Tuesday 11 January 2011

Straight Down The Middle

After the initial few days of lounging in the Stroke Unit, being moved onto the Stroke Ward, albeit in a single room, seemed to me to be progress. Assessments had been made and re-hab plan sorted.

It was at this point,when I was now able to be out of bed, that I took stock of how I had been affected.
It was as though a line had been drawn down the centre of my body, from head to toe, and all points to the right had been affected in some way:-

Left eye, (as we are cross-wired), right of centre of my teeth, right centre of lips, right arm hand and fingers, right leg and foot and also bladder and bowels.

My teeth seemed to have no feeling and this was a complete nightmare as I often chomped away on my inner cheek which caused mouth ulcers. It was very difficult to chew food and so I took the "easy eating" option from the menu to begin with. I tried to de-sensitise my lips and arm by stroking them.

The ward physio began working with me, sometimes in my room and at other times in the dedicated  physio treatment room.

At my field vision test I just fired at everything that appeared to move, the card looked like a shoot out at the O.K. Corral. I had another couple of tests whilst I was an in-patient, and thankfully improved as I had continued to do the eye strengthening exercises. I have also had a couple of follow up appointments since being discharged.

I also found out that I couldn't whistle or blow my nose - to date these are things that I still cannot do. (18 months on)

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