My wife, Melissa (N5HX) had a stroke on August 1.  She has been through ER, ICU, hospital, and rehab and has been home for about a week.  I haven’t had much experience with strokes because everyone on my side of the family succumbed to something else.  I’m learning way more than I ever wanted to know.

We got her to the ER right away and she had the clot -busting drug within 1.5 hours.  I understand there are some downsides to this, but it was what the hospital had to offer on an expedited basis.  

She suffers from aphasia, which means you know what you want to say, but your mouth won’t say it.  It has gotten better and she will be in outpatient speech therapy for some time.  The doctors say she should regain most or all of her speech.  I hope they’re right but it will be a long process.  She does puzzles (Sudoku and jumbles) and can crochet and get dressed and do many things independently.  She follows the plot in a murder mystery TV show and keeps up with  the Texas Rangers lineup better than I do.  Decision-making and understanding processes need some work, though.

The therapists emphasized variations in communication exercises, so I’m sure you can guess what I thought of.  It could involve dits and dahs.  She is a 13 WPM Extra but it has been decades since she actually used CW.  It’s something to have a little fun with, anyway.

I’m aware I’m not the only member with caretaking duties.  This increases my respect for them.   Maybe 6 months from now, I’ll be back to meetings and she will be back to near normal activities.  That’s the goal, anyway.  

73,

Dennis/RZ

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