Oh Nancy, that is what we all strive for... reaching that point where more of THEM is able to come out. I'm so happy to hear this. I hope you will be in your new home soon, and things will just keep getting better!

thank you sandy.

Nancy: it is a blessing that Dan allows this at all. If you were doing it, would be no. You had to go with what might work and get yourself out of the equation. Good news.

And with proper hydration, the medications are being absorbed properly, so you have a true gauge on what is working and what is not.

And yes, he has to feel better. Just so happy he is showing it and starting to come out from under the covers. Good news. Debbie

I'm glad Dan is getting better. I hope all goes well with your move. I'm excited for you.

Julie

Such a wonderful change for both of you. Amazing what a bit of fluids can do! (and what the lack of them can do). I hope the improvement is long lasting. ~~Donna

That's what real life is all about, some days so-so, others alright. Either way we can't find a way to re-live them if we really wanted to. Don't they call that taking the bitter with the sweet?????

You may be closing in on a husband/wife relationship??

since i wrote it -- of course he has had 2 off days--- but seems to be pulling through it tonight ----- nueropathy - i think ....aching everywhere... stayed in bed as he does when these days happen --- we will see what the morning brings...

well he got up showered - could barley walk but we did it... and back to bed.. called home health they came and IV'D him so right now - as we know all strokes are so individual - we are trying to figure out how much hyderation he needs ( he is drinking what in the past i considered adequate) but the nueropathy seems to set in the second it gets a chance so we want to see if we can hyderate it out.. or not - remember he was very healthy previously and drank a lot of water, so we wonder what the chemistry make up is for him -- i mean 30 years of drinking a gallon a day - now drinking only coke , no water ( can not stand it physically gags on it) , tried every juice every supplement, every gatorade product .. the best luck right now NA beer.. so we go from a gallon of water to about 20 to 30 ounces of "other liquids" some that really have no hyderation value to it.. so his body chemistry has been set for a lot of water for years and now basically none... well we are all learning , all the time...

Nancy, are you saying that not having complete hydration increases the tingling burning of the stroke side?

Nancy: the body's cellular function works with salt - osmosis. Wherever water goes, salt follows. Even as children, when we are thirsty, we reach to water. A healthy body will regulate it's salt with our gallon of water every day. And Dan knew that.

If I have to hydrate via IV, I have to put in the normal body fluid - Normal saline: slightly salted water to maintain normal body function. A healthy body will pee out the water it does not need. But that hydration is also how medications, proteins, food get distributed throughout the body. Without adequate hydration, stuff just sits and is then peed out.

It is always guess work when having to hydrate via IV. You give a liter, check kidney function, basic metabolic values - like salt - and then re-eval. And yes, the side effect of that is good distribution and absorption of any medications he is taking. So that will certainly be a benefit.

You know with Neuropathy it is always hit or miss. There are just going to be days when nothing works. Now that you know he is properly hydrated, just maybe the extra dose of Valium will give some relief. You have a baseline, finally. And from there you can make better decisions.

Please let us know. Debbie

Sandy - yes is seems to be... but as with each stroke dans issues are so individualized... and his body as does all ours seems to be adapting to whatever we do..... and we think his liver although it is functioning "normal" is compensating and working hard to filter... and the lamictal he is on is very hard on the liver.. so we watch and monitor constantly .. and we have found a nurse now dan trusts and she is "studying dan" learning and going that extra mile... so we have a "angel" ...he seems to really like her, and "talks " to her... today he was in aphasia telling her about his depression and his fear of seizures --- his words -- click , click, click then die and then he makes seizure motions.. he repeated this several times.. and she understood -- she is a old time nurse similar to our Debbie here... I am so thankful for her....

the valium works the best and although the elavil would also be of consideration the doc had a good reason for not doing it.. with dans present meds... so i trust her... and as debbie says some days it will just be tough no matter what... i have found sometimes if i can get the man to relax enough to truly fall asleep ( no grimace on his face) his "brain" will "reset" and he will wake with no more pain.... But just sometimes !!! no darn rulebook or guidebook those strokes don't follow no rules... LOL... well sorta LOL...

Nancy: Bruce naps now almost every day. But the incessant TV. There are days when I hear him channel surf the entire hour. He is under a lot of stress right now being home alone and getting his chores done. He is not used to problem-solving at this level. When I get home just before noon, his eyes are sunken, with black circles. It is all he can manage to get through lunch and then to nap.

But lecture as I do, still that TV goes on and we are off to the races. How many times have you and I advised new caregivers that the brain reboots with sleep? It files, sorts and then is able to deal with the issues, well rested and ready to work. Dan deals with pain. It is so hard to rest and sleep with pain. Bruce deals with sensory input. Just want to hit both of them upside the head. Still we move forward and just pray that some days they will listen. Debbie

Dans new addiction checkers on the iPad... set on the easiest setting.. all day long... but the speech lady said anything that makes his brain work is good... so he is exersizing the brain... sorta... and it does allow him to BLOCK the world on a particularly tough day...( even used it at the airports on those occassions we have traveled ) ..

Tuesday today - the drama started Friday --- but he is feeling better... the IV'ing is key -- the never ending learning about our bodies... and the effet strokes can have on them..... so glad to have this little blog area for others with stroke knowledge and needs can share and learn about each other.. and the "diary" aspect of it.. our own little group ( stroke) ..