Health Check

The Community Rehab Nurse came today to give Pete a health check and to see how he is getting on. What a nice lady she was. She is very pleased with his progress and explained that progress will now be probably slower but will continue for years. She took his blood pressure which was up slightly but nothing she is worried about - as she said, just talking about his stroke will stress him a bit and send it up. She asked about depression which elicited a very firm head shake from Pete, so that it good. Then we got onto medication and so I had a bit of a moan about his GP as don't know about reviews, checks or anything. She checked in her book about the muscle relaxant tablets that he takes and apparently they can affect liver function and he should have blood tests to keep a check on that. She is so on the ball - the upshot of the visit is that she will go and see his GP and ask him about reviews, blood tests for liver and for Polycythemia (which he should have been having) and blood pressure checks, and also see if he will prescribe some sleeping tablets. She asked Pete about his sleeping and he got quite upset (it is becoming a real problem now) and so she realised something needs to be done to help him. She is coming back on Monday morning to take his blood for the tests and will tell us if she has managed to meet with the GP yet. Let's hope so.
Pete has started using FES again - he did 5 hours yesterday (so much for an hour a day to start with!!!) and has had it on since 5pm today. So far, so good, although he does keep moving the pads around trying to get the best position. I have found it is better to let him decide when to wear it, for how long and where to put the pads. We did the full exercise routine today, finishing with step overs in the kitchen which I haven't done with him before, but we managed fine.
Speech therapy - well, this is slow but I do believe we are taking teeny teeny tiny steps in getting the sounds of letters through. We have started using Noddy books which my mum and dad bought for the grandchildren years ago. Each book deals with one letter of the alphabet, gives a bit of a story using lots of words beginning with that letter, therefore we can emphasise the sound. It sounds a bit patronising to use children's books but they are brilliant, and there is no shame in it, whatever works I say. It also means it is not quite so tedious as just saying letters and sounds.
Well, Pete has just made a cup of tea for us and also heated himself up a pie in the oven! We have been to Lidl earlier and done a shop, and obviously that has made him a bit peckish and so he sorted that himself - at least he would never starve!! In Lidl I push Pete to the side with Robbie and Ella whilst I pay, so as I was putting change etc back in my purse I just walked right past him (he can move the wheelchair himself) and was very firmly asked by Ella 'what about Grandad?' and told to go back and push him!!! I suggested we leave him there - if looks could kill I would have dropped dead on the spot! So I did as I was told and pushed him out!!!