Botox Clinic

I have been lucky enough to have been given the opportunity of having Botox injections as part of my treatment. I first visited the clinic in September & December 2011 and last year I visited the clinic in February, July and November.
Botox is given under strict supervision and at an appropriate time, too much can be counter-productive. It will never be a cure but gives the widow of opportunity for exercising as muscles relax.
I had injections at my February and July appointments, but as my fingers were quite relaxed when I visited the clinic in November it was deemed not to be appropriate.
I returned to the clinic this week and again my fingers are really relaxed, as they have been for some months now, even in the cold weather. So, after a lengthy discussion it was mutually agreed that I would be discharged, but can make contact if I get into any difficulties. This means that I have now been discharged from all of the clinics that I have attended as part of my rehabilitation.
After three and a half years this feels like a massive milestone. However, I still have a long way to go and I am now in charge of my own destiny. Exercise is the overriding factor and I believe the key to recovery.

For sometime I have had a mental conflict with the use of mainstream medicine alongside complementary medicine - where they cross over. I have had such fantastic care with everyone at the hospital but now must look for assistance in other directions. I still go to Acupuncture around every three weeks and I firmly believe that this helps with my stamina levels.
I also go to weekly Chairobics classes and in the two or three months that I have been going I feel that my muscles have loosened up and have given me a broader range of movement. At times it can be painful when I stretch further than I would normally, but then I do feel the benefit. One of the ladies who attends the class has made comment that she has noticed the difference in my range since I have been attending. This is very gratifying to me as sometimes I cannot notice any changes on a daily basis.

I have also been recommended a practitioner of Neurological and Muscular Skeletal Diagnostics whom I have seen twice. The visits were pretty amazing, and after short discussions, I have had the appropriate treatment for what was at that time causing me discomfort.
I have been susceptible to neck pain since my Stroke and have also always maintained that I have some kind of "blockage" in my right arm on the inner elbow joint.
On my first visit my neck was worked on and I left with my joints put back in alignment and have felt much better since.
On my second visit work on my right arm was undertaken and almost immediately my arm and fingers became more relaxed and long.
These visits are not by regular appointment, but only when I feel the need. The practitioner told me that: "if something is broken then he will fix it".

I only have praise for the staff at the hospital for all their time and effort that has been invested in me, I endeavoured to play my part by exercising and being mindful. I have had wonderful care from the ward staff, physiotherapists, eye clinic, botox clinic and occupational therapists and complementary practitioners.

I have had, and continue to have, fantastic support from my family and friends. I will continue treatment of a complementary nature and continue exercise classes and also beaver away at home.

. . . I will, of course, continue to write about my recovery which is still very much work in progress.

Christmas and New Year

I always find Christmas and New Year quite stressful. I am not too sure why this happens but since my Stroke I figure that it is the end of a year without a full recovery & I have to start another with the same goals. After a three or four weeks period of mentally reasoning this out I am fine and back on track.
I know that I have made fantastic recovery, but there is a long way to go yet with many hurdles to get over.
This year over the Christmas break I was rather under the weather with a flu-type virus and I did not manage to get out anywhere for a couple of weeks. I am just about recovered now, but it has been a hard road at times. If I get any kind of illness I have to recover firstly from that and then start again to maintain my Stroke recovery levels which can be a tall order.
I am now managing to do short walks and at least get out and meet people.

Below is a picture of my current slippers that I wear. They are actually a pair of GoWalk Resalyte
outdoor shoes. They are very warm and cosy and with the rubber sole are extremely safe for walking around the house.

I am still continuing to wear my resting splint overnight for my fingers and my foot-up splint when I go out anywhere. I have just recently got a friend to "dress" my splint so that if I choose to wear a dress or skirt it does not look like one big piece of black fabric around my ankle.

How I wish that I had thought of this last year: I could have gone Patriotic for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee or Olympics!

I am due to go to the Botox clinic next week and this time I feel that the time is right for another injection. It will be six months since my previous injection which is very good news,

Chairobics

Happy New Year!  

I have had a little break from writing about the effects of my Stroke and my recovery, so now there is quite a bit to catch up on.

I am now settled into the routine of weekly exercising at the Chairobics class. I can do the majority of exercises & what I am unable to do the instructor will assist me and use as demonstration purposes. It can be difficult to try and coordinate two movements simultaneously and it requires concentration.
The exercise workout usually begins with a blend of stretches and gradually progresses to more accelerated movements all of which are performed while sitting down.
Exercise bands are also used and are great tools to use, as they add a level of resistance that increases the body's range of motion.
Exercise Balls, which we occasionally use, can be used in a variety of different ways, exercising with a ball requires constant balance to maintain stability, and makes us use more muscle groups. I have found it difficult to keep it steady when trying to roll it backwards and forwards underneath my right foot.
Since attending classes my muscles are not as tight and I am positive that it is all beneficial although it can take me a while to recover after the workout.

I have added some photographs, but as they are not of the best quality I will update them at some future time.

No 1

No 2

No 3

No 4

No 5

No 6

No.1 Keep the right arm down by your side and stretch the left arm over the head & repeat
No 2 Pull up right foot and try and stretch fingers over the toes.Repeat on the other side
No 3 Fingers loose over the knees and then (4) raise hands to clap.  Repeat, starting with hands on knee and try to raise hands further.
No5  As shown & repeat on the other side
No 6 Stretch arms behind pulling in shoulder muscles.
These are a selection of exercises which must be done under instruction.