Hello and apologies for the long post.
I’m worried about mum. For about 3 weeks, she stopped doing any form of exercise and insisted on spending all day in bed. She also refused to have the TV on. She wasn’t doing enough exercise in the first place because she’s a bit lazy, but then she became adamant that she was not going to do any physio or speech & language therapy at all. She stopped drinking water except to take medication and would only leave her bed to be taken to the toilet, then it was straight back in. She would have a tantrum if I said she should sit in the armchair for her meals and I had to give them to her in bed because she’s stubborn and would rather not eat to prove a point. She’s done that for 2.5 days in the past, and when she doesn’t eat, she doesn’t take her medication.
Mum used to have her TV on and loved watching TBN, a Christian TV channel. She especially loved the music and would sing along even though she can’t form the words. She would also watch old favourites like “Murder She Wrote”. She used to ask to be brought to the living room to sit with me, but during this period, every time I asked if she wanted to join me in the living room, she would shake her head frantically. She just wanted to be left alone in her bed.
Three days ago, she perked up! For the first two days after coming out of it, she asked to be put in the armchair in the morning and didn’t go back into her bed until bedtime. She also watched TV. She even asked to use the mobile pedal exerciser on the morning of the second day, immediately after being moved to her armchair, and she pedalled for quite a while. She sat in the living room with me the whole of yesterday! Plus, she’s drinking water again.
I’m pleased, but scared it might happen again because I have no idea what triggered it, neither do I know how or why it stoppped. I was going to post while it was happening but just didn’t get round to it.
What can I do to keep her spirits up? I found the situation quite distressing because staying in bed all day eliminates the possibility of any form of recovery.
Has anyone experienced similar? What would you advise?
The main things she loved before the stroke were going to church and cooking. She wouldnt be able to sit through a church service now and I’m sure she won’t even go because since the stroke she has refused all visitors (I think she doesn’t want anyone seeing her like that). Her arm is paralysed, so cooking is no longer possible. I’m going to see if she’ll join the church service on Zoom with the camera and mic off. Apart from that, I can’t think of what else to do.
Thanks in advance.