Hi,
My dad had a mild stroke a month ago. Doctor said it was on or near the surface of his brain. He's been in rehab and is doing well, all things considered. His biggest issue is left side neglect - he has a blind spot and is still learning to compensate so he doesn't run into things.
Anyway, cognitively he is really good. He can rattle off his bank account number, phone numbers, etc. He can report what he did in therapy, and what he has been told he needs to work on. He remembers everything new that he does or receives. (what food he ate, the new elec. razor he got, etc.)
What I have noticed is he doesn't always know what day of the week it is. This has happened more than a few times. He gets discharged next Thursday, which he knows. But this morning he called and said he gets out tomorrow, because he thinks today is Wednesday. (it's Sunday). He does know what time it is, and knows the times he is scheduled for therapy. (3x day).
I plan on getting him some kind of automatic calendar or something to help him know what day it is. Any comments?
Re: Dad remembers most everything except day of week
Hello
I am so sorry about your dads stroke but it sounds like he is doing amazing in recovery. I just wanted to answer your post because I have trouble remember the days of the week. It got so bad I was taking my pills on the wrong day and then I would go back to my pill box and question what day it was and almost do a double dose. I cant pour any more than one days pills at a time and that prevented it from happening. I just pour my pills every morning and work off that pill box.
There is a white board on my fridge and I put the day and date on it every day. It helps me remember.
Your dad is so early in recover only one month. Those symptoms may very well disappear. The brain swells and it takes time for that to subside.
All the best to you both
God Bless Mulchie
Re: Dad remembers most everything except day of week
Mulchie,
Thank you for your reply, and the tip about using a whiteboard. I'm also glad you commented about pills - I hadn't thought about him possibly having difficulty with that.
I'm planning on moving him to a house that is for rent on my street, so I can check on him frequently. I'm also getting one of those medical alert systems that can sense if he falls. He's doing well in physical therapy, but still unsteady. I'm also putting him in day therapy to continue his physical and mental improvement. He needs ongoing counseling to get him to understand that he can't do everything he used to do, and must be careful to avoid injury.
What's working so far is threatening him with a nursing home Luckily he still has his great sense of humor and laughs at that, yet seems to realize it's a possibility if he doesn't listen.
I wish you continued improvement with your recovery too.
Re: Dad remembers most everything except day of week
Your a good daughter and care giver for your dad. Its wonderful he has you to look out for his safety and recovery.
Im glad I mentioned the pills too because that really was a very big issue with me. Never knowing what day it was made it tricky. The automatic calender sounds like a great idea I might look into that myself.
Good Luck to you both and tell your dad he is doing great and we all cheer him on in his recovery.
Please keep in touch.
God Bless Mulchie
Re: Dad remembers most everything except day of week
Hi there,
I echo what Mulchie has said, mostly about what a great daughter you are, and how wonderful it is that you can have you dad so close to you while he needs you the most. I just lost my daddy and he also just lived down the street, so I wish you the best of times to come spending time together.
There are several creative things you can do to help dad keep the days straight. The white board is a good one, a real big calender that he can mark each day off when he gets up, and keeping a regular schedule helps a lot too.
You can use big stickers for trash day each week for example, they have neat calenders with all the stickers for doctors appointments, visitors, special holidays, etc. Keep a nice marker so he can use it daily, and the more he can keep track of what he has done, the easier it will be to remember what is coming up. Bingo daubers are also really good and easy to use to put a bright dot on the days as they go by, so he can see what day he is on.
There are also lots of good clocks that list the day, the date, and the hour, to ease confusion. AS Mulchie said, much of the initial confusion will ease as time goes by, so you can expect more improvement as time passes.
Your dad sounds like a wonderful man, and I wish you both lots of love and humor to help you both get through this difficult time.
Re: Dad remembers most everything except day of week
When I was in the hospital for a minor operation once, I too had trouble remembering the date. I think its easy for someone to do in a hospital it can be a confusing place for sure!. Then to add the various drugs they give to you there and it makes it even harder.
Luckily he still has his great sense of humor and laughs at that, yet seems to realize it's a possibility if he doesn't listen.
