Hi All,
I am new here and looking for people who have had a similar experience as I have. My father was diagnosed with ALS in June 2013, and has had a somewhat rapid progression of the disease. At the time of diagnosis, he had lost function in his left hand and was walking with a cane, but was still able to drive and work. By late October, he was having dizzy spells, needed assistance getting in and out of the car, had lost at least 50% of the function of his right hand, and was told to start using a wheelchair.
In October, he fell on his way to a doctor's appointment and received multiple skull fractures and brain bleeds, the largest of which was evacuated with emergency surgery. After being in the ICU for 2 weeks and a long term acute care facility for a month, he was just moved to a nursing home this week. His ALS doctor called him a miracle...he didn't expect him to wake up. At this point, he is (FINALLY!) receiving OT, PT, and Speech. He has lost his core strength, most of the function of all of his limbs, and can no longer eat by mouth (he was eating a normal diet before the fall).
My questions are: Has anyone else on this forum had a similar experience? Can I expect him to regain any function in his limbs, core strength, or the ability to eat, or is what's gone gone? I've tried to do research on brain injury in ALS patients, but all that I can find is a possible causative link between the two, and nothing on our present situation.
Thanks!
I am new here and looking for people who have had a similar experience as I have. My father was diagnosed with ALS in June 2013, and has had a somewhat rapid progression of the disease. At the time of diagnosis, he had lost function in his left hand and was walking with a cane, but was still able to drive and work. By late October, he was having dizzy spells, needed assistance getting in and out of the car, had lost at least 50% of the function of his right hand, and was told to start using a wheelchair.
In October, he fell on his way to a doctor's appointment and received multiple skull fractures and brain bleeds, the largest of which was evacuated with emergency surgery. After being in the ICU for 2 weeks and a long term acute care facility for a month, he was just moved to a nursing home this week. His ALS doctor called him a miracle...he didn't expect him to wake up. At this point, he is (FINALLY!) receiving OT, PT, and Speech. He has lost his core strength, most of the function of all of his limbs, and can no longer eat by mouth (he was eating a normal diet before the fall).
My questions are: Has anyone else on this forum had a similar experience? Can I expect him to regain any function in his limbs, core strength, or the ability to eat, or is what's gone gone? I've tried to do research on brain injury in ALS patients, but all that I can find is a possible causative link between the two, and nothing on our present situation.
Thanks!