Stroke

On Sunday while sitting in our church service my phone vibrated. As the nursery director I thought it was probably a nursery worker calling to say they could not make it this morning. But it was my mother telling me that my dad had a stroke and she was at the hospital. Decisions needed to be made and she needed us to come. So I went back into the worship center and called Al out. Jill came too and we went to the hospital.

Mom told us that they were getting ready to go to church and were getting in the car when he told her "You drive". Well, Dad always drives when they are going somewhere together so Mom found this very unusual. As he got in the passenger seat, she asked if she should drive to the hospital and he nodded.

Dad was in Intensive Care. We decided that maybe we should transfer him on to Wichita because he was not getting better. We signed papers but then remarkably Dad began to get better! He began to speak fairly well and he could make movements fine. So after confiring with my brother (who is a physician in KC), we decided he should stay in town at the local hospital.

Dad was doing well physically, but his speech at times would be good, and at other times it was like he was speaking a foreign language. We could tell it was frustrating to him because he knew what he wanted to say but he just couldn't get it out! They call it aphasia. And how hard for a communicator like Dad - a missionary/pastor and one who loves to tell lots of jokes.

After only 1 night in the hospital the doctor released Dad! We were sort of surprised! But he is so happy to be home!

He tried to re-program the coffee maker (since Mom had unplugged it) and Mom said it took him about 1/2 hour to do so. But he was determined.

Today Mom wanted to go hear a speaker so I went to babysit Dad. Or maybe I should say Dad-sit. (Sophia and Hannah do not like me to say I am babysitting them. I am kid-sitting them!) So, I was Dad-sitting, just to keep him company and for Mom's reassurance.

I was amazed at Dad's improvement in speech! When I got there, he was on the computer and he was just responding to an e-mail I had sent him. I sent it, wondering how he would do on the computer. Dad looked at me and said "Oh, I just sent you a cucumber!" We laughed because we knew he didn't mean that.

We spent the next hour talking and although at times he would struggle with a word or two, for the most part he was speaking quite well! Maybe a little slower to make sure he had the right words. He told me he spent this morning reading a chapter in Ecclesiastes over and over and over. Then when Mom got up, he read it aloud to her. He feels that helped him with comprehension and speech.

He went to see a speech therapist this morning also and will do so for a while.

Mom said it is like when Jesus told the paralytic "Take up your mat and walk". We are getting Dad back and we are so happy!