For those who care for someone with Parkinson's disease
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My husband is going to have by-pass surgery on 11/7. He has multiple blockages that are both too severe and numerous to be helped by stenting. He is also diabetic that adds another risk factor. I am concerned about recovery with PD. He is not supposed to use his arms to assist getting up out of a chair for the 6-8 weeks following surgery. It is suggested that he scoot to the edge of a chair or bed and rock to get enough momentum to stand. I just see him taking a big header onto the floor. The same with getting on and off the toilet. How can he do this without the assistance of grab bars to help steady himself? Has anyone else out there had any experience with this? We meet with the hospital team on 11/4 for labs and instructions prior to surgery and I plan to have a list of questions for them. Any input from others out there would be appreciated - good, bad or ugly. Thanks! |
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Oh Sparky's This is hard. You may want to insist (and I'm thinking insist as in no surgery without it) a pre-surgery evaluation and assessment with a PD-experienced Physical Therapist and and Occupational Therapist. His mental status post-op is unlikely to bounce back super quickly. You can tell the team that to help avoid using his arms you need to be well trained to help him with mobility. You may need a lift chair, a Hoyer lift and in-home support (with luck insurance will pay). I'm not an OT or PT but I have experienced the benefit of such help. Good luck! |
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So sorry to hear, SparkyGal, we'll pray for his speedy recovery. As far as getting up from a chair, you can try a lift that pushes him up. (My HWP won't use it but they say it works) As far as getting up off the toilet, I don't know what to tell you, maybe some others on here can help. Meantime prayers and hugs to both of you! (()) |
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I just called my contact person at the hospital and requested that when we go on 11/4 prior to surgery that he have a pre-surgery evaluation & assessment with someone experienced with PD symptoms and issues. She said she would look into and call me back. Thanks VioletV for the input. Right now, my brain is in a whirl. I just got your ebook on Amazon. I'm looking forward to reading it! |
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Hello Sparkysgal- You are dealing with so much right now. VV has provided you with such valuable information to help and others as well. Spot on, friends! It sounds like you have put this advice into action and it is helping already. I will be thinking of you and wishing you strength as you and your husband work your way through this scary time. Sending hugs- NoMatterWhat |
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Hello SparkysGal Good Luck on all of your upcoming appointments. Ben1 |
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Yesterday’s appointment went well. We had a physical therapist visit and he along with the nurse had my husband practice getting in and out of bed without using his arms and showed me how to safely assist him. They said everything could be different after surgery and they will assess him each step of the way. We have talked about all the possibilities and at least at the moment he seems to be prepared. He had another fall on Wednesday but wasn’t seriously injured, scraped his knee and his pride. The nurse said he has a good attitude and shows a willingness to try which is very important. I feel a bit encouraged after the 4 hour pre-op appointment. Monday will be a very long day. The nurse was so kind and understanding she told me “you are his best advocate, please let us know if you see something we need to do or change. You know him better than we do” I will let everyone know how this all plays out. Thanks in advance for the prayers. |
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| Thanks for the update SparkyGal. Sounds like you have a great team working with you. Prayers for you both! |
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| How did the surgery go Monday, Sparkygal? Good I hope. |
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Hello, SparkysGal: I have been thinking of you and hoping things are going well. Understanding that you have your hands full at this point but will be happy to hear from you when you get the chance. NoMatterWhat |
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| Sorry it took so long to give you all an update. The surgery went well. They ended up doing (2) bypasses. They wanted to do (3) but he had no more viable arteries to give. The Doctor said he now has good heart function and is satisfied. He is doing pretty good walking with his walker once they can get him up. getting in and out of bed and a chair is a challenge and he is unable to do it on his own. We are working with a caseworker at the hospital and they have got him approved to go to an Acute Care Rehab Center nearby where he will get 3 hours of therapy at least 5 days a week. They have an initial stay anticipated to be 7-10 days. However, the caseworker said once he is there they will extend his stay beyond that if needed. He has made great strides from Wednesday to Friday. He lapped the nurses station in the hall (4) times yesterday. Today he seems to be a bit off. The hospital St. Vincent Heart Center in Indianapolis has been wonderful with keeping his meds on time. They seem to have a good understanding on how important that is with PD and I am grateful. We think he will be moved to Rehab tomorrow or Monday depending on how well his bowels move. Thank to you all for your prayers and encouragement. I'll let you know how the next phase of his recovery goes. |
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| Good to hear from you Sparkygal, hope everything continues to go well despite the challenges. More prayers on their way to you and yours! Keep us informed. |
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| We are in Rehab! They are working his butt off! He's tired but keeps trying his best. They asked me to measure things at home - toilet, his recliner, the bed, the stair height and number of stairs going upstairs and into the house. They are duplicating those conditions in rehab to try to get his strength to be able to come home. They will make recommendations for equipment, changes to make the transition easier and safe for him. I am exhausted running back and forth, holding down the fort, but I am encouraged. I'm trying to get my rest. Tomorrow morning we meet with the Doctor and his team for our first assessment and projection on length of stay, etc. Thanks to you all here - it's nice to know you have people pulling for you behind the scenes so to speak. I will post when I can as things progress. |
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Hello SparkysGal- So glad to hear your news!! Wishing you all the best as you continue to work double time. You are getting through it all beautifully! Give yourself a reward. Thanks for updating us- NMW |
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| Sparkysgal…sounds like it went fantastic. Congrats!! You sound like you may be getting a little exhausted so please make sure you take care of yourself. |
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Another Update. The Rehab facility was great. The intense rehab he received for the 10 days he was there was very effective and helped strengthen him. They had a good understanding of PD and took that into consideration. He is actually walking better now than before his surgery. They have said he must use his walker at all times even at home for now. He got to come home the day before Thanksgiving from Rehab. They will be calling us on Monday to schedule the in-home Rehab and we will have several weeks of that, then he will be released to go to cardiac rehab that we will go to outside the home. All in all, this went so much better than I ever anticipated. We have modified our meals to be a bit more heart healthy which should be good for both of us. The hardest part is standing and getting in/out of bed but he is managing both on his own most of the time and doing it without compromising his surgical incision. The PT and OT folks took the time to explain everything to both of us. I can't say enough about how good our experience was with Riverview Hospital Acute Care Rehab in Noblesville IN. We are both very thankful that he was able to go to this facility instead of a nursing home after his release from the Heart Center. Note for those in the US. Original Medicare is what made it possible to go to the correct facility for his needs, because it allows the Doctor to determine whether he should go there. If we had opted for a Medicare Advantage Plan he would have been denied admittance and would have gone to a regular Skilled Care Facility AKA Nursing Home and would have been lucky to receive 30 minutes of Rehab daily instead of the 3+ hours he received. With Medicare Advantage Plans - the insurance company makes the call and always goes the cheapest route whether its best for the patient or not. We were told over and over again by the hospital staff that it was good that we went with Original Medicare. We are both doing well. Both tired but getting stronger day by day. |
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Hello SparkysGal: So glad for the update and to know that it has gone well for you both. Your advisement on Medicare is very good to know. You gave an effective statement on the differences we all need to know about. What a difference in the patient experience and for the partner. The benefit of his physical therapy will be felt by you both! Hugs and my best wishes to you! NoMatterWhat |