Last week, when my wife, son and I were getting ready to go out and vote on Tuesday, Nov. 3rd, my wife said she couldn't move or feel her right arm or leg. My son and I carried her out to the car and took her to the emergency room 2 miles away. She was diagnosed as having a stroke.
With Covid-19 procedures in place, they only allowed the person who brought her in to stay with her. Anyone else had to wait in the car. We had pulled up, I had my 23 yr old son run in and get a wheelchair and take her in while I parked the car.
That's when I found out they wouldn't let me in and their waiting rooms are closed.
My 23 yr old is a very intelligent young man, but the worst communicator in our family. Pulling information out of him is nearly impossible, never checks texts, never replies to texts, never answers his phone.
So for the next few hours (I am ready to barge in, go to the emergency room and slap him upside his head), our entire family is waiting to hear what's up with my wife.
I did give him a piece of my mind; told him he should have been firing off text updates every few minutes (we have a family snapchat group message) to let everyone know what was going on. Instead, we mainly got silence for HOURS.
Alright, rant over.
Anyway, she was sent to the ICU from the emergency room and I was able to see her briefly after she was in there for 3 or 4 hours, but no visitors allowed onto the ICU for the next 24 hours.
I was not able to visit her until Thursday when she was moved to the ICU and into another ward in the hospital. I've visited her every day, from about 10-noon, and then eat lunch, make my lunch for work and head to work around 2 pm (I get home around 2:30 am).
Rinse and repeat for the last week.
Yesterday, they allowed her mother and brother to visit as well. Her nurse kinda bent some rules and allowed them to see my wife. Their Covid rules only allow one designated guest to visit her for her entire stay, and that's me. Our kids (35, 32, 23 and 16) that are nearby haven't been allowed to visit, the other two are in waiting patterns at their own homes waiting on word when they can fly home.
She's fairly young for having a stroke; at 54, no family history, relatively good health, eats better than I do, etc. Something caused a blood clot in her brain that caused the stroke.
Her entire right side was inoperative for a bit, but her face returned to normal and she could speak properly once again. Her right arm is limp and useless but she can move her leg above the knee. Fortunately, she is left handed. Prognosis is poor on regaining the use of the right arm, according to the neurologist.
She's still at week two in the hospital and no idea how long that'll be. I'm normally with her by now, but today is the last day of open enrollment for my work's health insurance. I just finished that up.
It's close to Friday noon here in Kentucky and I'm heading out to see her.