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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 rehabilitation Uncategorized

the most important tool of your physiotherapy

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krzesło

Why just after brain stroke you don’t work out 10 hours a day non-stop?

Why your physioterapist cares always is sure that you have a chair next to you?

Because rehabilitation is not a gym. It’s not trainihng for marathon. And your healt is the most important. Your physiotherapist know that you have to rest even if you don’t feel tired. Overtraining yourself can be damaging, and consequences might be worse than simple muscle pain.

My Mrs. Magda was always watching me closely when I was doing my workouts. I would always hear „and did you take a break? Too short!”.

I „overworked” myself few times. Once, when I had visitors in hospital and was doing my manual exercises with beans for more than two hours without any breaks. Then, for few days I had problems with using my hand „normally”. It was too tires. Opening it was a great challenge, and before I hadn’t had problems with it! I felt just weird.

Another time was also on manual exercises. I learn’t to knit after stroke and suddenly I told everyone that I would make them a scarf. Great! Was doing them days and nights. And it made my hand stiff, not to say a bit spastic… The damage was done. I’m sure it was not only due to knitting, but for sure also…. Remember,  when you work out, take breaks! Take rest, sit down, put your hand on a table. Don’t overwork, don’t listen to your dad saying „let’s do it 50 times more”.

Physiotherapists have a dreadful task of judging whether moaning patient should really take a break or is just lazy. Don’t be lazy, but don’t overwork yourself. The process of recovery takes time and effort, it’s not worth to spoil it with too much training.

P.S.

Even professional athletes can be overtrained. Really. Resting is important part of most of activities, not only in rehabilitation. Believe me(;