Yesterday Paul had a breakthrough.....he wasn't very impressed
but I was thrilled.
Paul & I played a game of cards...WAR.
I know that sounds pretty simple....but it is huge.
He was just as fast as I was....not that that is any great feat.
But it is NORMAL.
It's been 9 months since his stroke.
If someone had told me that it would be that long to get to this point I would have
thought that there was no way we could remain at this high level of
effort and persistence....on either of our parts.
But here we are.....swinging along and grateful for
small accomplishments.
He has totally switched to Keppra...which may explain the additional awareness/advances.
There is a study at the West Orange Kessler.....Keppra and its affect on aphasia in stroke victims.
Dr. Barrett had asked Paul if he wanted to participate. She inquired before he had a seizure. We thought "ugh...a powerful anti-seizure med...is is worth the risk?"
Duh.....then Paul had a seizure.
So in hindsight it would have been a grand idea.
Anyway....there has been some evidence that Keppra is beneficial for aphasia.
Now that Paul has had a seizure he can't participate in the trial....but he still gets to see if he has some of the benefits of the drug.
Today Andrew Perloff and his wonderful, lovely bride, Sarah came out to Jersey to see Paul....we meet at Montville Inn for brunch. Gail, my sister, dear friends Barbara and Warren rounded out the group. We had peach Bellini's and stuffed ourselves with great egg dishes.
Paul also had the bread pudding.
His appetite is amazing and he works so hard he isn't gaining any weight.
(He looks F A B U L O U S )
Thanks Judy for the bottle of wine...now we really have to go out another night this week..it was great meeting your wonderful Andrew...we'll all have go to CBGB to sample his cooking!!
Judy you are a real dear...thanks for your tender loving care, you always make us feel so welcome at Montville Inn.
Gail has been here for the last 10 days....a real joy.
We've been out with Paul a few times....it's easier in a threesome.
We'll miss her....really miss her!!
Not sure if I mentioned the Jac and fox episode?
Fox chased cat...cat turned and chased fox deep into the woods.
Not good for stress levels....don't want to lose our kitten.
Paul doesn't want to keep her locked inside (he certainly understands physical confinement)
but now if it's an overcast, dark day...I won't let her out.
I guess the fox in our area are fooled into thinking that gray days equal evening.
Paul is really doing well in Physical Therapy. He is ahead of the game.... stronger than he was before the seizure. He also is up to 49 outta 55 on the 'danger of falling' scale. Anything over 50 is considered good....less likely to have a fall!!
He's almost there!
He spends the entire PT session without his cane. Even when he walks sideways and backwards.
The other day he was walking backwards down the hall and John, one of the
Physical Therapists...yelled down the hall....."hey, ya now playing defense?"
Paul groaned!!
His humor still spot on!
We spend hours working on Speech....I mean hour after hour......
He is making progress.
Paul is able to use the word NO...most of the time he can think of the word and then form the word and use it on command.
Which is different than an automatic response.
We've been working on gestures....sometimes getting them mixed up...which can lead to trouble. Driving along and giving me the pee/bathroom gesture when he meant to say OK....is not a good thing!
A few weeks ago Gene Frenette a columnist with the Jacksonville paper called and interviewed Paul. Bob Hayes finally made it into the Profootball Hall of Fame...Jacksonville was all abuzz...giving credit to Paul for all of his past effor to induct Bob.
He wrote a bittersweet article.....
here's the link to the article.
We also heard from a few of Bob Hayes relatives...they called Paul to express their gratitude!
Thanks everyone for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers....I can feel you pushing us up this
slippery hill!!
Hope all of our football friends have great seasons....without any problems with any of the players or coaching staff. No more fistfights....or self abuse!!
Love to all.......
ps.....Paul won our game of WAR........
but I was thrilled.
Paul & I played a game of cards...WAR.
I know that sounds pretty simple....but it is huge.
He was just as fast as I was....not that that is any great feat.
But it is NORMAL.
It's been 9 months since his stroke.
If someone had told me that it would be that long to get to this point I would have
thought that there was no way we could remain at this high level of
effort and persistence....on either of our parts.
But here we are.....swinging along and grateful for
small accomplishments.
He has totally switched to Keppra...which may explain the additional awareness/advances.
There is a study at the West Orange Kessler.....Keppra and its affect on aphasia in stroke victims.
Dr. Barrett had asked Paul if he wanted to participate. She inquired before he had a seizure. We thought "ugh...a powerful anti-seizure med...is is worth the risk?"
Duh.....then Paul had a seizure.
So in hindsight it would have been a grand idea.
Anyway....there has been some evidence that Keppra is beneficial for aphasia.
Now that Paul has had a seizure he can't participate in the trial....but he still gets to see if he has some of the benefits of the drug.
Today Andrew Perloff and his wonderful, lovely bride, Sarah came out to Jersey to see Paul....we meet at Montville Inn for brunch. Gail, my sister, dear friends Barbara and Warren rounded out the group. We had peach Bellini's and stuffed ourselves with great egg dishes.
Paul also had the bread pudding.
His appetite is amazing and he works so hard he isn't gaining any weight.
(He looks F A B U L O U S )
Thanks Judy for the bottle of wine...now we really have to go out another night this week..it was great meeting your wonderful Andrew...we'll all have go to CBGB to sample his cooking!!
Judy you are a real dear...thanks for your tender loving care, you always make us feel so welcome at Montville Inn.
Gail has been here for the last 10 days....a real joy.
We've been out with Paul a few times....it's easier in a threesome.
We'll miss her....really miss her!!
Not sure if I mentioned the Jac and fox episode?
Fox chased cat...cat turned and chased fox deep into the woods.
Not good for stress levels....don't want to lose our kitten.
Paul doesn't want to keep her locked inside (he certainly understands physical confinement)
but now if it's an overcast, dark day...I won't let her out.
I guess the fox in our area are fooled into thinking that gray days equal evening.
Paul is really doing well in Physical Therapy. He is ahead of the game.... stronger than he was before the seizure. He also is up to 49 outta 55 on the 'danger of falling' scale. Anything over 50 is considered good....less likely to have a fall!!
He's almost there!
He spends the entire PT session without his cane. Even when he walks sideways and backwards.
The other day he was walking backwards down the hall and John, one of the
Physical Therapists...yelled down the hall....."hey, ya now playing defense?"
Paul groaned!!
His humor still spot on!
We spend hours working on Speech....I mean hour after hour......
He is making progress.
Paul is able to use the word NO...most of the time he can think of the word and then form the word and use it on command.
Which is different than an automatic response.
We've been working on gestures....sometimes getting them mixed up...which can lead to trouble. Driving along and giving me the pee/bathroom gesture when he meant to say OK....is not a good thing!
A few weeks ago Gene Frenette a columnist with the Jacksonville paper called and interviewed Paul. Bob Hayes finally made it into the Profootball Hall of Fame...Jacksonville was all abuzz...giving credit to Paul for all of his past effor to induct Bob.
He wrote a bittersweet article.....
here's the link to the article.
We also heard from a few of Bob Hayes relatives...they called Paul to express their gratitude!
Thanks everyone for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers....I can feel you pushing us up this
slippery hill!!
Hope all of our football friends have great seasons....without any problems with any of the players or coaching staff. No more fistfights....or self abuse!!
Love to all.......
ps.....Paul won our game of WAR........
1 comment:
If you'd mention to Z that Anthony in Oklahoma just went to WalMart, that ever-so-awful non-union shop, I bet he'd totally dominate the next game of WAR, lol. I made the mistake of mentioning in an email to Paul that I had sinned against the Left by shopping at that dire big-box last year, and wow! did I get scorched for it! And rightly so!
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