What a difference 3 months makes. My stroke was 3/2/07. It's now 5/30/07, almost 3 full months. I'm getting around better as I use my cane on occasion. There are times my muscles feel like they don't want to cooperate.
But two days ago, I was talking to Michael. I realized as I was talking that my left hand was being very animated as if I was trying to talk with my hand too. That was the first automated thing I have done since the stroke. EVERYTHING I had done up to the point was a concentrated move on my part. I had to look at my hand and think about what I wanted it to do.
I even said something to him later and pointed with my left finger "over there". Which meant making a fist and extending my index finger, extending my arm and pointing without thinking about it. We both looked at each other as we realized what I had just done without thinking about it. Amazing!
The pain has been subsiding. It is still there mostly in the evening, but it has not been as intense. My muscles still burn though. I heard someone describe their arm as being full of lead. A very heavy feeling. That's what I feel too which makes me very fatigued.
The weather here has been amazing. Today in the upper 80's. The cats outside with black fur and long orange fur don't really like it though. I do!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Doctor appointment update 5/23
I expressed to my doctor the pain and burning in my muscles. His response, "yeah". He didn't seem too surprised. I also mentioned the twitching in my left foot at night. Again his response, "yeah".
Seems all of my side effects are not out of the norm during recovery.
He took the cap of a writing pen to the palm of my right hand and drew a number. It felt like the number 8. He then did the same to my left palm. I about came out of my chair. I'm hypersensitive to certain things, and apparently a writing utensil on the palm of my hand is one of them.
Nothing we discussed seemed to surprise him. He was glad that I jumped when he touched my palm. That meant that some sort of communication was going on and that I felt "something". If I felt nothing, he would have been more concerned.
He did have me close my eyes and would touch my leg or my arm and ask me where I touched him. I would guess but would be wrong because I still do not have that sensory back.
No prescriptions or words of advice on things to come from the doctor. Just good to see you. See you again soon.
Seems all of my side effects are not out of the norm during recovery.
He took the cap of a writing pen to the palm of my right hand and drew a number. It felt like the number 8. He then did the same to my left palm. I about came out of my chair. I'm hypersensitive to certain things, and apparently a writing utensil on the palm of my hand is one of them.
Nothing we discussed seemed to surprise him. He was glad that I jumped when he touched my palm. That meant that some sort of communication was going on and that I felt "something". If I felt nothing, he would have been more concerned.
He did have me close my eyes and would touch my leg or my arm and ask me where I touched him. I would guess but would be wrong because I still do not have that sensory back.
No prescriptions or words of advice on things to come from the doctor. Just good to see you. See you again soon.
Wed, May 23, 2007
I have my second follow up doctor appointment this afternoon. This is with my rehab doctor, not the neurologist. I met with him last month for a check up. This is to monitor my progress and to see where I am in the grand scheme of rehab.
I have been without out-patient rehab for one month now. It will be interesting to hear his comments.
I have been without out-patient rehab for one month now. It will be interesting to hear his comments.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Tuesday May 22, 2007
I wish I had more to report but I guess I have just settled into a daily routine that doesn't have many new things to report.
EXCEPT I do have to say that my orthodontist is pretty darn cool. I got to see her this weekend, to me it was like a "house call". She was up here in Seattle this weekend for an orthodontist convention. We had agreed to meet while she was in town so she could check my teeth. I spoke to her a few times while I was in the rehab hospital. She would call to check on me every now and then even after I had been discharged.
She said things looked great (teeth very clean. in fact, she said cleaner than most her patients who have the full use of both their hands). It's been very challenging to floss my teeth with the use of mainly one hand. But if I can do it, then everyone should be flossing their teeth, no excuses!
She changed the wires on both top and bottom, and gave me more rubber bands. I'm still on track for getting them off next month before the wedding.
So my teeth are pretty sensitive, but right now what is one more thing?
We agreed to have them taken off before the wedding, teeth whitened, fitted for a permanent retainer top and bottom all on the same day.
I'm very excited about it among other things. So I plan on being in her office for full day. Hope I don't hurt too much when it's all over. But I am looking forward to it.
EXCEPT I do have to say that my orthodontist is pretty darn cool. I got to see her this weekend, to me it was like a "house call". She was up here in Seattle this weekend for an orthodontist convention. We had agreed to meet while she was in town so she could check my teeth. I spoke to her a few times while I was in the rehab hospital. She would call to check on me every now and then even after I had been discharged.
She said things looked great (teeth very clean. in fact, she said cleaner than most her patients who have the full use of both their hands). It's been very challenging to floss my teeth with the use of mainly one hand. But if I can do it, then everyone should be flossing their teeth, no excuses!
She changed the wires on both top and bottom, and gave me more rubber bands. I'm still on track for getting them off next month before the wedding.
So my teeth are pretty sensitive, but right now what is one more thing?
We agreed to have them taken off before the wedding, teeth whitened, fitted for a permanent retainer top and bottom all on the same day.
I'm very excited about it among other things. So I plan on being in her office for full day. Hope I don't hurt too much when it's all over. But I am looking forward to it.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Tuesday May 15th, 2007
It's been 15 days since my last out-patient therapy. I miss it and I miss going. I miss the physical challenges from my therapists and I miss the affirmation that I was progressing. So I am in the process of filing an appeal to my insurance company.
Meanwhile, I've been keeping busy. Although now I've been feeling pain and a burning sensation in my muscles only on the left side. I did a little research and found that pain after a stroke occurs in less than 10% of strokes. And burning a feeling in muscles is part of it. Apparently the signals being sent between my brain and muscles never take a break, and therefore they burn. Now what does that mean??!! Who knows?
I have a follow up appointment with my doctor from the rehab hospital next week.
I better get back to my list of chores I started ( I write them down to keep from getting distracted....very easily these days, very tired....very easily these days, and forgetting them...very easily these days). Better get back to "work".
Meanwhile, I've been keeping busy. Although now I've been feeling pain and a burning sensation in my muscles only on the left side. I did a little research and found that pain after a stroke occurs in less than 10% of strokes. And burning a feeling in muscles is part of it. Apparently the signals being sent between my brain and muscles never take a break, and therefore they burn. Now what does that mean??!! Who knows?
I have a follow up appointment with my doctor from the rehab hospital next week.
I better get back to my list of chores I started ( I write them down to keep from getting distracted....very easily these days, very tired....very easily these days, and forgetting them...very easily these days). Better get back to "work".
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
May 9th
Sorry that it has taken so long for a new update. April 30th was my last official out-patient rehab at Good Sam Hospital. It has been an on-going battle with my insurance company which at the very least is very frustrating. It has been a full-time job trying to keep my personal affairs in order. So between making a spreadsheet to track all my medical bills that have been rolling in, and dealing with doctors, and dealing with my insurance company all the while trying to plan a wedding, I've been busy. No excuses...I'm doing ok.
The countdown clock shows 59 days and counting!!
2007 has felt very much like a nightmare. Time sort of stood still yet kept going at the same time. March 2nd felt like yesterday, yet the countdown clock says otherwise.
In addition to wedding planning, I've been trying to keep myself busy with doing my own at-home therapy. My main focus now is my left arm, hand and fingers. I've learned to control it better IF I'm looking at it. At least it comes to me more easily than it did. So there is progress.
Michael took me to get my nails done last week, after about a month. What a strange sensation it was. My right hand has nerve damage in my palm and pinkie due to an unfortunate "bottle" accident a few years back. It is the same type of nerve damage feeling in my left hand when they are filling on my fingers. I still can't feel my left hand, but get sensations that are not to pleasant. Guess that means something is happening.
I did a little research about regaining feeling after a stroke. There is no guarantee that it will return although there is no guarantee that it won't. Meanwhile, I'm fatigued (normal), I'm sore in my muscles (normal), and the muscles on the left side have a burning sensation (not sure if normal or not)
Who knew recovering from a stroke was this physical? Well I sure didn't. I have the metronome going and that so far has been the best thing I've found to help me with walking to a consistent rhythm.
My left ankle is sore when I walk. We bought an arch support for my left foot which helped, but that does not take away the pain.
The dryer is beeping at me. Guess it is time to get back up and finish a few things.
The countdown clock shows 59 days and counting!!
2007 has felt very much like a nightmare. Time sort of stood still yet kept going at the same time. March 2nd felt like yesterday, yet the countdown clock says otherwise.
In addition to wedding planning, I've been trying to keep myself busy with doing my own at-home therapy. My main focus now is my left arm, hand and fingers. I've learned to control it better IF I'm looking at it. At least it comes to me more easily than it did. So there is progress.
Michael took me to get my nails done last week, after about a month. What a strange sensation it was. My right hand has nerve damage in my palm and pinkie due to an unfortunate "bottle" accident a few years back. It is the same type of nerve damage feeling in my left hand when they are filling on my fingers. I still can't feel my left hand, but get sensations that are not to pleasant. Guess that means something is happening.
I did a little research about regaining feeling after a stroke. There is no guarantee that it will return although there is no guarantee that it won't. Meanwhile, I'm fatigued (normal), I'm sore in my muscles (normal), and the muscles on the left side have a burning sensation (not sure if normal or not)
Who knew recovering from a stroke was this physical? Well I sure didn't. I have the metronome going and that so far has been the best thing I've found to help me with walking to a consistent rhythm.
My left ankle is sore when I walk. We bought an arch support for my left foot which helped, but that does not take away the pain.
The dryer is beeping at me. Guess it is time to get back up and finish a few things.
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