An Interview with Mr. Somphop Yimsricharoenkit: A Son's Journey of Bringing His Mother for Rehabilitation at KIN – Episode 1

 

Interviewer: How did you learn about KIN?

Mr. Somphop: My mother had actually been living with the effects of a stroke for four to five years. When her condition became more serious, we felt that we needed to find a center that genuinely specialized in this type of care. My partner searched online and found many different places, but KIN appeared among the first results. We reviewed patient testimonials, looked at the facility, and considered its location. It is very close to my workplace. The center also appeared clean, private, and well maintained.

 

Interviewer: How did you feel when you first learned that your mother was ill?

Mr. Somphop: The first time we learned that my mother was ill, she had traveled to Chachoengsao. She developed symptoms and was taken to a hospital there. The hospital called my sibling and me, and everyone immediately drove to Chachoengsao to see her. When I first heard the news, I felt terrible. I felt that my mother was still too young to become seriously ill so soon. It did not feel right, but we had to accept that she had experienced a stroke. From then on, we had to be careful about many different things. I felt very sad that this had happened to her at that time.

 

Interviewer: What were your reasons for choosing KIN to care for your mother?

Mr. Somphop: As I mentioned, when I searched online, I found many different centers. I compared the facilities, the care provided, the prices, and several other factors.

 

    Simply put, not every facility understands how to care for a patient affected by stroke. It is not enough to place a parent in a nursing home or an elderly care facility. What matters is whether the team can provide proper care, understands the patient’s specific condition, and has sufficient knowledge of the disease.

 

Interviewer: Which programs did you select for your mother?

Mr. Somphop: At KIN, I added 15 physical therapy sessions, scheduled every other day. We also selected TMS, which uses magnetic stimulation of the brain. She received five TMS sessions.

 

Interviewer: Did you notice any difference after combining TMS with physical therapy?

Mr. Somphop: I believe the difference was clearly noticeable. When my mother’s condition was at its most severe, she could not even stand. Her thinking and speech were also slow. After receiving regular physical therapy and TMS, she said that she could feel more sensation in the distal areas of her limbs. Previously, she had very little sensation in these areas. She could not bend her fingers and could barely feel the ends of her fingers and toes. After the stimulation, she began to feel those areas more clearly, could move them more easily, and gradually developed greater strength. Physical therapy also improved the movement of her left shoulder, which had become stiff. I did not initially know when the stiffness began because she had never told us about it. After coming to KIN, the physical therapist informed me that my mother’s left arm could not be fully raised and that the movement caused pain. That was when I realized she had developed shoulder stiffness. The team worked with her through physical therapy, and she can now raise the arm higher than before, although not yet through its full range. Her condition has improved, and the team helped me understand many aspects of my mother’s health that I had never previously known.