On Monday I took Nelson to the neuro-chiropractor/kinesiologist and he was very pleased with his progress. A week or so ago Nelson underwent a Quantative EEG (where the results are compared to a database of normal results so that more abnormalities are picked up than in a straight EEG which just compares the activity in various parts of the brain to each other). These results and recommendations from the analyst can now be used in future exercises and treatment for Nelson.
Today Nelson and I went to visit Jun and Eddy for lunch. It was a very relaxed visit and Nelson chatted away in both English and Chinese, translating various snippets of the Chinese conversation for me with apparent ease. I found it fascinating hearing about Jun's early life in China.
Nelson was pleased to eat home cooked Chinese food and looked forward to eating the left-overs for his dinner.
It didn't seem like a very long visit, but Nelson said he was exhausted after we left.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Art show
Today Mark, my father, Darius and I took Nelson to an art show where Vivienne was showing her sculptures.
Darius insisted on wearing his sunglasses which he found and suddenly took an interest in. He ended up looking so cool that he attracted smiles from everyone when we went to pick up Nelson.
Darius would only hold Nelson's hand going down the stairs as we went to leave for the art show.
Eric and Elaine also came along, timing it so they could see Nelson too. Nelson seemed to really enjoy being at the show, chatting happily with the artists and wondering slowly through to look at everything carefully. He felt he knew one of the artists, but she did not know him, so it's a mystery. However, there was another visitor to the show who he recognised from years and years prior (Sally I think), and she also recognised him. He was able to have a very lucid conversation with her which was fabulous.
Nelson had a long conversation with Vivienne about art prices and felt that the art at the show was very good value. He decided we should buy one of the collage pieces and Eric very kindly decided to give it to him as an early birthday gift - very sweet of him!
By the time I had managed to give Darius some lunch, Nelson was demanding to be taken home immediately so we left. All in all it was a lovely morning.
Darius insisted on wearing his sunglasses which he found and suddenly took an interest in. He ended up looking so cool that he attracted smiles from everyone when we went to pick up Nelson.
Darius would only hold Nelson's hand going down the stairs as we went to leave for the art show.
Eric and Elaine also came along, timing it so they could see Nelson too. Nelson seemed to really enjoy being at the show, chatting happily with the artists and wondering slowly through to look at everything carefully. He felt he knew one of the artists, but she did not know him, so it's a mystery. However, there was another visitor to the show who he recognised from years and years prior (Sally I think), and she also recognised him. He was able to have a very lucid conversation with her which was fabulous.
Nelson had a long conversation with Vivienne about art prices and felt that the art at the show was very good value. He decided we should buy one of the collage pieces and Eric very kindly decided to give it to him as an early birthday gift - very sweet of him!
By the time I had managed to give Darius some lunch, Nelson was demanding to be taken home immediately so we left. All in all it was a lovely morning.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Banana cake!
Just for a treat, Vivienne took Nelson a home-made gluten-free banana cake when she and her family visited this afternoon.
Nelson generously let me eat one small piece the next day, and had finished it by the day after - YUM!
Nelson generously let me eat one small piece the next day, and had finished it by the day after - YUM!
Lunch with the children
Isobelle sent me this and the photos:
On our drive to Ashfield to see Nelson we talked about getting him a takeaway cappuccino, the talk advanced to taking Dad out for lunch.
On our drive to Ashfield to see Nelson we talked about getting him a takeaway cappuccino, the talk advanced to taking Dad out for lunch.
We picked him up and he was ready to go, signed him out at midday and took him to a nearby Italian restaurant for a lovely lunch.
Everyone had fun and we had the music turned down for Nel's sensitive ears.
Starting with an entrée dish of Whitebait fritters, one plate shared between us all. Nelson demolished a bowl of Seafood to Paella and a variety of lovely sorbets. We had sparkling water and I had a Campari and soda. We were the first diners so had good speedy service, lunch was not protracted but just the right length for Nelson.
On our return back to Nelson's home we stopped for a ten minute breather in a green grassed park with large Plane Trees, just to sit in the sun and fresh air. Nelson back by 2pm and loving the laughs and pranks of our three children.
We had tol him about our trip to UK to see Grandma and Grandad, Nelson wished us well and hugs were exchanged. As we drove away we slowed down past the glazed front door and Nelson was there waiting to wave us all goodbye.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Hawaiian T-Shirts
Sorry about the break in transmission here... Catching up on the posts now!
Today Peter visited Nelson and left him with 2 really lovely T-shirts that Nelson just loves. In fact Nelson made me bring them home when I saw him later in the day, to keep them safe!
Peter said: "It was a very enjoyable catch-up and Nelson was in good form. Nelson's improvement since my last visit, appeared quite dramatic. He was very up, happy with his t-shirts and to walk around rather than take the lift."
Today Peter visited Nelson and left him with 2 really lovely T-shirts that Nelson just loves. In fact Nelson made me bring them home when I saw him later in the day, to keep them safe!
Peter said: "It was a very enjoyable catch-up and Nelson was in good form. Nelson's improvement since my last visit, appeared quite dramatic. He was very up, happy with his t-shirts and to walk around rather than take the lift."
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Lunch on the verandah with real china!
Isobelle visited today, bringing Nelson lunch which he ate on the verandah, marvelling at using real china plates (as opposed to the plastic unbreakable ones in the nursing home). She posted a comment detailing her visit (click this underlined text to read it).
Eric, Elaine and Daniel also visited today so Nelson had really busy social day. Eric left Nelson some lovely home-made dinner for this evening - yum! Thank you too for the steady stream of food that you bring to me to take to Nelson (and some for Darius and me too). It is all very much appreciated and enjoyed by all of us!
Eric, Elaine and Daniel also visited today so Nelson had really busy social day. Eric left Nelson some lovely home-made dinner for this evening - yum! Thank you too for the steady stream of food that you bring to me to take to Nelson (and some for Darius and me too). It is all very much appreciated and enjoyed by all of us!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Lunch date
After weeks of wall-to-wall medical appointments it seems like absolutely ages since Nelson and I just spent time together doing something nice. So we were both really pleased to have time to go out to have yum cha at the Marrickville yum cha restaurant we've visited before. Even though it was Friday, it was pleasantly quiet when we got there just after 11:30.
Nelson ate a surprising amount with great enthusiasm and joked about being stuffed full when we hadn't even been there an hour. I was too busy enjoying the time to remember to take any photographs - sorry.
After we'd finished I drove close to the shops and we went into a chemist to buy a few things he wanted. I even managed to convince him to choose himself a pair of sunglasses which he wore all the way home. This is progress from his past refusal to even have a pair at the home with him!
When we got back he clipped his own fingernails with his new nail clipper. I'm pretty sure it's the first time he's managed this completely on his own.
Nelson ate a surprising amount with great enthusiasm and joked about being stuffed full when we hadn't even been there an hour. I was too busy enjoying the time to remember to take any photographs - sorry.
After we'd finished I drove close to the shops and we went into a chemist to buy a few things he wanted. I even managed to convince him to choose himself a pair of sunglasses which he wore all the way home. This is progress from his past refusal to even have a pair at the home with him!
When we got back he clipped his own fingernails with his new nail clipper. I'm pretty sure it's the first time he's managed this completely on his own.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Visit home
Nelson's schedule speech pathology session was cancelled at the very last moment today. Since Darius was at home with my mother there to help, I thought it was a good opportunity for Nelson to come and visit at home. I was hoping this would provide a more natural space for Nelson and Darius to spend some time together. Clearly the nursing home is not a good environment for a 2 year old and that's been very hard on both of them!
We spent most of the time in garden with Darius playing in his new climbing castle gratefully inherited from Melissa and family. He refers to it as his "house".
Nelson seemed fascinated to look around downstairs but didn't seem to be up to walking up the stairs to see up there. This is the first visit home for Nelson since just after his move into the nursing home. It was pretty clear he didn't remember the last visit and was seeing most things as if for the first time.
It seemed to be quite taxing for Nelson and he asked to be taken home after just less than an hour.
We spent most of the time in garden with Darius playing in his new climbing castle gratefully inherited from Melissa and family. He refers to it as his "house".
Nelson seemed fascinated to look around downstairs but didn't seem to be up to walking up the stairs to see up there. This is the first visit home for Nelson since just after his move into the nursing home. It was pretty clear he didn't remember the last visit and was seeing most things as if for the first time.
It seemed to be quite taxing for Nelson and he asked to be taken home after just less than an hour.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Keeping an eye on things...
We've had another busy week. Nelson and I went off for a visit to the kinesiologist/neuro-chiropractor on Monday afternoon for a slightly lighter session than he's had previously. Trent seemed happy with Nelson's progress and Nelson was still able to carry on a conversation after the session. Previous sessions have involved much more taxing treatment and Nelson hasn't been as resilient as he has now become.
This morning it was another visit to the opthalmologist for Nelson to do his visual field test that he was unable to complete last Monday. This time he did well, completing the test without becoming completely drained. Interestingly, the test showed a new "gap" at the top right hand side of his field of vision in both eyes - probably caused or at least exacerbated by the damage to the left side of his brain. This would go some way to explaining his complaints of degraded vision.
I was surprised that we even managed to have a quick meal of noodles after the test (which provided Nelson with an ample dinner too) before he was obviously flagging.
When we got back to his room I had a look for a couple of things he wanted and found out just how many sugar, salt and pepper sachets he'd collected - nearly the whole top drawer full! Together we divided the sugar from the artificial sweetener and took them in batches back down to the kitchen for re-use. This picture shows only the sugar from his collection!
During the sugar sorting process, I did find his earplugs and suggested he try using them at night to avoid being woken by his room mate's mutterings/heavy breathing.
The fact that he could engage in all this after the other activities in the morning contrasts sharply with his lower energy levels on other days, especially in the afternoons. There does seem to be quite a variation from day to day, and activity to activity. I do think that since he'd been to the opthalmologist just last Monday and it was familiar, the visit today was much less taxing on him.
This morning it was another visit to the opthalmologist for Nelson to do his visual field test that he was unable to complete last Monday. This time he did well, completing the test without becoming completely drained. Interestingly, the test showed a new "gap" at the top right hand side of his field of vision in both eyes - probably caused or at least exacerbated by the damage to the left side of his brain. This would go some way to explaining his complaints of degraded vision.
I was surprised that we even managed to have a quick meal of noodles after the test (which provided Nelson with an ample dinner too) before he was obviously flagging.
When we got back to his room I had a look for a couple of things he wanted and found out just how many sugar, salt and pepper sachets he'd collected - nearly the whole top drawer full! Together we divided the sugar from the artificial sweetener and took them in batches back down to the kitchen for re-use. This picture shows only the sugar from his collection!
During the sugar sorting process, I did find his earplugs and suggested he try using them at night to avoid being woken by his room mate's mutterings/heavy breathing.
The fact that he could engage in all this after the other activities in the morning contrasts sharply with his lower energy levels on other days, especially in the afternoons. There does seem to be quite a variation from day to day, and activity to activity. I do think that since he'd been to the opthalmologist just last Monday and it was familiar, the visit today was much less taxing on him.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Busy week!
Nelson and I have had a really busy week this week. I'm still reeling! I finally managed to get the grocery shopping yesterday (by which time the fridge really was pretty bare) after planning to do it for almost a week and not managing to fit it in.
On Monday afternoon I took Nelson to the opthalmologist for his annual check after the macular damage he sustained in one of his eyes last year. The visual field test (where you look into a big machine and press a button whenever you see a light) wore Nelson out in less than 10 minutes - only halfway through. Fortunately the rest of the consultation showed his eyes to be actually "pretty good". Since Nelson still complains about his sight, he will re-do the visual field test next week in the morning when he is freshest.
On Tuesday Nelson had visits from Julia and Rob as well as James and MaryAnne. He had a bit of a party on his hands as they happened to arrive at almost the same time.
A good deal of Wednesday afternoon was spent in meetings at the nursing home. Nelson and I did manage a surprisingly brisk short walk down the road and back between the meetings. It was such a lovely day to be outside, so we both enjoyed it.
Yesterday I took Nelson to the speech pathologist for an assessment. There is still more of the assessment for him to complete next week before a speech therapy plan can be put in place. I must say I was a bit surprised at some of the areas where Nelson still showed real issues - like moving the toothbrush instead of the spoon and so on in some of the exercises. There were other areas where he had obviously improved though, like naming the objects and what they were for and being able to articulate a bit better what was going on and what people were doing in a picture.
Today David and Mel have visited so Darius and I have a day off - phew!
On Monday afternoon I took Nelson to the opthalmologist for his annual check after the macular damage he sustained in one of his eyes last year. The visual field test (where you look into a big machine and press a button whenever you see a light) wore Nelson out in less than 10 minutes - only halfway through. Fortunately the rest of the consultation showed his eyes to be actually "pretty good". Since Nelson still complains about his sight, he will re-do the visual field test next week in the morning when he is freshest.
On Tuesday Nelson had visits from Julia and Rob as well as James and MaryAnne. He had a bit of a party on his hands as they happened to arrive at almost the same time.
A good deal of Wednesday afternoon was spent in meetings at the nursing home. Nelson and I did manage a surprisingly brisk short walk down the road and back between the meetings. It was such a lovely day to be outside, so we both enjoyed it.
Yesterday I took Nelson to the speech pathologist for an assessment. There is still more of the assessment for him to complete next week before a speech therapy plan can be put in place. I must say I was a bit surprised at some of the areas where Nelson still showed real issues - like moving the toothbrush instead of the spoon and so on in some of the exercises. There were other areas where he had obviously improved though, like naming the objects and what they were for and being able to articulate a bit better what was going on and what people were doing in a picture.
Today David and Mel have visited so Darius and I have a day off - phew!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)