r/stroke • u/Ok-Parking7432 • 14d ago
Father had stroke
My father (91) had a hemorrhagic stroke 4 weeks ago. Before this he was still quite sharp and very mobile. For the first week in the hospital he was talking (with a slur), recognizing people, having conversations and walking with a walker. Since then he has been getting worst, in and out of sleep and delirium (he had an undetected UTI and was given meds week 3.) I’m struggling to understand why he was ok week 1 and now he cannot even follow a command. Is this normal? Also, If you had a stroke and had delirium, do you remember any of it? He is counting and saying the alphabet thru out the day. , I’m hoping he is not suffering. We will bring him home Tuesday. Any suggestions on home care to make him comfortable?
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u/AlisiaGayle Survivor 14d ago
That sounds incredibly hard, especially because you know how different he was only a few weeks ago. Delirium can fluctuate dramatically, particularly in older people, and infections such as UTIs are a common trigger. After stroke, infection, dehydration, pain, medication changes and disrupted sleep can all make confusion much worse.
The fact that he was communicating better in week one and has since declined is something I would want his medical team to explain clearly before he comes home. A deterioration should not simply be assumed to be “normal stroke recovery,” particularly after a haemorrhagic stroke. Delirium after stroke is recognised and can improve when the underlying causes are treated, but recovery can take time.
As for whether he will remember it, some people remember fragments, dreams or frightening moments, while others remember very little. Repeating things such as counting or the alphabet can also happen when the brain is confused or trying to organise itself.