Should a Doctor Say You’re Never Getting Better?
Doctors should be honest, but is there such a thing as too much information?
My sister has decided to embrace each day with acceptance despite having a major, debilitating stroke last May. It’s been almost a year, and she lives by herself and remains independent.
This is pretty amazing, considering that her right side was affected by paralysis. After two months of rehab, she checked herself out of the rehab center against her daughter’s wishes, got a ride home, and began this next phase of her life.
Most people are surprised she manages so well. My husband and I bought her a stairlift so she can navigate between her second-floor bedroom and first-floor living space. She keeps one wheelchair and cane at the bottom of the stairs and another at the top. When she moves from the stairlift, she grabs the cane and uses it to get to her wheelchair. She also has a walker, and when she wears her ankle brace, she can use the walker to travel a few steps to my car.
I live in a different city and visit her once a week. Sometimes, we go to Quick Trip for pizza or to her pharmacy to pick up prescriptions, and she waits in the car while I run inside to get what she needs. Occasionally, she will use her walker to go into a store, but it’s a struggle…
