On Saturday December 9, after a wonderful time at a Christmas children's concert, Priscilla and John were leaving with him and he had unusual difficulty getting into the car. By the time they arrived at Arden Village Memory Care where he lives, his left leg and arm were limp. Face was okay and he was talking. They called the ambulance immediately. In the ER, CT scan confirmed a hemorrhagic stroke in the basal ganglia/thalamus area. At this time, the bleed is stable. He started having return of movement of his arm and leg within 2 hours of arrival at ER yesterday. So overall, the stroke issue itself is not a significant concern, compared to the effects it is having on his dementia due to the trauma to his brain and body, the unfamiliar surroundings, and loss of routine. They have permitted one of us to stay overnight so that someone familiar is with him round the clock. Due to irregular heart rate and fluctuating blood pressure, he was kept in ICU for monitoring for 3 days and then moved to a regular room. Gratefully the doctor had him moved to a beautiful "penthouse suite" on the top floor with big windows for sunlight, understanding its importance for the body to recognize day and night. Typical of dementia patients, he has experienced some sundowning which he displayed unresponsiveness, on and off periods of confusion, and then being like himself again. But once he got some sleep, he has begun to be more alert and able to communicate and begun his path toward recovery. After 9 days in the hospital, he was moved to rehabilitation center for therapy. With the goal to get him back to shape to return to his home at Arden, we all made valiant effort to encourage him to cooperate in therapy. Though he was motivated to stand, his emotional and mental state related to his impaired functions impeded progress. After 10 days, on December 29, he was moved to hospice at the home of daughter Angela as the best situation for him to spend his final days how ever long God will grant him.
“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:2-3)
Thank you all for your prayers as we mourn our dear father's Homegoing. We have finalized plans for celebrating Henry's life and want to share this information with you. Feel free to forward the link below on to others you know who might want to attend.
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