Hello stroke smarties!
Have you yet heard of the Life 360 app for your smart phone?
The innovative app means you can virtually walk home with your family and mates without worrying them when you accidentally pass out (upon your safe return home without confirmation). Definitely something that makes you feel more safe and in my particular Special-K instance, assists the caring 'PAs' find my distressed self if ever I find myself lost in the 'real world' (it has happened - several times! Thank you for taking it on the chin, dear patient family + mates and realising that the spatial navigation I once cherished is currently out-of-business due to multiple brain bruising).
Admittedly, the youth of today/the future have it tough when it comes to sneaking out without their parents realising!
Still a tad confused about what a stroke actually entails?
You're not alone.
UK's reliable NHS has provided an educational piece on how to identify a stroke and so has Australia's Nine News with particular attention given to the correlation between women and stroke. Even if you regard yourself as 'low risk of stroke' (much like myself prior to Stroke 1 at 26 years of age in July 2012), you may save the life of another by being stroke smart and swiftly acknowledging a stroke + Acting FAST!
Well done, you!
Our old mates at TED, have created a clever piece on just what a stroke entails - be in the know!
Such brain attacks are serious stuff -
they are the SECOND-leading cause of death for people above the age of 60 years
and the FIFTH-leading cause in people aged 15-59
as well as THE BIGGEST cause of adult disability.
It's high time for society to be actively stroke smart.
It's high time for society to be actively stroke smart.
Reflecting on the past 3+ years as a stroke survivor, I've noticed a troubling trend that strokes aren't typically talked about (from prevention, identification & treatment to rehabilitation and life after stroke), perhaps because survivors and their close supporters worry their problems will distance them (which they certainly have shown in my instance) or ultimately reflect upon them as an (seemingly) unworthy person - as if they’re/we're now defective as human beings and/or did something to directly cause the brain damage so should therefore suffer for surviving (for however long that should entail) - and this has surely been the vibes I've received from some in the strokes' wake. So it seems that survivors tend to struggle on their own. Have you noticed this yourself? Do you find it odd - or perhaps unique - that there are only a selection of us survivors who (fortunately) do openly share our experiences, our insight and our newfound passion with the hope that stroke smarts become common knowledge?! These stroke smarts are not just for making others aware of how to identify a stroke as it's happening (or here's hoping, before it's about to strike), but also to know how to consciously make stroke-smart lifestyle choices that will directly affect our risk by actively reducing such, whilst also gaining a broader understanding + compassion for stroke survivors (and their support network) on their confronting loss and ongoing, extensive rehabilitation journey. All winners! Such compassion and support includes a tale about a stroke survivor named Jon Petchey from Poole, U.K., who has fortunately shared his experience after he suffered a stroke in May 2008 which affected his right-hand side's movement, requiring a walking stick to assist with his balance and mobility in the brain injury's aftermath. In his line of work where luggage handling was a necessity, he then felt vulnerable and I'm sure other stroke survivors can also relate to this sensation of uncertainty. Fortunately, open-minded (no pun intended) support came his way through a fellow stroke survivor, David Allen, who was empathetic and eager to support stroke survivors (good on ya, DA!) with fresh opportunities in their newfound brain-damaged life, so he contacted Stroke Association's Back-to-Work Project and Jon got a job (boom!), where instead of adapting equipment, Jon has simply adapted his working style with a perching stool in instances where others would stand. You beauty! Thanks for the considerate stroke support, fellow survivors!
When strokes struck in 2012, I too had an overwhelming fear of going back to work (a mere 6 weeks post Stroke 1 - straight after my school's summer holidays which was my own decision that was supported by my school in Twickenham, U.K.) where my brain's intelligence (+ emotional intelligence), leadership, confidence, vision (fortunately for my 50%-lacking-eyesight-brain, this 'vision' is figuratively speaking!), courage, passion, curiosity, motivation, judgement (mental + physical judgement given the visual-field loss of the RHS - it impacts more than just banging into people and objects and/or reading a book or email, although that too was initially embarrassing and exhausting - neuro-fatigue is more intense than being the teacher at a school camp) and resilience were required for every single minute of the day. There is no taking the back seat as a teacher and I accepted this after the first stroke when I ignorantly and insistently went straight back to work after the initial 1.5 months of official school summer holidays in mid-2012 (<<Stroke 1's 'rehabilitation' - this can be years and does not signify 'recovery') where I quickly realised many of my former teacher traits were currently (<<operative word) not brightly shining, but rather dull and hiding, hoping not to be noticed (which was/is most unlike me and I was acutely aware of such a change). As the fierce, hard-working brain of mine (that I still love with all my heart - the damage wasn't its direct fault after all and its dual comeback has been better than Terminator 2) rerouted around the out-of-business, dead neurons, my confidence fortunately grew and I - along with my energetic supporters (boom!) - started to identify my former self (with enhanced traits, of course!) and my role in the world. Unfortunately, as other survivors can attest, for the most part, I was ultimately alone in my mind's torment as I didn't want to worry people (to the full extent) with this new unusual and depressing life chapter. When I had the second stroke in late 2012 (recurring strokes happen to at least 25% of first-time stroke survivors according to National Stroke Association), just two months into the school year (3.5 months after the first stroke - prime time for the brain to have another wild fire), I was shocked to discover that despite my own lack of self-belief, there was a decent (and absolutely hilarious!) army of support from my dear school, family and mates who still believed in my being (+ hospital staff at every ward I hung out in + mates of mates + lovely children & even pets - the list goes on!). And that's it - you never realise exactly how important & cherished you are by others until you are unfortunately close to death. Let's change it! Now it has become my personal mission to let others know just how much I adore them in the present moment and that includes the students (and fellow teaching staff!) I am fortunately able to work with over a few days each week (not yet back in U.K. though - but I did get to visit my former school + staff in January 2016, including a cuppa with them all and telling them they are all divine beings!). Moving onwards and upwards! Like fellow stroke survivor, Kirk Douglas, supporters quickly discovered that humour truly is a stroke survivor's best ally, where I have always encouraged family, mates, medical superstars + even relative strangers to laugh at/with my vivid (albeit raw) stroke stories. There are many and they can be absolutely hilarious (can't even share all online, #youknowwhatimean)! It is with the humour and laughs that those cherished endorphins are being released into the bloodstream and like Douglas, The Bible's Old Testament, insightful Monty Python and good ole Hippocrates, I genuinely believe that jokes are essential in stroke rehabilitation where life can look rather bleak without the laughter. Always look on the bright side of Life - so keep the therapeutic witticisms coming!
"A merry heart doeth good, like medicine"
Greek philosophical lad, Hippocrates, surely would appreciate a cheese/cheesy pun.
FYI:
The MOST common cause of strokes is high blood pressure - do get yourself checked out today.
Simple.
You may be one of the BILLION (estimate by World Heart Federation) people worldwide living with this 'silent killer'.
Furthermore, be aware of other stroke risk factors (such as autoimmune diseases ala the cause of 2012's strokes) + brain facts (i.e.: your brain's CEO is in its frontal lobe).
(^^#divinepoetry).
Think you know how to manage your blood pressure?!
Take this simple test.
It wasn't surprising to learn 25% of stroke survivors suffer from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder within the initial year of a stroke/s striking.
In other words, that's 1-in-4 of all survivors - a truly concerning figure that would certainly make you realise it is beyond the immediate brain damage.
A year after something as catastrophic as a brain injury, generally speaking, one-in-nine stroke survivors experience devastating PTSD. Think of the effects of brain damage as being like an iceberg with complex elements you simply can't identify by merely seeing/talking to a stroke survivor with vast brain damage. Depression, being afraid and general anxiety are common mental illnesses post a stroke, particularly in the initial years of rehabilitation and I certainly felt these former alien emotions. From my own point of view together with avid stroke research, stroke survivors can be assisted in their rehab with support from family members, mates & mental-health professionals (an objective and subjective mix!) to help regain that sense of calm and normalcy in their lives post strokes striking, but it's not always as it seems nor as simple, especially when you're under 40! It was truly fortunate that my dear Mother Duck is a mental-health registered nurse (with a Master's degree in Mental Health, we are a perfect match!) for she has been my main source of support and care over the past 3+ years (I tell her I'm giving her complimentary professional development so we have a healthy balance!). Furthermore, wise Nurse Duckie has helped with educating others to better grasp what's below the stroke's surface with her medical expertise! Thank you dear Registered-Nurse MD - we always knew that Master's degree in Mental Health was going to be put to good use (I'm being facetious, it was always going to be beneficial)!
Through my own experiences, stroke-rehabilitation support is horses for courses - certain family members and mates will not complement stroke survivors' rehabilitation and the same can be said for mental-health professionals (there were a select few medical sorts I had absolutely no time for if they treated me like a suffering invalid and/or didn't listen to what I actually had to say nor respect it because I was now brain damaged or because 'friends' were stroking their egos by even maintaining a friendship with me - my brain's executive function is still considered high level in official psych-assessment IQ Tests, so there's no need to be patronising and other medical professionals whom I adored like they were my childhood dog reincarnated!), so I feel it is essential stroke survivors find the best suited to their particular mind + its strengths as well as its woes otherwise that negative energy will eat them up and ultimately taint their sacred rehabilitation road.
After the two fierce strokes smashed through my compromised mind in 2012 and the vast loss of quality of life they both cruelly caused in their wake, I now know the value in support, consistency and humour (and now, so do you!). A strong social network may be able to aid in a stroke survivor's emotional rehabilitation (like they fortunately did for myself) and guard against the perils of PTSD and the brain damage itself if only for their positive spirit and making a survivor feel they are still cherished post acquired brain injuries. For sacred caregivers, family and mates alike, I'd encourage them to directly (and openly!) interact and communicate with a stroke survivor (there's always a way) as quickly as possible so they know you do care and value them + to discover how he or she is feeling regularly (and tell them how you're doing too - be involved, boom!). There's also apps for such! As a stroke survivor, reaching out to family & friends for emotional support is essential as I've experienced firsthand that alienating myself post strokes was counterproductive for both parties concerned and caused unnecessary stress, but I am also mindful of being a 'wet blanket' in my young mates' healthy lives so have insisted on a balance with simple deflection at times. The Three Cs - company, communication (in any/all forms) & chocolate (<<technically stroke smart after all) certainly can make a substantial difference to both supporters and stroke survivors. Additionally, joining an online support group (American Stroke Association's is one helpful site that can assist in such searching!) where a stroke survivor can share their feelings, fears and experiences with others who are further along in their rehabilitation and/or have some firsthand advice that may also help to ease anxiety, assist in adding a sense of normalcy to an extreme experience and encourage a lift in a stroke survivor's spirits where their faith is restored in the brain's plasticity + progress and that they, despite having brain damage, are still normal. The online support surely has benefitted this Kitty during the extensive rehabilitation journey, easing stress levels & boosting spirits (for everyone involved). Yes!
Above: 'Neuro fatigue' won a spot on the 'top 5 effects' list after the two strokes I suffered, in particular.
After three and a half years, I still need to sleep for over 12 hours a day - lack of sleep has shown to make the effects of the particular brain damage I experienced even more evident and intense and the urge to lie down is overpowering and like nothing I had experienced before strokes.
Try explaining that to a 26-year-old fire cracker!
Many family plus mates and even colleagues have been incredibly understanding of this extreme need to sleep (/one-hour 'nap time' right in the thick of celebrations at a party) - thank you!
Check out these insightful articles about how stress, in particular, can affect the mind.
The mighty good news?! Regular mindfulness (3 - 5 small sessions a week - a feasible amount) through yoga and meditation, in particular, is said to encourage positive moods due to an increase in GABA levels (while it has nothing to do with Brisbane's #1 cricket ground, The Gabba, it is suggested by Boston sorts that low levels of the neurotransmitter, good ole, GABA, may result in anxiety & depression), provide improvement in executive function (higher-level cognitive skills you use to control + coordinate your other cognitive abilities and behaviours i.e.: lack of concern for others, inability to multitask and plan, difficulty with abstract concepts + the rather special function called prospective memory/remembering to remember, which I've currently been lacking such for the past 3+ years. Effective strategies - including sensational iPhone apps have been proactively put in place in prospective memory's absence - yes!*), protect the brain from ageing, ensure optimal fluid intelligence (aka street smarts) is achieved, fine-tune abilities to project into the future and solve problems that are likely to arise in anticipation of such + splendid organisation (attention, planning, problem solving, sequencing, working memory, cognitive flexibility, abstract thinking + rule acquisition - the usual!) as well as help ease stress, in particular, PTSD.
Mindfulness - you beauty!
Not a big fan of ole style yoga?
21st-century yoga is here with F*ck That Meditation.
While I'm not a mindful yogi (yet), the credible research on improving your mental capacity with yoga does seem promising. One definitely needs to approach yoga, mindfulness and their mental health carefully and these regulations certainly help to offer some clarity.
Check out this intriguing tour of the brain
- learn more about your mind and its functions.
Metacognition is valued beyond university days. Boom!
Despite the teeny-tiny size of our mind's hippocampus (shown deep inside the brain, below), it is actually significantly important to our being. If only my particular mind took a stroke-bullet in another spot (ala Stroke 1 in occipital lobe style - at the back of the brain - where I insisted on returning to full-time work just over 6 weeks later) when I was 26 years old, you all would be hearing my repeated (hilarious) jokes less often and the selfless PAs may get more days off! Since the second stroke, my own research has shown that hippo-c is technically a little substructure of the brain's limbic system in your temporal lobe that has a range of mind functions including visual perception, spatial awareness, facial recognition, object recognition, dividing neurons to migrate to new thoughts & memory acquisition, understanding language and emotional reactions (apologies to those Klubbers who may now be realising my range of confronting effects of brain damage are 'just so textbook'). So despite its insignificant size, the little, hidden (seahorse) gem has many cherished functions (that are generally out-of-service or at the very least, compromised, in this current Special-K world) and it is absolutely necessary in coding and forming new declarative + episodic memories (don't cry for me, supporters of a strokee). As you may have already deduced, your brain's hippocampus is most vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease hitting its cells first (memory loss is typically one of the initial symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and is generally the most associated one by society) which should help you grasp the present (<<operative word) predicament I'm in (although, the effects of the damage to my brain have the opposite journey ahead when compared to Alzheimer's disease in that my mind and its current capabilities are fortunately improving with time).
Unimportant information (as Einstein famously regarded matters of short-term memory) in the long term, yet rather important in day-to-day running, such as remembering to get the food out of the oven an hour later (+ before you leave your home), where you have to be + when and what you have to do precisely throughout the day, your bank card's new pin (/online banking details) needed when catching a taxi or paying for a service/item and the location your meeting is going to take place in 20 minutes' time (+ how to get there), for instant example (wahh!). Through my own research to better understand what's going on up there, I discovered that on top of losing cells in your hippo-c first when Alzheimer's disease strikes, the mind's hippocampus is responsible for the birth of new brain cells and seems to shrink when one is severely depressed (so continue to make jokes for my sake!). The little seahorse deep inside your mind is quite the intriguing creature, yes?! Hippo-c is also a fan of oestrogen (aren't we all?!) which stimulates brain cells making more connections to other nerve cells (known to us in the 'know' as 'synaptic density' - I'll test you later!). Boom - women for the win!
Would you like to know how to enrich that magical mind of yours to grow new brain cells? Do view this TED Talk (all the cool kids are doing it - i.e.: Jill BT, Jack Attack and I!) on your mind's mates/cells. It's the hip version of Netflix & Chill!
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Currently, almost 1/3 of strokes are UNDER 65.
We really ought to drive that home - strokes are not limited to the elderly nor to the people that are necessarily at high risk (I was previously one who was considered 'low risk' right up until one struck at 26).
1-in-6 of us will have a stroke, therefore, as it currently stands, 1-in-18 of the population will have at least one stroke before they reach 65 years of age - still during prime working/living years.
The likelihood of stroke is HIGHER if you are simply a woman,
currently standing at 1-in-5 chance (20% - that's higher than the alcohol content of *stroke-smart* red wine! BIG statistics there).
1-in-6 of us will have a stroke, therefore, as it currently stands, 1-in-18 of the population will have at least one stroke before they reach 65 years of age - still during prime working/living years.
The likelihood of stroke is HIGHER if you are simply a woman,
currently standing at 1-in-5 chance (20% - that's higher than the alcohol content of *stroke-smart* red wine! BIG statistics there).
Not once have I pondered 'why did this happen to me?' (if not me, then who?!).
However, I have pondered -
'Why isn't my brain's abilities improving?
'Will I be this 'way', reliant on others, with no significant progress in life, forevermore?'
'Why don't some grasp the strokes' effects and my newfound life?'
'Why are some making life even more difficult?'
'What is the purpose of living when you're brain damaged?'
'How will I ever be able to have a full-time worthwhile career again?'
However, I have pondered -
'Why isn't my brain's abilities improving?
'Will I be this 'way', reliant on others, with no significant progress in life, forevermore?'
'Why don't some grasp the strokes' effects and my newfound life?'
'Why are some making life even more difficult?'
'What is the purpose of living when you're brain damaged?'
'How will I ever be able to have a full-time worthwhile career again?'
“Rise to the challenges that life presents you.
You can't develop genuine character & ability by sidestepping adversity and struggle.”
― Buddhist philosopher & leader + peace builder, educator, author and poet, Daisaku Ikeda, who also encourages us to never give up despite shortcomings for it is the key to achieving in life. You beauty!
Not only are these well wishes from a few of my former British students an absolute tear jerker, but it also brought about the nickname of 'Miss Laid' by eager mates who noticed the accidental misspelling (bless those li'l angels).
Always making others laugh - even by default!
When you have lost your mind, your life and your identity, I have realised - firsthand - that you run to who & what you ultimately love.
After the first stroke (on the last day of school - at the start of our staff celebrations), my English Queen (/colleague) would receive letters and adorable handmade cards (even gift vouchers from the loving-and-supportive parents + staff! Always appreciated :)) sent to her home and she'd eagerly bring them to the 'vacay hospital ward' in whichever hospital I was in at that time (I was sent to a few after Stroke 1 given different specialties for testing and those closer to my home - one even had a summer rooftop that has since been lodged in my brain's long-term-memory bank = emotional connection! Summer rooftop party at 'pital!). My dear former colleagues still send cards, chocolate and English delights to show their support and when I worry that I have been forgotten by them (me, the master of memory lapses myself ha!), they offer the kind reminder of my particular legacy and/or how much they surely aren't coping without me there (perhaps an exaggeration just to 'stroke' my ego there!).
Well wishes from supportive (+ creative!) year 4 students =
Hospital Bible - Miss Laird style
What gives you pleasure, engagement, flow?
Get head strong!
Learn about your mind's magical functions and locations of such today. Boom!
If you have someone who has suffered a stroke in your circle, you may want to help them through their rehabilitation journey. Yes - be proactive!
Below are some ignorant remarks a person may very much find themselves wanting to say to a stroke survivor that ultimately are counterproductive for all parties concerned
(by Marie Rowland via Brainline with a few Kitty Inclusions).
Heads up!
1. You seem fine to me.
The invisible signs of a brain injury - memory and concentration problems, fatigue, insomnia, chronic pain, depression or anxiety - these are sometimes more difficult to live with than visible disabilities. Research shows that having just a scar on the head can help a person with a brain injury feel validated and better understood (sad, yet so painfully true as I'm sure you've acknowledged firsthand also - let's change this attitude, dear stroke smarties!). Your loved one may look normal, but shrugging off the invisible signs of a brain injury is awfully belittling.
Consider this: A memory problem can be much more disabling than a limp
(Exhibit A - This Special K has had both and can attest to such).
2. Maybe you're just not trying hard enough (you're lazy).
Lazy is not the same as apathy (lack of interest, motivation or emotion). Apathy is a disorder and an effect after a brain injury (despite my eagerness to get back into the classroom, I have felt immense apathy about life and school has been my blessed escape - a wholesome reward in my otherwise-dark world!). The pros explain that apathy can often get in the way of rehabilitation + gains so it's important to recognise and treat it. It is basically a decrease in novelty-seeking behaviours - be aware stroke supporters and complement rather than hinder (with positivity and an open mind) your stroke survivor mates (& their supporters) today!
3. You're such a grump!
Irritability is one of the most common signs of a brain injury (and why some have turned off their support switch in this Special K's instance. It's a blessing in disguise, fellow stroke survivors going through a similar ordeal). Irritability could be the direct result of the brain injury or a side effect of depression, anxiety, chronic pain, sleep disorders or fatigue. Think of it as a biological grumpiness - it's not as if your loved one can get some air and come back in a better mood (they may also be reacting to a frustrating situation and are being over analysed with misconceived stroke survivor perceptions).
Certain prescription drugs, supplements, changes in diet or therapy that focuses on adjustment and coping skills can all help reduce irritability.
4. How many times do I have to tell you?!
It's frustrating to repeat yourself over and over, but almost everyone who has a brain injury will experience some memory problems. You may have to just be the bigger person you always wanted to be in this instance and suck it up for your splendid stroke-survivor buddy!
Instead of pointing out a deficit, try finding a solution (HOT TIP!).
Make the task easier (i.e.: mates putting my familiar belongings hanging from the particular bedroom door I stay in when visiting so I can find where to go after a quick bathroom trip in the middle of the night or messaging instead of calling so that I have an easy reference later on - geniuses!).
Create a routine.
Install a memo board in the kitchen (we have actually used one for myself since Day One of Home Rehab so that I don't overdose on my daily steroids *for muscles, I presume, but also for my sensitive blood vessels*, avoid that traumatising feeling of being certain I'm actually not living, but rather, in a coma/dead *Cotard's syndrome* and know what day it is/what the plan for the day/week ahead is).
Also, remember that language isn't always verbal.
"I've already told you this" comes through loud and clear just by facial expression.
5. Do you have any idea how much I do for you?
Your loved one probably knows how much you do and feels incredibly guilty about it. It's also possible that your loved one has no clue and may never understand. This can be due to problems with awareness, emotions, memory, or apathy - all of which can be a direct result of a brain injury. It's never a productive or considerate attitude/comment. If you do need to unload your burden on someone, let that someone be a good friend or professional (two-in-one would be in even better!).
6. Your problem is all the medications you take.
Prescription drugs can cause all kinds of side effects such as sluggishness, insomnia, memory problems, mania, sexual dysfunction or weight gain (we called my 'water retention' from the range of drugs pumped into my body, steroid face` to make it sound somewhat desirable and sophisticated. We were successful!) - just to name a few. Someone with a brain injury is especially sensitive to these effects. But if you blame everything on the effects of drugs, two things could happen. One, you might be encouraging your loved one to stop taking an important drug prematurely. Two, you might be overlooking a genuine sign of brain injury. It's a good idea to regularly review prescription drugs with a doctor. Don't be afraid to ask when will be the right time to taper off a drug (fortunately, Nurse MD does this after consulting our doc in my particular instance).
7. Let me do that for you.
Independence and control are two of the most important things lost after a brain injury (here, here!). Yes, it may be easier to do things for your buddy. Yes, it may be less frustrating. But, encouraging a stroke survivor to do things on their own will help promote self-esteem, confidence and quality of living. It can also help the brain reroute faster! YES!
Furthermore, it is essential that the task isn't one that might put your loved one at genuine risk - such as driving too soon or managing medication when there are significant memory problems.
8. Try to think positively.
(or as one who has not had two strokes shockingly and ignorantly said to this Special K at the first opportunity we were alone, "you have the wrong attitude" - haters gonna hate!)
That's easier said than done for many people and even harder for someone with a brain injury. Repetitive negative thinking is called rumination and it can be common after a brain injury. Rumination is usually related to depression and anxiety and so treating those problems may help break the negative thinking cycle. As we all are aware, chances are if you tell someone to stop thinking about a certain negative thought, that thought will just be pushed further towards the front of the mind (literally, to the prefrontal cortex!).
Instead, supporters should find a task that is especially enjoyable for their loved one (i.e.: drinking stroke-smart red wine and getting some blood-thinning vitamin D!).
It will help to distract from negative thinking + release chemicals that promote more positive thoughts.
Too easy, Campese!
Check out this insightful list of ways to calm the overactive mind. Brain massage!
9. You're lucky to be alive.
This sounds like positive thinking, looking on the bright side of things. But be careful. A person with an acquired brain injury is 1.8x more likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder than the general population and 8x more likely to develop depression with the majority (82%) suffering from acute stress disorder following a brain injury (a particularly out-of-body experience for myself after the brain attacks!). Strokes are serious business and while I encourage the jokes and light-hearted banter about my current situation, nurture, consistency, inclusion and reliability are also traits I have valued most in my support network. Additionally, stroke survivors are six times more likely to have suicidal thoughts than someone without a brain injury and some may not feel very lucky to be alive. Instead of calling it "luck", talk about how strong, persistent or heroic (+ funny) the person is for getting through their ordeal. Tell them they're awesome (because they are + they get all the blokes!).
Stroke Rehabilitation =
A Carer's Perspective
What a lovely couple showing how they handled the 'hiccup'
What a lovely couple showing how they handled the 'hiccup'
"Brain surgery is a terrible profession. If I did not feel it will become different in my lifetime, I should hate it."
Renowned ground-breaking scientist & devoted surgeon + Neurosurgeon and Montreal Neurological Institute Commissioner, Wilder Penfield (1891 - 1976), who was known as the 'greatest living Canadian'.
Clever Penfield (pictured in action) mapped the motor cortex (planning, control & execution of voluntary motor functions) using mild electric current to various epileptic patients' brains where they'd then explain to him (totally conscious and alert while he was investigating their minds) what they were experiencing, including whole memory sequences, body movement and even songs (one particular patient assumed music was actually being played due to how crisp the sound = mind boggling heh!). Even more fascinating, when Penfield would poke at the back of the brain (as you do), patients would see dots due to the doc hitting the occipital lobe (Stroke 1 style which initially left me with a 50% sight deficit); the mind's section for vision and they'd also feel sensations if he poked at the back portion of the parietal area + move body parts if he touched the front portion of that lobe!
The brain = so bloody (indeed, twofold) fascinating!
Another neuro guru you should know about, Dr. Henry Marsh, leading British neurosurgeon extraordinaire, was one of the countless medical hotshots at London's St George's Hospital that 'got to' examine my Special-K make-up and although he was 'fortunate' enough to see the insides of one very ill, yet quite (/incredibly) special, young patient, the results from the brain biopsy came back 'inconclusive' (everyone had to explain many a time that 'inconclusive' was in actual fact a positive in my unique instance as I initially interpreted it as meaning I was going to continue having strokes until they eventually killed me given the cause wasn't found). When I was in hospital for over six weeks in 2012, I greatly appreciated the terrace garden to entertain my 'guests' at St G's and I have since learned that it was old mate Dr HM who organised such a therapeutic space to make it a better experience/vacation for patients and their visitors.
We certainly loved the bright balcony chills during such dark, depressing days - thank you, dear Doctor Marsh!
Drilling holes in skulls = all in a day's work for this British neurosurgeon superstar
The very neurosurgeon and medical device/tool used to drill a hole (never to replace lost bone or hair that they shaved for vanity is the least of their/our concern!) the size of a typical thumbprint out of my skull to extract brain (is he actually a surgeon or a zombie?!) in late 2012 within the initial weeks of suffering the second stroke when testing was extensively being done (some examinations were repeated considering they had also been done after Stroke 1 just a few months prior) throughout my body to finally/hopefully identify the cause of strokes (to help treat the cause appropriately) in fear of recurring strokes/impending death inevitably striking (<<without appropriate medical intervention).
Please Note: Dr Marsh has since retired -
The brain = so bloody (indeed, twofold) fascinating!
Another neuro guru you should know about, Dr. Henry Marsh, leading British neurosurgeon extraordinaire, was one of the countless medical hotshots at London's St George's Hospital that 'got to' examine my Special-K make-up and although he was 'fortunate' enough to see the insides of one very ill, yet quite (/incredibly) special, young patient, the results from the brain biopsy came back 'inconclusive' (everyone had to explain many a time that 'inconclusive' was in actual fact a positive in my unique instance as I initially interpreted it as meaning I was going to continue having strokes until they eventually killed me given the cause wasn't found). When I was in hospital for over six weeks in 2012, I greatly appreciated the terrace garden to entertain my 'guests' at St G's and I have since learned that it was old mate Dr HM who organised such a therapeutic space to make it a better experience/vacation for patients and their visitors.
We certainly loved the bright balcony chills during such dark, depressing days - thank you, dear Doctor Marsh!
Drilling holes in skulls = all in a day's work for this British neurosurgeon superstar
The very neurosurgeon and medical device/tool used to drill a hole (never to replace lost bone or hair that they shaved for vanity is the least of their/our concern!) the size of a typical thumbprint out of my skull to extract brain (is he actually a surgeon or a zombie?!) in late 2012 within the initial weeks of suffering the second stroke when testing was extensively being done (some examinations were repeated considering they had also been done after Stroke 1 just a few months prior) throughout my body to finally/hopefully identify the cause of strokes (to help treat the cause appropriately) in fear of recurring strokes/impending death inevitably striking (<<without appropriate medical intervention).
Please Note: Dr Marsh has since retired -
Kitty brain biopsy = Doctor fulfilment!
Being a splendid superstar, the exceptional Dr Marsh has recently written an insightful memoir -
Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death & Brain Surgery.
Being a splendid superstar, the exceptional Dr Marsh has recently written an insightful memoir -
Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death & Brain Surgery.
Feed your mind with some decent literature and perspective today.
Above:
Above:
Dr Marsh's 'handy' work -
Mere days post serious brain biopsy (where's my hair extension?! Truly thought they - world-class neurosurgeons focusing on saving lives not vanity haha - gave me one!) where they were also drilling for antimatter, no doubt!
This shot was taken on the first day out of hospital too
(six weeks post second stroke on the strict provision that I was cared for by my mental-health registered-nurse of a Mother Duck) -
some decent sorts (Mummy, Jack Attack & Mark) had so kindly flown over from Australia to Kitty kollect in fear of recurring strokes and quite possibly, death
(+ grab some decent British bites - perhaps more importantly).
Boom!
Canary Wharf, London
December 2012
Would you like to get inside your mind?
Let's do such with this insightful brain tour!
Further ways to try be stroke smart -
Mere days post serious brain biopsy (where's my hair extension?! Truly thought they - world-class neurosurgeons focusing on saving lives not vanity haha - gave me one!) where they were also drilling for antimatter, no doubt!
This shot was taken on the first day out of hospital too
(six weeks post second stroke on the strict provision that I was cared for by my mental-health registered-nurse of a Mother Duck) -
some decent sorts (Mummy, Jack Attack & Mark) had so kindly flown over from Australia to Kitty kollect in fear of recurring strokes and quite possibly, death
(+ grab some decent British bites - perhaps more importantly).
Boom!
Canary Wharf, London
December 2012
Would you like to get inside your mind?
Let's do such with this insightful brain tour!
Further ways to try be stroke smart -
Help reduce your blood pressure and thus heart attack + stroke risk with some regular rays of healthy sunshine - the sacred vitamin D will help improve your memory, concentration & protect your mind against ageing. Yes!
Above: A little Kitty and older bro (not necessarily bigger bro though = I ate all his pies - evidently) were all about the sunny, vitamin-D-enriched, mind-mending endorphins last century!
Back in the 80s - Australia's tropical Far North Queensland stylin'
(hence strokes whilst in grey, dismal UK after almost two years of living there in 2012, riiight?!).
Would you believe glorious sunshine is also a blood thinner?!
I certainly do.
We would have undoubtedly had stroke-smart dark chocolate (with brain food - fruit and nuts) after this vitamin-D health check in The Tropics!
Call us chocolate fiends soaking up the sunshine, 'healthy'!
Do join us!
Above: A little Kitty and older bro (not necessarily bigger bro though = I ate all his pies - evidently) were all about the sunny, vitamin-D-enriched, mind-mending endorphins last century!
Back in the 80s - Australia's tropical Far North Queensland stylin'
(hence strokes whilst in grey, dismal UK after almost two years of living there in 2012, riiight?!).
Would you believe glorious sunshine is also a blood thinner?!
I certainly do.
We would have undoubtedly had stroke-smart dark chocolate (with brain food - fruit and nuts) after this vitamin-D health check in The Tropics!
Call us chocolate fiends soaking up the sunshine, 'healthy'!
Do join us!
Blood thinners for the brain-win!
Considering alcohol (always in moderation) is a blood thinner, we're actively being stroke smart at the weekend/weekday when we have a few certain alcoholic beverages. As you'd expect with a stroke survivor in their 20s, I certainly ran/sprinted with this one (after the supportive docs said I could in my particular situation - not all stroke survivors necessarily have such freedom), relishing my newfound passion for 'looking after ('stroking'?!) the mind'.
To get the best results, the studies suggest (enjoying) a few glasses of red wine each week for its particular brain food - ethanol which helps to thin blood, in particular - and also hugs your heart as well. YES!
Not only is red wine (especially the Concord variety + Malbec, St. Laurent Petite Sirah and the always classic, Pinot Noir! Get to the wine rack/bottle-o/bar pronto!) - with its high levels of resveratrol content - said to lower blood pressure + cholesterol levels & reduce blood-clot formation (all positives in the stroke smart world, yippee!), it also protects the heart against disease + prevents damage caused by oxygen radicals, discourages hearing loss (which isn't always as enjoyable as teenagers who tease their hearing-impaired parents regard it as!) and helps to inhibit cancer.
Considering alcohol (always in moderation) is a blood thinner, we're actively being stroke smart at the weekend/weekday when we have a few certain alcoholic beverages. As you'd expect with a stroke survivor in their 20s, I certainly ran/sprinted with this one (after the supportive docs said I could in my particular situation - not all stroke survivors necessarily have such freedom), relishing my newfound passion for 'looking after ('stroking'?!) the mind'.
To get the best results, the studies suggest (enjoying) a few glasses of red wine each week for its particular brain food - ethanol which helps to thin blood, in particular - and also hugs your heart as well. YES!
Not only is red wine (especially the Concord variety + Malbec, St. Laurent Petite Sirah and the always classic, Pinot Noir! Get to the wine rack/bottle-o/bar pronto!) - with its high levels of resveratrol content - said to lower blood pressure + cholesterol levels & reduce blood-clot formation (all positives in the stroke smart world, yippee!), it also protects the heart against disease + prevents damage caused by oxygen radicals, discourages hearing loss (which isn't always as enjoyable as teenagers who tease their hearing-impaired parents regard it as!) and helps to inhibit cancer.
Pour us a massive glass/goblet now!
Want more mind (/monkey) magic?
Check out these hidden brain talents.
"If brains were simple, we would be too simple to understand them"
- American author and screen writer (ala Godfather), Mario Puzo, describes the Catch 22 of our sophisticated minds
You'll love this clever-+-catchy piece! -
Check out these hidden brain talents.
Do tell what fascinated you the most about our minds. I'm forever intrigued by our clever grey matter! Boom!
"If brains were simple, we would be too simple to understand them"
- American author and screen writer (ala Godfather), Mario Puzo, describes the Catch 22 of our sophisticated minds
You'll love this clever-+-catchy piece! -"In one stroke, literally and figuratively, it was all gone"
- Stroke survivor and acclaimed Hollywood actor, Kirk Douglas, reflects on the drastic effects of stroke one can suffer.
- Stroke survivor and acclaimed Hollywood actor, Kirk Douglas, reflects on the drastic effects of stroke one can suffer.
Above: "I am still me!"
- Fellow young stroke survivor, Kate Allatt, offers insight into how it feels to live after a stroke in this confronting drawing depiction.
Spot on.
Surviving two major strokes, some say I should simply be grateful yet little do they understand that it is a continuous living nightmare for a decent chunk of my young life now. Surviving is the key word about the aftermath of the brain attacks and for some, like myself, it is ongoing for many years and all the while in the prime of my life. Life as a young stroke survivor feels like constantly trying to drive a car with no gas. It is not enough to simply be alive - I want to thrive (just like you). A healthy brain has close to 100 billion neurons (the second stroke caused damage equal to a baboon's worth in the strokes' wake - tens of billions!) including dendrites ('tree branches') & axons ('tree roots') that like to chat to each other (aka synapses) more than this Chitty Chat loves a yarn with my good-egg mates/newfound mates at the local bar! These connections enable us to be who we are as human beings and individuals plus make possible our everyday existence - from running away from a venomous snake (and knowing to do so quietly!) and checking the road before we cross such (<<and I've had that particular ability officially tested - however, OTs obviously knew snake smarts were long-term memory from a tropical Far-North-Queensland wild child so no testing of such!) to putting our seatbelt on once getting into a vehicle (+ understanding why). The two strokes of 2012 that only took two sections of my mind's complex map have showcased for many - especially in my age bracket (now - I'm proud to say after experiencing two strokes at 26 - I've reached 30! Proud as Punch!) - just how durable, fierce, plastic, determined and magical our human brains are and that it is with my own human spirit (that's in my tenacious young mind!) that I shall one day be triumphant in again living a life that's full! You can't (& I certainly won't) give up on your dreams - it's better to risk starving to death than surrender! Stroke-survivor stories forever serve as inspiration to get back out 'there' (which I am! Below is how I recently celebrated reaching 30 years of life - 'twas a big deal!) and one of the most intriguing aspects of their anecdotes is how the brain fights back despite an utter meltdown in our body's headquarters (<<pun intended!). Because our magical minds are indeed plastic (phew!), the healing process and progress after a stroke despite initial (for some survivors) severe effects, means there is hope - neuroplasticity, you little beauty!
Given the severe anterograde amnesia I've experienced after losing the brain's hippocampus in my right hemisphere's temporal lobe, I am sometimes referred to as 'Dory' from Finding Nemo and I'd have to say, it is quite spot on with my damaged brain and its
current (<<operative word) inabilities.
Obviously just as funny & endearing as Dory too!
Obviously just as funny & endearing as Dory too!
Wise words buddy!
Let's remember (heh), Dory made that movie!
During those initial confronting months (3+ years ago now) when I was certain death was imminent whilst in my prime/20s, my world was completely dark and void of purpose. Given the morbid situation, where I (& quite possibly, many others) assumed I was a 'goner' painfully waiting for death to strike once and for all, I encouraged jokes about the blasted strokes in typical Australian manner where defiance & humour was (/still is) the key in my particular rehabilitation ('recovery' implies that the brain will 'just' bounce back to its original place like a broken bone that grows back, but I've had to accept through the most stubborn of gritted teeth that the damaged mind now will never be where it once was - its formerly-renowned memory-and-spatial-navigation abilities would have blown your socks off!) journey. Although my body's circulatory and immune systems (suppressed by a rare autoimmune disease that had yet to be detected before both strokes struck) flared up (<<as docs constantly tell me, it could happen to anyone in this hectic 21st-century world), causing mass, prolonged devastation, my Aussie-battler brain certainly is fighting back.
After all, a bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because their trust is not on the branch, but rather, on their own wings.
Check out my (+ other stroke survivors') decent wings flapping (gliding will come in due course) away!
In January 2016, my former school in UK's darling London borough of Richmond upon Thames let this former employee (+ PA, Nurse Mother Duck, whom they had met when she came in for a day *take-your-mummy-to-school day!* in mid-2012, just a month before Stroke 1 surprisingly struck) come for a cuppa tea & chinwag (including with the head teacher who must have missed my clever jokes!). Some even joined in celebrating the end of the working week at the pub (purely for blood thinners)!
They were the best medicine.
Initially, time was always on my mind, but now, three years on, I'm trying to focus on the here and now where I actively let the universe know what I want and am passionately working towards that without analysing how it may come nor the time it takes. Throughout this chapter, I've been forced to sit still in my life's progress - during its otherwise-prime years - which ultimately strips you of everything that makes you feel secure - your coat of armour, if you will, in work, recreation, travel, love and even friends. It aggressively strips you of who you thought you were and eventually leads you to a place where you're defined by something larger. But it surely isn't an instantaneous revelation and the torment over the years will never fade in my (bi-damaged) mind. As other people who have been seriously unwell can relate to - including musical sensation, Jessie J (who wrote her first song, Who You Are, when she was in hospital after a teenage stroke - perhaps we could make a little *cheeky* song with all my diaries filled with colourful notes in memory's absence/fears of being dead!), rugby player Michael Lynagh and the gladiator-general Spartacus himself, Kirk Douglas, who lost his ability, as a famous award-winning actor, to talk post stroke (so in 2014, wrote an insightful piece for the Huffington Post that describes the 'equal-opportunist' stroke's devastating aftermath) - it soon became abundantly clear that unfortunately there were some absolute shockers of people out there who have needed myself to convince them that I was still worthy after strokes, yet the strong supporters of my world have eagerly and consistently offered reassurance on my/our darkest days that despite strokes, brain damage and all their ghastly effects, nothing substantial had actually changed; I still mean the world to them, they still mean the world to me and my brain's gains since such unimaginable grief + loss have been paramount in our shared vision. Together, we accepted what is (by making blogs/media pieces/celebrating life/volunteering at a supportive school with what brain function has been spared - the list goes on), eventually letting go of what was and having ultimate faith in the future.
What genuine characters - more refreshing than a dip in the ocean!
Celebrating reaching 30 years of life - you beauty!
Europe
November 2015
