Following a serious stroke in December, my mother is still essentially paralysed on the left side. Dystonia in her left hand has gradually involved the whole arm and now seems to be galloping towards her neck too. It is painful and she thinks I'm doing it. Physical therapy is on its way but I'm not optimistic that the therapist will be experienced in treating dystonia. Any ideas for daily exercises, or suggestions on longer-term treatments, would be very welcome.
I'm sure that the PT will be able to help with exercises, massages, electrical stimulation. the sadder part is that your poor mom thinks that you are somehow involved in making this happen, which of course is part of her dementia. Sadly, this often seems to happen to the caregiver, the person who is closest and doing the most work.
What sort of pain relief are they able to provide for her?
(((((((Hugs))))))))), dear lady
I'm surprised there aren't more splints on the market. Ok, she'd end up looking like the tin man if I could put on all the ones I'd like to; but just a good stout one for her wrist and hand would be a start. Or maybe it wouldn't. One of the reasons I haven't tinkered more, beyond a little light massage and gentle manipulation when I absolutely have to move her arm, is that I'm not confident you're supposed to push against the curling tendency or if that might make it worse. I've just persisted with the early instruction to roll up a small towel or a pillowcase and wedge it under her palm and fingers, but the main benefit, to be honest, is ventilation rather than therapy - I was shocked at how smelly and yeasty a curled up hand can get in such short order. She is complying conscientiously with the instruction to keep hold of it. Unfortunately she thinks the key thing is to hold the fabric, rather than to keep her left hand in position, so she regularly transfers the roll to her right hand and clutches it for dear life. Can't fault her on not dropping the pillowcase, just a shame she can't remember the reason.
She was twitching earlier on, too, but she can't feel that. Very odd. The lovely Liz is back from surgery - and looking a million dollars, too, though I'm sure it really was a gall bladder removal like she said and not a face lift - and confirmed that her shoulder was jumping around like a Mexican bean, so it's not just me imagining it, but mother denies all knowledge.
Off I go to look hopefully at Wikipedia. Hope it's more help than NHS Direct! Thank you both, hugs.
Still! If Dr Dean recommends more almonds it's not all bad news. Yum. Thank you, MS.
Veronica, she puts her toy tiger (replacement for her elephant, which ex-SO managed to shut in a cupboard which he then moved a large wardrobe in front of but thank God she hasn't missed it yet) carefully down to swap the towel over, and resents having to. I'll try the two towel idea, thank you for that. What I'd like is a nice cotton jersey glove with well-padded stays on the back of the fingers and hand. I'll have a go at the wedding ring tomorrow when sister is coming to visit. I want witnesses - can you imagine what construction mother could put on my torturing her with cold water and then stealing her wedding ring? Doesn't bear thinking about…
Thinks gloomily: I'd better look at Ensure's ingredients again, with an open mind. I hate them, she hates them, but.
Right now I have found a generic which is Lactose and gluten free and is 250 calories. I prefer the chocolate flavor but my brand also comes in vanilla and strawberry neither of which apeal so have not tried. that.
Dare I suggest ex SO moves the cupboard and gets the elephant out or failing that makes a trip to a toy shop and buys a replacement. Get your pitchfork out if necessary. You don't need big girl knickers for that your usual M&S will do.
But while I'm whining about ex-SO, here's a more defining example: we have a shopping list system where you write down whatever you've just opened - blue milk, peanut butter, loo roll etc. For tissues, there are brick tissues, in boxes that are brick shaped, and cube tissues, in boxes that are more or less cubes. And what's he written? "box tissues." To distinguish the ones he wants from the ones they sell loose, presumably.
If mother were lactose intolerant I think my hair would be not just white but transparent. Fortunately not, though I sometimes do wonder about gluten - her sister was coeliac, and we're all a bit prone to gut rumblings. I do hope to stay off the supplement drinks, so I'm delighted to learn that alcohol, dark chocolate and delicious ripe fruit are all excellent possible solutions for her woes.
Sister is here getting her head round being referred to as "the other one" - I winced, but I'm sort of glad that mother is being nuts around her, too, so that she sees what I mean - and my tea break is over - I'd better run. Thank you for the thoughts x