Sandy :

as he walks more stumbling & catching balance will become part of his life always encourage him to walk inside house. more he walks less he will stumble. I always wear shoes inside the house so that when I stumble on my toe won't hurt my toe. falling after stroke is easy, but required part of growing up

Asha

Yes, Sandy we have been there too. Larry slipped a couple times - once by the couch as he was trying to get the TV remote. I caught him and got him before he fell further. One time he was in the bathroom and twisted wrong getting up from his chair. I have a chair in master bathroom at the vanity where he can shave, etc. He fell but I lowered him to the floor and scooted him to the wall. Our helper, Jim, was coming and he and I raised him up easily. It just takes two sets of hands. Another time, Larry was wearing the dreaded sleep mask at night. He would watch the clock so he could take it off after so many hours. He couldn't see the clock, got up in the dark and fell on way back to his bedside. I didn't hear him until he fell and he had brought down a chest with him. I tried getting him up but ended up calling a neighbor to help. Luckily, we wasn't hurt. I think now is is more careful. These falls occur and we just hope we are there or they don't hurt themselves. The worse are in the bathroom as I have heard horror stories of people falling there.

Bob is trying and seems to be wanting to work at his recovery. Good for him and you are to be commended too for all you do.

Julie

Sandy, it is risk management, a balance between you wanting him to be independent and wanting him to be safe. We cannot wrap them in cotton wool and we do know the risks. I think praying hard comes there somewhere. And being independent is so important to Bob, as it is to all survivors.

BUT people do learn from their mistakes as you well remember from seeing little ones walking on unsteady legs around a mat on which they have slipped before. We all learn from our mistakes so have to make a few mistakes to go on learning.

Well done both of you. You are making real progress in recovery and in strengthening your relationship and finding your new normal.

Sue.

Sandy, you are doing what you feel and think will help him along in his recovery process no matter how fast he is thinking so perhaps a cell phone in his pocket will be a good idea! A man wants to do man things that's why he didn't want to wake you up and try it on his own!

Two thoughts come to mind: (1) What about that pedal thing you can use while sitting down in a chair?

(2) A stationary bike to use with you there to help put his weak foot in the strap. the handlebars move with the pedaling motion and set the timer for maybe 5 minutes since he sleeps that many hours making his legs and muscles a bit weaker when he tries to walk in the house!

It really did help me walk better and feel safer while I used the quad cane wearing my tennis shoes with Velcro straps.. I think you'll be amazed at his progress!

I am very glad to have him reach this point, and know it has to be what it is, and that will make him stronger. But hope to avoid any damages that may cause him a setback. No broken bones please! I am reminded of the many stitches our son got as he started walking and put his head thru things, hope to miss that with Bob!

Fred, he doesn't know how to use a phone, and often not the remote control we've had for 15 years! We just used the foot pedal thing Tues, but I have to be there to keep his heal from hitting the spindle, or his foot will fly off every turn. It's a little hard on my back to stay bent over holding his foot on the pedal (knee goes out, heel points in) and his knee in, but can do it some. We have brought our tailwind bicycle into our middle room, but as yet, he can't get on it well, so I need to do it when his friend visits, so he can help us get on and watch the top part of him, while I hold his knee/foot.

I just know you must be proud of both of you and the work it took to get you to this day. each new thing does bring concern of falls or bumps but with practice and an eye toward safety, pretty soon it'l seem like second nature.

Any exercises he can perform with his legs will strengthen them and help with the walking, even if he is only doing small movements it works muscles. I am sure he is thrilled to be feeling better and wanting to do more. And I know each accomplishment will bring more pride and incentive to try more. I do hope he doesn't fall and get injured but am so glad he is doing better.

I can say that in my case, the more I think and try to make my leg or foot do a certain movement, the more likely it is do do something completely different from what I am trying to do. It is very frustrating. Seems like it should be right the opposite. I have to try to relax and NOT think too much about it in order to make it do what I want it to do. I don't know if this is common in stroke victims or if it is just me. Just wanted to let you know that so if that happens to him you will know it is maybe because he is trying "too" hard.

Luckygirl, I wonder if it works that way for you because you have an overtoned muscle kick in when you go to move your foot, so it dominates what you really wanted to do, which needed the other side of the leg to work.

I have several walkers, as I've been frail for years, but one of them is really heavy, and that is the one he uses. It is best for a one handed person, because it's not light and won't flip over with weight on one side. He does often put the non-working hand onto the top of it also. He can stand there and sway back and forth, for balance; make little marching moves, or do squats, holding on. His wheelchair is right behind him, should he make a blunder.

Oh, I also should have said that Friday, he was able to do pretty well reading a Little Golden Storybook "Spiderman". He has some problem with his brain wanting to do auto-speaking, and wants to fill in a word for him, that is not on the page. I get him to put his finger on each word, and don't try to read fast, because that is when the brain will reach for a word that sounds like it would follow what he just said, and sub it in. I was very glad to see he was able to do it. I think reading the phrases/sentences on the www.englishspeak.com site has helped his eyes a little, to not lose their place so much. I did get the feeling he was not comprending, but his brain was more focused on the chore of getting the words. I mean, if he got a word wrong, he wouldn't stop and go, that doesn't make sense, I must have read it wrong. I would have to make a little noise and he'd know to go back and reread.

I mowed the front today, but spent hours looking for the key to the back yard gate. Not only is it not mowed now, but every closet, drawer, cubby hole has been torn threw, as well as every purse dumped. The energy I wasted that could have been put to good use it frightening, not to mention the effor I'll need to put it back, just to get it back to the sorry state it was in already

Sandy, overtoning of a muscle may very well be my problem. When I am sitting down and I get upset or angry or anxious about something, my leg sticks straight out. I have no control of this and the only way I can get my foot back to the floor is to calm down and relax. I know it is probably the muscles but it seems like it is my brain that isn't working like it should, or maybe a combination of both.

That sounds like some good exercises he is doing with the walker. The one that really helped me get my balance back was to have someone push me, like they were trying to get me to fall over, while I tried to resist. You can start this out very gently and progress as he makes progress. Of course, if he isn't able to stand without holding on to the walker, he would have to master that first, letting go of the walker while you stand behind him with the gait belt on. I know you are doing a wonderful job of coming up with things for him to do already but just trying to give you some more ideas of things that worked well for me.

Dena

Sandy,

I am so happy to hear of Bob's progress. it is amazing. I am so happy for the two of you.

Ruth

We do do that one, maybe not hands free yet, though. I ordered him one of those blue mats that are like a dense foam that you stand on and they make you work on your balance. They are not as advanced as the wobble boards, but I think they will be just what he needs right now. Can't wait till it comes.

Yes I worked on one of those foam boards too. When you stand on it makes you work even harder to maintain your balance then when you go back to standing on the floor, your balance feels better than it did before. I am sure that will help him a lot. Sandy, if I didn't know better I would think you were a physical therapist. You seem to know exactly what he needs every time. He is so lucky to have you as his caregiver!

Dena

you know... it really clicks for me. If I were in my 20s and looking for a career (*and I'm NOT), I would be good at this!

Sandy, As mentioned by others it is all about risk management. When I stroked I told Lesley if I was a couch potato the stroke would not have affected me since I can still click a remote. But since I carry a canoe and do other outside activities, I must get better. Yes I fall once in a while. I have fallen back on my parachute training in the military and do the "roll" parachutists are taught. Walking sticks also help. I now put rocks in the front of my canoe for balance when I am out alone. We all adapt and move on, not looking back. Glad to hear of the improvements, keep on keeping on!