I am burning CDs for my father, who is "trapped in" after a stroke

[Taverner]

They say it will help

I am giving him:

3 CDs of Bach's complete harpsichord concertos

1 CD of Beethoven's 9th

1 CD of Miles Davis 'Kind of Blue'

2 CDs of the MadMen Soundtrack

1 CD of Paul McCartney's 'New"

Have I got all bases covered?

He loves classical, but he's Silent Generation, so music from his "glory days" can't hurt

He liked the Beatles, and I'm sure he'd be happy that after all these years, Macca finally put out a decent album again!

[russspeakeasy]

1. Good for you...

[Shampoobra]

2. oops -- meant to reply to the OP (nt)

[Shampoobra]

3. Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61

is the most beautiful piece of classical music I've ever heard.

[Ron Obvious]

4. Some Mozart or Vivaldi, perhaps?

It's more upbeat and cheerful than most.

[Taverner]

11. Shostakovich? Stravinsky?

[grasswire]

5. how old is he? nt

[Surya Gayatri]

6. Music is food for the soul and an echo of the universe. It also exercises parts of the brain

that speech cannot reach.

Your father will be dancing inside his head and thanking you every second, even though he can't tell you.

[antiquie]

7. Traditional Hawaiian

Music to nod off to.

[Arugula Latte]

8. How about some Dave Brubeck?

[rug]

9. Doo wop and oldies

&list=PL84FC3B395A2FAA01

[Taverner]

10. He's older than those oldies

Perry Como, Percy Faith, but mostly classical

[Blue_In_AK]

12. Taverner, I feel so bad for you dealing with this.

My mom had a stroke, too, back in 1999. The two months until she passed away were the most helpless I've ever felt. What you are doing is very sweet, and I do believe it helps. My mother's favorite was Charlotte Church, which she was listening to when she took her last breath. I think that beautiful music was a blessing to all of us who were in the room with her (children, grandchildren).

I haven't said much, but I've been thinking of you. <hug>

[Taverner]

13. Thanks. This shit sucks, don't it?

Fuckall, this sucks...

[Blue_In_AK]

17. Is your father unable to speak?

Is he at home, hospital or assisted living?

I will tell you of our experience so you can be wary and prepared if this happens to you. My mother was a wonderful woman who had been an RN until she was 50. Then she went back to school and got her teaching degree and taught kindergarten until she retired at 70. She had the stroke when she was 74. The fact that she couldn't communicate with anyone after the stroke was extremely frustrating to her and she would get very angry at the therapists who were trying to work with her. We'd see the tears welling up in her eyes when she couldn't make herself understood. It was pretty awful. We had to have her in assisted living because neither I nor my brothers could stay with her at home and we couldn't afford home health care. I think not being in her own home (where she had lived for 30 years) added to her frustration.

Finally, she had a heart attack and was re-admitted to the hospital where she passed away shortly after. I honestly believe she willed herself to have that heart attack...she just couldn't deal with the frustration of being "closed in."

I don't know if this is any help to you, but be aware of the possibility of depression and do what you can to keep his spirits up. It won't be easy.

[Taverner]

18. He cannot speak, swallow or move

He can move his left hand a little

The rest of his body is paralyzed

I know what he said when we were young,

But asking him now

He is scared

So music. No reason for anything but music.

Peace to you

MK

[Blue_In_AK]

19. And to you.

[Hayabusa]

14. Did he grow up listening to Big Band?

If so, a bit of that wouldn't hurt.

[Taverner]

15. THE transition from Big Band to Rock and Roll

It was a very specific time

[mrmpa]

16. The two following pieces..............

Tchaikovsky's 6th symphony (Pathetique)
Shostakovich's 7th symphony (Leningrad symphony)

Both of these works (though Tchaidovsky's was written in the 1890"s) elicit many emotions surrounding WWII.

[Taverner]

20. Shostakovich Piano Concerto #2

[Baitball Blogger]

21. Have you thought of getting him audio books?