A good day for Dads

[amberdreams]

Just got back from seeing Dad and he was wide awake and almost as coherent as he ever is today! They were not wrong when they said this will be a long road with lots of ups and downs. He got words muddled and couldn't recall some at all, but he does that quite a lot normally so it felt like progress LOL!

He has been reading the papers and magazines we brought him, because he was very keen to tell me something he'd read in the Sunday paper - we were somewhat puzzled, because he kept saying it was about Romans and scissors - turns out when we gave him the paper so he could find the actual article, it was the news story about the Navy chaps who've been done for sexual assault, and the reason he thought I'd be interested was because they were ice hockey players. So we worked that one out in the end.

He managed to say hello and a few words to his sister Margaret on the phone today, when yesterday he'd barely whispered a mumble, so she was happy. Told him he was a big fraud, in hospital on false pretenses which made him laugh.

Using the phone then confused him, because he was asking us if we came to the hospital by phone instead of by bus! I admit, I was laughing quite a lot when the care of the elderly doctor came over and started asking him some of those questions that are supposed to test his state of mind - she asked him to tell her who me and Mum were. He was definite about Mum - that's my wife! Which was fine but then she asked who I was, and apparently I'm his wife too.Then he said no, no, but he couldn't think what the word was for daughter. It's probably just as well the doc didn't ask him our names, because he always has trouble with those!

I read the hospital notes and it looks like the thing about the Parkinsons was on the first information gathering on Saturday - it was listed alongside his mastoid and gall stones operations. So it seems likely the paramedics or whoever talked to Mum when he was admitted on Saturday got their wires crossed, or Mum misheard something and said yes when she should have said no. This is the trouble when you have two parents who are deaf!

I've got his GP ringing me tonight so I'll talk to her about it and she can follow it up if necessary. Ha! Edited to say, the GP rang early and Mum answered without telling me, and totally forgot to mention the Parkinsons to her, which was the whole reason for ringing the GP in the first place. Lord.

The hospital doctor we talked to today (who I think said her name was Sunita - I really should write these names down) briefly tested his hand, wrist and arm movements and their strength, and the same with his legs, and said it didn't seem like he had Parkinsons, though the fact that he often loses control when he's walking and gets faster and faster until he falls over, is something that happens with Parkinsons.

He's been moved upstairs to the Gastro ward simply because they had a bed free and they needed his bed in the surgical assessment ward. He's waiting for a bed downstairs in the Rehab care for the elderly ward, but that might not happen for a couple more days. Whatever happens he will be in hospital a while yet, but I'd say today was a good day. So I feel a bit better about going home tomorrow.

And here's Mum with a new friend in one of Shrewsbury's hippie clothes shops.

Comments

[kalliel]

This post made me really happy. :) Your dad. <333 So glad today went so well. And glad that the mysterious Parkinson's issue has been cleared up! Thanks as always for the update!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

:D Cheers me dear, I'm feeling much happier at the moment.

[milly-gal.livejournal.com]

Oh honey I am SO pleased that he's wide awake and with it and I'm hoping you and Mama bear are feeling way better about the whole thing!

That skull is freaking AWESOME!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

That skull is ginormous! LOL

[quickreaver.livejournal.com]

The brain is a mysterious thing. My sister got hit by a van when she was in her early twenties and had bunches of pinprick bleeds all over her brain. (Her brain got bounced around in the skull.) She would have days of confusion, days of downright meanness, mixed in with days of clarity. It was tough, but it eventually gets better. She's right as rain, now, so hopefully as you pop's brain heals, things will become more stabilized. Or at least, predictable!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Assuming he heals ok it's going to be interesting to see how he goes, given that he was rather prone to confusion, word blindness and general forgetfulness before he got old, let alone started banging his head on things at frequent intervals...!!

[chomaisky.livejournal.com]

Congrats on the healing progress! Your mom looks great and that's one scary skull!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

It was blooming HUGE! :D

[adrenalineshots.livejournal.com]

Awesome news! Very glad for all three of you! Hugs!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thanks, it was encouraging!

[sillie]

Glad to hear it all went better today. :)

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thanks, fingers crossed there will be more good days than bad.

[jj1564.livejournal.com]

That's great news, thanks so much for letting us know. Your dad sounds like a real character and I'm pleased you were able to have a laugh at some of the things he said today. You must feel so relieved that he's doing well. The brain can be very mysterious and fascinating too.
My sister had a stroke a few years ago and she kept asking me where my 'little man' was - it took us a while to realise she meant my son Sam, who was about 16 at the time, and she just couldn't comprehend that this huge teen was her little nephew!
Sending best wishes to you and your lovely mum and lovely dad. x

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

He's a character alright! LOL

Your sister must have been young to have a stroke - I hope she is fully recovered now?

[jj1564.livejournal.com]

She was about 51 I think, it was pretty bad at the time she was in ICU for a coupe of days, and not really herself for a few months after. She went to a rehab unit and that was the turning point, so hopefully the rehab ward will help your dad. She couldn't walk for about a year, but is now walking and the only problem she has now is that her memory isn't that good. And her left thumb doesn't bend - weird!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

The brain is such a delicate instrument, isn't it. That must have been absolutely terrifying - like with Rob Benedict. you just don't expect it at all at that age.

[jj1564.livejournal.com]

I have to admit that seeing her in ICU was one of the worst moments of my life, but luckily the ICU staff were really kind and helpful.
There was a lady round her age who'd had a stroke on one of her wards and she could only say 'yellow', which was very odd and disturbing.

[big-heart-june.livejournal.com]

HAPPPPINESS, BB! I am SO glad! your Mum is lovely ♥

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

My Mum is amazing.

[ephermeralk.livejournal.com]

Glad you're feeling a bit better about leaving, and that your dad is doing on the rocky road to recovery (romans and scissors/ice hockey navy boys booked for sexual assault make me laugh) bb ♥

my that is one fine skull!

Re:

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Honestly I was laughing so hard at one point I was crying. He does have that effect on me sometimes anyway but I wasn't expecting it right now. LOL!

[dear-tiger.livejournal.com]

Aw, your Dad is super cute, you know? I'm really happy that he's doing better, and I hope he continues to improve.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

He is a cutie - thanks! :D

[de-nugis.livejournal.com]

I'm glad today was a better day! My father's normal way of talking is so peculiar, with so many long, long pauses, that I think he confuses people trying to evaluate him, even though he's been that way pretty much all his life.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Oh my Dad does that too - lots of erms and blank spaces while he's wool gathering. Mum thinks he's dyslexic though he's never been diagnosed, which is ironic because he LOVES reading. In fact he's a compulsive reader - leaflets, cereal packaging, anything with words on that is lying within reach...

[zara-zee.livejournal.com]

Sounds like it'll be a long road, but these first steps sound positive and hopeful! Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Thanks - I appreciate all the good wishes!

[matchboximpala.livejournal.com]

I am so glad you are keeping your sense of humor through all of this!

[amberdreams.livejournal.com]

Have to laugh, hey. And let's face it, some of this stuff is funny!

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

Your Mum looks like she's holding up really well :)

Great news that Dad seems to be making progress!
x

[el1ie.livejournal.com]

Always great to have a good day, hoping there'll be many, many more!

♥

[madebyme-x.livejournal.com]

I'm happy to hear that it was a good day, and that there's been some improvement. The human brain really is a fascinating thing, and hopefully during rehab you'll see more improvement.