouble enough already :-)
Physio is also addressing co-ordination (hand and eye) issues and in improving Dougs use of his left hand which still tends to be 'forgotten' much of the time.
Doug is hoping that the OT's may be able to offer solutions to the vision issue when he is trying to read PC size screens and text. There appear to be some solutions available but whether or not they'll suit remains to be seen. In the meantime I'm acting as a somewhat inefficient secretary in this respect.
There does seem to be a very slow improvement in his ability to blink with the left eye although we still need to apply liquid tears as a lubricant four times per day and tape the eyelid shut over night. Not the best of situations but needs must when the devil drives.
Visiting friends have also added a new dimension and he has had several outings without M&P fussing around :-) I cannot express my thanks enough to his circle of friends who are such an important part of the support team and do so much to bolster Dougs spirits and help him back into the great outside world.
Needless to say we are all having to learn new ways of doing things around the house which is not helped by the fact that some of the 'essential' modifications have not yet happened (like a door on the downstairs toilet!!!!) Having said that, the City Council have been great in providing the mechanical bits and bobs like handrails at the front door and bannisters on the staircase. We are so fortunate in this respect.
As regards visiting ........ afternoons and early evenings are the ideal since it gives Doug a rest period after his rehab exercises in the late morning and time to have lunch. So I'd suggest 3pm onwards but if that's not suitable, just give me a ring and we'll see what we can do. We usually have tea at around 6pm.
For those who have tried finding us in Cammo ........ I've just painted up a new house number so you don't have to worry about trying to recognise car number plates or anything else!
Iain
Tuesday 2 June 2009
Outside is forever (nearly!!)
Well things are really starting to move now!
Doug had his first two nighter at home last week-end and enjoyed it greatly:-) Even better, Nick, Heike, Jules, Malky and Clare took Doug out for the afternoon on Sunday and after perambulations along the foreshore, ended up in the local hostelry!!! Talk about breaking the mould!! Doug REALLY enjoyed the afternoon ......... thank you folks so much.
No sooner had he 'checked back in' than a rather dishy young doctor (female I am assured) came along to take out his PEG feeding tube! (Monday) I think we were all a bit concerned about this, but, according to Doug, it was just a question of grabbing a hold of the tube and giving it a quick heave and ... pop ... out it came. Huummmm Not sure it was really that simple but ......
Apparently the outside hole heals very rapidly (a day or so) and the inside one (in the gut?) seals almost immediately. I'd still be a bit worried about the leaking inner tube thing though they know what the're about.
So - now all food and liquids are taken orally!!!! Liquids still have to be thickened because of the swallow reflex deficiency but fortunately Doug has taken a liking for Lemon and Barley water which he drinks by the litre!! Anyone tried thickening gin and tonic???????
To top it all off we now have a discharge date for Doug. 10th June is the big day!
From that point on he'll be at home, under the care of Mom and Pop, aided and abetted by the Community Rehab Team who, I am told, will really be working him hard.
The 10th will be out for visiting what with the transfer followed by the Rehab Team visit.
So I guess, for those of you who work in and around the town centre, visiting could be a little less easy; however, on the plus side we'll not be constrained by hospital visiting hours and the surroundings are certainly more congenial!! Clearly we'll have to work around the Rehab schedule (whatever that turns out to be). If the weather keeps up remember to bring sun cream so you can all sit out in the sunshine!!
Dougs mood certainly seems much more positive now although he still has trouble with the balance issue and therefore with the business of walking and standing.
He has started the process of applying for 'a place of his own' through Edinburgh City Council although that is likely to be a fairly long drawn out process given both his particular requirements for wheel chair access and the relative shortage of such housing. He tells me he is very apprehensive at the idea of living on his own but hopefully his fears will diminish as he becomes more confident around the house.
He has also applied for a Blue Badge that will make going anywhere just that little bit easier and a Taxi Card that gives discounts on cab fares around the city.
We have still not heard anything further about the PFO business (closure of the hole in the heart) and I hope this is simply due to pressure on available resources. Were it otherwise I'm sure we'd have been advised.
The upcoming week-end (5th; 6th and 7th) Doug will be at home - Friday lunchtime till Sunday evening, so if you want to pop in for a visit in the afternoon, give me a bell first just to make sure allus OK.
Iain
Doug had his first two nighter at home last week-end and enjoyed it greatly:-) Even better, Nick, Heike, Jules, Malky and Clare took Doug out for the afternoon on Sunday and after perambulations along the foreshore, ended up in the local hostelry!!! Talk about breaking the mould!! Doug REALLY enjoyed the afternoon ......... thank you folks so much.
No sooner had he 'checked back in' than a rather dishy young doctor (female I am assured) came along to take out his PEG feeding tube! (Monday) I think we were all a bit concerned about this, but, according to Doug, it was just a question of grabbing a hold of the tube and giving it a quick heave and ... pop ... out it came. Huummmm Not sure it was really that simple but ......
Apparently the outside hole heals very rapidly (a day or so) and the inside one (in the gut?) seals almost immediately. I'd still be a bit worried about the leaking inner tube thing though they know what the're about.
So - now all food and liquids are taken orally!!!! Liquids still have to be thickened because of the swallow reflex deficiency but fortunately Doug has taken a liking for Lemon and Barley water which he drinks by the litre!! Anyone tried thickening gin and tonic???????
To top it all off we now have a discharge date for Doug. 10th June is the big day!
From that point on he'll be at home, under the care of Mom and Pop, aided and abetted by the Community Rehab Team who, I am told, will really be working him hard.
The 10th will be out for visiting what with the transfer followed by the Rehab Team visit.
So I guess, for those of you who work in and around the town centre, visiting could be a little less easy; however, on the plus side we'll not be constrained by hospital visiting hours and the surroundings are certainly more congenial!! Clearly we'll have to work around the Rehab schedule (whatever that turns out to be). If the weather keeps up remember to bring sun cream so you can all sit out in the sunshine!!
Dougs mood certainly seems much more positive now although he still has trouble with the balance issue and therefore with the business of walking and standing.
He has started the process of applying for 'a place of his own' through Edinburgh City Council although that is likely to be a fairly long drawn out process given both his particular requirements for wheel chair access and the relative shortage of such housing. He tells me he is very apprehensive at the idea of living on his own but hopefully his fears will diminish as he becomes more confident around the house.
He has also applied for a Blue Badge that will make going anywhere just that little bit easier and a Taxi Card that gives discounts on cab fares around the city.
We have still not heard anything further about the PFO business (closure of the hole in the heart) and I hope this is simply due to pressure on available resources. Were it otherwise I'm sure we'd have been advised.
The upcoming week-end (5th; 6th and 7th) Doug will be at home - Friday lunchtime till Sunday evening, so if you want to pop in for a visit in the afternoon, give me a bell first just to make sure allus OK.
Iain
Wednesday 20 May 2009
Outside is not all that bad ...............
Doug went for his Ear Nose and Throat consult on the 7th May and the results were a bit like the curates egg - good in parts.
The good news was that it now appears that both vocal chords are working (previously only the right one was doing its stuff) and this should make swallowing more certain. Whether or not it is reflected in his speech remains to be seen. :-)
As for hearing ....... the consultant was not very encouraging although he did not rule out slow improvements. He more or less said that, as Doug has found, it is possible to 'tune out' the tinnitus (white noise) with a lot of practice. Huuuummm
In balance - there was some progress.
Needless to say (and quite understandably) this was NOT what Doug may have hoped for so he was a bit down for a while.
None the less there is progress ..............
We have had bannister rails fitted on the house entrance to the front door and on both side of the internal staircase to the first floor.
Doug coped very well with the outside rails (Sat 16th), getting from his chair on the front path to inside the house with the minimum of assistance and then down the hall on his zimmer. However it was all a bit tiring - pretty good for a first attempt I say!!!! Doug did concede that it was somewhat short of perfect :-)
We are waiting for a high backed chair, the seat of which will be more on a level with the cushion on his wheel chair, fitted with rail arm rests that should make transfers to and from wheel chair or zimmer much more practical.
In the mean time Doug is being worked pretty hard by the Physios on stair climbing (and descending) and is doing very well at this so we are told.
All this is aimed at Doug being able to stay at home overnight at week ends in the short term (like this week end?!), with weekday visits to the Astley for physio.
To help with this we have converted the downstairs dining room into a bedroom for him. Sadly he will have to have his showers between Monday and Friday in the hospital.
The ultimate aim is to have him home full time in around 5 to 6 weeks when his physio etc. will be managed by the Community Nursing system although I guess this will depend on his stair climbing ability.
After a period of 'settling down' in the home environment (around 6 weeks) he will be entered into the Out Patients Rehab Programme at the Astley under Dr Todd.
To be honest, a lot of this period is aimed at 'de-institutionalising' (if there is such a word) Doug and getting the idea firmly fixed in his mind that a return to normal life is what it is all about.
However, on that subject, his friends have been absolutely great especially in the last 10 days or so in persuading him that the great 'outside' is not a bad place!!!!! For the first time for over 6 months Doug actually agreed to go for a walk in his wheelchair (whoopeee!!!) with Nick Stephenson. Nick we are forever in your debt!!
Then, much to our delight he went out in the Astley grounds with Veronica yesterday afternoon.
It all sounds a bit naff I guess, but Doug had set his mind on only going outside in a social sense when he could 'take himself walking' so to speak and we just did not seem to be getting out of the rut on this one. I know several others have tried persuading him without success but PLEASE do not take his refusal as any sort of personal comment - so much depends on how he is feeling at any particular time. None the less, having broken the mould I hope casual outings will become the norm.
So what about visiting I hear you say!!!
For the moment Mondays to Fridays at the Astley from 3 till 8 (but not 5.45 to 6.30 - Meal time) are great.
Saturday and Sunday any time between 2:30 pm and 9:00 pm at home.
I will confirm the week end timings once we have agreed things with the Astley (hopefully Friday this week).
EXCEPTION ........ Friday 22nd Doug will be at home being put through his paces with stairs, handrails etc. etc. so really the 22nd is a no go.
Oh, by the way ......... Kay, if you read this Doug did his extra 3 steps!!!! I have no idea what this is all about but I'm sure you'll know :-)
Iain
The good news was that it now appears that both vocal chords are working (previously only the right one was doing its stuff) and this should make swallowing more certain. Whether or not it is reflected in his speech remains to be seen. :-)
As for hearing ....... the consultant was not very encouraging although he did not rule out slow improvements. He more or less said that, as Doug has found, it is possible to 'tune out' the tinnitus (white noise) with a lot of practice. Huuuummm
In balance - there was some progress.
Needless to say (and quite understandably) this was NOT what Doug may have hoped for so he was a bit down for a while.
None the less there is progress ..............
We have had bannister rails fitted on the house entrance to the front door and on both side of the internal staircase to the first floor.
Doug coped very well with the outside rails (Sat 16th), getting from his chair on the front path to inside the house with the minimum of assistance and then down the hall on his zimmer. However it was all a bit tiring - pretty good for a first attempt I say!!!! Doug did concede that it was somewhat short of perfect :-)
We are waiting for a high backed chair, the seat of which will be more on a level with the cushion on his wheel chair, fitted with rail arm rests that should make transfers to and from wheel chair or zimmer much more practical.
In the mean time Doug is being worked pretty hard by the Physios on stair climbing (and descending) and is doing very well at this so we are told.
All this is aimed at Doug being able to stay at home overnight at week ends in the short term (like this week end?!), with weekday visits to the Astley for physio.
To help with this we have converted the downstairs dining room into a bedroom for him. Sadly he will have to have his showers between Monday and Friday in the hospital.
The ultimate aim is to have him home full time in around 5 to 6 weeks when his physio etc. will be managed by the Community Nursing system although I guess this will depend on his stair climbing ability.
After a period of 'settling down' in the home environment (around 6 weeks) he will be entered into the Out Patients Rehab Programme at the Astley under Dr Todd.
To be honest, a lot of this period is aimed at 'de-institutionalising' (if there is such a word) Doug and getting the idea firmly fixed in his mind that a return to normal life is what it is all about.
However, on that subject, his friends have been absolutely great especially in the last 10 days or so in persuading him that the great 'outside' is not a bad place!!!!! For the first time for over 6 months Doug actually agreed to go for a walk in his wheelchair (whoopeee!!!) with Nick Stephenson. Nick we are forever in your debt!!
Then, much to our delight he went out in the Astley grounds with Veronica yesterday afternoon.
It all sounds a bit naff I guess, but Doug had set his mind on only going outside in a social sense when he could 'take himself walking' so to speak and we just did not seem to be getting out of the rut on this one. I know several others have tried persuading him without success but PLEASE do not take his refusal as any sort of personal comment - so much depends on how he is feeling at any particular time. None the less, having broken the mould I hope casual outings will become the norm.
So what about visiting I hear you say!!!
For the moment Mondays to Fridays at the Astley from 3 till 8 (but not 5.45 to 6.30 - Meal time) are great.
Saturday and Sunday any time between 2:30 pm and 9:00 pm at home.
I will confirm the week end timings once we have agreed things with the Astley (hopefully Friday this week).
EXCEPTION ........ Friday 22nd Doug will be at home being put through his paces with stairs, handrails etc. etc. so really the 22nd is a no go.
Oh, by the way ......... Kay, if you read this Doug did his extra 3 steps!!!! I have no idea what this is all about but I'm sure you'll know :-)
Iain
Monday 4 May 2009
Maan ... he's all heart ..........
Douglas went for his cardiac investigation with some trepidation - not so much over the likely result but more over the actual examination itself since it involved swallowing a small ultrasound transducer. The swallowing part has always been very uncomfortable in the past.
However the staff at the Western recognised his concern and really zonked him out for the whole event, so much so that he took around 2 hours to fully come around afterwards.
The good news, if you can call it that, is that he definitely has one hole some 3mm in diameter and around 15 mm in length (a tunnel like defect) which appears to be classed as 'large'.
It was deemed a good candidate for sealing although we have not yet heard which sealing method is considered best. I understand that it will either be the umbrella type or the mesh type and definitely NOT the 'stitch it up' type.
We are all just waiting for feedback on this and on the date for an op (estimated at within 5 weeks).
Douglas had bets on the number of holes and suffice to say I won the bet. Mind you its not much of a win, since I have to give him the stake in the first place ........
We are currently getting set up for a 'home evaluation visit' by the physios and OT lassies to establish just how well Doug can manage at home. This will both set targets for the rehab programme and also give us some idea about any changes that may be needed around the house.
Unfortunately Doug feels a bit threatened by all this .......... they just want to get rid of me sort of thing. I can understand his concerns and Sheena and I have been doing our best to convince him that this is only the first step towards a getting home point sometime in the future. Not at all sure how well we have managed that though?
Saturdays at home continue to be a great favourite and Doug really relaxes when he gets through the front door - its so good to see!! Mind you he gets spoiled rotten (we'll not be admitting that to the OT's!!!!).
He continues with the rehab stuff but still has problems with balance that play havoc with his confidence in walking with the zimmer frame. Never the less he is slowly getting more flexibility in movement.
He agreed a wee while ago to be part of a study into Cronic Fatigue Syndrome in stroke victims and although I'm not really sure how it works, its a comfort to know that it is recognised as an adverse factor in rehabilitation. Whether or not it will all result in any palliatives or even a cure remains to be seen. In the meantime he still gets really pissed off at how easily he runs out of energy.
The next thing on the list is a visit to the ENT clinic on the 7th May. Doug has said recently that he occasionally gets bursts of what he describes as white noise in his left ear. Whether or not this indicates any degree of recovery of hearing on that side I'm not sure. Perhaps this appointment may help provide answers.
I'll pop up another update soon.
In the meanwhile, thanks again for all the visits and for the messages through the blog and facebook. Doug really looks forward to hearing them all.
Iain
However the staff at the Western recognised his concern and really zonked him out for the whole event, so much so that he took around 2 hours to fully come around afterwards.
The good news, if you can call it that, is that he definitely has one hole some 3mm in diameter and around 15 mm in length (a tunnel like defect) which appears to be classed as 'large'.
It was deemed a good candidate for sealing although we have not yet heard which sealing method is considered best. I understand that it will either be the umbrella type or the mesh type and definitely NOT the 'stitch it up' type.
We are all just waiting for feedback on this and on the date for an op (estimated at within 5 weeks).
Douglas had bets on the number of holes and suffice to say I won the bet. Mind you its not much of a win, since I have to give him the stake in the first place ........
We are currently getting set up for a 'home evaluation visit' by the physios and OT lassies to establish just how well Doug can manage at home. This will both set targets for the rehab programme and also give us some idea about any changes that may be needed around the house.
Unfortunately Doug feels a bit threatened by all this .......... they just want to get rid of me sort of thing. I can understand his concerns and Sheena and I have been doing our best to convince him that this is only the first step towards a getting home point sometime in the future. Not at all sure how well we have managed that though?
Saturdays at home continue to be a great favourite and Doug really relaxes when he gets through the front door - its so good to see!! Mind you he gets spoiled rotten (we'll not be admitting that to the OT's!!!!).
He continues with the rehab stuff but still has problems with balance that play havoc with his confidence in walking with the zimmer frame. Never the less he is slowly getting more flexibility in movement.
He agreed a wee while ago to be part of a study into Cronic Fatigue Syndrome in stroke victims and although I'm not really sure how it works, its a comfort to know that it is recognised as an adverse factor in rehabilitation. Whether or not it will all result in any palliatives or even a cure remains to be seen. In the meantime he still gets really pissed off at how easily he runs out of energy.
The next thing on the list is a visit to the ENT clinic on the 7th May. Doug has said recently that he occasionally gets bursts of what he describes as white noise in his left ear. Whether or not this indicates any degree of recovery of hearing on that side I'm not sure. Perhaps this appointment may help provide answers.
I'll pop up another update soon.
In the meanwhile, thanks again for all the visits and for the messages through the blog and facebook. Doug really looks forward to hearing them all.
Iain
Monday 20 April 2009
Looking good .........
A short update on the results of Dougs eye examination.
The condition of his left eye appears to have stabilised and is good apart from the presence of a couple of ingrowing eyelashes - a common problem we are told.
He has been changed to a less viscous type of eye drop which should improve the vision but we'll have to wait and see (not a pun I assure you!).
His next appointment will be in around 6 weeks assuming the new eye drops do their job OK.
If the eye lash problem repeats they plan to do a simple electrolysis job on the offending lashes which should resolve the issue.
His mood remains good although he can very easily get into a negative frame of mind about things. To be truthful this is the most worrying aspect of his recovery and we are all a bit at a loss to understand how best to deal with it.
The guys and gals from the Coop gave him a great birthday pressy of a replacement bike helmet (a Xen ??) in preparation for his first outing ............. not for a while yet I'm afraid!! He was absolutely delighted.
Oh and by the bye, his birthday outings went off very well - awesome in his words - Kay took him out for a curry one evening and Jules took him for a day out down the coast. The actual day was spend at home and was relatively quiet with a visit from our next door neighbours.
Douglas wants me to say a real big thank you to everyone for their best wishes, texts and cards.
Sheena and I echo that ....... the moral support you all give is priceless.
Next big event ..... the Transesophageal echocardiogram on the 30th of this month.
Iain
The condition of his left eye appears to have stabilised and is good apart from the presence of a couple of ingrowing eyelashes - a common problem we are told.
He has been changed to a less viscous type of eye drop which should improve the vision but we'll have to wait and see (not a pun I assure you!).
His next appointment will be in around 6 weeks assuming the new eye drops do their job OK.
If the eye lash problem repeats they plan to do a simple electrolysis job on the offending lashes which should resolve the issue.
His mood remains good although he can very easily get into a negative frame of mind about things. To be truthful this is the most worrying aspect of his recovery and we are all a bit at a loss to understand how best to deal with it.
The guys and gals from the Coop gave him a great birthday pressy of a replacement bike helmet (a Xen ??) in preparation for his first outing ............. not for a while yet I'm afraid!! He was absolutely delighted.
Oh and by the bye, his birthday outings went off very well - awesome in his words - Kay took him out for a curry one evening and Jules took him for a day out down the coast. The actual day was spend at home and was relatively quiet with a visit from our next door neighbours.
Douglas wants me to say a real big thank you to everyone for their best wishes, texts and cards.
Sheena and I echo that ....... the moral support you all give is priceless.
Next big event ..... the Transesophageal echocardiogram on the 30th of this month.
Iain
Thursday 16 April 2009
Oh so slow and sometimes not all that sure .......
Doug continues to make progress in the walking and Occupational Therapy stuff (making soup, chopping veg etc.) but unfortunately, having come off the anti-depressant, his mood swings have returned a bit. Fortunately neither as deep nor as prolonged as before, but more than enough to upset and slow down all the rehab tasks.
He still does not really seem to have made the connection between how hard he works and the rate of improvement which is VERY frustrating for us (and I'm sure also for the staff).
However the good news is that having had the last remaining stitch removed from his left eyelid last month (20th) , his eye seems to be staying in good condition with the application of lacrilube ointment. He has a checkup appointment at the Eye Pavilion to-morrow (Friday 17th) which hopefully will confirm this.
He also had an appointment with the cardiology folk on the 9th April to review his progress towards having a fix done on the PFO (hole in the heart) which is believed to have been the initiation of the stroke by allowing a small clot to pass through. He will be going for an ultrasound examination on the Thursday 30th to resolve the size of the defect and hopefully confirm that there is only one hole. This will provide the necessary information for the fix - in around 6 weeks we think.
The introduction of the probe down the throat is a knock-out job so will occupy most of the day and he'll probably still be woozy by evening time.
So all in all it has been a busy month so far, thankfully all of it positive.
He still finds it difficult to read normal size text so entertainment centres around music (from his iPod), DVDs on the Sony DVD player that so many of you presented to him (back in the Western days!) - oh and it gets very well used for Talking Books also. You have no idea just how much pleasure it has given him. Thank you.
I'll call a halt now, but will update after the eye stuff to-morrow.
Iain
He still does not really seem to have made the connection between how hard he works and the rate of improvement which is VERY frustrating for us (and I'm sure also for the staff).
However the good news is that having had the last remaining stitch removed from his left eyelid last month (20th) , his eye seems to be staying in good condition with the application of lacrilube ointment. He has a checkup appointment at the Eye Pavilion to-morrow (Friday 17th) which hopefully will confirm this.
He also had an appointment with the cardiology folk on the 9th April to review his progress towards having a fix done on the PFO (hole in the heart) which is believed to have been the initiation of the stroke by allowing a small clot to pass through. He will be going for an ultrasound examination on the Thursday 30th to resolve the size of the defect and hopefully confirm that there is only one hole. This will provide the necessary information for the fix - in around 6 weeks we think.
The introduction of the probe down the throat is a knock-out job so will occupy most of the day and he'll probably still be woozy by evening time.
So all in all it has been a busy month so far, thankfully all of it positive.
He still finds it difficult to read normal size text so entertainment centres around music (from his iPod), DVDs on the Sony DVD player that so many of you presented to him (back in the Western days!) - oh and it gets very well used for Talking Books also. You have no idea just how much pleasure it has given him. Thank you.
I'll call a halt now, but will update after the eye stuff to-morrow.
Iain
Monday 23 March 2009
And the progress continues ....
Douglas paid a visit to the Opthalmic clinic on the 20th and he was greatly pleased when it was decided to take out the remaining stitch in his left eye lid. It is so good to see the eye open fully again! However he still finds it impossible to fully close the lid when blinking so I guess we'll have a continuation of the ointment to provide adequate lubrication. He hasn't said too much about improvement in vision, so I guess it wasn't quite the magic bullet he had hoped for.
He goes back again in a months time for a further check .............
The other day he was given permission by the Physios to walk unattended using a zimmer frame and to mark the occasion he was given his own personal one, set up for his height!!! This is absolutely great news although he is still a bit cautious about using it alone. The other day he walked up and down the ward corridor and appeared to manage it very well - and in a straight line as well! This means he is able to balance the forces in his arms - previously he tended always to go right.
Unfortunately he has had a couple of falls - overbalance being the issue. Luckily he appeares to have suffered no ill effects - as he says 'It'll just teach me to be a bit more careful in future!'.
This is a common issue with stroke patients during the rehab phase and, provided it does no damage either physically or to confidence, is a valuable lesson.
Next big thing is an evening out on the 25th to sample the delights of a favourite Indian eatery (a birthday treat courtesy of Kay)!!
Needless to say we had to do a 'dummy run' at home to make sure he could manage curry and rice and, of course, beer!!! That went well - particularly the beer :-)
So I guess things are progressing well and, despite having come off Amatryptoline (an anti-depressant) cold turkey, Doug has suffered relatively few damaging mood swings in the last month. We can but hope this improvement continues.
Iain
He goes back again in a months time for a further check .............
The other day he was given permission by the Physios to walk unattended using a zimmer frame and to mark the occasion he was given his own personal one, set up for his height!!! This is absolutely great news although he is still a bit cautious about using it alone. The other day he walked up and down the ward corridor and appeared to manage it very well - and in a straight line as well! This means he is able to balance the forces in his arms - previously he tended always to go right.
Unfortunately he has had a couple of falls - overbalance being the issue. Luckily he appeares to have suffered no ill effects - as he says 'It'll just teach me to be a bit more careful in future!'.
This is a common issue with stroke patients during the rehab phase and, provided it does no damage either physically or to confidence, is a valuable lesson.
Next big thing is an evening out on the 25th to sample the delights of a favourite Indian eatery (a birthday treat courtesy of Kay)!!
Needless to say we had to do a 'dummy run' at home to make sure he could manage curry and rice and, of course, beer!!! That went well - particularly the beer :-)
So I guess things are progressing well and, despite having come off Amatryptoline (an anti-depressant) cold turkey, Doug has suffered relatively few damaging mood swings in the last month. We can but hope this improvement continues.
Iain
Thursday 12 March 2009
Much overdue update ...............
Things have been progressing moderately well with Douglas over the last wee while.
The much anticipated attendance at Nick and Heikes' wedding was a great boost to Dougs morale and he thoroughly enjoyed being amongst all his friends at such a happy occasion.
I thought he looked rather good all dressed up in his gear!! (Got lots of wolf whistles from the nurses - the female ones that is :-))
I was pleasantly surprised that he lasted so well given that this was his first exposure to a big crowd of people with all the attendant buzz and movement. Unfortunately we had to drag him away before the partying really started - we had a 9pm deadline at the hospital (which we only just kept!!). Staff were out with the breathalyser kit on our arrival but Doug had been very aware of the hazards in drinking thin liquids and had stayed off the booze. Shame in a way but I can not but agree with him.
His physio had been focusing on the possibility of walking at the wedding but, although he has been doing rather well in the hospital at this, staff felt it would be unwise to attempt a repeat given all the distractions, carpeted floors and the like. Poor Doug was a bit sad at this but could see the sense of it.
His next hurdle is an appointment with the opthalmic folk on the 20th of this month and we all hope it will have a positive outcome. I fear he may be somewhat disappointed since he has not really come to terms with how slow the healing process of the nervous system really is. He is doing his very best not to build too high an expectation.
He also will have an appointment with the cardiology folk at the Western for a second look at the root cause of all this ........ the PFO (or hole in the heart). It was recommended that this be 'fixed' at some time in the future (back in June 08) and I guess this is a follow up. I sometimes wonder whether that fact that Doug so easily feels tired may be due, in part at least, to the 'bypass' effect of this, although I would have thought that were it seen as being of such significance, a shorter time limit would have been put on the need for a fix.
I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
We continue with the Saturday day pass and Douglas does say he really enjoys being a home even though it's only for one day a week. The hospital staff feel Doug is getting quite close to the 'week-end out' point, where he effectively leaves the hospital on a Friday evening and returns on a Monday morning. However Doug is quite insistent that he wants to be able to walk better before this happens so I guess we have to be patient.
In the meantime he continues to look forward to visits with all the chat and gossip.
Many thanks you true and faithful friends.
Iain
The much anticipated attendance at Nick and Heikes' wedding was a great boost to Dougs morale and he thoroughly enjoyed being amongst all his friends at such a happy occasion.
I thought he looked rather good all dressed up in his gear!! (Got lots of wolf whistles from the nurses - the female ones that is :-))
I was pleasantly surprised that he lasted so well given that this was his first exposure to a big crowd of people with all the attendant buzz and movement. Unfortunately we had to drag him away before the partying really started - we had a 9pm deadline at the hospital (which we only just kept!!). Staff were out with the breathalyser kit on our arrival but Doug had been very aware of the hazards in drinking thin liquids and had stayed off the booze. Shame in a way but I can not but agree with him.
His physio had been focusing on the possibility of walking at the wedding but, although he has been doing rather well in the hospital at this, staff felt it would be unwise to attempt a repeat given all the distractions, carpeted floors and the like. Poor Doug was a bit sad at this but could see the sense of it.
His next hurdle is an appointment with the opthalmic folk on the 20th of this month and we all hope it will have a positive outcome. I fear he may be somewhat disappointed since he has not really come to terms with how slow the healing process of the nervous system really is. He is doing his very best not to build too high an expectation.
He also will have an appointment with the cardiology folk at the Western for a second look at the root cause of all this ........ the PFO (or hole in the heart). It was recommended that this be 'fixed' at some time in the future (back in June 08) and I guess this is a follow up. I sometimes wonder whether that fact that Doug so easily feels tired may be due, in part at least, to the 'bypass' effect of this, although I would have thought that were it seen as being of such significance, a shorter time limit would have been put on the need for a fix.
I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
We continue with the Saturday day pass and Douglas does say he really enjoys being a home even though it's only for one day a week. The hospital staff feel Doug is getting quite close to the 'week-end out' point, where he effectively leaves the hospital on a Friday evening and returns on a Monday morning. However Doug is quite insistent that he wants to be able to walk better before this happens so I guess we have to be patient.
In the meantime he continues to look forward to visits with all the chat and gossip.
Many thanks you true and faithful friends.
Iain
Monday 9 February 2009
Back on track again ...................
Douglas does now appear to have beaten his chest infection and is coming to the end of his short antibiotics course although it certainly left him feeling a bit washed out.
However he managed to summon enough energy to pop off to the cinema in the care of Kay (a long time friend) to see Slum Dog Millionaire which they both enjoyed very much (even the sad bits!).
I was really chuffed to hear that they had also gone to the cinema coffee shop afterwards (ace coffee I'm told!!). Way to go maan :-)
He is doing quite well at the physio stuff, although I suspect he could do more although who am I to talk!! He is quietly working on the unaided standing when opportunity permits (although I suspect he hasn't told the physios yet!!) and on Sunday evening he stood unaided alongside his bed for a good three minutes!! I was absolutely chuffed ............ and it bodes well for the future that there was no apparent unsteadyness!
His moods still go up and down a bit but things are much more even than before.
He was really upset at the week end (Saturday) when we talked about his uncle (Graeme) in Aussy had also suffered a stroke, albeit for different reasons I believe.
Planning is well under way for Nick and Heikes' wedding late February and so there is much discussion on the merits or otherwise of tartan troos - especially valid given the current climate!!
Saturdays out continue and although a visit home does not seem that much of a bif deal, he seems to enjoy being in a different environment (and having REAL coffee for a change!).
Also seems like week ends at home are approaching fast particularly given his ability to eat 'regular' food now. However much hinges on suitable bed arrangements etc. which we still have to work out.
It is absolutely great to see all his visitors - we are hearing about another side to Duggie!!
Thanks folks ..........
Iain
However he managed to summon enough energy to pop off to the cinema in the care of Kay (a long time friend) to see Slum Dog Millionaire which they both enjoyed very much (even the sad bits!).
I was really chuffed to hear that they had also gone to the cinema coffee shop afterwards (ace coffee I'm told!!). Way to go maan :-)
He is doing quite well at the physio stuff, although I suspect he could do more although who am I to talk!! He is quietly working on the unaided standing when opportunity permits (although I suspect he hasn't told the physios yet!!) and on Sunday evening he stood unaided alongside his bed for a good three minutes!! I was absolutely chuffed ............ and it bodes well for the future that there was no apparent unsteadyness!
His moods still go up and down a bit but things are much more even than before.
He was really upset at the week end (Saturday) when we talked about his uncle (Graeme) in Aussy had also suffered a stroke, albeit for different reasons I believe.
Planning is well under way for Nick and Heikes' wedding late February and so there is much discussion on the merits or otherwise of tartan troos - especially valid given the current climate!!
Saturdays out continue and although a visit home does not seem that much of a bif deal, he seems to enjoy being in a different environment (and having REAL coffee for a change!).
Also seems like week ends at home are approaching fast particularly given his ability to eat 'regular' food now. However much hinges on suitable bed arrangements etc. which we still have to work out.
It is absolutely great to see all his visitors - we are hearing about another side to Duggie!!
Thanks folks ..........
Iain
Friday 30 January 2009
Chickens, Eggs and the like ..........
Just to show that not so good things can still happen ...........
No sooner had I posted the last update than poor Doug caught a bit of a chest infection and is now on a weeks antibiotic course.
Poor fellah now has a really husky voice and a rather sore throat which, given his dodgy left vocal chord, means talking is a bit of a struggle coupled to a bit of a cough. To top it off he has developed a bit of a temperature. So, from having his drugs cut recently, he is now back to paracetamol plus .....
The view of the nurses is that he has been lucky not to have caught anything in the 3 months he has been at the Astley ............. We are not so pragmatic I'm afraid!!
We still plan for a day at home to-morrow (Saturday) but we'll see what the day brings.
Surprisingly he seemed quite chipper this afternoon although it has to be said he was not his usual talkative self.
Hey ho .................
Iain
No sooner had I posted the last update than poor Doug caught a bit of a chest infection and is now on a weeks antibiotic course.
Poor fellah now has a really husky voice and a rather sore throat which, given his dodgy left vocal chord, means talking is a bit of a struggle coupled to a bit of a cough. To top it off he has developed a bit of a temperature. So, from having his drugs cut recently, he is now back to paracetamol plus .....
The view of the nurses is that he has been lucky not to have caught anything in the 3 months he has been at the Astley ............. We are not so pragmatic I'm afraid!!
We still plan for a day at home to-morrow (Saturday) but we'll see what the day brings.
Surprisingly he seemed quite chipper this afternoon although it has to be said he was not his usual talkative self.
Hey ho .................
Iain
Thursday 29 January 2009
And Douglas continues to improve ...
Well it has been a fairly busy few weeks for all of us, particularly Douglas.
He has been working hard at the business of getting from wheelchair to car and back again without using the bulky and heavy Sam Hall Turner. The new way uses a banana shaped plastic board that bridges the space between seats and Doug has to master the art of sliding himself across this.
So far he has done really well - so much so that we all had our first real day out last week end with a visit to a Roller Derby in the Medowbank Stadium, a shopping trip to the O2 store for a new phone and a few hours at home!!! Absolutely brilliant :-)
I think he felt a little out of place at the Roller Derby, partly because of the seating arrangements (a flat hall floor with banked seating on one side only) which meant that we had to sit close to the exit door (wheelchair issues) but also because everyone there seemed to 'normal', healthy and active. Never the less he enjoyed the time particularly since the two competing teams were all young ladies all togged out in outrageous gear (some fairly scanty!!) :-)))
Oh ..... and he got his new phone too!!
Physio and Occupational Therapy continues apace but, since (in Dougs words) he is a 'lazy git' it is never fast enough for him. He is working on the walking using a small zimmer frame and seems able to manage a reasonable distance although he does tend to veer off to the right a bit - all to do with having a strong right side I'm told. However practice will doubtless straighten things up - it has done with his wheelchair manoeuvres.
He also seems to have mastered the swallowing and chewing side of eating and has progressed from pureed food, through 'minced' food and is now eating normal consistency meals. As a result his PEG feed has been reduced to water only just to make sure he does not get dehydrated.
I suspect the PEG tube will stay in until they are quite certain he can be sustained by mouth.
A great boost is that he now can mix consistencies - no more thickened coffee!!!! Whoopee .....
(Apart from that, Baileys does NOT thicken well at all!)
He is seeing a slow return of feeling in the left hand side of his face although there is a long way to go and the other day he said that he heard me whisper into his left ear! If this is really the case it is terrific news since earlier hearing assessments indicated no hearing at all in that ear!
However we are trying not be overly optimistic about this (chickens and eggs and all that!)
His left eye condition keeps good although he still has one stitch in the lid. He is pinning a lot of hope on its removal and I do hope that this comes true although I have a feeling that the effect of the stroke on the optic nerves may take a lot longer to fix itself. I'm not sure how he will deal with this ...............
Plans are afoot for his attendance at a friends wedding in late February so I guess we'll be getting a flood of instructions shortly regarding suitable dress etc.! He is nothing if not particular in sartorial terms (mind it will mean that he has to comb his hair unless we can get it cut before then!!)
In the meantime the Saturday home visits continue and hopefully we'll be able to go further afield now the car transfers have been sorted.
A big thank you to DavyP in the antipodes who gave him a call the other day ........ he didn't stop talking about it for ages afterwards. It meant so much to him ............. although I'm not sure just how well Davy could understand Doug on the phone since his voice can get pretty raspy when he is tired. Thanks big fellah!!
And big thanks to all his friends who continue to visit (despite being subjected to a film or music quiz when they get there!!). Sometimes you just have to tell him to shut up and listen for a bit :-)
Iain
He has been working hard at the business of getting from wheelchair to car and back again without using the bulky and heavy Sam Hall Turner. The new way uses a banana shaped plastic board that bridges the space between seats and Doug has to master the art of sliding himself across this.
So far he has done really well - so much so that we all had our first real day out last week end with a visit to a Roller Derby in the Medowbank Stadium, a shopping trip to the O2 store for a new phone and a few hours at home!!! Absolutely brilliant :-)
I think he felt a little out of place at the Roller Derby, partly because of the seating arrangements (a flat hall floor with banked seating on one side only) which meant that we had to sit close to the exit door (wheelchair issues) but also because everyone there seemed to 'normal', healthy and active. Never the less he enjoyed the time particularly since the two competing teams were all young ladies all togged out in outrageous gear (some fairly scanty!!) :-)))
Oh ..... and he got his new phone too!!
Physio and Occupational Therapy continues apace but, since (in Dougs words) he is a 'lazy git' it is never fast enough for him. He is working on the walking using a small zimmer frame and seems able to manage a reasonable distance although he does tend to veer off to the right a bit - all to do with having a strong right side I'm told. However practice will doubtless straighten things up - it has done with his wheelchair manoeuvres.
He also seems to have mastered the swallowing and chewing side of eating and has progressed from pureed food, through 'minced' food and is now eating normal consistency meals. As a result his PEG feed has been reduced to water only just to make sure he does not get dehydrated.
I suspect the PEG tube will stay in until they are quite certain he can be sustained by mouth.
A great boost is that he now can mix consistencies - no more thickened coffee!!!! Whoopee .....
(Apart from that, Baileys does NOT thicken well at all!)
He is seeing a slow return of feeling in the left hand side of his face although there is a long way to go and the other day he said that he heard me whisper into his left ear! If this is really the case it is terrific news since earlier hearing assessments indicated no hearing at all in that ear!
However we are trying not be overly optimistic about this (chickens and eggs and all that!)
His left eye condition keeps good although he still has one stitch in the lid. He is pinning a lot of hope on its removal and I do hope that this comes true although I have a feeling that the effect of the stroke on the optic nerves may take a lot longer to fix itself. I'm not sure how he will deal with this ...............
Plans are afoot for his attendance at a friends wedding in late February so I guess we'll be getting a flood of instructions shortly regarding suitable dress etc.! He is nothing if not particular in sartorial terms (mind it will mean that he has to comb his hair unless we can get it cut before then!!)
In the meantime the Saturday home visits continue and hopefully we'll be able to go further afield now the car transfers have been sorted.
A big thank you to DavyP in the antipodes who gave him a call the other day ........ he didn't stop talking about it for ages afterwards. It meant so much to him ............. although I'm not sure just how well Davy could understand Doug on the phone since his voice can get pretty raspy when he is tired. Thanks big fellah!!
And big thanks to all his friends who continue to visit (despite being subjected to a film or music quiz when they get there!!). Sometimes you just have to tell him to shut up and listen for a bit :-)
Iain
Thursday 8 January 2009
A guid New Year to ane an a an mony may ye see
Apologies for the lateness of this update, due entirely to a whole series of minor PC problems!!
Douglas managed to escape for New Years Day and was home with us from mid morning. He tells us it was ace ....... we managed not to burn the parsnips this time!
He is doing rather well although he had a bit of a mood swing on Sunday/Monday which left him feeling very low and useless. However all credit to him, he does seem to have rationalised things and recovered his equanimity (if thats the right word).
He loved seeing everyone over the festive season and has asked that I send a very big thank you to all, with very best wishes for 2009.
He had an optician look at the possibility of getting spectacles to help improve the sight in his right eye on the 5th Jan.. The results were a little mixed in that all the tests showed that his right eye was perfect and that specs would not do any particular good at this time. The vision effects Doug is finding are therefore down to the stroke and, as such, should improve over time. Needless to say this was a bit of a blow - patience is not one of Dougs strengths right now.
His physio and Occupational Therapy work continues apace and, although he finds it difficult to appreciate, he is making considerable strides. His wheelchair control is very significantly better and improving by the day. As he says he's a bit less like a drunken snake even though longer 'trips' are very tiring.
We are planning a series of 'days out' at week ends (all Saturdays) starting with a home visit this Saturday (10th). We'll be collecting him at around 10:30 am and should be home by 11:15 or 11:30 ish and plan to return him (undamaged!) to the Astley at around 7:30 pm.
All of us would like to wish all of you a good new year and hopes that 2009 brings health and happiness.
Iain
Douglas managed to escape for New Years Day and was home with us from mid morning. He tells us it was ace ....... we managed not to burn the parsnips this time!
He is doing rather well although he had a bit of a mood swing on Sunday/Monday which left him feeling very low and useless. However all credit to him, he does seem to have rationalised things and recovered his equanimity (if thats the right word).
He loved seeing everyone over the festive season and has asked that I send a very big thank you to all, with very best wishes for 2009.
He had an optician look at the possibility of getting spectacles to help improve the sight in his right eye on the 5th Jan.. The results were a little mixed in that all the tests showed that his right eye was perfect and that specs would not do any particular good at this time. The vision effects Doug is finding are therefore down to the stroke and, as such, should improve over time. Needless to say this was a bit of a blow - patience is not one of Dougs strengths right now.
His physio and Occupational Therapy work continues apace and, although he finds it difficult to appreciate, he is making considerable strides. His wheelchair control is very significantly better and improving by the day. As he says he's a bit less like a drunken snake even though longer 'trips' are very tiring.
We are planning a series of 'days out' at week ends (all Saturdays) starting with a home visit this Saturday (10th). We'll be collecting him at around 10:30 am and should be home by 11:15 or 11:30 ish and plan to return him (undamaged!) to the Astley at around 7:30 pm.
All of us would like to wish all of you a good new year and hopes that 2009 brings health and happiness.
Iain
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