Spoke with Andrea on the Phone

[Peggiann]

I and Andrea spoke on the phone last evening for quite a while.
She is has been ill with an upper respitory infection. She's been in to the DR.'s and is on some medicine for it now.

Terri-Gene is still bleeding in the brain. They have mentioned surgery  earlier but not since she went back in ICU. Terri-Gene was finally able to remember the kids by name by the end of the weekend... with them asking her who am I and what's my name again... over and over. Terri-Gene's Left side is paralized at this time. So left hand doesn't work for doing things and holding things.

Because I have experience in caring for and working to retrain with stroke victims, I emailed Andrea some important paper work on what the family could do while Terri-Gene is still in the hospital and what questions to ask the DR.'s in this situation, which she was glad to get. How to fight the "Hopelessness Syndrom" that can sometimes set in. More so with this type stroke than others.They had not been told back when Terri-Gene had the last stroke the chances of reoccurance of another so this was not something they were aware of but are now.

It is important for us here to pose questions from the forum for Terri- Gene's imput and take on things. Maybe a special forum easy for Andrea to find the questions, or for those that have her email send directly that way. So she has reason to fight and will answer them back when she can. Terri-Gene, when read them to her, will eventially have burning desire to respond and it will help her try to work her way back with speech and writing. ( Most times the wirtting is scribble and means notheing to others but does to the one recovering from the stroke at first then with practice it all comes back to them.) It's important to find the things most important to her and use them to pull her through this. Andrea reads what we write to her. She holds the papers and cards as the one hand thing gets awkword. I purpose we word the posts as we would have before the stroke. This will cause her to feel she is getting back to normal. Everything must be possitive and with a needing her imput aspect.

Wanted to share with you as I knew you all would want to know.

Smiles to Everyone,
Peggiann

[Cassandra]

Hi Peggi,

Sounds like a good idea. Could you suggest some sample questions we could use as a guide?

Cassie

[Peggiann]

The following were just a few of what Terri-Gene seen she had need to answer to. Anything that is from any of you that carried on back and forth with her are fine. Just remember to include Terri I really need your input or Terri what's your take on this, Or Terri I'd be interested to know what you think about? All will make her want to try to respond. That's what is needed to stimulate. Nothing should be said about her condition and such like that. It is always good therapy to get involved in someone else trouble and issues of importance.


"I am a pre op. So is it all in the mind or not?"

"worried that it may be harder to srs/grs if they shrink too much so I will have to talk that over with someone"

"I must admit my breast did get alot larger in the space of 24 hours and that was good but everything else was not, soooo I am now trying to slowly introduce my body to hormones again and because I had a large rush of Testosterone back into my body I now suffer from panic attacks/breathlesness/sore stomach and palpitating veins so when I take any tablets I get very uptight."

"I cannot understand why you all knock your President?"

"just the thought that I'll be starting over as Melissa is very comforting in itself"
Melissa I'm sure Terri-Gene would want to know more about your starting hormones now and the baby aspirin.


"If a weird male liked women sexually before transition will she like them sexually after transition?"

"WOuld a padded bra be better for me? i find thought i stuff mine with hand towels"

"do I need to stop tweezing and let the hair grow for awhile before I start treatments?"

"Um is there a different feel on the type of bra i choose?"

"There is nothing I can do about it but it would still be nice to know it was something hereditary.  Just call me curious."


"hy is it that just because I know that I am a woman infers that my brain must be damaged because I was born with a male body."

Hope this helps.

Smiles,
Peggiann

[melissa_girl]

Where do you want us to send these messages?

Melissa

[Valerie]

Thank you, Peggiann...I know Andrea is most grateful for your insight and caring.....

[Peggiann]

Humm...

We didn't talk about where to send them. So may just keep sending them to the same post as we have been and I'll copy them off and past them all in to one email. She'll be calling tonight or tomorrow so I'll ask her what she prefers then, but for now let's do it this way.

Smiles,
Peggiann

[Jillieann Rose]

Thanks for the posting Peggiann.
Yes I'm sure Andrea aprecitive pf your help.
Please keep us informed.

Jillieann

[Shelley]

You are one very lovely lady Pegiann.

Shelley