Bless your heart, Von. I'm sorry that Johnny is feeling down. He has been through so much and I'm hopeful that he will improve and get to go home with you. I know that you have some challenging times ahead and I wish I could do something to help. Let us know how it goes.
Von, I'm sure Johnny has as much on his mind as you do on yours with all that is happening health wise right now. It's perfectly normal for both of you to be feeling so many different emotions right now. Change is hard... especially when it seems to come out of the blue. I'm praying for both of you and asking God to give you both peace as He walks with both of you everyday down the path for this season of your lives. I know He will give you both the answers you are seeking and I pray He brings healing to Johnny.
@Von Jones I certainly feel for you. Would it be possible for you to get in-home care for your hubby? Sometimes that is easier for all and cheaper than a care facility for the insurance folks. If he truly needs skilled nursing care, that wouldn't be a solution, but if you just need help caring for his needs and moving him, in-home care might be enough. That would leave you free to carry on with life, go shopping, meet with friends, etc., and it would at the same time relieve you of the burden of trips to the care facility. The trips to the "home" can be a burden on you in itself. I hope this is temporary and it will be resolved favorably in a short time.
I have considered this option initially and from the call I just received from the social worker that the two facilities I chose were at capacity. The list of facilities that are contracted with the VA is very short. Also there are some that are vague about services in the description such as physical therapy being available.
I am so sorry to hear of your husband's troubles, @Von Jones. Strokes are awfully unpredictable. While doctors sometimes make predictions, patients often prove them wrong. I won't go into detail here because it's not necessarily going to help you, and because I have told the story elsewhere here, but I had an aunt who went into a nursing home after suffering a stroke. It looked like a major stroke, from what I understand, and no one expected her to ever come out of the nursing home. Her son, who was a real estate agent, sold her house and farm, but she recovered completely, ended up having to sue her son to get the money from the sale of her farm, and spent nearly twenty-five years driving around the country visiting relatives who have moved. I saw her when I was living in Southern California, and she visited again when I was in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, more than once, because she had a daughter in McAllen. In both places, there were other relatives she could visit too, so I don't suppose she made the trips just to see me. But she recovered from what appeared to be a major stroke well enough to drive across the country several times, over a period of more than twenty years. Eventually, she had another stroke that she didn't recover from but she was in her late 80s by then. Unfortunately, that's not the case for everyone. Perhaps the predictors have gotten more reliable in the past couple of decades, but strokes can still be unpredictable.
I have been thinking about you. Sometimes sadness makes us stronger. Just know I care and think of you.
Von, like Ken said, strokes are unpredictable. My nephew had one and wasn't expected to live. He not only lived but recovered enough to drive and live alone. The only thing that shows he ever had a stroke is that his speech is not perfect. My best wishes for you and Johnny.
So sorry I just read about your husband's medical problems. Good suggestions you received I hope will help. I will be praying for your husband, you, and your family. Stay strong.
Everyone one I've spoken with seems really nice and very professional. A funny experience though I had to schedule an appointment to visit because of the COVID policies they had in place. I did this on Monday for Wednesday. It's only for 30 minutes so I scaled down what I had planned but what I didn't do was check Google on the route and met up with a big ROAD CLOSED sign . Oh that threw me way off. I followed the detour sign to the end of it and the street was completely closed. At the first turn off i stopped to gather my thoughts I ended up in a park parking lot, sat there for a moment and headed back home. I called to cancel 10 minutes before the appointment time and didn't reschedule. The rest of the evening (appointment was for 7pm) I spent thinking what went wrong on a 9 minute drive . I woke up the next morning and checked Google. I had the right address, okay. I checked the route and there it was I should have turned left instead of right. I thought I knew the area well but...not. The social worker did update me on Johnny's progress with physical therapy and he is coming along okay. I miss him.
Johnny will be coming home next week! I visited him Thursday evening. I asked how the therapy was going and he said 'slow.' Knowing Johnny I knew his wasn't put his best effort forward so I set down a mission. Tough Love.' We are going to get you back home so YOU need to cooperate and do what they say. He smiled. I got a call from the Director and she said that Johnny had been doing great in therapy and she was so excited to tell me but she said when she told him he was going home and asked if he was excited all he responded was 'Um huh.' She wasn't convinced that he was. I asked 'Did he have a smile on his face?' She said yes he did. I said there you go. She laughed. I'm waiting for a call to arrange for him to continue to have physical therapy at home.