Query about post stroke rehabilitaion?

Question

Hello,
My apology if I'm at the wrong place to ask this question. I'm here to seek more information about brain nerves demyelination. My mother 73 years old has suffered a stroke 3 months ago caused left sided weakness, deviation of angle of mouth to right side. Now, she doesn't eat anything orally and she is in tube feeding.
The Doctors have done what they could do. I request you all to advice me if you know anything about this, specially on:-
1. What all precautions I should take to avoid further stroke?
2. What all food/vegetables should I feed her to maintain her physical strength? She has sugar level between 132-174 and she is in Ryle's tube feed.
3. Generally she lock her lips when we make her sit. Is it common?
4. Finally, What all technique should we adopt to feed her orally? She takes few spoon of water and orange juice everyday but sometimes coughs. But she asks for food when she feels hungry.

Thank you.

Answer 1

If your mom is on tube-feeding, she is getting adequate nutrition.
A speech pathologist is your best bet to rehabilitate her swallowing (please don't try this by yourself- it can be a major threat to her health, as it can result in pneumonia). If she coughs when taking liquids, there is a very good chance that at least some of it is being aspirated (going into her lungs), and you shouldn't give her liquids. She needs to have an xray study (videofluoroscopy) to determine what textures of food and liquid she is able to tolerate safely, as well as to help determine if there are any positioning strategies that may be helpful. Often with a right brain -hemisphere stroke (weakness on the left side of the body), there is deviation of the lips, with poor awareness of the left side of the mouth, which results in pocketing (like a hamster) of saliva, food or liquid inside the cheek.
She may lock her lips because of the exertion needed to sit up.
You didn't say if she's at home, in a nursing home, or in a hospital unit. You can talk to her doctor about ordering speech pathology, occupational therapy, and physical therapy evaluations and therapy in order to address any rehabilitation issues and potential intervention to increase her function. These can be done at home through a home-health agency, and in nursing homes and hospital by the rehab staff there.
You can help prevent further strokes by making sure her blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol are well-controlled with medication.

Answer 2

I can't answer all your question but here is a good site that gives good info on the questions your asking.
http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=HOME