My Dad, Ernie Douglass suffered a massive stroke on Wednesday 4th April 2012, in this blog I shall record his story, so that family and friends can be kept informed.

He had just returned from a shopping trip to Redditch with my Mam and friends, Beryl and Brian.  He said he was tired and went into the house, when Mam got in, he was lying on the floor in the lounge.  Now anyone who knows Dad, knows he's got a sense of humour, and Mam presumed he was messing around.  She stepped over him, and said, get up Ernie, I'll make the tea.  She went to make the tea, but he hadn't got up, which is when Mam realised something was wrong.  She immediately called for an ambulance and within an hour he had been seen by paramedics and was on his way to Northampton General Hospital.  Close family were informed and shortly after we were all hovering around his bedside in A&E.  There was lots of mis-information, and some of it is quite cloudy in my mind now, but sometime later that evening he was transferred to Allebone Ward and was being observed.  the next 48 hours would be critical.  We were even told if he had a further stroke, they wouldn't resuscitate him.  We spent many hours at his beside, Mam was coping really well, but obviously very distressed.  I don't think any of us slept for quite a few nights.  On 7th, he was transferred to Holcot Stroke Rehab ward, by this time he had opened his eyes a few times, but looked confused.  He squeezed our hands, and we had some attempt at speech, but nothing distinguishable.  99% of the time he was asleep.  We started taking turns going in to sit with him, either in the afternoon or evening.  He was being fed by a tube down his nose, but he kept pulling it out and by 12th I think we were on our 6th tube.  The days are a bit hazy, it's 12th as I'm writing this.  Each day there are small progressions, hardly noticeable on their own, but together they make a difference.  Today the physios got himout of bed and sitting in a chair.  He is still asleep or unresponsive for a lot of the time, and it really tires him out.  Tomorrow, we're hoping the speech therapist will manage to get her tests done, that confirm he is swallowing , which will mean he can be fed, rather than use the tube, which seems to cause so many problems.  so the situation today is that, he is paralysed down his right side, he can't communicate well, but we are seeing signs of improvement daily.  I'll try to update this daily.

Visiting times 2 - 4.30 and 6 - 8, Holcot Ward, Bed 23.  Call family beforehand as visitor numbers are restricted.

13/4/12 Karol and Mam visting in the afternoon.