Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Grandma's Stroke Rehabilitation

Grandma has been at the rehab hospital for almost 2 weeks now, and I got to go visit her over the weekend. It was a really nice visit, and every time I see her, I can't believe how far she's come. It's still a bit of a catch-22 situation for me, as I'm sure it is for her. I'm so happy to see her improving in leaps and bounds...but it makes me sad that she'll never be able to do all the things she used to be.

I don't know enough about rehab nursing to know all that goes on, but I was upset to walk into my Grandma's room to find her struggling to get out of her bathroom in her wheelchair. She only has the use of her left arm and leg and she couldn't quite get through the door. How long would she have been there had I not come to help her? It makes me teary just thinking about it. I'm sure they are trying to promote as much independence as they can, but it makes me really upset. I've heard similar stories from my mom and my uncle too. It's just not he same as a nice, rural hospital! I know she's getting the best physio, occupational, and speech language therapy that his province, even probably western Canada has to offer...but my heart goes out to her. She's 79 years old, and they are working her HARD. It's not a vacation, and she knows that...but it's hard work and she hates it there.
Great-Grandma & Braden

My Grandma, all my life, has not been a very outwardly emotional person. She loves us kids to bits and that has always been evident in everything she has said and done for me and Ben. But I've never seen her upset or angry, those kind of emotions. As soon as she saw me yesterday, she covered her mouth with her left hand and sort of gasped and I could see tears in her eyes. I am at a much stronger place, emotionally, with all of this...but it's so hard to see her like this. To just have her independence stripped from her, when just a month and a half ago it seemed like she could very well be ready to leave us. So I can't imagine how she's feeling with all of this.
Great-Grandma & Braden
Her speech has improved greatly. She can speak in sentences, but it sure takes a lot out of her and she needs to work on her VOLUME still. I can tell she has some difficulty getting out a certain word she's trying to think of. She is eating well, on her own, and has been for weeks now. One thing is for sure, underneath all of this, her sense of humor remains!
Great-Grandma & Braden
I can't even begin to describe the bond that I have with my Grandma. I don't know if she'll be able to read this one day, or if my Mom still reads her my blog posts, but she has very much helped shape me into the woman, wife, mother, daughter, granddaughter, nurse, and Christian that I am today...and I am forever grateful to her for that. I love you, Grandma.

This month is Heart & Stroke awareness month. I encourage you all to visit the link, especially forward it to your parents and grandparents so that they can learn their risk factors and try to make life changes to prevent heart and stroke related diseases from occurring. In Canada, heart attacks happen every 7 minutes, and strokes happen every 10 minutes. It is the #1 killer of women in Canada. I thank God that my Mom stopped smoking sooooo many years ago! Still so proud of her for that!!

Please feel free to leave your comments for Grandma!

6 comments:

  1. I am so glad she is on the road to recovery! The bond between Grandmother and Grandchild is very precious!

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  2. You are so very lucky to have your Grandmother in your life. I lost mine when I was younger. Here is to Grandma and a speedy recovery! ;)

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    1. Sorry to hear that, Candice. My life would be very different if not for my Grandma, I imagine.

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  3. I hope she continues to get better. I am so glad she is on the road to recovery. I wish any of my grandparents were around. I would do anything to have them meet my kids:(

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