My miss Madzia changed her place of living. That means that I am abandoned. I mean, I don’t have physiotherapist. But still, i want to tell you how much I owe her.
I owe a lot.
for example: Continue reading
Tag Archives: brain stroke
I signed up for volunteer work. If I didn’t, solitude would kill me
Sadder part of the text
Life goes as it goes. No point in asking „why me”, because there is no good answer for that. I don’t ask, but I try to ask. Actually, I still hope that it’s visible even in the times of trouble ;)) and when I complain.
The truth is I feel lonely. Not even for some kind of metaphorical-not defined feeling of distinctiveness or incomprehension. I feel lonely because I am lonely.
Life makes bad jokes. It’s just turned out, that most of my closest colleagues and friends, who are still present in my city, is going to fade away. In the next few weeks majority of people leaves Szczecin for different cities and countries. Even m beloved physiotherapist leaves me. Mrs. Madzia is going abroad. Continue reading
My first visit in the office for disabled
Luckily, there are two or three benches outside. Some of us are sitting, rest is treading water.
I’m just in front of the office for disabled people. Sitting and watching people. Having a place to rest, I’m one of more fortunate. Everyone who came later isn’t that lucky. There is the small crowd, louder and more nervous every minute. People standing seem to be even more upset.
Suddenly, doors are opening and the fresh face rush towards them. „Excuse ma’am, we are all waiting!”, people are protesting. „Well, we all just want the forms!”
But yelling doesn’t seem to be finishing. The woman who succeeded in unleashing anger still wants to keep her sense of dignity. She yells a bit, insulting others. Insulting us on her way out. I’m sure that if she could, she would slam the door. To elevator.
I’m still sitting and I’m scared. Disabled in front of my face change, they come into and out the small cabinet. Some them by „taking the forms” really meant „taking the forms”. It’s my turn. I’m scared to death and become numb. Being unable to speak, I can only look and try to spell out words and feel like a hunted small animal. I regret not taking my mum. I really do. Continue reading
Just to remind you woman who took selfie during her stroke
This video has been online for few years, but I’ve seen it just recently. Maybe someone else haven’t watched it:
You don’t need to listen to what she says to see her face dropping, understand that she is struggling with the hand. She talks about other things too. For example about feeling numb. Or about the fact, that she had been released from hospital just recently.
She recorded the video to show her doctors what was her problem before symptoms were gone. Quick reaction and taking the phone can seem bit funny, but it helped doctors to diagnose her with three TIAs. Without video they thought that she was feeling badly from being tired or something like that.
Stacey Yepes was driving home (i had TIA behind the wheel too). Now she says that she keeps receiving messages from friends and strangers, that this vid helped someone to recognize a stroke. Continue reading
Finally! Website about spasticity is here!
With slight delay I may present you website with complex knowledge about spasticity:
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
What happens to your brain when you exercise?
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:
- Exercising makes you happier. During working out grows level of for neurotransmiters (or neurohormons) which are responsible for your mood. You generaly get happier:)
- Your attention and concentration improves! Well, many researches prove that.
- 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;)
We’ve not known treatment for stroke yet. But there is hope… Listen.
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!
how much does my stroke cost me?
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.
How great is my christmas gift? Great for spasticity i think:)
One of my Christmas gifts is:
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!:)
If you’ve ever thought how stroke feels like… Happy new year!:)
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;)
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?