My stroke was May 2014. My PT said recovery goes on slowly so learning compensating strategies is important. She was not saying to abandon hope. She continues to teach me new ways to retrain the brain in ways that are new to me since my past experience with therapy has been limited. But she wants me to have a tool box of tricks to compensate that may help me daily.
I will share one simple strategy that has really worked for me. Most people move their eyes and head at the same time while turn
I was visited by Health Department regsrding a complaint I made againt a nurse for being an abusive bully insulting me and interfering with me getting to urgent care...where they called an ambulance to escort me to the ER and then I was admitted to the hospital.....so now that nurse still cares for me but cannot contact me so someone else brings my meds....... This was a complaint I made last year....so the HD said I got the name wrong...oops well lets recall who told me a wrong name around here
My new roommate and I share old pictures with each other. She told me that she had not done that with anyone.
I went out with my daughter, saw purses,boots,soft knitted sweaters that reminded me of who I used to be. She is hazzy now,I like her more Than I used to.
My Now likes a drive to a store short time, coloring in an adult coloring book, visiting with other patients,eating looking out the patio doors, enjoying a fresh breeze here close to the ocean. Wondering why it took so much to
My dearest blogger,
I thank the stars that I may use words to reach out to others for support because otherwise I would be suffering in silence without the companionship of peers, brothers and sisters who have survived stroke, learned much,and can comfort me only by understanding. How blessed I am that someone out there cares enough to send a beacon out in the universe and then put a guide to read my innermost thoughts,my progress through my years of survival. And no matter what I write, ve
I had the third radiofrequency ablation last week. It was the worst one. It took 4 times to get the IV probably because I was dehydrated and the staff got frustrated with me because I jumped when it hurt. And it DID. So they numbed it And that Burned but they got the vein in my wrist. I was in a panick plus I felt the staff was angry with me because they could not get it right.
Both wrists are bruised up now. My side and shoulder hurt bad after this time. But they warned me of that.
Things You Don't Know About Me (can I meet the 100 challenge?)
I love peanut butter
i graduated from an all girl's catholic school
i tapped danced
i twirled baton
i tried to surf
i had c sections
i have two beautiful miracle babies after risky pregnancies
i was told not to have a second child but I did it anyway
i have one boy and one girl
my Gram had 13 siblings
i am Irish
i love purses
i love to shop
i love animals and wanted to be a vet
i used to cl
I don't know if I am optimistic by nature but I tend to hope for the best perhaps out of denial that things will get worse. Maybe it is just as my grandmother said and it is having the Irish in me that does the trick. Whatever it is, I seem to like to stay in the bright sunshine of hope but there are days I am in a mood as dark as night. I blame it on the pain that follows me around like a silent shadow waiting to get me. I sometimes wins and I can't outrun it with the timing of the meds. I fina
I have been a tourist these days getting out of the house into the warm sun and going places again. I cut my meds in half too which has been working to my surprise. I have to deal with pain though but I have to balance out having more mind or more pain. I have had a ball out after christmas sale shopping and going places that are not as crowded in January. I am not done yet either. I plan on a few more places on my wish list. I don't have my walker yet but I have been getting out with the cane.
My good leg was red,warm and painful. The assistant director of nursing looked at it,said it was a rash,and called the home doc who gave me hydrocortisone cream.
When that did not work and it was swollen foot to calf,beet red, steaming hot,painful to stand on,I demanded to go to the hospital. So the supervising nurse came to look. She said it might be infection. I said I wanted to go to the hospital. She spoke to Nurse Practitioner who said they would do doppler ultrasound in the morning and
I went to my new doc in the fancy teaching medical hospital and he is supervised by another doc. He ordered all the stuff I needed and that was the first week of March. NOW well into May and I don't have any PT never have had any OT and I don't have the insulin pen for the short acting nor do I have any vials or syringes for it and my insurance case worker says this is because they don't have the paperwork needed for a pre auth. I laughed and said well this has been going on for months and throu
I called the appropriate folks about our lack of a screen on our window. Our screen fell off and for months I requested one. We open the window when we need to air out this room and have fresh air. Roomie went nuts when it was open because flies came in. Moths would come in for the lights. Ok,so it just never was taken care of. So I called the state folks and told them about the blocked AC vent that was finally discovered and the screen problem. SO today they put in our screen. We are celebrati
Today I went for a shoe fitting, and I needed the insole adjustments made too because they were not done properly. I walked in telling the guy that I felt like I walking on a pebble in my shoe but it was only the insert and maybe I was like the princess and the pea. So he took out in insole and he found a tiny thing in the seam. I said Seriously?? And he said well you called it! Oh we laughed, but then he took the insert back to make it thinner so my shoe will be more comfortable. I love m
I noticed my leg was getting red a couple of days ago but a nurse said they would keep an eye on it. So this morning a nurse actually looked at it and she called it a pink rash. I belly laughed never actually heard that before. To me the shade was candy apple red not pink. So I said they wanted me to return to hospital if it turned color again.any color than my lily white only tan color is age spots. She got agitated saying she did not have time,it was not life threatening. The supervisor said i
She stayed a few minutes. She said the Dining room incident was all about providing the gentleman in the big wheelchair a place in the dining room. She said it was good that they reserved the table now to avoid any future problems. She suggested I get counseling.
I upset her when I said she sounds like she works with them here. She denied it. I said my side again that the dining room is large enough to put two tables together anywhere and did not need the spot where i was sitting. I said the on
So one may think that in a SNF (I personally detest the word sniff) you will be watched over,protected,by a clean kind medication bearing nurse. One that puts the nurse in sniff. She holds the power. She holds the medcart keys. But do not interrupt her pill line and expect service with a smile. I must ask for pain pills as needed for breakthrough pain from the rather ineffective but better than nothing fentanyl patch. I feel like Oliver asking for More. I have a knack for making my request when
There was a luau luncheon with Decorations and pineapple cake. But the staff got catered food with real pieces of chicken wings while the resident plates had some chicken loaf stuff. I guess some cant deal with bones but I was drooling. I enjoyed watching some dancers, and the festive drink with an umbrella. We had plastic leis and I got three in pink,blue,and orange. I brought one for roomies but they declined them so I put them on my walker to decorate it. Well, while I picked at my food,they
Today I had a biopsy done and I was scared of a little numbing and scraping but these days the fear button is in the o.n. position. Plus going to another doctor and adding up all the not-so-wonderful experiences with doc offices from long inconsiderate waits (hey I need a lunch hour too over here forgotten in the waiting room) to being told by staff they are too busy to do something I need. I was getting sorta jaded with the whole system and situation really. It seems like no one is really seein
I am driven crazy overstimulated with the noise,sounds here. My roomie's tv is on from 7am to midnight. She loves sitcoms with laugh tracks. I am afraid that my love of comedy is ruined now by my dislike of laugh tracks that seem unusually loud to me.
I had to be taken out of the dining hall fast when a singer used a microphone. The sound echoed all around me,crushing me physically like a star trek episode.
The ward is full of sounds. It puts me on edge. I long for solitude and silence. Well I
I woke early and got ready for the van to come and take me to PT.
I am on new drug program. I am running out of options. I guess then after I try everything, I can pick the best one. Doc says it does not work that way. Well I wonder why not. I am on 5mg Opana immediate release for break
One day I happily shopped for Newborn layette stuff for my first grandchild. My daughter chose little clothing items with a little dog on them and a matching stuffed doggie music box that played How much is that doggie in the window. Tiny doggie booties. Small blankets and beanies to swaddle our tiny baby boy. I fell asleep that night thinking about my daughter's birth and first little days so filled with joy that any problems drifted So far away we seemed untouchable from the outside circle.
I have said for months that this room is hot. Others say so too. Then they close the windo and say let the AC work. I am drenched in sweat. My gowns look like I went in for a real dip in my imaginary pool. I am told to calm down. I state I have heat exhausTion. I cannot think or move. They say it is all these pain killers. I have nausea from the heat and human waste products stewing in roomie's diaper all day. I take zofran to cope and they blame the meds again. Soon they will blame the pain on
My daughter was sent home from the ER told it was the beginning of a miscarriage that will complete by week's end.Well the baby has hung in there rolling around oblivious to any danger. Ironically this happened to me when pregnant with this daughter!
My daughter said Now the Worry starts! I had an eye rollin belly laugh.
This time is scary.We are reminded life is a gift bestowed. We all pray pleadingly. What a miracle indeed.
I am blessed for having this time with daughter.
My roomie is 80. She gts braid extensions and manicures. She is from a family of 12 and has outlived so many family members. She outlived her husband of 51 years just 5 years ago. She said she endures dialysis for her niece and nephew who are like her own children and she never had any of her own.She used to live with her niece. She has a quick wit and wonderful sense of humor. She points out that we are a generation apart but we like the same things. I love listening to her stories and I just m
The cna who touched my leg has a booming voice and perhaps thinks everyone wants to hear her every comment or wants to wake the dead. She makes comments. snide scarcasm. she laughs. like that was a joke. weird. dumb comments. cruel.
That voice chills my soul. Now she takes care of the rooms around mine. not in here but her voice is in here. constantly. except her break. she talks naturally projecting. She is a big woman too. Already established she does not have concern for others. s
My frig is full of left overs plus more potatoes in the pantry than I know what to do with! I watched movies and napped while the kids took over and cooked a feast for us all. They even put up the Christmas lights outside and the Tree is here waiting for more decorations. I am truly thankful to be in my own home and I am walking and talking. I am sooo very thankful that my swallowing improved to normal now just about so I am eating and eating.
I miss some folks in my life but I am blessed wi
