Stroke Recovery outcomes

[gregcs]

My father had a double bypass and new value surgery on Dec 11. He moved out of ICU and was recovering great until he had his stroke on the fourth day. He was moved back to ICU and is still there 19 days later. My Dad had a left brain stroke - he is unable to talk, communicate or move his right hand. His consciousness is foggy most of the time. He moved his right foot slightly yesterday. He got a lung infection, which has cleared and has some breathing difficulties. He shows some recognition of visitors.

 

My father was the primary caregiver for my mother before this happened. Everyone continues to tell us to have patients and keep up your hopes. However, the longer he continues with very little progress the more concerned we become. My question is: Has anyone had a similar stroke situation and what was the eventual outcome/recovery?

 

Thanks

[dstraugh]

Greg,

 

I had a right-sided stroke so I do not have any 1st hand answers for you. No matter where the stroke is within the brain, each stroke is different and recovery varies as well. It does take time and patience. 19 days into stroke recovery is a very short time to say what his prognosis will be. Recovery cannot be rushed or sped up either. The movement of his affected foot and visitor recognition is a good sign.

 

Definitely keep your hopes up; however, I would not think he will be returning as the Primary caregiver for your mom in the immediate future.

[HostAsha]

Greg:

 

I second Donna;s thoughts, it is too early to tell, recovery is going to be long process though he is already showing good signs, therapy will help a huge deal in getting him on his feet. I think in the initial months you got to step upto plate and be his biggest advocate in getting more therapy. first year recovery comes much faster, later on years it still continues but at much slower pace.

 

wishing you lot of luck this year, be strong and you all will get through this hurdle in life. there is still life post stroke.

 

Asha

 

[danni3]

HELLO GREG,IHAVE TO AGREE WITH THE LADIES IT TAKE TIME AND PATIENTS TO GET SOME INPROVEMENT AND HIS RECOVERY,BUY THE FACT THAT HE IS MOVING HIS RIGHT TOES IS A VERY GOOD SIGN I HAVE A LEFTSIDE HEMORRAGE WHICH EFFECTED MY RIGHTSIDE,I COULD NOT WALK FOR 6 MONTH,AND HE HAVE BY PASS AND A STROKE.SO HANG AND THERE.

[arogers]

Dear Greg,

 

As others have said, recovery is a long, slow process. There will be ups and downs, and you won't be able to judge what tomorrow is by your dad's condition today. Our experience has been that no two days have been the same for my husband and he will mark three years out from his last stroke in March. Of course, we know that a major part of recovery happens during that first year. HOWEVER, recovery continues long past the first year.

 

You do have the added issue of your dad's position as primary caregiver to your mom. I don't know what your current situation is regarding her care, but I'm sure you know it will be months before your dad will be able to resume that responsibility - if ever.

 

The one thing to remember is that no two strokes are exactly alike. Recovery depends upon where the stroke hit. Was it a clot (ischemic) or a bleed (hemmorhagic) stroke? What areas were affected? How old is your dad? His recovery from the heart surgery plus the stroke will be a double challenge for him. One issue you will need to keep abreast of is depression. Depression following heart surgery is quite common, and emotions are often affected by stroke.

 

We are glad you found this site. There is a wealth of information here as well as tons of experience shared by stroke survivors and caregivers alike. Come back often and read all you can. You'll become an "expert" on all this eventually!!! (Not that any one of us ever wanted to be an expert on stroke!)

 

Best wishes to you all,

[2ndChance]

Sadly, it takes at lest 6 months for brain swelling to subside after a stroke, so you won't have any idea until then what his final deficits might be. If he is not at an ASA certified primary stroke center, try to get him moved there, and get a physiatrist on board ASAP.

 

Rene

[gregcs]

Thanks for all your comments! I appreciate the support and information.

 

My father was 78 and in pretty good health when he had the stroke. It was a clot, not a hemmorhagic type stroke.

 

My father needs to have his feeding tube extended into his small intestines to better digest his food. Hopefully he will get out of ICU later this week and then to long term care with some rehab and therapy. Given his current condition and status (24 days after stroke and still in ICU), I am getting concerned about starting some therapy. I've spoken with both OT and PT. They do normally start significant therapy until a patient is out of ICU. OT and PT both showed me some techniques to get his joints moving and the family has started working with his arms and legs.

 

I appreciate your comments and sharing of your situation. Best of luck to all of you.

 

Greg

 

 

 

 

[radkitten]

Your Dad's issues sound alot like my Dads. And it sucks, but the only thing you can do is wait. My Dad is currently about a month post his second stroke, the one that affected him this much and he definitely has good days and bad days. I went to visit him yesterday and it was the first day since the second stroke he really seemed to be "there". He spoke a couple words very clearly and even though he is restrained he grabbed my shirt and pulled me down to his bed to give him a hug.

 

I know it's hard constantly being told it's wait and see. But it really is. I know going in there today he might not be like he was yesterday and I just savor the good days, and try to help him as much as I can on the bad ones.

[gregcs]

Yes, the wait and see part sucks! We continue to have hope - my Dad has just started saying a few words other other day or so!

 

We met with the Neurologist yesterday and he just confirmed what we already new - my father had a big stroke. It is frustrating that no one can give you a prognosis. I understand that you can't predict how each person will end up, but aren't their statistic showing what percent recovery people get based on the starting point? For example, for stroke patients who loses speech and right side use of arms and legs: X% recover fully y% recover to be independent Z% recover 70 % use... AA% need long term care at a snf. With 700,000 strokes per year, someone must have the data.

 

I think we will get more info when he gets into rehab, but he is still in ICU (day 27 after stroke).

 

Has anyone had any experience with NeuroAid?

 

Thanks and Keep up the hope

Greg

 

[SteveH]

Hey Greg, I had a left side hemorhagic stroke 2 years ago, and also had a rough time right after, I couldn't talk very well(the speech therapist put in her notes to the doctor, that she thought I was simple minded), swallowing was very bad, my mind was mixed up( I was told I thought JFK was the current president) but over time it doe's get better, I still have the right side paralysis to deal with, but the swallowing and talking are definetely getting better and I think I'm not simple minded, just have patience I know your dad will be better. Steve H. :happydance:

[kanderson]

hi greg, i'm sorry to hear about your dads stroke and heart issues. my stroke was from a clot 6yrs ago now, affecting my left side with paralysis. recovery is different for everyone, i was able to learn to walk again with the use of a cane and afo for my affected leg. my arm/hand still is non functional but i never give up hope. he is already showing good signs of improvement. celebrate any improvement. it is a big deal. therapy and hard work is the key to recovery. encourage your dad and don't let him give up. make sure as ann said to watch for signs of depression and keep on top of it. there are many meds out there to help,you just need to find the right one for your dad. he has been hit with a double whammy of heart and stroke. be patient as it does get better. good luck to you and your family. i will keep you all in my prayers and thoughts

[2ndChance]

Greg: there are statistics out there, but the physiatrist will tell you that they are not reliable, the brain is too complex and there is no way of knowing what your father's "starting point" was unless he had a complete physical & neuropsychological exam the day before the stroke. Your best hope is to find an experienced physiatrist who can estimate based on his own experience.

 

 

 

Rene

 

 

[gregcs]

 

Steve,

 

thanks for the reply. Glad to hear things are going better for you. I know every stroke recovery is different, but could you give me a brief overview of your stroke related issues ( paralysis and speeck) and timeline of your recovery (i.e. - # of weeks/months before moving arm/leg, starting to talk words, sentences...).

 

My Dad just went to a rehab unit last Friday (after 45 days in ICU), so we are cautiously optimistic! :Clap-Hands:

 

thanks,

Greg

[bstockman]

Hi Greg just sending a hug your way. The brain takes about 6 months for swelling to go down and clot to readsorb from what I have read.

 

There are good and bad days.. finally the good days out number the bad. Stroke is so much a wait and see...the mind is such a map it is hard to know what will get reconnected first and easiest and what will be much harder and more repetation .

 

It really does suck for everyone concerned. and you will get so sick of hearing the words time and patience that you will want to scream.

 

It does take repeating over and over to reconnect.. kind of compared to the new mind of an infant.. we learn to sit up, but fall to the side many times, we learn to scoot or crawl. etc. Luckily some things are remembered and not damaged.... but reconnecting is hard work.

 

My daughter said it was the worst time of her life... watching me be helpless for awhile and then learn. They were all terriffic cheerleaders and so proud when I learned something new.

 

Best wishes and hugs to you all

[gregcs]

 

Thanks for the hug and input. It's been a tough day!

 

Quick recap: My father had a right brain stroke and spent 45 days in ICU fighting infections. He has a feeding tube and can't move his right arm or talk. He has very little movement in his right leg. He was just sent to rehab on Friday. Today we had to send him back to the hospital with aspiration pneumonia. The doctor at the rehab said since Dad hasn't regain his swallowing after 45 days, he never will. Without the ability to swallow he will have repeated pneumonias until one of them kills him. He suggested we either send him to the hospital to fight it or just make him comfortable and let him die. Of course I sent him to the hospital. While I have continued to be positive and have hope that he would recover to a point where his quality of life would be worthwhile. This doctor, who deals with many rehab patients had a more grim point of view. Does anyone have any experience similar to my father's? Do stroke patients recover the ability to swallow after 45+ days?

 

Thanks in advance for your input. I've learned not to trust just one opinion and would like some feedback.

[RLT]

Greg-

My husband's story is similar to your dad's. He was about a month in ICU, completely paralized on the right side, repsitory difficulties, couldn't swallow, couldn't talk and because of being over saturated had congestive heart failure. They told me he would not live. They told me he would be a vegetable. They told me he would never walk. They told me his arm would never move. They told me he would not swallow. They told me he would not talk. THEY were wrong! You are all ready tired of hearing every stroke is unique but...every stroke is unique. Bottom line is I found the statistics usless. Not a very satisfying answer to those of us who want to know what is going on and how to plan.

 

In my husband's case, he didn't start to improve for a couple of months. That was the day he wiggled his toes and I did a jig. The PT at the time gave me the most encouragement I had received to date saying that usually movement returned from the upper thigh and worked down to the toes and since his toes wiggled he would most likely get the larger muscles to work. We did not see him back on his feet nearly a year. In other words recovery has been described in years rather than days or weeks. But the progress has been there. Now three years out he is able to move his arm.

 

One thing I feel for certain is that it is way too early to give up. It took several months before my husband was able to swallow. I have known people who have not regained that ability and I don't think that is a certain death warrant. The doctors advised me to put my husband in a nursing home right after the stroke. It is my opinion that they give up way too easily.

 

Only you and your family will know what is right for your father. And even though it doesn't feel like it you will find that you are stronger and better suited to make those decisions than you may believe. You have some tough times ahead of you but by your posts I can tell you are a concerned son and your dad is fortunate to have you.

 

[MelBaker]

Greg -

 

Anything is possible! With your positive and hopeful outlook supporting your father he will probably surprise everyone. A lot of it will have to do with his attitude toward recovery though too so I'd focus on that, you can't force him to be happy but reminding him of what he has to live for (his joy) and the people who care for him (their joy) will go a long way towards pulling him away from "the dark side" LOL - forgive the pun, have to have a sense of humor though

 

Take care of yourself, keep him involved with the family (which it sounds like you are already doing quite well at) and remember that sometimes things come back later, after "everyone" says that the rehab process has stopped and no further progress will be made.... I'm almost two years out but I still make small strides surprising myself and my family. Hope is a wonderful thing. It can sneak in under the worst problem and find a way to lift it up.

 

Wishing you peace, hope, calmness and strength - :hug:

Mel

[bazane]

Greg , My husband had the same stroke as your Father 3 and a half years ago, I was told he would nrever walk or talk again, he was 58 years old when he had the stroke , he was back swallowing 2 weeks later & up walking within 4 weeks, he gradually got his speech back but has Aphasia (mixes up the words) . He is a hundred per cent better than when he first had the stroke, he is still paralysed down the right side although movement has come back in his hand to a degree, at first he had a tripod stick but now walks with a brace on his leg & no stick, It takes a long time & i'm afraid you have to have a lot of patience but it is worth it ,I don't think he will ever be able to look after your Mother again but you never know what is in the future... Never give up & talk as normal to him all the time... The DRs always say the worst case scenario but every one is different & every stroke is different depending on the person.

Baz is still making great progress .

Good luck & NEVER GIVE UP.

Anne.

[lady k]

just a word od encouragement, i had a large stroke and had to relearn lot's still have trouble with some things, i have an attention span of a gnat's, i keep missing chat cause i don't think of it, i have even forgot bible study, and lot's of other stuff, also have a hard time doing math, but occasionsaly do something off the top of my head that most people can't, but the everday keeping up with numbers is gone. if his right side is affected the stroke was in the left sdide of his brain, that side has more control over language and swallowing issues, it depends so very much on how your father works once he gets to rehab, i was there several months and some just half heartedly tried and would never do anything on their own, then others would practice what theyt learned all the time. such as using good side to stretch affected side. i think you knpw what group did better, yep repetition is the key, sorry this got so long. keep coming back and read some of the blogs, lot's of nitty gritty about life after stroke.

[SteveH]

Hi Gregcs, sorry it took me so long to get back to you, well I was released from the hospital after 30 day's because I was uninsured, in fact I went home by ambulance, because I couldn't transfer from a car, I was so weak, the Dr. wrote a letter stating that I had to have extensive rehabilitation, and I received a bill for a $140,000, as far as swallowing goes it was over a year before I could be left alone when eating, I was in a wheelchair almost the same, but with a lot of practice I'm able to get around with a cane and AFO, I really had to work on balance and still fall at least 2 to 3 times a month, as far as talking I got that back maybe 2 mos. later, very weak voice compared to before, I drool terribly and I slur a lot, but improving, people tell me they can understand me, I am still paralysed with my right hand and arm completely, but the leg has gotten about 10 % back, but continues to get better. I had my stroke about 2 weeks after my 47th. birthday, app. 29 mos. ago a hemorrhage on the left side because of high blood pressure, things are getting better and I feel stronger everyday, and I know your dad is going to be better too. Take care and think positive. Steve H. :bouncing_off_wall:

[gregcs]

Thanks for all the wonderful encouragement and remarks. Unfortunately, my father ran into additional complication last week and died on Monday, Feb 11. Because of his lack of ability to swallow, he had several bouts with aspiration pneumonia. Last weekend, when he was fighting off his latest battle with pneumonia, he aspirated food into his right lung and lost use of most of his right lung. He was surrounded by family and love at the end.

 

I appreciate the comments on this website and credit all of you for helping me maintain a positive attitude in order to fight for my father to get a chance to rehab. He fought very hard for the two months after the stroke. It was helpful to get some real life feedback.

 

Thanks again a best of luck to everyone on there journey! :thumbs up:

 

Greg

[dstraugh]

Greg,

 

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this time. Your Dad is now watching down on each of you and I'm sure thankful you were all with him at the end.

 

God Bless.

[kanderson]

greg, i am so sorry to hear about your dads passing, he did fight hard. he is now your angel watching over his family. i wish you and your family, comfort in the coming days to help you get through this hard time.

[lady k]

i'm sorry you have to continue on without your father, i pray for peace for you and your family, your father sounds like a great man and i know he will live on in you and your familie's hearts.