Thursday, 25 November 2010

Making Changes

After a five-week hiatus, caused by the insurance company taking that length of time to process the paperwork for further treatment; something they promised would take five days, Jo's physiotherapy resumed today.

Given the length of time she had been without walking Jo proved to have actually gained some mastery over her errant left leg. Her confidence and muscle tone have suffered though and she got tired earlier and experienced a few moments of anxiety when attempting transfers or negotiating a threshold.

On balance though the progress was pleasing and, with the carers finally beginning to walk her daily we hope she will achieve her immediate goal, that of walking with the assistance of one person and the zimmer frame, within three months.

Thereafter the next goal is walking with the aid of a three-legged stick. As the person assisting her in the immediate goal is solely there to keep Jo's left hand on the zimmer frame, this next goal obviates the need for that person except as psychological support and will be a big step change.

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Wednesday, 24 November 2010

Majik Thornton Brown - 1988-2010 RIP

Our companion of 22 years sadly suffered a stroke this morning, caused by a massive brain tumour. He was peacefully put to sleep and a sadness has descended on our household. He will be missed.
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Different strokes...

It has been nearly seven years since Jo suffered a "controlled" stroke whilst undergoing brain surgery to clip the blood vessel that had caused a subarachnoid haemorrhage in 2000. Sadly two successive coilings did not occlude the bleed and so Jo had a craniotomy in August 2008. During surgery the surgeon discovered the coiling had penetrated the rear of the aneurysm, occasioning emergency repair procedures. Consequentially they spent one and a half hours longer in surgery than expected, leading to the right half of Jo's brain forgetting it has to look after the left side of her world.