Life Goes On, The Caregiver

Stroke Survivor's Guide to Getting Things Done I was recently made aware of a wonderful series of videos made by an actual Stroke Survivor (& filmed by his wife). Paul had a stroke in May 2017 and has worked very hard at "recovery", but he has been left with deficits which he continues to work hard at overcoming.  Paul's videos show in wonderful detail just how he is managing to do the "normal" things that many of us take for granted and he does so in a way that is both encouraging and instructive for other Stroke Survivors and their support systems. No Stroke Survivor is the same, but watching a real life Survivor mastering everyday life is inspirational for all of us going through this journey. I highly recommend subscribing to Paul's channel,  The Stroke Survivor's Guide to Getting Things Done . https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCo6Ji-wjeNiF6nKYsuw7EQ ( he continues to add new videos so check back regularly ) ...

Atrial fibrillation  ( AF  or  A-fib ) is an  abnormal heart rhythm  characterized by  rapid and irregular beating  of the  atria .  Often it starts as brief periods of abnormal  beating  which become longer and possibly constant over time.  Often episodes have no symptoms.  Occasionally there may be heart  palpitations ,  fainting ,  lightheadedness ,  shortness of breath , or  chest pain .  The disease is associated with an increased risk of  heart failure ,  dementia , and  stroke .  It is a type of  supraventricular tachycardia .   ( from Wikipedia ) See AFibAre you at risk?   AFib is linked with a 5x higher risk of stroke. Take a quiz from the American Heart Association Visit heart.org/AFibTools to learn more  about AFib symptoms and stroke risk.  Back to Home

" Medicaid Waivers help provide services to people who would otherwise be in a nursing home or hospital to receive long-term care in the community. Although there are waivers for many conditions, our focus is towards waivers for people who have intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, and autism. " ( http://medicaidwaiver.org/index.html ) SEE ELDERLY / SENIOR CARE WAIVERS " Many people who qualify for waiver services are not even aware that they exist. Families struggle alone, to provide care- creating economic, physical, and emotional strain. States do not educate people about these programs, and it is often only through crisis that people realize help is available. "  ( http://medicaidwaiver.org/index.html ) Find YOUR State for Available Resources Back to Home

3 clues to understanding your brain Vilayanur Ramachandran tells us what brain damage can reveal  about the connection between celebral tissue and the mind, using three startling delusions as examples. for more info ⇋ A look inside the brain in real time Neuroscientist and inventor Christopher deCharms demonstrates a new way to use fMRI to show brain activity -- thoughts, emotions, pain -- while it is happening. In other words, you can actually see how you feel. for more info ⇋ My stroke of insight Jill Bolte Taylor got a research opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: She had a massive stroke, and watched as her brain functions -- motion, speech, self-awareness -- shut down one by one. An astonishing story. for more info Back to Home

Think F.A.S.T. FACE : Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? ARMS : Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? SPEECH : Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange? TIME : If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately. Think F.A.S.T. FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange? TIME: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately. Think F.A.S.T. FACE: Ask the person to smile. Does one side of the face droop? ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward? SPEECH: Ask the person to repeat a simple phrase. Is their speech slurred or strange? TIME: If you observe any of these signs, call 9-1-1 immediately. ...

As the wife of a stroke survivor I've found I have a reaction inside my gut every time I hear of someone having a stroke... actually I am both the wife of a survivor AND the daughter of a woman who died several months after having a massive stroke. The word STROKE itself makes me feel a sharp pain as I dig my fingernails into my palms. According to WebMD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)  describes many people who experience or witness severe trauma (such as the death or illness of a loved one) and who relive the ordeal through memories, flashbacks and nightmare; they develop problems dealing with others, expressing themselves, and may have symptoms that keep them from functioning in a "normal" life. For people who experience a traumatic event these reactions are normal, but most people outgrow them in time. People who don't outgrow these crippling reactions, who are diagnosed with PTSD, often need help to find ways to cope. " Treatment for PTSD  may inv...

Support is a wonderful thing, knowing that you are not alone and having the chance to "talk" with those who truly understand what you are going through is wonderful. I belong to a fantastic Facebook group for Wives of Stroke Survivors, it is a G-dsend when I am having a difficult time. The administrators of the wonderful Facebook group I belong to started one for children of stroke survivors called  My Parent is a "Stroke Survivor" My Parent is a "Stroke Survivor"   (click link) This is a moderated, private and SAFE place for our youth Here is the group description: This space has been set aside for, YOU, the children of Stroke Surviving Parents. It is a SAFE place for you to share your concerns, heartaches, anger and grief. In addition, please share the good things you experience along this journey that you have found yourself on. Please keep in mind that all posts will be filtered and those containing language or situati...

A friend recently mentioned this term to me and was concerned what it meant for elderly parents and their offspring — especially when there was a possibility of medical bills and long term care. So I did a bit of research and figured this is as good a topic as any, while this is not specific to strokes it covers a wide range of conditions. According to the online Merriam-Webster dictionary, Filial Piety (known as pinyin: xiào in Chinese) is: “ reverence for parents considered in Chinese ethics the prime virtue and the basis of all right human relations ”’ ideally this is not only respecting the parents but also accepting responsibility for them as they age. My friend’s concern was that she could inadvertently put a serious debt onto her children’s shoulders simply because she had given birth to them. So I did a little research… I went to Nolo.com  for information. Here is some of what was said, you can click the link if you want to read it in entirety: “ More than ...

Memory Problems Can be Caused by Stroke Suffering a stroke can impair a person’s memory for weeks, months, or even years. Sometimes, a person evaluated for memory loss is found to have suffered minor strokes they weren’t even aware of, says Mohini Gurme, MD, a neurologist with Rockland Neurological Associates in West Nyack, NY. For Stroke Awareness Month, in May, Dr. Gurme explains why it’s important to get evaluated early for memory loss caused by stroke or other conditions... to continue reading Back to HOME

Extreme mood swings, it is a thing... There is a lot going on in a stroke survivor's mind after a stroke and sometimes the emotional ups-and-downs winds up becoming frustrating and very difficult to cope with for the people around him/her. This is just a personal observation (my mom had a stroke in 1978 and my husband had a stroke in 2016) but from what I hear from other caregivers and my own experience I think women tend to have more emotions and men more anger. As I said I don't have proof of this... I am aware that most men, even in this era, are still raised to be the "strong provider" and suddenly they are dependent on someone else, they often can't go back to work, and they can't even play catch with the family dog. It's frustrating as hell for them and they express their frustration with attitude; so often the target of their angry words is the one person most responsible for them, the wife (or significant other). And no matter how much we un...

National Stroke Awareness Month is an annual event held within the United States. The aim of National Stroke Awareness Month is to make Americans aware that they may be able to ' Save A Life ' of a person experiencing a stroke. Read More... Summary Coverage United States Month May Duration 1 Month Date May 2018 Organization National Stroke Association How Is Date Set?  Fixed: Same Month Each Year Event Page/Website Back to HOME

13 Fun Activities for Stroke Patients That Improve Movement and Brain Power Fun activities for stroke patients are a great way to keep motivation high. If your motivation to recover is getting low, try switching things up by adding some of the following activities to your day. The best part is that these activities double as  i nformal therapy , which means that your brain heals while you’re having fun. Talk about a win-win! Now, let’s get into the list...  ( read more on the Flint Rehab blog )

I road as a (volunteer) N.Y.S. Emergency Medical Technician for nearly 30-years. I dealt with all kinds of emergencies, all ages, and a variety of outcomes (both good and bad). I would have thought I would be fully "professional" when it came to my own husband's stroke... Instead I barely held it together. I was fortunate that I was able to lean on our daughter, son and daughter-in-law (all with EMS experience themselves, but they too were filled with emotions). We were all so fortunate that despite what seemed so frightening that first night, my husband did survive and, just like he has been for the better part of his life, he was determined NOT to be beaten. The two months that he was hospitalized are still a bit of a blur. I remember doing most of the things I had to do like housekeeping, grocery shopping, paying bills and the small amount of work I HAD to get done (thankfully I had understanding editors and a compassionate publisher). And at least six days a week ...