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my stroke stroke survivors Uncategorized

Happy Easter!

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Easter is coming. I want to wish you everything which is good, but that later. If i tell you now, you will not read the important part (( ;

Lately I’ve been spending hours a day talking to one guy;)  Sometimes it even sounds feels like a confession – well, since i don’t go to the church, maybe it’s needed. I talk about problems that I’ve been discussing here for past two years too.

Of course I’m being cautious, why deter someone right away, but still. Strokes, spasticity, hormones, epilepsy, Rheumatology issues, many things in general. Shortages in abilities too.

And after confessing all of it i hear what? ‚It’s ok, you are more than that’.

At first I was left in deep shock. Because 99 percent of reactions are entirely different.

It’s so rare to hear something like that from person who isn’t that involved into your problems for, at least months.

Typical reactions are rather like this: Continue reading

my stroke

The cause of my strokes is found! Carotid artery dissection. So happy!

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Another 4 days in hospital and… The cause of my stroke is found. Carotid artery dissection. Hooray!

As you may know, I’ve had millions of checkups of millions of things, I’ve been visiting doctors patiently for the past two years and increased my actions in this field after second stroke. And finally! FINALLY! Some doctors decided to send me to angiography.

And angiography showed a problem. It was conducted by brilliant specialist in the best Polish hospital (I have to thank my friends and my luck here)… But I didn’t expect much. Really I didn’t. I had just slight evidence that this procedure is needed.

My first angio CT scan didn’t small aneurysm or something like that. Something to be controlled, not to be removed.

Now we know that the problem has been bigger. Continue reading

my stroke rehabilitation spasticity Uncategorized

Finally! Website about spasticity is here!

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With slight delay I may present you website with complex knowledge about spasticity:

http://lifewithspasticity.com

Right now only in English, but the website is going to be translated to other languages (including Polish, that’s great news for my Polish readers;) The morethe better i guess. I think the site will be available for more than English speakers:)

THE WEBSITE HAD IT’S LAUNCH, BUT WILL BE UPDATED.

For example next questions are waiting to be answered. You may remember that we (me and you, my readers) submitted some questions too.

To tell the truth I’m certain that the website will do many good things researches show people know about spasticity less than they should. Often they don’t even know what they are suffering from. This website is a first place online (I’m certain for like 99,99999999%) that collected important all basic and lot of non-basic data about spasticity. Actually it helped also me, and even before i wouldn’t call myself ignorant in this matter. Continue reading

my stroke rehabilitation Uncategorized

What happens to your brain when you exercise?

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This is truely comforting. It’s so important to get to know out brain and impact of exercises.

For these of you who can’t watch the video, i will just give a short resume.

This lady speaks about three great things:

  1. Exercising makes you happier. During working out grows level of for neurotransmiters  (or neurohormons) which are responsible for your mood. You generaly get happier:)
  2. Your attention and concentration improves! Well, many researches prove that.
  3. exercising stimulates producing new cells in hipocamp. Hipocamp is very, very important, as stimulating it is improving our long term memory.

So. Three things so useful for stroke survivors. I believe all of  these:)  If we want to be happy, feel better and focus better, and have better memory,  invite someone for a long walk. Well, tommorow I’m gonna start the day with my x-trainer;)

my stroke strokes Uncategorized

We’ve not known treatment for stroke yet. But there is hope… Listen.

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treatment for stroe?My new friends (usually from Internet) ask me frequently what is the treatment for stroke. I always tell them that we don’t know magical cure for brain stroke. There isn’t anything which can give us back damaged brain. The best treatments are, at least I think so, taking general care of yourself, exercises for both brain and body, physiotherapy… Anything which helps you to regain lost functions.

BUT! Look here!

„Researchers from the University of Manchester have developed a new treatment that could limit the damage caused by treatment for stroke and also promote repair in the affected area of the brain. What’s more, the drug they’re using has already been clinically approved”

Doesn’t it sound brilliant?

According to this article researchers notices quicker neurogenesis in areas damaged by post-stroke treatment, but also by stroke itself.

Some of lab mieces even regained motoric abilities! The question is then whether results of the research will be published in prestigious title& weather these will be confirmed.

So far the article and results of tests gave me a big smile for a day. I dream about cure for stroke. Not even for myself, my body&mind&life quality isn’t that bad, but if i had a chance I’d go for clinical trial;pBut there are people much sicker. without ability to walk, or talk, or smile, or sit, or grab, or see, or with huge spasticity… This med would be so greatfor our community!

my stroke Uncategorized

how much does my stroke cost me?

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I need money. as some time ago I wrote about on the topic how our National Health Fund cuts money for stroke treatment and I try to save for  new computer, I think about money quite frequently.

I decided the amounts I’m spending on treatment from my pocket. The information you need first is that I get about 750 zł a month(=ca. 170 EUR=ca.180 USD). It’s a minimal amount you can get from our National Insurance Company for  saving there for a lifetime.

I decided to count my  usual money spent on ‚aroundstroke’ things.

Well, here it goes.

  • My physiotherapist gets 70 zł/h=c.16 EUR=c.17 USD) She comes here twice a week. Not too much, but also not too little. Some physiotherapists in my city demand much more. In some cases hourly rate can be lower. As far as I know my neighbors pay much more for the therapist.

Lets count: 70*4,5(weeks in a month i think)*2= 630PLN=146EUR=157USD

  • my water massage for hand and leg. Both for 7 zł (with a discount. Normally it would cost 14 zł). I go there twice a week.

Lets count: 7*2*2*4,5=126 zł=29EUR=31USD

  • meds I can only estimate cause I  buy bigger cuantities at one time. I mean doctors perscribe sometimes for more than one month. That’s fair.

Lets count: it should be around 100 zł a month=23EUR=25USD

  • But lets count further. Some specialists i see for „free” (public health system), but some I see in private offices. There are nice surprises. Allergist and laryngologist were available publicly and in sensible terms. But there are specialists you have to pay. The waiting line or rheumatologist is just 2 years in my city in public clinic. Not everything is linked closely to strokes. But still, in some way for sure. Like last September I was sitting in hospital, but still i managed to pay for endocrinologist.
  • Lets count: average 130 zł/month i suppose=30EUR=32USD

 

  • and checkups. It’s easy to get referral from the doc for TSH and level of cholesterol once a year, and for tomography twice a year. But for some I have to pay myself.

Lets count: the averagely it would be around 30 zł per month=7EUR=7USD

Together is gives us 1136 zł/month=263 EUR=284. And i get only 750PLN=173 EUR=187USD. 

That sucks big time;) But there is nothing much i can do.

I could sell all my books, but i use my parents, struggling to provide for me. That sucks. And I haven’t counted cost of my brand new nutritionist. which will cost me like 400-500 zł per month. All of it is half of my mom’s salary.

Well, i guess you should be wondering why I don’t wait to get everything publicly. But believe me, it’s impossible. Some things would be possible for sure, but it would extend the time of my recovery or even make my condition worse. I want to go back to work and provide for myself. You know what I  mean.

 

 

my stroke spasticity

How great is my christmas gift? Great for spasticity i think:)

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One of my Christmas gifts is:

15934644_10154287310658366_328775291_n

since I’ve started with hydro-massages my foot is much less stiff. For example: all my toes  touch the ground.

But lately I’ve been sick and been spending time in bed. And i realised that my spasticity got bigger. AGain. I will go back to my massages as soon as possible. It’s good to know, that my hydro-massager for feet works well. I want to assure you that these are not pointless.

Another person who got such gift from Santa also claims that her foot hurts bit less:) That means that we can recommend it to you:) Me, for sure!:)

in my opinion my stroke

If you’ve ever thought how stroke feels like… Happy new year!:)

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in my humble opinion stoke is like the worst hangover you can imagine. Which lasts and lasts and lasts for too long…

your are mumbling instead talking

you can’t keep your balance

light and noise are like millions of needles which stick into your soul

this headacheeeeeeeeee

you are so tired

and so poor

world seems to be unfair and full of evil

you can’t control your body

you can’t swallow or you can’t even look at food

But this hangover doesn’t leave you after a day in bed. You have to work hard to mineralize its effects.

I’m writing abut it for few reasons. First: I want you to feel it a bit more. Secondly: I want to express that I’m happy not to have hangovers anymore;p Third thing would be wishing you

to not have any hangover-like symptoms,

I wish you happy 2017. I hope it will be kind, veryyyyy healthy and happy. I hope that you will have like millions of dollars and all institutions will have stay away from you. I hope that 2017  will give you love, joy and friendship. I hope that government will not piss you off, bed will be always warm, and headaches will keep away.

Dear 2016, fuck off. You weren’t too kind for me, for the world also, to tell the truth. Few nice surprises will not recompense me all the diseases and hours of doubts. I’ve just kicked  your butt and i want inform you that my delicious champagne (below) is going to bit you up. Ok, let’s face the truth: 2017 doesn’t have a difficult task to do;)
hello kitty champagne
PS

lately I’ve been whining a bit too much. My first new year’s resolution is to stop it. Good one, isn’t it?

 

my stroke

after and more after

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Facebook memories’ve just showed me picture from 2 years ago.

such collages show me how much i’ve reached.

after and more after stroke

First pic was taken hortly after first stroke, second one – shortly after second one.

I’m not miss universe, but still I don’t have reasons to complain, or do I? 🙂

epilepsy my stroke

Suddenly I’m epileptic. Epilepsy after brain stroke

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img_20161210_135549Well, my trip to Warsaw didn’t go quite as I planned. I went to my beloved doc and I managed to see my beloved friends. I had some troubles buying my falafel. I was too distractd to focus on the menue.

My hemi-paresis and confusion was bigger than usually.

And from one moment I don’t remembr anything. Friends said that I was speaking clearly but without sense. And one moment I lifted my hand up and I was staring at it. Like a Statue of Liberty?

Then i started to turn my body left. And I clamped my jaws. And I fell. Or I was blown down… And I started to shake.

From what I don’t remember my friends reaction was full of panic. Crying and running around. Someone put me in the recovery position. My awaress came back in hospital. Someone told me that they suspect another stroke. I remember crying so much. Word ‚epilepsy’ was used later. When I saw my friends I became calm. I even joked. 😉

My doctors were supercool. Most of nurses and ward nurses also. During next days my epilepsy was confirmed. Now I’m a strokie with pilepsy blem.

We don’t now how it will develop. Maybe drugs will work perfctly and this attack was my last epileptic performance. But it doesn’t have to be one time show. In hospital I met a girl with post-stroke epilepsy who still can’t win her battle. I feel so sorry for her.

In this moment I’d love to deny  rumours that I was running out the topics to write on my blog(s) and that’s why I developed epilepsy. It wasn’t also for fading interest in my person. I don’t invite anyone for medical marihuana just yet.