I got an idea from my sister, Amy, to make a word board. I'm going to work on that today and take with me this morning. I'll make some sheets of legal paper with words on them . . . maybe one for nouns, one for verbs, one for places of his body, one for people (he has a real problem with the different doctors names). Then he can use to point at the word he wants.
I woke up around 5am this morning and got briefly worried about something I "think" I heard Ken say during yesterday's visit.
The nurse had taken him off the IV (potassium chloride, I think) and he was drinking a lot of water, which is good. I asked him if he was going to the bathroom (#1) and he shook his head 'No'. I re-phrased the question to clarify by saying, "Have you gone to the bathroom today?" Again, 'No'. The night nurse was there, and overheard us and said that he would keep an eye on him.
Then I started thinking of other little things I had noticed. He has been complaining about how is back itches VERY badly, and hurts. When I ask where, he shows me, and it is right where the kidneys are. He says it started right when they gave him the IV of Dilantin (anti-sesure med) and has not gone away.
Also, I noticed yesterday that he has yellowing/bruising around his left eye. Mostly on the bottom lid.
So, now I'm worried so I call the nurse station at the stroke center. I ask to speak to Ken's nurse, and they tell me that he went home around 11pm because he was sick. Nice.
OH, ALSO - in regards to what I wrote yesterday about him choking when he lies on his back. Amy mentioned he might be aspirating, and I recalled that Ken said (while we were still home last Friday) that dinner made his throat hurt. It was his first solid food, and he only ate two bites, and handed me that plate and pointed at his throat, and said it hurts. He told me yesterday that that was when the coughing at night started, and how sleeping on his side was all he could do to stop it.
I tell them all my worries, and they said they would tell his day nurse when she gets here. I asked if they could go and check on him, and she said, "There is more than one nurse on the floor, sir. I'm sure someone has checked on him."
More soon!
I was also thinking around 5 this morning. Do you think Ken could type? If you have a laptop that you could take and plug into his room, do you think he could type any comments that he has. I know it might be time consuming for him, but perhaps he could manage that. MOM
ReplyDeleteWe thought of that, too. I brought a notebook in yesterday, and it was a bit much. I think it might work when he is at home, and more comfortable.
ReplyDeleteI like the word board idea. Also maybe take a letter board, for words not on the word board?
ReplyDeleteThe word board is a good idea. If he isn't having probs with his hand and can write, I might suggest a magna-doodle, since the stylus is attached. I borrowed Aubrey's the last time I had laryngitis. Yes, a legal pad and corded pen are pretty convenient, but how often do adults get to play with magna-doodles?
ReplyDeleteTodd, you are doing a good job watching out for Ken.
If the bruising around his eye is on the same side of his head as the surgery, it is likely that it is just bruising (blood under the skin) that gravity has pulled down. This usually settles around the eyes.
ReplyDelete