Diff'rent Strokes is your source for information about Todd Thelin and his stroke recovery. Please feel free to add comments about posts, add new information in the comments, e-mail new information for me to post, or ask questions that we can answer. Keep in mind that posts are moderated, so they will need to be approved before they show-up. This helps fight spam.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Day 17

Brief updates again today. Todd is still sedated from his activities yesterday and as of early this afternoon was only brought to a low state of consciousness so he could have nurses feed him. He didn't have any therapy today so he could rest and try to recover. The doctors changed up his medications and hope that this new mix will help him to better control himself.

Again, don't plan any visits yet. From my understanding, tomorrow will be the first time my dad or Amy will be back to the hospital. My mother will be arriving on Sunday afternoon to help as well.

I know there will be many who will want more details. Unfortunately, I don't think it is my place to give any more than I have. I want to keep the Todd community updated, but I also don't want to delve too far into the negative. Over the course of his healing there are going to be days like this. For those who can't be here, knowledge is a way to stay connected, but without the continuity or context of involvement, details can lead you to wrong thoughts or assumptions.

What I am trying to say is that I want to keep things positive, but real. I want to show the whole picture, but not get into the brush strokes. I want to help each of you understand, but not be so keenly aware that it haunts you.

I also don't want to sensor or edit anyone else. This community is a fantastic way to help each of us heal as well. Todd may have suffered the stroke, but each of us has suffered something too. Coming together and communicating will be our recovery. So please, continue to express yourselves here, positive, negative, or in any way.

Over the weeks and months to come, you will hear from at least four of us. Amy, Sue (Todd's mom), Al (Todd's dad), and myself. Sue and Al will start to add more soon. I am sure you will enjoy their perspectives.

1 comment:

Don Fallick said...

In 12 years as a certified nurse aide, I took care of lots of stroke patients. Suravi is right. We could always tell when someone was beginning to improve, as they invariably became impossible to live with for a while. It means their brain is beginning to heal.

Normally, periods of rapid growth are interspersed with plateaus, and even brief periods that seem regressive. I never saw anyone improve as fast as Todd. Stands to reason he needs some time to catch up with all that healing.