May 18, 2008

May 16th

We went to the eye Doctor and Jodi had her swallow test. Her eyes are improving daily and they hope that by the time a year is up since the stroke, that she will not need any follow up surgery to help her right eye lid blink. They are sending her to a vestibular and balance clinic if her insurance will opt for it. They also talked about the drooping and lack of control on the right side of her face. They mentioned that she can have a surgery after a year in which they can take a nerve from the left side of the face and transplant it to the right side. That should improve the situation considerably. It should help her speak more clearly as well. The swallow test was not as positive. It seems that the food goes down the right way but one of the lower muscles does not move up to open the sphincter that allows the food to empty into her stomach. There is some question as to if that will ever happen. There is a surgery that can be performed on that muscle that will allow the food to go down but the problem with that is that if the food can go down, it can also come up easily. She would probably have a lot of reflux for the rest of her live. We will talk to her GP and perhaps see a specialist to get more information on the procedure before she ever has it. In the meantime, she continues with her muscle exercises to see if per chance that muscle will begin to cooperate. She was discouraged about the conclusion but she is still optimistic over all. Her foot surgery will not take place until early august. She is on her last day with Rehab without Walls and will start out-patient therapy at the UofU in two weeks. In the meantime, she will have to contend with me every day as her therapist. I will keep her doing her exercises so that she does not lose anything. She is planning on going to her brother and sister in laws home for Sunday Dinner. She was able to go see a great comedian on Tuesday evening with her siblings and last Saturday she took her boys to the zoo with her sister, her kids, and myself. She is able to get out and do more now that the weather is getting better. More later.

Connie

1 comment:

Jodi Orgill Brown said...

Jodi, sorry it has been a few weeks since I have come to visit. Things have been crazy at my house lately (but when aren't they crazy??). I promise to come kidnap you soon and bring you and the boys to my house to play for a while. Good news about your eye, but sounds like we need more prayers on behalf of your swallow relfexes. Hogi Yogi shakes are good going down, but not so much coming up. No, that simply won't do. We'll pray harder now. :) Take care and keep working hard. Wear your mom out with all your physical therapy. Show her how strong and tough you can really be. :)

Lots of love.

Jodi Brown