Posted on 05/04/2017 10:46:43 PM PDT by Yaelle
She was at a friend's house, visiting for a few days. She has had Alzheimer's for over 6 years. She has not had any health problems other than that, but she is over 80. Today she had the classic symptoms of stroke, paralysis and drooping on one side, slurred speech, confusion, so her friend called paramedics and she is now at a good hospital.
MRI has confirmed stroke. All her symptoms have gone, and she doesn't even remember why she is in the hospital or that she had a stroke. The doctors are still running tests. She is being given the usual blood thinner drugs etc.
I'd just like to hear a little about anyone's experience with strokes where the symptoms disappeared so fast, and how the next year/s went for them, and if anyone has experience with a loved one having a stroke while suffering dementia.
Thanks for any spare prayers, too. I feel much better tonight seeing the photos of her playing her favorite video game on her phone. Will be traveling down to see her tomorrow.
my dad just had a stroke but not those symptoms but they now found cancer. He is 79,
There are mini-strokes I’ve read about where people bounce right back. Then there are traditional strokes​ like a friend of mine had who is 70 where one half of the body has problems and needs rehabilitation. He had to close his medical practice. He was both overweight and the day before his stroke he had the stress of learning his wife had both lung cancer and a brain tumor.
Sounds like your mom with Alzheimer’s had the blessing of maybe being void of the stresses that would have given her a big stroke.
We have family who are now 92 with us who 45 years ago were diagnosed with MS. MS no matter what brings dementia to people with MS as they get older. The MS stopped progressing, but our members dementia did not. Anytime you put someone with a slowing brain under lots of meds, there is the possibility they come back more dibilitated. I hope the falculties did not take a hit on the mini-stroke.
In our case the MS has our relative able to still stand and take steps, but in general she is not a threat to walk out on us unnoticed into the streets. Stroke patients can have their sleep effected as it did with my 70 year old friend. When my relative has episodes that wire her up like a stroke patients, she gets very animated and her brain goes back decades in time. She thinks she is in the 60’s, can still walk, drive, and wonders where her dead mother and sister are because they were supposed to come see her. I don’t mention they are dead because I don’t want her suffering their death and have grief again like it is the first time they died all over again. She sleeps, she’s better. So watch for the sleep. Make sure they are sleeping, eating and all that.
As an example of concerns you can have as a caretaker, during a lack of sleep, the relative sent herself today 18” down from the bed to the carpeted floor. We can’t have bed rails, she could choke herself or get a head stuck and snap the neck with bed rails. She helped us stand her up and into her transport chair. She was moving all of her limbs, but her back was sore. She got more sore, so we took her to the hospital to make sure there was no broken hip. This despite the fact she stood up herself two times with the hadicap bars in her bathroom. After her first getting up, she became 100% uncooperative with helping in her movement and I dead weight lifted her 6 times with some help from my wife to chairs and the hospital. 138lb. dead lifts are not easy.
Hospital confirmed tonight no broken hips or anything, but her slowing brain determined pain = you carry her dead weight all over the place.
Thank God there was nothing broken and she comes home with pain meds tomorrow, but next Friday I have some gruesome surgery according to my Orthopedic surgeon coming on the heel of a foot where I have giant bone spurs growing into my achellies tendon. So I have to have my achellies removed, a bone saw then used to cut off the excess growth of bone spurs, then reattachment with artificial anchor of achellies back to my heel.
I’ve needed this done for at least 5 years, but between our relative, my wife in college and our 8 year olds needs, there just hasn’t been time. Now this with our relative!!!!!
So care giving and doing life is hard to do. I also am a building manager and have the responsibilities of taking care of renting and a few building’s problems. Monthly I have at least 40 hours of overtime in that job. Did I mention I am also about 13 months from turning sixty? So like you I hope it all works out.
My concerns are that I can’t put my foot on the ground for a month after surgery and after that in a boot for two more months. For two months I can NOT even lift my eight year old, much less our 138 pound senior, so we want no more flying off the bed for no reason, just as you want to be avoiding all stress with your relative so they don’t get the BIG stroke. I wish you luck. Be patient, if you can get some friends or relatives help, do so. Keep the stress levels down everywhere so you have the best chance of your relative sleeping, but with a mini-stroke don’t be surprised if their sleeping habits changed.
Prayers for tyour mother.
Sounds like God wasn't ready to call your Mom yet. Prayers up for all of you.
Can you elaborate a little on this:
“she needs to detox from heavy metals in her body, which is the leading theory about Alzheimer’s.”
So sorry to hear, Yaelle. Argh, these things are so hard.
I would suggest, if you are going to be her primary caregiver, and you are doing it at home, consider paying to have a professional caregiver come in and take a day once in a while just so you can take a break.
My dad had a severe, debilitating stroke, and my mother cared for him (with a lot of help from my brother and his wife who were in a in-law apartment) but my mother, being the tough and dedicated person she was, took care of him, feeding him, etc. and she was in her mid-seventies.
It took a toll on her though, and I think if she had taken a day off once in a while, it would have helped her.
I am so sorry, Yaelle.
Good health information on Dr. Axe’s webpage.
Prayers up for mom and all of those who know and love her.
I had a 4cm hemorrhagic stroke at age 47. Was in a coma for 6 weeks. In patient for 6 months. My employer, a PBS TV station, FIRED me for having that stroke. (But they really care about people, doncha’ know!). Outpatient rehab three more months.
I’m still here. I still work. I still irritate liberals. I am still a broadcaster. I am still me.
Tell your mom to NEVER give up. She can overcome. Never EVER let anyone tell you it’s hopeless, or she’s a vegetable, or that she can’t do anything. May God watch over her.
(((Yaelle))) Praying for you and your mom.
Prayers up for your Mom and for you. May Merciful God grant her recovery, and grant you peace of mind and strength, through His Grace.
My late grandmother had a stroke but recovered fairly well. I hope the same for your mother. I will say a prayer for her and you.
One of my neighbors had a series of TIA’s. The worst danger was that it caused him to fall down unexpectedly and he would injure himself in the falls. One time he fell into a stack of storm windows that were leaned against the back yard wall; we were picking shards of glass out of his legs for days. Another time he fell down a flight of stairs. One other fall was while walking on a pavement, and his glasses cut and bruised his face all up — that one could have been worse.
So to whatever extent you can, make her environment as safe as possible. Consider whether baby gates are needed. Are you still working? Is she alone for periods of time?
You have got to be kidding.
I had a stroke at the end of October, so I have experienced something similar. Following the event the cardiologist had me on a monitor for about a week, and then they also did a trans-esophageal electrocardiogram to rule out the possibility of any holes in my heart.
You mentioned your mother has Alzheimer’s, so I would think that the monitor is very important since the data it provides would be invaluable, and she may have difficulty correlating/reporting symptoms herself.
Prayers for your mother and a round of prayers for you as well.
Of course if he had not been on cumidin in the first place he would not have had a stroke. D alpha trophipherol or natural vitamin E does the same thing as cumiden, and the body can regulate it. It also does not cause internal bleeding and bruising like cumiden.
Mahe sure your vitamin DOES NOT contain L alpha or DL alpha, the L component is synthetic vitamin and causes the body to flush out all vitamin E.
4oo to 800 unit's of Natural vitamin E a day works better than cumiden.
Do not take vitamin e or aspein with cumiden. If you are on cumiden there is a list an arms length long on things you should not eat. Grapefruit etc. Cumiden is seen in the body as a toxin so natural detox foods can drop your cumiden levels.
Cumiden is barbaric, and causes far more deaths than it prevents. But it makes Big Pharma money, so...
I welcome anybody’s experience. The doc wants to set her up with a heart monitor as they think it must have been caused by her heart briefly stopping? Does this sound familiar to anyone?
...
They probably suspect afib causing a blood clot. All I can tell you is there are no guarantees. Be thankful she’s recovered as much as she has and make the best of every day.
Prayers for your strength as your Mom’s caregiver. Been there and understand completely. My mother suffered a massive stroke in 2004. She had excellent medical care and for the first few weeks did not appear impaired. She later, apparently suffered several additional minor strokes and began a decline over several years. I am not relaying this to depress you — this is just one instance where the initial stroke was large.
Take breaks to relieve yourself as primary caregiver. Prayers for you and your Mom.
May it be His Will to send your mother a complete healing and to send you and yours comfort and strength at this trying time!
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