As some of you may know, my Dad had a stroke 4 weeks ago.

While his physical health is pretty good and the rehab has improved his speech, his left hand and to a lesser degree his left leg, I wonder more about his mental health.

He seems to be stuck in a time period just before his stroke, where he forgets he had one, thinks he is at his home in Sebring, as opposed to the rehab center and is generally disoriented and has a tendency to ramble on about nothing really.

Every time I see him, as I say goodbye, he tells me things like, "Don't forget to leave me the keys to the Mercedes in case I have to go out"

His memory prior to the stroke is fine. He remembers his address, phone numbers, etc....

I guess my question is, is this normal for the 1st few weeks, months after a stroke or could it have triggered something else? Like Alzheimers or Dementia that was undetected prior to the stroke.

He has had cat scans after the stroke and none of these were mentioned, so I assumed that he was mentally OK.

Any and all responses are appreciated.

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Enough about me, how are you doing?

This is probably the best neurological site on the net. You can probably get your answer there. I don't know the people on the stroke forum but the spinal disorders forum has a lot of knowledgeable people.

http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=240

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

My Dad had a couple of ministrokes about 9 yrs ago.

Fortunately he had no loss of physical or mental function.

Cause was an nearly obstructed basal artery of the brain.

Best wishes to you all in this episode of life.

D.

__________________
1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
********************
1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD

Kerry, thanks for the link to the site. What a remarkable site! I spent about an hour there reading and will return.

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...Tracy

'00 ML320 "Casper"
'92 400E "Stella"

Around a year and a half ago.. maybe longer now, my grandmother sufferered a minor stroke at her home. She fell onto the floor and was lying there for a half hour before my uncle came in and called for help. I personally haven't seen the immediete changes in behavior until I came to visit her here in Poland several months later. Apparently, my grandmother who is a very shy and kind-hearted person in general became moody at the hospital. She even didn't recognize her own son when he came to visit her at the hospital. For the first few days, she would speak German to the doctors. This was a very strange behavior resulting from the stroke. She doesn't speak German to anyone in the house, and she hasn't used the language since WWII.

As time went on in the hospital, she got better and sort of "regained her composure". She would get mood swings from time to time and her temper was considerably shorter than what I remember in the past.

About a year later, my grandmother still showed signs of the stroke she had. Luckily, there was no paralysis. However, when she got nervous.. her words would slurr and she would forget words in sentences she was saying. This I noticed continued until recently where I see that she has became the old granny I used to know as a kid.

I guess it depends on how severe the stroke is and how strong the individual is. In the case of my grandmother, it was a small one and she came out of it after some time. However, once a person has gotten a stroke, the chances of it happening again is greater. Same goes with heart attack victims.

Hopefully he will improve. I just got of the phone with him and his new "dilemma" is that he couldn't go to the local store and buy chocolate and mile. Plus he has no money in his wallet! That's a major concern fo rhim thhese days.

__________________
Enough about me, how are you doing?

Plantman-

Sorry to hear about your dad. You've had a tough go of late, if I recall other family events correctly.

All the best. Prayers are with you and the family.

__________________
KyGuy
'04 E500 Brilliant Silver/Ash (50K)
'01 ML320 Desert Silver/Parchment (67K)
'99 C230 Kompressor Black/Black (62K)
'93 Mitsubishi Montero (134K)(Home Depot Express)


'70 6.3 Gold/Tobacco (128K) (sold and now in Germany)
'94 E420 Silver/Blue (80K) - Sold
'97 E320 PearlBlack/Parchment (77K) - Sold
'66 300SE Coupe (owned 2002-2003)

Thanks! I appreciate the thoughts and all of the advise.

The site Kerry sugested,http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums...splay.php?f=240,

has a great bunch of people as well and have gotten numerous responses.

Waht he is experiencing has been called "brain fog" and is very common in minor stroke victims.

Here's a funny story, all day yesterday, he was complaining that he didn't have any money, to go to the store and buy milk, I tell him I will buy him some milk and bring it to him. Anyway, he call me at least 30 times yesterday, waiting for me o get there. I finally get there, he explains he needs milk urgently, when I show him a quart of milk, he says " Oh!, but I wanted a gallon of milk"

LOl

__________________
Enough about me, how are you doing?

Glad you're getting some answers there. My dad had a minor stroke at around 70yrs old about 15 yrs ago. He's recovered fine and you'd never know it happened.
I have a close friend who had a stroke at about 45 and he has recovered for the most part but has a few remaining pronoun and word choice problems.
His account of his experience is quite fascinating. He was perfectly alert, realized what was happening, but was totally unable to communicate this verbally to the people around him because it hit his language area. They thought he was drunk. He finally was taken to the hospital where, realizing he could still draw, he drew a picture of his head with an arrow pointing to his brain to indicate that he knew he was having a stroke.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Today he thought he was a "secret Undercover agent" who was delivering a huge arms shipment to some anti-castro group.

What a riot!

__________________
Enough about me, how are you doing?

I am happy to report that my father is improving.

He has had a good solid week in a row and he seems to be making progress mentally and physically.

He was discharged from the rehab center and I placed him in an ALF(assisted living facility) that is 2 miles from my house and 1 mile from my sisters.

It makes it sooooo much easier to spend time with him, bring him home for dineer, etc... .and bring him back when needed.

They help him do everything he needs and he seems to like it.

The funny thing is that there is this older lady there who is a bit off center and likes to "get around" according to my sisters. Now I gotta get him some condoms.

Thanks for the suggestions.

__________________
Enough about me, how are you doing?

Glad to learn he's doing better. I didn't realize those kinds of places offered that type of 'assistance' but I can see its benefits.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Enjoy him while you can.

__________________
1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
********************
1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD

I had 2 TIA's (what the old folks used to call "warnings" in other words, strokes that don't kill you or leave you a vegetable) last November.

Did some research and discovered that Linus Pauling ( head of the chemistry department at Cal Tech for 40 years, 2 time Nobel Prize winner) discovered the cure or at least the preventative for angina strokes hardening of the arteries and heart disease , back in 1993. It's vitamin C and Lysine. Have been taking vitamin C for years, now I take lysine too. Doctors have done sonograms, EKG's, blood tests etc. and can find No Sign of blockage in my arteries or damage to my heart or brain.

Do a Google search for "Linus Pauling stroke" and do yourself a favor, this stuff will clear the arteries of even very advanced cases.

If everyone in America knew about this we could save thousands of lives every year and billions of dollars. Over 90% of strokes heart disease hardening of the arteries and angina could be prevented for less than $1 a day per person. What have you got to lose?

Those TIAs are medically known as Transient Ischemic Attacks and really are not strokes as there is no residual permenent damage. Interesting on the Vit.C and Lysine-that I have to check out. I already take two garlic capsules daily for the BP and appears to work well-in my case lowers BP maybe 10mm or so.