Author: LT

Or physio. I should probably be more accurate but Mum did always like that song. I drove back to Canberra yesterday; a long drive but there were some housekeeping things I needed to attend to and it’ll be good to have a couple of days to get those done. I’ll fly up to Brisbane next week…

Yes yes yes!  At least for today. Mum had a great day in rehab today, despite being tired and sore all morning. Put in the gantry and ‘flown’ to the sliding machine, she managed a number of leg presses with her left leg at different angles, making it up past 10 degrees. She then went…

Some frustrating news this morning as Mum’s transfer has been delayed for a week due to a combination of bad weather, public holidays and other bookings. We’re a bit disappointed obviously as Mum was looking forward to going and we were also looking forward to no longer living out of suitcases. I’ll let everyone know…

Mum’s right hemisphere stroke has caused complete left-side neglect. But what is left side neglect? To say that left side neglect means you’re paralysed down your left side is to miss the bigger picture of one-side neglect. Mum isn’t just paralysed and unable to see out of her left eye. Neglect following a stroke means…

Good news today as Mum was cleared for transfer to Brisbane and the Prince Charles let us know they will probably have a bed for her by midweek. We still don’t know all the details but are very happy that Mum will soon be home (knock wood, cross fingers and all that jazz). I’ll write…

Mum has had a couple of quiet days with food, sleep, physio and specialist visits making up her routine. As she says, stroke victims become all about stomach, bowels and bladders. This was one of the reasons she wrote her poem, Ode to the Chimes, which I’ve just published. When those bells go, disgusting things…

Below is Mum’s ode to the Mornington Centre’s never-ending bell system for patient attention. The ding ding ding of the chime never seems to stop and usually means patients need to be toiletted or cleaned (although Mum’s roommate Irene also presses it because she wants another pillow, or the blind changed or, often, because she wants to check the…

This morning we had an initial family meeting at the Mornington Centre with Mum’s Allied Health Team. The meeting was productive and we’re all feeling more comfortable with her care and that effort is being made to prepare her medically for transfer. We were glad to hear from the Nurse Unit Manager that contact had…