Husband is 66 yrs. old and very deaf, especially in right ear. I have severe asthma and can't speak really loud, I have to repeat loudly 3-4 times before he can hear what I said. This is his 3rd. stroke and the first 2 occurred on the right side of brain, with no side effects. This massive left brain stroke has left him very angry and disagreeable. Speech is improving due to once a wk. speech therapy and home work from therapist. Spelling has become worse then it was before. Has left me angry at him and very depressed/frustrated. Looking for a caregiver support group in the Appleton, WI area that focuses on strokes only. Preferably no further than 5-10 miles from Appleton. Even willing to join a support group on-line. My husband is a Viet Nam War Veteran and don't know if the Veterans Administration holds support groups or not and how to find out. Thank you in advance for any assistance you can give. I am truly burnout. His stroke occurred November 17, 2014 and just looking for others to talk to.
1506 S. Oneida Street ,Appleton, WI
4th Monday of the month 6 pm - 7:30 pm
Mitch Cornils, mitch@soarfoxcities.com
(920) 731-9831, x111 or go to website biaw.org
My mom has had a small stroke in the brainstem recently and has had previous numerous TIAs in the past.
The TIAs left her with weakness in the legs but with therapy she has come along way but now since this last stroke, her legs are much weaker and has greater anxiety/anger issues, mainly with certain family members and a few nurses at her assisted living. Her neurologist prescribed .25 mg Xanax twice a day which makes her want to do nothing but sleep. It has caused her shakiness to disappear along with the anxiety but she's very drowsy when awake. I talked with the neurologist today and he discontinued the Xanax to only as needed. When I took her to the Neuro Monday to have him read the MRI he said that her anxiety is just going to be something there, that it is an effect from the stroke.
My question is, from other experiences here, should MOM be taking Xanax regularly to keep anxiety/rage away or help her work on learning how to let things go ? Sometimes not everyone knows when they're going to be faced with a situation that's going to cause them anxiety! 🤔
Or be OK with the two doses a day of Xanax and her wanting to be in bed all day ? Being sleepy like this makes her not want to do her therapy to gain back strength in her legs.
A geriatric psychiatrist switched her from Xanax as needed to a regular, very tiny dose of Klonopin. I seem to recall that the Klonopin pills were the smallest possible dosage, cut in half.
I'm guessing this anxiety is a result of maybe dementia starting? cognitive decline? loss of reasoning ? She always has been a bit of a control freak. 😉When problems go wrong in the assisted living, for example, CNAs or RN not doing their job correctly or forgetting meds of hers and other residents or even the lunch servers messing things up she has the need to tell them about it and try to fix it.
Taking her in near future to a Geri doc.
Need suggestions.
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