Friday, February 14, 2014

140214

It's been a while...

2014 is half way into it's second month, and considering how much I love Februaries, I really wish I can have happier things to blog about. But I guess there is no better around it, and I am just gonna say it.

My Dad suffered from a minor stroke last Friday, and is currently undergoing rehabilitation in a community hospital.

Despite my usage of the term "minor", I can tell you right now that in all its definitive actuality, this by no means feels minor at all to me and my Mum.

A stroke happening in any capacity is a devastating thing. Fact.

The disbelief and helplessness we feel in the circumstance still feels unreal today, a week after it happened. This hit us, it hit us hard, and we are still reeling from it. Even after a week of going to the hospital, witnessing how this had affected my previously healthy, strong and independent Dad, and talking to numerous doctors, nurses, anyone who has experience with stroke sufferers, and anyone willing to talk or listen to me talk about it.

I am trying to deal with it, by keeping myself, my mind as thoroughly occupied as possible. I talk about it a lot, almost to the point of being obsessive. When I couldn't talk about it, I Google, read up, make sure I understand and postulate all kinds of possibilities, both the good and the not-so-good. To ready myself.

However, I am still thankful for being able to use this term "minor". Simply because my Dad's condition has been deemed stable enough for him to begin rehabilitation, and for him to be transferred out of acute care in a major hospital, to a less sterile environment in a community hospital. I consider this a blessing.

This is another key. Staying positive. Constantly telling myself and my Mum that everything has a solution, everything just needs some figuring out, some getting used to.

Right now, it still seems like a long road ahead, but the good thing is that my Dad is extremely positive. Although he has lost quite a bit of control in the left side of his body (stroke occurred in the right brain, hence presentation of the symptoms on the left side), his mind is still sound, he can converse and still has his memories. I consider this a blessing as well.

His first physiotherapy was yesterday afternoon. When I visited him in the evening, he seemed tired but in good spirits. I had some friends with me, and he chatted, told stories, laughed. Even crossed his left leg over his right leg, something he hasn't been able to do just a few days earlier.

Hopefully, with time, patience, strength and positivity, we can keep up with this level of progress.