Reinvent & Repeat

As time goes by, exercises must still be done to loosen joints & muscles to keep everything supple.
As I have scar tissue of the brain, I have to teach my brain how to achieve movements in a different way - find another way to what I would normally have done.
One exercise that is still a challenge is to try and get my thumb to touch each finger end:
I still require high levels of concentration to be able to achieve this.



Since my fall I have become aware of discomfort in my upper arm and also that at times my fingers are not as supple as they have been. This, naturally, disappoints me, but I have to remain philosophical about this and I try to keep telling myself that this is only a setback. This can be testing at times  - I have to get to the stage where I was at before my fall and then progress from there.

Use it or Lose It

For those of you who are reading the blog, I hope that in some way it will have helped or given inspiration or simply to know that YOU may be experiencing the same effects and that you are not alone.
There are over one million Stroke survivors in the U.K. half of whom have been left with disabilities which affect their daily lives. Stroke has a sudden and massive impact and affects people physically and emotionally. As we all know there are some pretty terrible diseases some of which can be cured by operations, but a Stroke can affect so many areas of the body and it is the third most common cause of death in the U.K.
I consider myself to have been very lucky: when it happened to me I was with someone whose quick thinking and getting me to hospital within 30 minutes gave me the best possible start on my journey to recovery.

As you may know, I do not look back and read the blog and so make no apologies if you read something that has previously been written.
I have a long road to journey yet, but still remain focused and have taken inspiration from a Jill Bolte Taylor, a brain scientist who took 7 years to recover from her Stroke. You can see her story:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyyjU8fzEYU

I am slowly getting back to normal after Christmas & New Year and also on my way back after a fall.
I did not go anywhere over the festivities due to a bout of' 'flu and then a couple of weeks ago I had a fall in the loft at home, which has long been converted into a bedroom and bathroom. I have no idea what caused me to fall, whether the bed moved or whether I wrong footed myself. All I do know was that I was totally unable to move or roll over to make an attempt to get up. I had the radio on and my husband was downstairs in the kitchen also listening to the radio, so it took me around 15 minutes to alert him during which time I was laid out flat on my back. He slowly had to manoeuvre me and lift me safely off the floor. For the next week, I took things extremely quietly and slowly and had to rely on my husband even more. I did manage to go out for a meal to celebrate our wedding anniversary.

I subsequently made an appointment to see the practitioner of neurological diagnostics to fix me after the "whoopsie" moment as he called it. I was quite amazed as he worked on the areas that were hurting: my back really hurt if I breathed in deeply, my upper arm hurt and in areas felt as though I had a friction burns, my right shoulder blade felt bruised and once again my neck was very painful.

The treatment resulted in popping a rib back in place, rotating the right shoulder blade as well as treatment on the neck. I have to admit that for the following 24/36 hours I felt quite tender, but now am reaping all the benefits of his skills. At this time I asked about the end finger digits on my right hand, which even now feel like they have had a friction burn. I was told that this is brain scarring and I guess this is why my finger nails grow ridged and dry. I have sent finger nail samples to the hospital, but they have not identified any deficiency. I massage oil and cream into my hands and nails but do not see any improvements. 

vertical ridges and feathering

This little "setback" has really made me think just how vulnerable I have become and really must be careful in what I do, but at the same time must not wrap myself in cotton wool. To carry on as normal as can be but be aware of any risks.
I now try to lead as normal a life as possible and do jobs or go out during the day and have set hours when I go to bed. I try to go out on Friday evenings with my husband which is the only time we both meet up with friends together. However, if I have been busier than usual or had any form of treatment or even been out during the day for two or three consecutive days I stay in, which I know can be disappointing for my husband. Some weeks I do not go out at all during the evenings.

I am still working on improving my right hand and arm movement, but have temporarily suspended the Chairobics class after my fall. The arm and hand have to be worked - it is a case of use it or lose it and I will not give in. We now have a 1 year old granddaughter who wants me to play and sit on the floor with her and feed her, that is one of the biggest incentives I know to get better.
My father used to say KBO - Keep Bashing On and he was right.

If you pondered about my writing & typing: I have to use my left hand, something which did not come naturally as I was right handed.
To use the Control/Shift keys I sometimes have to hold it down with a stapler or the like.
When I have written a document I use spell check to confirm that all is in order - I still type TEH for THE - I have no reason for this, it is only since my Stroke that this occurs.
When I am writing my blog or a document or letter I always have a "word" document open - this means that I can check for spelling and research alternate words.

IF the telephone rings whilst I am sitting in front of the computer I am now quite adept at holding the 'phone on my left shoulder whilst typing a message directly onto an open document.

All of this I have had to work out to find alternate ways of working, it can be done and nothing is impossible. It can and is frustrating at times not only for me, but also for my husband, who has to calm me down when things go wrong and sometimes work out what I mean when I cannot fully explain things to him.

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.

Stroke survey

If your life has been affected by stroke, please fill in this survey by 10 December 2012 to help The Stroke Association understand the impact of stroke on your everyday life:
http://www.stroke.org.uk/emotionalimpact

A report will be published based on the findings next May, and it will be used to push for improved support and care of people affected by stroke and in future campaigning work.

Answers will be treated confidentially.

The Stroke Association would like to hear both from stroke survivors and their families and carers too.

 

Please feel free to share this.

Life After Stroke: 2013

Nominations are now open for the Life After Stroke Awards 2013.

Whether they are a stroke survivor, carer, volunteer or professional, let them know how remarkable they are by nominating them for a Stroke Association Life After Stroke Award!

Visit http://www.stroke.org.uk/LASA to nominate.