8/23/2020 Update:
Hello all of my loved ones!
Today is another consolidated update for the week ending in 8/23/2020.
Thank you all so much for the love and support you’ve shown for my mothers situation.
This last week has been very informative for my family and I, surrounding my mothers condition.
After lengthy conversations with my Mother’s Doctor, Nurse and Case Manager my mother is set for another extension in the North Wing Stroke Rehabilitation Center.
We are expecting my mothers discharge date to be anywhere in between September 4th-September 11th.
My mother will receive multiple evaluation tests to determine the exact date.
Now for the good news!
My mother’s status update:
Blood Pressure:
⁃ My mother’s blood pressure numbers have fluctuated from the Doctors desired range to being significantly low.
⁃ The Doctor stated my mother is going to go through a couple of variations of medicine intake & routine vital checks on her Blood Pressure to determine what changes in the amount of medication she will be intaking to stay consistent prior to her discharge.
Stroke/Brain Trauma
⁃ My mother received a recent Brain scan and the results did show that she has significant trauma surrounding Ventricle 2 on the right side of her brain. (This is attributing to the slowed down progression in her Physical Therapy for her left arm)
⁃ The good news is all swelling has dissipated and the areas that are showing trauma are starting to decrease. (The tissue is the brain that has been damaged will unfortunately not be able to regenerate but the areas will be able to heal)
Rehabilitation:
⁃ My mother has shown slow and steady progress. I do believe this last week has been very difficult physically and mentally. My mother is working so hard and I know all of the love and support from everyone is fuel for her in this trying time!
1. Physical Therapy: My mother’s routine for PT has not changed too much. She is still incorporating the slight mobile movements. (pivoting, standing up, taking assisted steps). Right now she is trying to refine the tasks given but due to her fluctuation in blood pressure she has been taking PT slowly the last few days. The low blood pressure prevents her from the Physical Therapy routine.
2. Occupational Therapy: My mother has really focused on Wheel chair posture and mobility. She has been able to push herself in the wheelchair for small amounts of time. The idea for this is to get my mother accustomed to being in the wheel chair and to get her comfortable because once she is discharged she will be using a wheelchair. She is not quite ready for an Assisted Walker.
3. Speech Therapy: My mothers pronunciation is very sharp and her articulation is almost at 100 percent. She does have two numb spots on the left side of her mouth but she is doing the water-hold exercise with her left cheek and she has been making progress on holding water for small amounts of time.
In regards to my mothers heart surgery, the Doctor stated that she could be about 4 months out from needing the surgery. I did ask what surgery would need to be performed and he let me know the procedure could vary from a stent- a alternative bypass. (Bypass would be taking a blood vessel from her leg and connecting it beyond the blocked/collapsed artery in my mothers heart.)
Only time will tell on how her heart will react to the more rigorous routines of Physical Therapy. These next few weeks she will be increasing her work rate.
I am so happy and thankful for all of the the love and support everyone has shown my mother and my family!!!!
4rm,
Kier Ceballos
