"My Dad’s Treatment Following His Stroke"

My Dad suffered a stroke in December 2018.

Unfortunately, he has been left with permanent/severe communication and cognitive impairments.

After a short stay in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital he was transferred over to Moseley Hall.

He was a patient there for around 6 months and most of his time was spent on Ward 8, although he was technically a Ward 9 patient (Ward 9 was undergoing refurbishment).

Before his stroke, my Dad had a history of not really engaging with the health services that were attempting to support him with his diagnosed health conditions. Let’s just say he was a strong willed and independent kind of guy, who didn’t really like listening to advice or complying with medical treatment.

Needless to say, I was really worried about how a person like my Dad, would react to being in a hospital environment after experiencing such a life changing event.

However, my worry soon dissipated as I witnessed the fantastic levels of commitment and support that the staff on Ward 8/9 offered to him. They supported him in such a patient, understanding and person centred kind of way, that to my disbelief, my Dad engaged with them. His engagement wasn’t perfect by any means, but he took part or at least attempted to take part in most of the therapy/activities that were offered to him.

I just wanted to take some time to thank everyone who helped my Dad during his stay at Moseley Hall.  

Special mentions for:

Kenny - who whenever he was on shift, made the Ward feel like one of the friendliest places on earth.  I saw him treat my Dad and other patients and family members, with pure dignity and respect. Plus, he was always on the go and I never saw him sit down once in the whole 6 months I visited the hospital.

Jo - who not only did her best to support my Dad with his communication needs, but also kept me informed of important meetings and events, so I always had an opportunity to attend and support my Dad.

Selina - who was instrumental in helping my Dad to secure a place in a residential rehab so his treatment and therapy could continue post discharge, rather than being housed in a setting in which he’d of received much less, to no support.  I felt that Selina believed in my Dad and his ability to improve, which in turn lead to him being offered opportunities that he otherwise might not have received.

Cathy - Cathy has supported my Dad since his discharge from Moseley Hall through regular visits to his rehab home. She’s helped him to continue working on his communication needs by setting realistic and relevant goals. She’s also kept me in the loop along the way so that I could contribute at review meetings and has also secured him access to further support at Moor Green.

There are still many challenges my Dad will have to face in the future and some may well be just too difficult for him to overcome. The future holds no certainties. 

However, the staff members mentioned above and their wider network off colleagues helped to build a foundation of care and support that allowed my Dad to continue to be the strong willed guy I’ve always known but at the same time, accept the help he needed.

Although we do not have certainty, this wonderful team of people have given us hope!

Thank you!