tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51887419506669650102024-03-15T18:09:44.263-07:00The Tales of a Stroke Patient and MoreI was well and then I wasn't. In one second, my life changed forever. I type with only one, functional hand and am the author of "The Tales of a Stroke Patient," the true story behind my hemorrhagic stroke and its consequences, including gruesome health professionals, frightful depression, and near-death encounters. I'll take you on the journey in this blog I've written for over 10 years, but be prepared for a bumpy ride.
Contact info: Joyce Hoffman / hcwriter@gmail.comJoyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.comBlogger228125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-69977572200375660272024-01-04T20:47:00.000-08:002024-01-09T12:15:36.390-08:00The Pusher Syndrome--Do you know what that is? Everybody should!<div class="abstract" id="abstract" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 3.6rem 0px 0px; position: relative; word-break: break-word;"><div class="abstract-content selected" id="eng-abstract" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: left;"><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #212121; line-height: 1.5; margin: 1.2rem 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>I found out about pusher syndrome last week <i>for the first time ever</i> from my Physical Therapist in Rehab because I fell once again.</b></span></p><p style="background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #212121; line-height: 1.5; margin: 1.2rem 0px;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I am a stroke survivors of almost 15 years and have pusher syndrome, </span><span style="font-family: arial;">the peculiar behavior of my </span><span style="font-family: arial;">actively </span><span style="font-family: arial;"><i>pushing</i></span><span style="font-family: arial;"> away from the non-hemiparetic [the good] side, leading to postural disproportion and the likelihood of falling towards the paralyzed side. </span></span></b></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 1.2rem 0px;"></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #212121; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvi5G_6aMHDLTYpRMZJT_jHnobStJbWyzYMEgHXHcRkUL2Rp2-A2O-VUKgEAuG-6013VXPTopZhf6SaNT_RJI40ereSDOZJxrSGsUD878GzOE4Af73kAN4s2NL3nO8fKIpe_oUFsiGhH3fjlBpvEdQXdqv9nJZnu1Emw_QkDJJyOE-AvGtOGY4qbWWbZM/s259/pusher%20syndrome.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="195" data-original-width="259" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvi5G_6aMHDLTYpRMZJT_jHnobStJbWyzYMEgHXHcRkUL2Rp2-A2O-VUKgEAuG-6013VXPTopZhf6SaNT_RJI40ereSDOZJxrSGsUD878GzOE4Af73kAN4s2NL3nO8fKIpe_oUFsiGhH3fjlBpvEdQXdqv9nJZnu1Emw_QkDJJyOE-AvGtOGY4qbWWbZM/w400-h302/pusher%20syndrome.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #212121; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Recent studies have found that the deficit leading to "pushing" is an altered perception of the body's positioning in relation to gravity. Let me explain.</b></span><p></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 1.2rem 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: white; color: #202124;">Pusher survivors experience their body as upright when they are actually tilted to the non-hemiparetic side. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121;">The results demonstrate a separate pathway in humans with stroke for sensing gravity different from that for perception of the visual world. </span></b></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 1.2rem 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://youtu.be/LjGhYWOmRUw">https://youtu.be/LjGhYWOmRUw</a></span></span></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span><p></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 1.2rem 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #212121;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>The clinical examination of this pushing, its underlying disturbance, lesion location, and approaches for therapy are all factors requiring more research.</b></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.5; margin: 1.2rem 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Having a mirror helps me align myself upright. And "normals," if you see a stroke survivor who are family or friends tilted to the bad side, say something. They should appreciate that kind correction.</b></span></p></div></div>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-60372707463994062692022-06-22T22:36:00.001-07:002022-06-22T22:41:03.366-07:00How Healthy Lifestyle Changes Can Help You Cope During Times of Grief<p> </p><div class="NJo7tc Z26q7c uUuwM" data-content-feature="1" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #787878; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><h2 class="VwiC3b MUxGbd yDYNvb lyLwlc lEBKkf" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: black; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLImlqNnNGQyiuA8yD_577_hU4fVRKbhxH3raF01qHrxnRo_hFAgIh4Y13PvbnV-Qk97eHv6OX7bnepSYjgRd84hNCctV0CX36zjwmK4ZXgOmyOEkSrIw6ycKnqVU34aB56aPtZpVLLnEMTW5UwxWwcyNFVxLjWXRETrfswsRxWFwVWKNxiGsVBF0a/s280/grief%20release.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="280" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLImlqNnNGQyiuA8yD_577_hU4fVRKbhxH3raF01qHrxnRo_hFAgIh4Y13PvbnV-Qk97eHv6OX7bnepSYjgRd84hNCctV0CX36zjwmK4ZXgOmyOEkSrIw6ycKnqVU34aB56aPtZpVLLnEMTW5UwxWwcyNFVxLjWXRETrfswsRxWFwVWKNxiGsVBF0a/w640-h311/grief%20release.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><br />Claire Wentz created Caring From Afar to offer support and advice to people who are unable to live near their loved ones. </span><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">She chooses the most poignant topics and, for this reason, is my guest blogger for today.</span></span></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: black; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit;">————————————-</span></h2></div><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">One of the most common side effects of a death in the family–or even severe changes to the well-being of a loved one or yourself–is intense feelings of <span style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red;"><a href="https://www.abct.org/fact-sheets/bereavement/" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red; text-decoration-line: none;">sadness and grief</a></span>. It’s normal to feel this way, but there are ways to cope with these feelings that can help you feel better and get back on your feet. If you’re looking to understand more about how a healthy lifestyle can help you heal as you grieve, the following article from <span style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red;"><a href="https://stroketales.blogspot.com/" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red; text-decoration-line: none;">The Tales of a Stroke Patient</a></span> can help.</span></span></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">Yoga and Grief</span></span></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">Yoga offers so many benefits that directly tie into overcoming grief. This may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of yoga, but it is a way to find relief. If you are grieving, Australian Natural Health notes that yoga will help you feel better by releasing </span></span><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red;"><a href="https://www.naturalhealthmag.com.au/content/yoga-bliss-effect" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red; text-decoration-line: none;">endorphins and serotonin</a></span> in your body. </span></span></span></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">These will make you feel more relaxed and less stressed. Yoga also has <span style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red;"><a href="https://www.himalayanyogainstitute.com/9-yogic-breathing-practices-mind-body-balance-healing/" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red; text-decoration-line: none;">breathing techniques</a></span> that can help clear your mind and relieve any pent-up emotions. Yoga movements and poses are often done on the ground, which makes it easier for those who have never tried this form of exercise. </span></span></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">Moreover, yoga helps with grief because it allows people to focus on themselves, meditate, and let go of their thoughts without feeling pressured. It’s all about finding comfort and peace in an otherwise difficult time. You are sure to appreciate the positive effects of yoga in your life.</span></span></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">Seek Professional Counseling</span></span></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">It is common for grief to extend for a<span style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red;"><a href="https://www.betterup.com/blog/grief-therapy" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red; text-decoration-line: none;"> significant period</a></span> of time, but grief that becomes debilitating may need to be addressed through counseling. Fortunately, therapy is more accessible now than ever with the advent of telehealth counseling. When<span style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red;"><a href="https://plushcare.com/online-therapy/" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red; text-decoration-line: none;"> exploring the cost of therapy</a></span>, look for telehealth opportunities that take your insurance, but know that even if you’re uninsured, you can find ongoing weekly appointments available for as low as $149 per session, with single sessions available for only $169. Online therapy is highly convenient, offers significant time savings, and if the need for medication arises, you can be referred to a board-certified physician for a prescription. </span></span></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">Brighten Your Living Space</span></span></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">Did you know that a dark house can only make your sadness worse? You can boost your mood by inviting more light into your home. Take it a step further by turning on the lights at night to brighten your surroundings.</span></span></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">This will improve your mood and lift your spirits. A bright, cheerful environment does wonders for the soul, so be sure to take advantage of light’s many benefits during times of grief and sadness.</span></span></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">Start Your Own Business</span></span></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">Many people find that owning a business <span style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red;"><a href="https://blog.mindnation.com/2020/10/19/be-your-own-boss-8-ways-to-increase-your-self-confidence-at-work/" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red; text-decoration-line: none;">brings them joy</a></span> and helps them overcome their depression. As a business owner, you are in control and don’t have to worry about dealing with someone telling you what to do.</span></span></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">Owning a business such as an LLC gives you greater flexibility and reduces your paperwork responsibilities. Please be aware that each state has its own laws about LLCs, so you will need to research your state’s laws in order to ensure compliance.</span></span></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">Eat Healthy Foods</span></span></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">As Harvard Medical School points out, a healthy diet is a <span style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red;"><a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/gut-feelings-how-food-affects-your-mood-2018120715548" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red; text-decoration-line: none;">key to feeling better</a></span>—both physically and mentally. Take steps to ensure that you are getting your daily recommended intake of nutrients. You will benefit from higher energy levels, sharper cognitive function, and an improved mood. Furthermore, you should seriously consider cutting out sugar and other unhealthy additives that only serve to <span style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red;"><a href="https://www.eatthis.com/foods-make-anxiety-worse/" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: red; text-decoration-line: none;">make you feel worse</a></span> in the long run.</span></span></h2><h2 style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; font-family: Barlow, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-top: 15px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 18pt;">Losing a loved one–or even the sharp decline of a loved one, possibly even yourself–is always difficult, and everyone has their own ways of working through the grieving process. These revitalizing healthy lifestyle changes can help you get back on your feet.</span></span></h2>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-58815966292133124022022-06-05T14:20:00.000-07:002022-06-05T14:20:06.584-07:00Stroke and Positivity: Are They a Toxic Duo or Optimistic Horizon?<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTyhn7-VQ3woZb0FOYW7N-dtVqJY4lm2ZSynTqTSlDu5jmh5wra3dEXDAzbs8x2fioDj_1zkC_f5oHNYMHI4rZ-UiyiX8ePlsGv_2odxrVm5nMXjxCU0SY8zXRe1-Cj1sDU1hHGGoFFS42vAeevDZaqinGpt06VxhqZ4iu3ZjL8vASyzGV-VFjZ4Io/s500/I+can+do+it.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="330" data-original-width="500" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTyhn7-VQ3woZb0FOYW7N-dtVqJY4lm2ZSynTqTSlDu5jmh5wra3dEXDAzbs8x2fioDj_1zkC_f5oHNYMHI4rZ-UiyiX8ePlsGv_2odxrVm5nMXjxCU0SY8zXRe1-Cj1sDU1hHGGoFFS42vAeevDZaqinGpt06VxhqZ4iu3ZjL8vASyzGV-VFjZ4Io/w400-h264/I+can+do+it.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm stubborn, but there comes a point where I will say, explain </span><i style="font-family: arial;">your</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> side of the equation. Then I listen closely to perhaps form a new opinion, different from the first, on the subject at hand.</span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I wrote a blog post in Facebook recently that said a stroke gives you nothing positive. And I meant from the physical side in having one. But too late for post-written clarifications. That post received one on most vitriolic reactions since I started the blog 12 years ago. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">So, of course, positivity and stroke bothered me. When brain injury occurs, for many survivors, they consider it a hiccup to life's plans.</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> I'll get better, they tell themselves, and as the months go on, the confidence wanes because they are not getting better at the speed they want.</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> With only one hand on the non-affected side and one affected leg throbbing and tingling and constantly going into random spasms, they are subject to give up hope. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Nahal Mavadatt et al wrote in a scholarly study or post-stroke and positivity. "</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Post-stroke psychological problems predict poor recovery, while
positive affect enables patients to focus on rehabilitation and may improve functional
outcomes. Positive Mental Training (PosMT), a guided self-help audio shows promise
as a tool in promoting positivity, optimism, and resilience." </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The researchers believe that PosMT works, but depression among stroke survivors often negates that option, having stroke dictate the course of things rather than looking forward to an optimistic future by the people themselves. Attitude comes all the way down the pole. Look up "Positive Mental Training for strokes." You'll see a long list of possibilities to buy. Do they work? </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Having heard over 350 stories in my Brain Exchange organization, co-founded by Sara Riggs, I am convinced, just like snowflakes, no two stories are the same and the old adage rings true: every stroke is different.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;">Robert Perna and Lindsey </span>Harik, in another study, said, "Psychological disturbances may affect rehabilitation outcomes through a reduction in adherence to home exercise programs, reduced energy level, increased fatigue, reduced frustration tolerance, and potentially less motivation and hope about the future."</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Of course, that's true. With up to 75% of stroke survivors having some physical impairment that affects each of those points, young to old, how can it not! </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">So what, if any, are the positive effects of having a stroke? Yes, there are some. Stroke survivors say:</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">more tolerance for disabled people</span></li><li><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">increased empathy</span></li><li><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">additional patience</span></li><li><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">added compassion</span></li><li><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">interest in other kinds of disability</span></li></ul><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I notice it in myself, and I see it in those around me. So do you have to have a stroke in order to satisfy that list? I imagine you do, or be working in some kind of religious or healthcare occupation where those factors SHOULD BE a given. Please read <i>The Tales of a Stroke Patient</i>. In healthcare, trust me--they aren't always. </span></div><p></p>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-37788770908276872582022-05-28T22:54:00.000-07:002022-05-28T22:54:24.064-07:00Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda: But How About "Did"?<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YisgX1ig6LriLns1XL3VY5khVoEHN5bSQBRSUYGS8TzxJBNYf4QFQw1yjNB6x5dBrav1qt6A-NNdub_Z_hujOkHqJQTGGjFkcNGArrA9ri2ObYox3tTcE1aYmgV3NXLbrYmkeun4irHD0NV8BVOff8gu0mS4cOyoMxV0te-t97OCfUGLq5Eqbhcv/s225/woulda.jpeg"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8YisgX1ig6LriLns1XL3VY5khVoEHN5bSQBRSUYGS8TzxJBNYf4QFQw1yjNB6x5dBrav1qt6A-NNdub_Z_hujOkHqJQTGGjFkcNGArrA9ri2ObYox3tTcE1aYmgV3NXLbrYmkeun4irHD0NV8BVOff8gu0mS4cOyoMxV0te-t97OCfUGLq5Eqbhcv/w320-h320/woulda.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I "coulda" gone to the doctor when my leg pain escalated, but I didn't want to miss a day of work. I "shoulda" gone to the doctor while the increasingly, very worst headache of my life began, but I had to stop at the market. I "woulda" gone to the doctor, but I didn't want to miss an episode of <i>American Idol</i>. Coulda, shoulda, woulda can be life-changing. It was for me. They were all lame excuses. And the price of doing those things almost killed me--literally. I take little comfort in knowing that many people followed in my footsteps. Does coulda, woulda, shoulda ring <i><b>your</b></i> bell?</span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Around 80 percent of strokes are preventable, according to the American Stroke Association (ASA), and it's the fifth-leading cause of death in the United States, and some Americans have multiple risk factors like: </span><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span><ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Diabetes</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Heart disease</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">High blood pressure</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Cigarette smoking</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">High cholesterol</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Peripheral artery disease</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Obesity</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Poor diet</span></li></ul><div><div class="cBuilder article-body" id="body-container" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #26282a; margin: 15px 0px;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The ASA also says </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">for every minute a stroke is left untreated, up to 2 million brain cells die.</span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #26282a; margin: 15px 0px;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Scared yet? You should be. But the 80 percent of known risk factors didn't apply to me. I had Protein S Deficiency, a genetic disorder that causes blood clots, or blockages, to the brain.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 15px 0px;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">But better news. There's a blood test for Protein S Deficiency which</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span class="ILfuVd" style="line-height: 24px;"><span class="hgKElc" style="padding: 0px 8px 0px 0px;"><span> is a disorder of blood clotting. People with Protein S deficiency are at risk of a type of clot called a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) that occurs in the deep veins of the arms or legs.</span><span> </span></span></span></span></span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I had multiple blood clots in <b><i>all</i></b> my extremities. Thus, a DVT. Nobody could prevent my stroke. For other people, if you partake in or have any of the risk factors mentioned above, it would be prudent to get tested and rule out Protein S Deficiency. Check with your PCP because it's a specialized test and not every lab complies. </span></span></div><p></p></div></div>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-32240152904516703952022-05-23T15:58:00.011-07:002023-06-25T18:25:37.132-07:00COVID and the Rehab Facility: Talk About a Clusterfuck!<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhGQ1ruCI1l4YY_7PAB-igFHcazNoFXpd24tEv_3fGlJMJIJk5V4g4KWxZlyBgW0tbu94Vy_GKO4GWcQj-hMJHWdQeONqZ1_Dg3tuO4U1UbkzXubNBhTtXxkZC5hD3-MdfNSYvwdrzZh30cwKCzyYNuCFFFND0zgejXf1Qfbsy7aqTXQupjPINdYa/s800/new%20variant%20of%20corona.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbhGQ1ruCI1l4YY_7PAB-igFHcazNoFXpd24tEv_3fGlJMJIJk5V4g4KWxZlyBgW0tbu94Vy_GKO4GWcQj-hMJHWdQeONqZ1_Dg3tuO4U1UbkzXubNBhTtXxkZC5hD3-MdfNSYvwdrzZh30cwKCzyYNuCFFFND0zgejXf1Qfbsy7aqTXQupjPINdYa/w400-h400/new%20variant%20of%20corona.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I found out from the Emergency Room doc--after I had fallen 3 times in 2 days from the lack of power in my stroke-disabled, weak leg--that I tested positive for COVID; me, who is basically a shut-in while pandemic surges forth. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">So I had to go to a rehab facility for the falls, to once again reclaim the strength in my feeble leg. Because of the COVID, once they found one that would even <b>ACCEPT</b> COVID patients, I went. Three days after I was there, I really thought that the time had come for me to die. At 2 am, I wrote my sons burial instructions and some relevant memories of all three of us as my breathing was impeded by the enormous congestion. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">At 6 am, the tide had turned. </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I slowly became less congested in the weeks to follow. But I was still positive. Everybody--the CNAs, the nurses, the doctors, the therapists, the clinical social worker--who entered the room wore a long gown that hovered above the floor. Nobody knew why when I asked them. They had face shields and N-95 masks, and I started to feel like pariah, diseased and isolated. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">After the third week, I was tested again, and it was negative. Off came the workers' gowns, off came the face shields. But they still wore N-95 masks. I had to wear a mask when I exercised in the hallway. But some other patients in the hallway were maskless. I didn't understand why nobody told <b><i>them</i></b>!</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">It was a clusterfuck for sure. I didn't say anything to those patients, escalating their misery to have gone to rehab in the first place. But why didn't the CNAs or the nurses say something about their maskless faces? I understood the answer after a few seconds on thinking about it. NO ONE, EVEN THE SUPPOSED EXPERTS AND RESEARCHERS, KNOWS THE ANSWERS! </span></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;">As Jimmy Dore, my favorite podcaster, says, "You're all going to get it [COVID]." The vaccinated usually would feel less of the symptoms longterm, but Dore who was vaccinated still feels awful after the 2nd Moderna jab, </span></span><span face="TwitterChirp, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">has joint pain, and still experiencing a stiff neck on same side the shot was administered. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial;"><span><span style="font-size: large;"><span face="TwitterChirp, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>I'll say it again: </span></span><span>NO ONE, EVEN THE SUPPOSED EXPERTS AND RESEARCHERS, KNOWS THE ANSWERS! You just have to live with it, whatever the consequences are. Or not. </span></span></span></span></p>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-10643090643016903692022-05-08T08:00:00.001-07:002022-07-10T01:45:04.562-07:00...With My Private Part Flapping in the Breeze<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfIvg52mmlCbFCXeqHiyTRTjj1PWRoaoZau5CiKIOi03C6Ufd-_b4dsMSORN5KR__jCT43gTqSstBlJVqF7LPRz85ERTDOGKWaB1o_Fr_PpRvBimEUZDafSQ0gDAXWNgtNk0FfZWjLdk/s233/cna.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="233" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfIvg52mmlCbFCXeqHiyTRTjj1PWRoaoZau5CiKIOi03C6Ufd-_b4dsMSORN5KR__jCT43gTqSstBlJVqF7LPRz85ERTDOGKWaB1o_Fr_PpRvBimEUZDafSQ0gDAXWNgtNk0FfZWjLdk/w320-h297/cna.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I'm in a skilled nursing rehab facility currently with a week left to go because I fell again where I seriously gauged my knee and hand big time. The pics are gruesome, and yes, stitches on my knee right down to the joint. The hand left an ugly scar, but I'm not getting married again to display proudly the ring on my finger. Once was enough. Marriage, that is.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Anyway, I'm in Portland right now, and the name of this skilled nursing place isn't important because, with one bad seed of Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) among many good ones, it could happen anywhere. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I came in on July 27, unable to move my feet to walk and with broken capillaries on my left thigh that were dark from bleeding under the skin. Like I said, big time.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Priorities, at least for me, are constantly changing. Before the fall, joyously vegan, I overly stressed to my assistant that there must be rice in my hummus, red pepper, olives, and black bean burritos because she or I sometimes forgot. Now, the pain was my priority, screaming loudly from my hospital bed any time--day or night--completely without drama. I was on Oxycodone and Tylenol, sometimes taken together, and it took a half hour at least for the pain to subside.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">As I came to improve slowly with the PT and OT assisting me, I could see, at last, the light at the end of the tunnel. Now for the first time, I have zero pain. But at times, because getting my brace and shoes without which I hadn't walked in my stroke since 2009, was too time-consuming for the CNAs, they brought me the bedpan on which I was willing to compromise. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I saw this particular CNA before. Her demeanor was rushed, hurried, with me and other people. It wasn't the attitude that any patients want, especially brain-injured people of which I am one. She entered my spacious, two-bed and bath room out of view. I was lying down.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">"You rang for help?" she asked begrudgingly, secluding herself behind the curtain.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">"Yes. But come to where I can see you closer," I said. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">"I'm right here," she said, still out of view, as she took her time getting the gown on for protection because we had two staff members with COVID yesterday.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">She appeared now.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I said, "I might have soiled my pants [I didn't, but half my body is paralyzed and I couldn't determine]. The reason I used the call bell was because I have to go the bathroom right away, and I didn't want to yell the news across wherever you were located." </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I didn't tell her I had been ringing for 45 minutes. All the CNAs are constantly busy with placing and removing bedpans, bringing in meals, and generally attending to the patients' whims. I <i>know</i> that.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">"So you want me to clean you up and put on a new gown if I get it dirty? Finish your business and then I'll clean you up." </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">She attempted to leave when I demanded, "I. Want. A. Bedpan. Now." The thought of pooping more just wasn't acceptable without the bedpan, like pooping into the winds. Uh, no.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">So she went behind the curtain again and returned with the bedpan and sour looks. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">"I'll be back," she said with a snarl, or at least I heard it that way.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">When she left, I called for the nurse manager. (FYI: If anything goes wrong with those attending you, call for the nurse manager. There's always one on every shift). Something had to be done. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The CNA returned the same time as the nurse manager and both came into my room. The lower half of my body was still exposed, not exactly the best way to present an argument, with the private part flapping in the breeze from the fan.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">"I don't want this woman to come to my room any longer," I said, gesturing at the CNA. "She has a bad attitude and it's not the first time I witnessed it. If somebody requests a bedpan, there shouldn't be any dispute about it. She needs re-training!" (I'm a big fan of training, having done training for others most of my professional career). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The nurse manager was apologetic on behalf of the facility, but even <i>she</i> knew the damage was already done and it was too late for apologies. The nurse manager had the decency to cover my private part, also too late. And then, the two of them left. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">A couple of hours later, I resisted the urge to feel sorry for the CNA who had to learn the lesson of compassion the hard way. Maybe, just maybe, that lesson will help others who can't stand up for themselves.</span></div>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-90254954911437641082022-03-28T01:07:00.005-07:002023-05-30T01:45:49.031-07:004 Things That Stroke Survivors Think About, Whether They Admit It Or Not<div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoytybQCDO-Ltbnkplwk0jbsfPoc_urPYQJ6XWW2s-9Of4wGj_uzjlKMaebEIqR0bXjhXxvyv5IG7udml4BAUJ9k19LZHyq3xn02IxwtEhU1v9fDHNYx3bzDWDTBh42yKYbf9oXzoC8J9EtBLpgq4kKvuC6Tmfczc_MGDobMzR_dcM7bk9S4EOa_8/s640/Brain%2011.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgoytybQCDO-Ltbnkplwk0jbsfPoc_urPYQJ6XWW2s-9Of4wGj_uzjlKMaebEIqR0bXjhXxvyv5IG7udml4BAUJ9k19LZHyq3xn02IxwtEhU1v9fDHNYx3bzDWDTBh42yKYbf9oXzoC8J9EtBLpgq4kKvuC6Tmfczc_MGDobMzR_dcM7bk9S4EOa_8/w400-h300/Brain%2011.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">There was a commercial back in the 90s. A man, supposedly talking to potential drug users, holds up an egg. "This is your brain." [cracks the egg on the frying </b></span><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">pan] After watching the egg fry for a couple of seconds, the same man says, "This is your brain on drugs. [pause while egg fries] Any questions?" Great analogy.</b></span><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"> </b><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">There are therapies out there for drug users and if they don’t leave before the therapy is finished, and if they don’t do drugs ever again, chances are they will recover fully. Same thing with alcoholics. Don’t leave the therapy before it’s finished. Don’t have another drink ever. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Not so with the brain-injured. There are not chances for full recovery no matter what you do more often than not, and here is where the 4 things come into play. People say “stuff” when they come to visit a stroke survivor, and the stroke survivor, maybe glad of the company, doesn’t say what’s in his or her mind. But the survivor is thinking for sure. As long as you’re not in a coma, this is what the visitor says, and this what the survivor thinks: </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"> Visitor: You look great! </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"> Stroke survivor’s mind: Do you have any idea what I am going through? I feel terrible inside. What do you mean? Do I look like the last time you saw me? </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Visitor: What are you trying? </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Stroke survivor’s mind: Am I looking lazy? Are you keeping a tab on what I am doing? Overseeing my progress? I am stressed out over the things they make me do. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Visitor: Let’s be positive. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Stroke survivor’s mind: This injury feels like hell. I am tired of fighting it. And I need to put up some extra effort to assure you I look positive? Screw that! </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Visitor: You need to learn to treat it like normal. </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Stroke survivor’s mind: Come on! This is by no means normal! I am not stupid! I have been trying so hard, okay? So please shut up and stop lecturing me so cluelessly! 1</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">============= </b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">People say stupid stuff. That’s a given. But if you go and visit a brain-injured person, remember these things, and just stop. Talk about the weather. Talk about a movie or a just completed book. Talk about a meal. But for cryin’ out loud, don’t say these 4 things. OK? </b></span></div><div><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">1: This experiment–what stroke survivors are really thinking– comes from an exercise Daniel Gu was conducting in which Brain Exchange members had to think of what Wendy–a fictional character who is also a survivor–would think to herself when asked. Kudos, Daniel, for reporting back so efficiently about these glaring 4 things.</span></b></div></div>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-39340195036287974022022-03-24T11:40:00.002-07:002022-03-28T16:29:51.301-07:00Younger or Older: If You’re Destined to Have One, When Is It Better to Have a Stroke or Other TBI?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31YA7c3OszKvJ1SJ0914nCFAv-ifXct_9GFokilFa84CXrBIcmJaf6lNZue6Ow1UBVQw3EdYevF6Ifj1q57IllSyPW_SEanzXwQamwAdedWCPIqUh5f5SHtIXiTcDnUYnU_TMqWQ6YWhPJx3AsrsDz9D40Y9n_o-SToo3TmMR4GzsJx65EFlXaSzO/s1200/old%20person%20young%20person.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg31YA7c3OszKvJ1SJ0914nCFAv-ifXct_9GFokilFa84CXrBIcmJaf6lNZue6Ow1UBVQw3EdYevF6Ifj1q57IllSyPW_SEanzXwQamwAdedWCPIqUh5f5SHtIXiTcDnUYnU_TMqWQ6YWhPJx3AsrsDz9D40Y9n_o-SToo3TmMR4GzsJx65EFlXaSzO/w640-h336/old%20person%20young%20person.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit;">I had a stroke in 2009 and I was 61. So the question I continued to ask myself, even now 13 years later as soon as I came out of the coma, is it better to have youth on your side or is it better to have a stroke or other traumatic brain injury in your twilight years? There are pros and cons.</span></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit;">Before 50 </span></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">Pros: Ah! Youth! The advantages to having a stroke when you haven’t reached 50 yet have things to do most with recovery. As a rule, the younger you are when things went haywire, the faster the recovery will come. Of course, there are exceptions, as with any rule, and I don’t have proof that if you have a stroke before 50, there will be clear sailing from that point on. But the chances are greater. Watch this video:</span></span></p><div class="gs" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; width: 864px;"><div class="gE iv gt" style="cursor: pointer; font-size: 0.875rem; padding: 20px 0px 0px;"><table cellpadding="0" class="cf gJ" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; border-collapse: collapse; display: block; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; letter-spacing: 0.2px; margin-top: 0px; width: auto;"><tbody style="display: block;"></tbody></table></div><div id=":8si"><div class="qQVYZb"></div><div class="utdU2e"></div><div class="lQs8Hd" jsaction="SN3rtf:rcuQ6b" jscontroller="i3Ohde"></div><div class="btm"></div></div><div><div class="aHl" style="margin-left: -38px;"></div><div id=":8q7" tabindex="-1"></div><div class="ii gt" id=":8sj" jslog="20277; u014N:xr6bB; 4:W251bGwsbnVsbCxbXV0." style="direction: ltr; font-size: 0.875rem; margin: 8px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="a3s aiL" id=":8q8" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.5; overflow: hidden;"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size: large;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DVGuBMroX7c8&source=gmail&ust=1648085254719000&usg=AOvVaw0PDVwZoLJpfJxGr5KejW3X" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGuBMroX7c8" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?<wbr></wbr>v=VGuBMroX7c8</a></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size: large;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size: large;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">Cons:</span></span> <span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: inherit;">You’re just starting or in the middle of your career, whether you’re a barista or middle management, really everyone who works, as a matter of fact, when suddenly, because that’s all it takes, noth</span></span></span><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 14pt;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;">ing. Depending on the severity, you may not be able to return. And if you return, prejudices come into play. All eyes are on the TBI survivor and that alone may make you screw up. They, the powers that be, see that you’re different, even if you’re not. Depression is greater in the under 50 crowd because you feel cheated. Emotions are stronger like guilt and </span></span><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;">frustration</span></span></span><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"> may come into play greater than the after 50 group.</span></span></span></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">After 50</span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">Pros: You understand sooner the whys and wherefores, limits and foolishness of your actions. You may feel like a grownup for the first time in your life, and that’s a good thing. You take absolutely nothing for granted. You start thinking about support groups, where laughter <span face=""arial black", sans-serif" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><em style="box-sizing: inherit;">is</em></span> the best medicine. </span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Cons:</span></span></span> <span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">You may think about death more and, even though you won’t feel it, how cold you will be six-feet under. </span></span><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">Older people fall. It’s just the way it is. And having a fall or, to lesser extent, even an accident, sometimes results in a stroke or other TBI, and in that singular moment is the better part than what comes after, like lingering headaches, double vision, nasty incontinence, just to name a few. </span></span></span></p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: "Open Sans", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: bolder;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit;">TBI survivors, do you feel the same way? No doubt some of you do, barring the exceptional ones like the survivor in the video or the ones who hide behind their positivity in a glass shell, ready to be shattered at any moment with <em style="box-sizing: inherit;">another</em> TBI!</span></span></span></p><div class="yj6qo ajU" style="cursor: pointer; margin: 2px 0px 0px; outline: none; padding: 10px 0px; width: 22px;"><div aria-expanded="true" aria-label="Hide expanded content" class="ajR" data-tooltip="Hide expanded content" id=":8tb" role="button" style="background-color: #e8eaed; border-radius: 5.5px; border: none; clear: both; line-height: 6px; outline: none; position: relative; width: 24px;" tabindex="0"><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-67479687417840322642022-03-22T19:07:00.005-07:002022-03-22T23:10:21.871-07:00 Important Tips and Considerations When Researching Senior Care Facilities<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWi8koPwu4w96C7W2bcCbEtOmo2HOXEMISHv5AL05Jblx2GnyJVlvsvbNxtVrE2sgh0mUUEfQVTuUiuQBqPHpmowLD0TzDzQXOEh7MEqiPU2ht0j50ebUr3A4U1zUoMBM73qcowpz2RiO7IbZTZ4N8YuqupjpCO4qpBM2inxkHM4LH9A9IpKkCtfC/s259/old%20person.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQWi8koPwu4w96C7W2bcCbEtOmo2HOXEMISHv5AL05Jblx2GnyJVlvsvbNxtVrE2sgh0mUUEfQVTuUiuQBqPHpmowLD0TzDzQXOEh7MEqiPU2ht0j50ebUr3A4U1zUoMBM73qcowpz2RiO7IbZTZ4N8YuqupjpCO4qpBM2inxkHM4LH9A9IpKkCtfC/w400-h313/old%20person.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>This guest post was written by Claire Wentz at </b></span><em style="border: 0px; color: #373737; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><b><a href="http://caringfromafar.com/" rel="noopener" style="border: 0px; color: #1982d1; font-style: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">CaringFromAfar.com</a></b></span><span face="Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif"> </span></em><b style="font-family: arial;">who wants you to know the scoop on choosing the right senior care facility. She has links to other websites which I found extremely helpful. I have faith in Claire that it helps if you're looking!</b></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">---------------------------------- </span></b></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2d04761a-7fff-fe35-991c-9995d898bce1"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><p dir="ltr" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Statistics show that seven out of every ten people will </span><a href="https://www.consumeraffairs.com/assisted-living/statistics.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">need assistance</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of some form during their lifetimes. In 2018, </span><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/residential-care-communities.htm" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">over 900,000</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> individuals resided in residential care facilities. According to the numbers, individuals entering their 65th year have a close to </span><a href="https://acl.gov/ltc/basic-needs/how-much-care-will-you-need" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">70% likelihood</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of requiring some kind of long-term support or aid in the future.</span></span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If your loved ones have reached the age where they need more help than you can offer, nursing homes or assisted living facilities may be the best option. However, locating the right one involves many considerations. </span><a href="https://stroketales.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Tales of a Stroke Patient</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> presents the following article on what you need to consider when researching senior care facilities.</span></span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does the Establishment Provide the Services Needed To Fulfill Your Loved One's Special Needs?</span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not all facilities possess the means to provide specialized care. For instance, not all of them have the resources and trained faculty to deal with problems arising from dementia. Loved ones who suffer from Alzheimer's or a similar disease typically need specialized </span><a href="https://www.aplaceformom.com/alzheimers-care" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">memory care services</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Urinary incontinence is another condition that may require more care than some facilities offer.</span></span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another factor to consider is that assisted living homes and nursing homes are </span><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/assisted-living-vs-nursing-home#differences" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">not the same</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. If your loved one is unable to cook and needs around-the-clock medical care and extensive aid performing daily activities, a nursing home may be more suited to those needs. While assisted living facilities offer access to similar services, the aid offered is not as expansive and these establishments provide more independence, such as allowing residents to cook, share rooms and participate in a wider range of recreational activities. Visit facility websites, social media pages and the facilities themselves to verify exactly what services they do and do not offer. </span></span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does the Establishment Meet Certain Standards?</span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With all the news stories circulating about poor nursing homes, it has become even more imperative to personally check the quality of the institutions that will house and care for your loved ones in their remaining years. Read reviews to learn from other people's experiences. Talk to the staff and gauge their enthusiasm and competence. Individuals that seem to enjoy their work are often more invested in their patients and provide better care.</span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask </span><a href="https://www.agingcare.com/articles/checklist-to-find-a-nursing-home-for-elderly-parents-137428.htm" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">questions</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, such as "Are the workers required to undergo background checks before being hired?" and "Are employees licensed and trained?" Is the facility equipped to deal with dietary needs and physical disabilities? Does it have safety and handicap measures such as clearly marked exits, wheelchair ramps, handrails and good lighting? How frequently does the staff check on the residents? Walk around and get a feel of the facility, if possible. </span></span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does the Establishment Fall Within the Affordable Range?</span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The average cost associated with </span><a href="https://www.medicaidplanningassistance.org/nursing-home-costs/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">nursing homes</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="https://www.a1seniorcareadvisors.com/what-is-the-average-cost-of-assisted-living-by-state/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">assisted living facilities</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> varies based on location. Medicare may cover a portion of the expense up to a certain time, while Medicaid can pay for all of it but has stringent qualification requirements. Pick an affordable facility.</span></span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you need funds, one way to acquire them is by selling a home. However, beware of hidden costs and remember that there are other considerations such as realtor fees when figuring out how much you can make from the sale. For example, if there is a mortgage, you need to look at the outstanding balance. The price you set will also be influenced by the average realty prices in the area. If you need help figuring this out, there are helpful online calculators that can </span><a href="https://www.redfin.com/sell-a-home/home-sale-proceeds-calculator" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">estimate how much</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> you could make from the sale. This will give you a reasonable estimate on which to base your decisions.</span></span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Taking the time to perform research and evaluate each facility helps ensure your loved one lives in comfort. When choosing, considering the cost and closeness is also vital.</span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brought to you by Joyce Hoffman and </span></span></b></span></span><div><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><a href="https://stroketales.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Tales of a Stroke Patient</span></a>,</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"> the true story behind my hemorrhagic stroke and its consequences, including gruesome health professionals, frightful depression, and near-death encounters. I'll take you on the journey in this blog I've written for over 12 years, but be prepared for a bumpy ride. For more information, please visit my website or </span></span><a href="mailto:hcwriter@gmail.com" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">contact me</span></a><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> today for the chance to do a guest blog!</span></b></span></span></div>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-43096837205867460712022-03-13T17:30:00.028-07:002022-03-13T18:18:56.913-07:00If You Don't Believe in God, This Video Isn't Your Jam<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Just because you had a stroke doesn't mean that you wronged God, or vice versa. Maybe, just maybe, He has another plan for you.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rxHgpZU5gXM" width="320" youtube-src-id="rxHgpZU5gXM"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: center;">Clem Suder, the man who showed me faith again--he a Christian, I a Jew </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><br /></p>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-21202185724068146622022-03-13T13:39:00.003-07:002022-04-14T19:06:35.722-07:00It's the "Why" of Post-Stroke Fatigue That I Wanted Answers To!<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtgyfr4vKmyE2qKsUBAHlQMNqwdXGein4xAxS8HxSn4va1ICGo8wHyzwH8SJaDxB6JYzeCcvojkcRy0wC7rrOLAzSrV2dUlmN-5llq-3qc8s4QmWLPd5Z7LVKgPzbY1ifT41Ni9g6T-jcCXeKFCW1OlkW4paZE5U6ZdxmhDUln_-rwZwOoyZrfiSWk=s317" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="159" data-original-width="317" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtgyfr4vKmyE2qKsUBAHlQMNqwdXGein4xAxS8HxSn4va1ICGo8wHyzwH8SJaDxB6JYzeCcvojkcRy0wC7rrOLAzSrV2dUlmN-5llq-3qc8s4QmWLPd5Z7LVKgPzbY1ifT41Ni9g6T-jcCXeKFCW1OlkW4paZE5U6ZdxmhDUln_-rwZwOoyZrfiSWk=w400-h201" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="background-color: white;">Hippocrates, the father of medicine, said long ago in ancient times, "Suddenly a healthy person is seized with head pain, immediately the voice fails, he snores, and the mouth is open (gapes), and if someone calls or moves, he only groans, nothing with meaning." He was describing apoplexy, which came to be as stroke around the 1700s. </span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Though doctors now understand the causes and effects of a stroke, the condition hasn’t always been well understood. Even now. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Apoplexy, or stroke,</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> is a disorder in which a person falls with no warning yet retaining pulse and respiration. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">In all that time, doctors still don't everything? Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and the first in disability around the world. Well, it's time to bring stroke forward to the <i><b>front</b></i> burner!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">One of the things about which the doctors are puzzled is fatigue. Take me, for example. I need to nap sometimes, less often because I'm taking Vitamin B12, the energy booster. But if I feel that a nap is about to happen, I don't want to take a nap because it means later bedtime. Rather, I <i><b>need</b></i> to take a nap. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I asked the pharmacist if any of my medicines could add to the fatigue which is becoming more prevalent recently.</span></p><p><span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">"I see here on the screen that you didn't change medications for a few years. So why are you tired recently?"</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>He was no help.</span><span> And no, it's not COVID. I was tested--twice recently. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span>The American Heart Association claims, "</span><span>F</span><span>atigue is frequent and often severe, even late after stroke. It is associated with profound deterioration of several aspects of everyday life and with higher case fatality, but it usually receives little attention by healthcare professionals. Intervention studies are needed."</span></span></p><p><span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">And so it goes, study after study, that healthcare professionals admit more studies on Post-Stroke Fatigue (PSF) are needed, but few, if any, are being done.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">From the National Institutes of Health (NIH): "There are some data that point to right hemispheric strokes being the cause of PSF. Damage to the brainstem has also been linked to fatigue. However, fatigue is so prevalent in the general population of stroke victims, the two types of stroke...do not completely explain the cause."</span></p><p id="__p7" style="margin: 0.6923em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The NIH also goes on to say, "Fatigue may improve with time, but it can also be persistent and some patients may never be completely free of it. Tasks that may have come easily before the stroke may be harder and therefore require more energy than they previously would." </span></p><p id="__p7" style="margin: 0.6923em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I've done a formula and the result is this: compared to what I <i><b>used</b></i> to do, before the stroke, it now takes 3 times as long than the prior. </span></p><p id="__p7" style="margin: 0.6923em 0px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">So I guess we have to wait longer for the "why" role fatigue plays in most stroke survivors' lives. I don't know how <i><b>much</b></i> longer, but it won't be tomorrow, or even next year.</span></p><p id="__p7" style="background-color: white; font-family: "Times New Roman", stixgeneral, serif; font-size: 15.9991px; margin: 0.6923em 0px;"><br /></p>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-63674423953926343342022-03-12T22:18:00.004-08:002023-03-14T16:53:54.125-07:00Emotional Intelligence: Most Brain-Injured People Have It<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_7AA316j0MFWn1RunHbmk_UwE6i5lxiJ87lsiOGrGJRqCTA9RXNJ2HM_5ByozMlr_OPkNHVIDEOHa_2ecb0c4zCS0UB4bKtAkgMM5ydZh0rLqxOf1Cm1lRaxYrdPGbAqgejrN8h0BEG2F8e-Qb9GEetvLzeKn43Bju24BhLtu2AVU-_FRRMVhfV0B=s780" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="780" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_7AA316j0MFWn1RunHbmk_UwE6i5lxiJ87lsiOGrGJRqCTA9RXNJ2HM_5ByozMlr_OPkNHVIDEOHa_2ecb0c4zCS0UB4bKtAkgMM5ydZh0rLqxOf1Cm1lRaxYrdPGbAqgejrN8h0BEG2F8e-Qb9GEetvLzeKn43Bju24BhLtu2AVU-_FRRMVhfV0B=w640-h333" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Do you know what Emotional Intelligence is? Let's pause for a moment and define it. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Emotional Intelligence is not one or a few but ALL of your brain's mindset. They include the following:</span></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Social Skills</span></li><li><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Motivation</span></li><li><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Empathy</span></li><li><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Self Awareness</span></li><li><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Self Regulation</span></li></ul><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">SOCIAL SKILLS</span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">It's foremost to know where you are and where you're going. Otherwise, it's like trying to make a long trek without a map. First, you won't know how to start. Second, you won't know if you are drawing close or just walking around your destination. That is, </span></span><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">you understand what your current social strengths and limitations are. </span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Brain-injured people, after awhile, should know their strengths and limitations. </span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">MOTIVATION</span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">There are many theories that point to why people do the things they do. But my favorite is the Drive Theory in which </span></span><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">people are motivated to an action to reduce the tension that is caused by unmet needs. You might be motivated to eat in order to reduce the state of hunger.</span></span></span></div><p class="comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html" id="mntl-sc-block_2-0-7" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; counter-reset: section 0; margin: 1.2rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">The drive theory is based on homeostasis, the idea that the body is working to maintain a certain state of balance.</span></span></p><p class="comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html" id="mntl-sc-block_2-0-7" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; counter-reset: section 0; margin: 1.2rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Brain-injured people ultimately know what to do to avoid scary behavior that cause their equilibrium to go haywire, not at first but after repetitive falls, for example.</span></p><p class="comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html" id="mntl-sc-block_2-0-7" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; counter-reset: section 0; margin: 1.2rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">EMPATHY</span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Empathy is the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">to communicate that understanding back in return. It's the ability </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">understand people's situation and feelings from their point of view.</span></span><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Many brain-injured people say, "You can only know how this [stroke or other brain injury] feels if you were to see it for yourself."</span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">SELF AWARENESS</span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">From understood.org, people with self awareness can: </span><div class="wDYxhc" data-md="83" lang="en-US" style="border-radius: 8px; clear: none; padding: 0px;"><div class="di3YZe" style="line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 20px;"><div class="RqBzHd" style="padding: 0px 20px;"><ul class="i8Z77e" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li class="TrT0Xe" style="list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Recognize their strengths and challenges</span></li><li class="TrT0Xe" style="list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Understand and talk about their needs and feelings</span></li><li class="TrT0Xe" style="list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Recognize other people's needs and feelings</span></li><li class="TrT0Xe" style="list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">See how their behavior affects others</span></li><li class="TrT0Xe" style="list-style-type: disc; margin: 0px 0px 4px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Develop a growth mindset and learn from their mistakes</span></li></ul><div class="u9iNfb" style="margin-left: -20px;"></div></div></div></div><div class="g" style="clear: both; line-height: 1.58; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 600px;"><div data-hveid="CAYQAA" data-ved="2ahUKEwia2vz6mcL2AhUnHDQIHUlRAzIQFSgAegQIBhAA"><div class="tF2Cxc" style="clear: both; padding-bottom: 0px; position: relative;"></div></div></div><p class="comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html" id="mntl-sc-block_2-0-8" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; counter-reset: section 0; margin: 1.2rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Brain-injured should be able to accomplish all on the list, with practice and lots of it.</span></p><p class="comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html" id="mntl-sc-block_2-0-8" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; counter-reset: section 0; margin: 1.2rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">SELF REGULATION</span></p><p class="comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html" id="mntl-sc-block_2-0-8" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; counter-reset: section 0; margin: 1.2rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Dr. Steven Stosny says in <i>Psychology Today,</i> "Consistent self-regulation requires focus on your deepest values rather than feelings. It's also the best way to feel better. Violation of values invariably produces bad feelings, while fidelity to them eventually makes you feel more authentic and empowered." </span></span></p><p class="comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html" id="mntl-sc-block_2-0-8" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; counter-reset: section 0; margin: 1.2rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">In other words, taking feelings out of the picture, what is the <i>right</i> thing to do?</span></span></p><p class="comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html" id="mntl-sc-block_2-0-8" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; counter-reset: section 0; margin: 1.2rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Most brain-injured people, at least the hundreds--maybe more--that I met online (and after awhile) are more patient and inwardly compassionate, looking at what is right--the core values--than focusing on feelings which makes you angrier, frustrated, hateful. </span></span></p><p class="comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html" id="mntl-sc-block_2-0-8" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; counter-reset: section 0; margin: 1.2rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">To all of the brain-injured people out there, wouldn't you agree that I'm talking, with lots of </span><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">repetitions, acquiring emotional intelligence is already almost there for you? If necessary, think about it and read this post again to understand my point of view. </span></span></span></p><p class="comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html" id="mntl-sc-block_2-0-8" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; counter-reset: section 0; margin: 1.2rem 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">We got this, right?</span></span></span></p><p></p></div>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-89215017326363003652022-02-07T00:55:00.000-08:002022-06-22T00:56:24.931-07:00My Blog "The Tales of a Stroke Patient and More" Has An Update! <p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I stand by that old expression that has been attributed to so many: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." </span><span style="font-family: arial;">I hate change but accept it--eventually.</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So I'm happy to announce on this snowy Christmas eve that </span><i style="font-family: arial;">The Tales of a Stroke Patient and More </i><span style="font-family: arial;">blog</span><i style="font-family: arial;"> </i><span style="font-family: arial;">has a new home. After over 700,000 readers around the world (except Antarctica), I switched apps, a treacherous step indeed, and so I had to change where it now resides: </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://talesofastrokesurvivor.blog" style="background-color: white;">https://talesofastrokesurvivor.blog</a></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Coupled with the location change was a name change. There were two: I dropped the article "The" and the unneeded "And More" in the title. And after almost 13 years, which just seem like last month, I am definitely a survivor.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">My memory of that place, the dreaded rehab center in Pomona, New Jersey, still remains, and I'm reminded of another quote said by Edward de Bono: "</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">A<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>memory is what is left when something happens and does not completely unhappen." </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: xx-large;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Anyway, so there it is. New location. New name. (</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And just in time for the) </span><span style="font-family: arial;">New Year.</span></span></span></p>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-3334528073266777852022-01-01T00:51:00.000-08:002022-06-22T00:52:37.354-07:00Like It Or Not, It's Time For This Stroke Survivor's Top 5 New Year Resolutions!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZRpn6Z7FSF6ATeElRkBGtXxdDnWwIVdSyBGCpcYxaDkpCnspEvmRMtCHm41ic5GNL1oRZzsfQ2m-R_pqWk4oFwOmhZKKxSNb43bFdcneDuwY67uwA3VSzN962xQFvoubSwq1W9iPTm_9ARCB6LjX_K7iETkfWKSHapdA9qZnrefF_CJGaIykwGwp8=s500" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="191" data-original-width="500" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZRpn6Z7FSF6ATeElRkBGtXxdDnWwIVdSyBGCpcYxaDkpCnspEvmRMtCHm41ic5GNL1oRZzsfQ2m-R_pqWk4oFwOmhZKKxSNb43bFdcneDuwY67uwA3VSzN962xQFvoubSwq1W9iPTm_9ARCB6LjX_K7iETkfWKSHapdA9qZnrefF_CJGaIykwGwp8=w640-h245" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">This year has been tough, more for some, less for others like me who occasionally don't mind being shut in the cocoon to write. But, alas comes the time for New Year's Resolutions. I love to write resolutions because it gives me words and actions to be accountable for. So here goes!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbt8uxKt-v5FKDnVBR0y8u6wFbzWtfikNlONfMdWqfK6BccaM-Nz2iRPzJc3F1koDG5H13YMAjh6zK1VhbEyx1eESdqUmno0MXK7eNpEA10EzTWmG9BI1Ievnyb0kJy7FakIOSy8ECQui-c_gCMmwPA51LuFCA8aNds4RIT4xdIbxLt_FZc2D1qx9Z=s275" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbt8uxKt-v5FKDnVBR0y8u6wFbzWtfikNlONfMdWqfK6BccaM-Nz2iRPzJc3F1koDG5H13YMAjh6zK1VhbEyx1eESdqUmno0MXK7eNpEA10EzTWmG9BI1Ievnyb0kJy7FakIOSy8ECQui-c_gCMmwPA51LuFCA8aNds4RIT4xdIbxLt_FZc2D1qx9Z" width="275" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br />1. I will never stop being a vegan. Veganism gave me more energy where I only take limited naps a month. I restrict my diet to only vegan things and the one food that I loved--corned beef--I don't miss at all. </span></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0zX3N7hk4WRu48fTIKIB8GenM7lgXUx7_QNLQW9dnwiDeY2LEB9A3HaZMOiqagKZ8gFLoYgzEVTPlU1c-WTfs1gRDdIkBFy56YMTdINyL-YdQR6yb159kfnlEC01j53nhT_VLD12GTJTONzWNmmZ1EgZDRxv_95KRvyWp3s5iDgY3M0nYP5smpHrC=s300" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="300" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg0zX3N7hk4WRu48fTIKIB8GenM7lgXUx7_QNLQW9dnwiDeY2LEB9A3HaZMOiqagKZ8gFLoYgzEVTPlU1c-WTfs1gRDdIkBFy56YMTdINyL-YdQR6yb159kfnlEC01j53nhT_VLD12GTJTONzWNmmZ1EgZDRxv_95KRvyWp3s5iDgY3M0nYP5smpHrC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;">2. I promise to do my exercises regularly. Three times a week was told to me when I started out. But now, everyday is advised by the physical therapist. Sometimes, I'm tired and just don't feel like exercising, but I'll take a power (15 minutes) nap and try again.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSZTDigQvZ4z4P5raFN9oFlB1dHEMQ_YF23DQw4Etlk2I4vgR6Ps6fUVSATGwuem8I04hxqzch5JPdYV04t7vVAevSmDQOlql1mV4TRdsDPFPxRg_X9JE9-j2SI8kq-ZasSunhQPXiibydpciOgt_Tstf-No3iOm0rV60oioBNlthi1yWDc5OVYzD1=s1024" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="724" data-original-width="1024" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgSZTDigQvZ4z4P5raFN9oFlB1dHEMQ_YF23DQw4Etlk2I4vgR6Ps6fUVSATGwuem8I04hxqzch5JPdYV04t7vVAevSmDQOlql1mV4TRdsDPFPxRg_X9JE9-j2SI8kq-ZasSunhQPXiibydpciOgt_Tstf-No3iOm0rV60oioBNlthi1yWDc5OVYzD1=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">3. I want to see Brain Exchange flourish continuously because I have devoted the rest of my life to survivors of stroke and other traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Sara and I started Brain Exchange that sets up a writing partner 1:1, like the old pen pal program, to everyone who joins the initiative that is EXCLUSIVELY for stroke and other TBIers and meetings where everyone shares the struggles and joy, plus a Facebook group called Brain Exchange. If you know anyone who fits the bill, please have them look me up on Facebook.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHakrhaJQlc1ozCx6ub45blCzwtmmULO3Sm0zc-zvHLTOzyxJNky20GKK1pRQAVmIMtks90nn7ApIyMNtLA8-OnqX53tFfw9Lsn-JAB1fYiQFf02e92ZZpljQvA4XOHgADe_sfIyFfzX6WmS9kIkmvSJSCpvJEQB2g7H3Wsyqsp-JLEVRtK_n4hUki=s1200" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHakrhaJQlc1ozCx6ub45blCzwtmmULO3Sm0zc-zvHLTOzyxJNky20GKK1pRQAVmIMtks90nn7ApIyMNtLA8-OnqX53tFfw9Lsn-JAB1fYiQFf02e92ZZpljQvA4XOHgADe_sfIyFfzX6WmS9kIkmvSJSCpvJEQB2g7H3Wsyqsp-JLEVRtK_n4hUki=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">4. The one thing every therapist said--physical, occupational, speech--in the 12+ year I've had my stroke is drink a lot of water to keep you hydrated. I like tea and coffee, and there's no difference with water for hydration. But herbal teas and decaffeinated coffee are fine because the caffeine will make you more anxious if you have more than two cups of the caffeine varieties. But I like fruit-infused water. Throw some lemon in your thermos of water and it's </span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;">being hydrated with water and Vitamin C all at once!</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmgAIi4DFij3D6JjGIzCVoUuNMbIwfthhIRzP2xe1y5th0FqKTbM60KcHiIU9Q2C447-1FhCVzDw4yk8NVEm2ADEF65w3NfOZS4H9OtPFax4IYdvcPtjvPzFstrWNESP5z9SNrRpOodAFIDZx-P_AxBYfsuBkXaLRdc8SCeWZ-SJpklZ0IZ5iSnKQE=s800" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjmgAIi4DFij3D6JjGIzCVoUuNMbIwfthhIRzP2xe1y5th0FqKTbM60KcHiIU9Q2C447-1FhCVzDw4yk8NVEm2ADEF65w3NfOZS4H9OtPFax4IYdvcPtjvPzFstrWNESP5z9SNrRpOodAFIDZx-P_AxBYfsuBkXaLRdc8SCeWZ-SJpklZ0IZ5iSnKQE=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br />5. I will refrain from correcting anybody who says "supposably" rather than "supposedly." As Dictionary.com says: "</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">While </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">supposably</em><span style="background-color: white;"> is a real (if rare) word, most people will opt for synonyms such as </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">possibly</em><span style="background-color: white;"> or </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">conceivably.</em><span style="background-color: white;"> Because many mistakenly believe others using </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">supposably</em><span style="background-color: white;"> is a mistake, a lot of people avoid </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">supposably</em><span style="background-color: white;"> so as not to invoke the wrath of people who are </span><em style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;">supposedly</em><span style="background-color: white;"> grammar snobs." </span></span><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white;">I learned something new. I am a snob.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRIlNWaa4DDfoRFbEz2uanBOREmiTHX7ffTtkz42jAJTvrnTdLOEX3U2Fl1fQ8QzebsAE3uNWqr7k0ruCYGzkXd5tUsvstKk4kFfzhoA6pdTyDr4yYlfQK49A9BjScZhSTY9xDSfCz8h4Vvw52CG-SNdZ9StdNR_oi_BsIIaA41VPtbxkgya6A41O4=s299" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="299" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRIlNWaa4DDfoRFbEz2uanBOREmiTHX7ffTtkz42jAJTvrnTdLOEX3U2Fl1fQ8QzebsAE3uNWqr7k0ruCYGzkXd5tUsvstKk4kFfzhoA6pdTyDr4yYlfQK49A9BjScZhSTY9xDSfCz8h4Vvw52CG-SNdZ9StdNR_oi_BsIIaA41VPtbxkgya6A41O4" width="299" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">6. I'm almost a third done my memoir and I want to finish it by 2023. I have everybody in there -- my family, my childhood, my adult years, my sucky marriage, my suckier ex-partner. But writing comes easy to me, and I'm resolute to publish it. Stay tuned, readers!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfqtCRx1x8ze4G_3nhTVLbc7zxPR9hvUA8dohRh2f719cHjLaR0p6TbqXQCE1Y4fzZ3b_Wdt4b_gk_k5ym-9oLq9or1f1f8ZTuQzJrxqzQQEz405Uwckksw6azNMakz4f4dkRQmWV5qK8a39xOQJqf8Ys9xAYjkpJffS7eBNr2YmdKNvmxTnpQuDDB=s1536" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjfqtCRx1x8ze4G_3nhTVLbc7zxPR9hvUA8dohRh2f719cHjLaR0p6TbqXQCE1Y4fzZ3b_Wdt4b_gk_k5ym-9oLq9or1f1f8ZTuQzJrxqzQQEz405Uwckksw6azNMakz4f4dkRQmWV5qK8a39xOQJqf8Ys9xAYjkpJffS7eBNr2YmdKNvmxTnpQuDDB=w640-h640" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span><p></p>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-64826510139331018432021-11-25T02:46:00.002-08:002021-11-27T23:32:32.162-08:00Fall Upon Fall: The Wheelchair Was the Logical Next Step<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span style="text-align: left;">I received the news as what I perceived to be a bevy of people sitting in my living room four years ago. It was </span><i style="text-align: left;">me </i><span style="text-align: left;">against </span><i style="text-align: left;">them</i><span style="text-align: left;">, so many of </span><i style="text-align: left;">them, </i><span style="text-align: left;">I thought. And it actually wasn't a bevy.</span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">"I regret to tell you that you're going to be in a wheelchair, now that you had six falls in the space of four years, until you build up your leg muscles," said the social worker, who was surrounded by a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, my caregiver, the nursing coordinator, and a student nurse who was looking sorrowfully at me. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I thought the social worker was smug and must have said those words to other stroke survivors, and actua</span><span style="font-family: arial;">lly </span><span style="font-family: arial;">eleven falls in three years, to be precise, and I scoffed at the idea. Me, in a wheelchair. I was using the cane at the time, but with every fall, I regressed in my ability to walk, and my narrative followed.</span></span></p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">"I just want to be where I was before the fall," I pleaded every time. But every time, my ability to walk was further back than it was the previous time. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span><span style="font-family: arial;">"It will be safer," the social worker continued. Safer, a </span><span style="font-family: arial;">favorite word of every PT. Nobody asked me if I'd rather be safer. </span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Maybe I don't want it to be safer, I thought, obstinate, stubborn to a fault. Maybe I'll take my chances, see where things end up. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Fast forward five years. I'm still in the chair, actually a transport chair, which a person behind me has to push once my legs get tired after 10 minutes of propelling myself. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">But when I took yet another ambulance to the Emergency Room and needed thirty stitches to close the tear on my </span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><i style="font-family: arial;">good</i><span style="font-family: arial;"> leg right down to the joint after hitting my leg on the dresser which had sharp brackets, leaving behind a bloody mess in the bedroom, I knew, at that moment five seconds after the fall, I would have no more. No more of any of it.</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">While I was in the hospital for three days, three things happened. First, m</span><span style="font-family: arial;">y son and my aide rearranged the bedroom where my leg could hit nothing. The dresser was moved to the </span><span style="font-family: arial;">opposite wall. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGs0Alqlj2P_4Wgl2q_iR0hD1eFtUb9Et41rYU2e1XAnAPbQH_tF37SydR1f3T3GyvFeVEGixSGO6Q61u03ZBAFkqI9TwVOXIHbAFkGgl4g5Ue1Pnou_aUWroxG0JzBM7EnBG2llZ_oKQ/s1280/pole.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGs0Alqlj2P_4Wgl2q_iR0hD1eFtUb9Et41rYU2e1XAnAPbQH_tF37SydR1f3T3GyvFeVEGixSGO6Q61u03ZBAFkqI9TwVOXIHbAFkGgl4g5Ue1Pnou_aUWroxG0JzBM7EnBG2llZ_oKQ/s320/pole.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Second, I got a floor-to-ceiling which my younger son installed that helps me with both exercise and transfers. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">And third, Sara and I founded Brain </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Exchange, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">exclusively for stroke and other TBI survivors to write ongoing emails in a 1:1 partnership which keeps me busy throughout the day and is helping me forget about the nursing home hellhole I was situated in for five weeks. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The renowned Daniel Gu who had a stroke, the founder of Strokefocus, developed the sign-in form and logistical meetings among Daniel, Sara, and me, and ever-pleasant Anne Tillinghast, who <i>didn't</i> have a stroke, the musical director of The Backstrokes (a band of stroke and other TBI survivors of which I am a member playing keyboard, the others mostly string and percussion, singing and playing every week) assists the effort. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">So all of this is to say, I'm better now, still having physical therapy at home, and thankful for the Thanksgiving that I will attend later today with my sons and son's girlfriend. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I haven't fallen for four months. Will I fall again? How the hell should I know! After every fall, I said it would be the last, and you see how well <i>that</i> turned out.</span></span></p>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-45768736568688686522021-11-07T20:07:00.004-08:002021-11-18T01:33:05.376-08:00Can You Rid Yourself of Bad Habits and Thoughts Like Smoking and Strong Dislike With BWRT? It Worked So Far for Bobbie!<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQk987VSEgv9KvjN_S3rGVNkWrXn_egMLp3QT4yrORjpAPBjj9BC3frAETPJY7mu4oehIQuiZaUCFTkxZsvyaUu_gM_BJKwtf8S_XCQq6WaOve3VL4KzRFM18hZ804yEqGhwNFijMBDZ8/s500/hypnosis.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQk987VSEgv9KvjN_S3rGVNkWrXn_egMLp3QT4yrORjpAPBjj9BC3frAETPJY7mu4oehIQuiZaUCFTkxZsvyaUu_gM_BJKwtf8S_XCQq6WaOve3VL4KzRFM18hZ804yEqGhwNFijMBDZ8/s320/hypnosis.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Hypnotist and Bobbie</b></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">As a stroke survivor, I once considered hypnotism as a way to walk fast again. The doctor said hypnotism doesn't cure weak, atrophic body parts. But then there's Bobbie. <br /></span><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">First, a little background. Bobbie is my caregiver, a word I hate except when Bobbie says it. She is a "<b><i>real</i></b>" caregiver, state-licensed, not somebody who goes into caregiving as a hobby or, worse yet, a past-time to get money for alcohol or drugs. I had a few caregivers like that. (<a href="https://stroketales.blogspot.com/2020/12/being-comfortable-in-mind-and-spirit.html">https://stroketales.blogspot.com/2020/12/being-comfortable-in-mind-and-spirit.html</a>)</span><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Anyway, Bobbie goes through, at least, a half of a pack of cigarettes daily. She smokes in the car with the window rolled all the way down and it doesn't bother me <b><i>except</i></b> for the fact that she has COPD, high blood pressure, and one heart attack around five years ago, and I don't want to lose her. Bottom line: Cigarettes aren't good for anybody, especially with <b><i>her</i></b> medical history. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Since the day she arrived, she always said she wished she could stop smoking cigarettes, but she never did until now. She hired a hypnotist at $100 per session who uses Brain Working Recursive Therapy, or BWRT, as a method. She had her first session last Wednesday, and hasn't had a cigarette since. Two more sessions to go to reinforce.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Oh, she still has urges. She just squeezes her thumb in the fold when she feels that longing, most likely learned when she was "under." She takes care of her 80-year-old mom who lives 110 miles away on the weekends. That long drive is tough on Bobbie because automatically, she'd reach for that cigarette. But since Wednesday, she hasn't touched one. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Bobbie will continue with BWRT because that method also aligns with getting rid of bad thoughts. Her sister and brother tried to pry guardianship of mom away from Bobbie in a couple of court cases, citing phony physical, emotional, and financial abuse. Her sister and brother lost every time. I know her mom and met her on many occasions. A more loving duo between Bobbie and her mother does not exist!</span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">But Bobbie wants to be done with the hate and repulsion she has for her sister and brother. BWRT to the rescue! Her hypnotist says BWRT will work for that loathing, too.</span></div></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">As Mark Twain said, "The secret of getting ahead is getting started." And you got started, Bobbie! Woo-hoo! </span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial;">And</span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial;"> if you have bad habits and/or thoughts, and who doesn't, find a hypnotist and ask about BWRT first before you spend your money. You'll eventually find one. It's worth the wait.</span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial;"> </span></span></div>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-49391574985154963552021-10-23T17:53:00.002-07:002021-10-27T19:04:13.999-07:00Pen Pals: The Destined Duo of Me and Sara<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8iSj_1ISiZh3hOKtFtIQvmY4jx-ihi3opwUfaZ7SBVdN0g-4_BHKuopRZ21X5bE3WQlfNvHjf_fDwwRWC4ZkqgocSVuwSi_NYBvHuuhCtADakLdh8Awdrt_Wg5H5dadVo8JwQQtu2TE/s300/penpals.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht8iSj_1ISiZh3hOKtFtIQvmY4jx-ihi3opwUfaZ7SBVdN0g-4_BHKuopRZ21X5bE3WQlfNvHjf_fDwwRWC4ZkqgocSVuwSi_NYBvHuuhCtADakLdh8Awdrt_Wg5H5dadVo8JwQQtu2TE/w400-h224/penpals.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br />The trend of Pen Pals started during </span></span></span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">the 1930s</span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">. But the second World War came in 1939, and many of those Pen Pals disappeared--moved or died, never to be active again. Once it ended in 1945, life</span></span></span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> settled down at last.</span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">This story caught my eye about Pen Pals. Carole Lechan of M</span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">assachusetts and Jane Anderson of New Zealand have been pen pals since they were nine years old. Last week, after 56 years of writing, they finally met.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> RACHEL MARTIN, HOST, as printed in NPR (National Public Radio):</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.70588; margin: 0px 0px 1.17647em; max-width: 680px; padding: 0px 15px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Back in 1959, a little girl from Queens, N.Y, sent an airmail letter to another little girl in Sefton, New Zealand. The New Zealander wrote back. And the two began a correspondence that has lasted for 56 years. The two lifelong pen pals never met until last week. When Carole Lechan and Jane Anderson spotted each other at Logan Airport in Boston, they each smiled and locked arms in a huge embrace. Five decades after they first began writing, Anderson had finally come to find Lechan, who now lives in Massachusetts.</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.70588; margin: 0px 0px 1.17647em; max-width: 680px; padding: 0px 15px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The old friends told The Boston Globe that they wrote each other five or six times a year, sending letters written in longhand that could take weeks to reach their destination. Carole Lechan said, quote, "when someone writes you a letter, you are bound by responsibility and courtesy to respond. So we just kept writing."</span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.70588; margin: 0px 0px 1.17647em; max-width: 680px; padding: 0px 15px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The two had updated their correspondence to email in recent years. But as strange as it may seem, they had never even spoken on the phone. I was just really surprised she would make this investment to come see me, Lechan says. But we're not getting any younger. And this is the time to do it.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I read those words and they seemed unlikely to happen to me. One in 100 million, I thought. But I have a Pen Pal now, too.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I never met her. We never talked on the phone. But in late Spring of this year, she inquired where she can find a copy of my book, <i>The Tales of a Stroke Patient.</i> Or she read my blog, <i>The Tales of a Stroke Patient and More. </i>I can't remember.<i> </i>It's as if she has always been here. Her name is Sara.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">And so it began. I worry about Sara. She worries about me. I get her misery; she gets mine. We email or text, sometimes both, almost every day. She knows my children's names; I know hers. I know her husband's name; and I am happily divorced. I know her favorite things; she knows mine. But at the crux of it, why are we so connected? We are both stroke survivors. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">There was something about Sara that charmed me. So I sent her my book after she gave me her address. She has favorable qualities--smart, friendly, attentive. I convinced her to join my Zoom support group so we could look at each other.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">She was thinking of writing a book and <i>her</i> stroke misadventures. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial;">When I wrote my book, in the dusty back room of my ex-partner's house, he was always upstairs, I later knew, partly to escap</span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-family: arial;">e </span><i style="font-family: arial;">me</i><span style="font-family: arial;">. I</span></span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial;"> believe I repulsed him because the roles were reversed, much to his disdain, and I </span></span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">couldn't do the things I once</span></span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> did like go market shopping, help with the gardening, prepare meals. The only positive thing was I had no problem finishing the book which took two years. There wasn't a week that passed when I didn't say to myself, I wish I had an editor to help me with wording choice, chapter order options, proofreading.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">So it was natural that I came to assume editorship at no charge of Sara's book. In Google docs which are shared between the two of us, I read all of her chapters to date--she has six--and I plan to stay with her not only until the book is published but for the long haul. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I feel a kinship and I'm inspired to starting a Pen Pal program among brain injury survivors--someone who understands, someone who gets you. Me and Sara--I think that's reason enough to get the ball rolling.</span></span></p>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-71119818110145128952021-10-03T20:22:00.003-07:002021-10-03T20:32:37.041-07:00No Use in Hiding It Anymore. I Have Aphasia.<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLq8oEOAbo5VfgndeJ9tPzqXb6-4v_LoRjeWqsKp-gS4_rpZkGby2I44Iln1SOjfMaDWtLtAhkVX9zATpLLk-Kx31DFAIBFteBLzpacBAAlNDeiX6ao7hnvkigKgKHeam5u6FGzxG1y60/s315/aphasia.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="160" data-original-width="315" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLq8oEOAbo5VfgndeJ9tPzqXb6-4v_LoRjeWqsKp-gS4_rpZkGby2I44Iln1SOjfMaDWtLtAhkVX9zATpLLk-Kx31DFAIBFteBLzpacBAAlNDeiX6ao7hnvkigKgKHeam5u6FGzxG1y60/w400-h203/aphasia.jpeg" width="400" /></a></b></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br />Aphasia is one of those conditions you can't hide for long. You can say, "I'm having a senior moment," but when you say it all the time <i>and</i> you're a stroke survivor, you have to come to terms that it may likely be aphasia.</b></span><p></p><div id="oL5PYcuOPMKK-wTiwp-AAQ__6"><div class="wDYxhc" data-md="61" style="clear: none;"><div aria-level="3" class="LGOjhe" data-attrid="wa:/description" data-hveid="CBMQAA" role="heading" style="overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 20px;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="color: #0a0a0a; font-family: arial;">Here's a quick rundown of the 2 million people, in the US alone, who have lost all, or part, of the ability to use words to </b><span style="color: #0a0a0a; font-family: arial;"><b>communicate:</b></span></span></span></p><ul style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #0a0a0a; line-height: 1.6; list-style-position: outside; margin: 0px 0px 1rem 1.25rem; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Aphasia is an impairment of language that can affect both the production and comprehension of speech and impair a person’s ability to read and/or write.</b></span></span></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Aphasia is always caused by an injury to the brain.</b></span></span></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; box-sizing: inherit;">Stroke is the most common cause of brain injury that leads to aphasia.</span></b></span></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Other brain injuries from head trauma, infections, or tumors can also cause aphasia.</b></span></span></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Aphasia can be mild and only affect a single aspect of language OR it </b></span></span><b style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">can be so severe that is incredibly difficult to communicate with the patient.</span></b></span></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Most commonly, multiple aspects of communication are impaired.</b></span></span></li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Some people can recover from aphasia, but if they have it longer than 2 or 3 months it is unlikely they will recover.</b></span></span></li></ul><div><p style="box-sizing: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 1rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9; color: #0a0a0a;">Aphasia is defined as an impairment language caused by an injury to the brain, usually due to stroke, but it could happen from any type of brain injury.</b></span></span></p></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Before April, 2009, I used to be a public speaker, communicating to crowds of people in an </b></span><b><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">extemporaneous fashion, the words flowing with no effort, ad-libbing in an impromptu fashion. Now, I know my limits and I'm scared.</span></b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b>Are there differences in types of aphasia? There surely are, and thanks to the UK Stroke Association for this quick guide:</b><br /></span><div class="field-item odd" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-content-slice" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field field-name-field-content-slice-heading field-type-text field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 1.3em 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h3 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 30px; margin: 0em 0px 0.3em; padding: 0em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Broca's aphasia (non-fluent aphasia)</span></h3></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-slice-text field-type-text-long field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0em 0px 1.5em; padding: 0em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Broca’s aphasia or expressive aphasia is when people find it very difficult to find and say the right words, although they probably know exactly what they want to say.</b></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0em 0px 1.5em; padding: 0em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">People with Broca's aphasia may only be able to say single words or very short sentences, although it’s usually possible for other people to understand what they mean. This can be very frustrating.</b></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0em 0px 1.5em; padding: 0em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">The features of Broca's aphasia are:</b></span></p><ul style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0em 0px 1.5em; padding: 0em 0px 0em 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Severely reduced speech, often limited to short utterances of less than four words.</b></span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Limited vocabulary.</b></span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Clumsy formation of sounds.</b></span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Difficulty writing (but the ability to read and understand speech). <a id="Wernicke's aphasia (fluent aphasia)" name="Wernicke's aphasia (fluent aphasia)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"></a></b></span></li></ul></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-slice-enabled field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-slice-collapsible field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-collapsed-by-default field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-content-slice" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field field-name-field-content-slice-heading field-type-text field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 1.3em 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h3 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 30px; margin: 0em 0px 0.3em; padding: 0em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Wernicke's aphasia (fluent aphasia)</span></h3></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-slice-text field-type-text-long field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0em 0px 1.5em; padding: 0em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Wernicke’s aphasia or receptive aphasia is when someone is able to speak well and use long sentences, but what they say may not make sense. They may not know that what they're saying is wrong, so may get frustrated when people don’t understand them.</b></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0em 0px 1.5em; padding: 0em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">The features of Wernicke's aphasia are:</b></span></p><ul style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0em 0px 1.5em; padding: 0em 0px 0em 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Impaired reading and writing.</b></span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">An inability to grasp the meaning of spoken words (producing connected speech is not affected).</b></span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">An inability to produce sentences that hang together.</b></span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">The intrusion of irrelevant words in severe cases. <a id="Anomic aphasia" name="Anomic aphasia" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"></a></b></span></li></ul></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-slice-enabled field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-slice-collapsible field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-collapsed-by-default field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="field-item odd" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-content-slice" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field field-name-field-content-slice-heading field-type-text field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 1.3em 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h3 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 30px; margin: 0em 0px 0.3em; padding: 0em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Anomic aphasia</span></h3></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-slice-text field-type-text-long field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0em 0px 1.5em; padding: 0em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">The features of anomic aphasia are:</b></span></p><ul style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0em 0px 1.5em; padding: 0em 0px 0em 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">An inability to supply the words for the very things the person wants to talk about, particularly the significant nouns and verbs.</b></span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Speech that's full of vague expressions of frustration.</b></span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">A difficulty finding words in writing as well as in speech. <a id="Primary progressive aphasia (PPA)" name="Primary progressive aphasia (PPA)" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"></a></b></span></li></ul></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-slice-enabled field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-slice-collapsible field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-collapsed-by-default field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="entity entity-field-collection-item field-collection-item-field-content-slice" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field field-name-field-content-slice-heading field-type-text field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 1.3em 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h3 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 30px; margin: 0em 0px 0.3em; padding: 0em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Primary progressive aphasia (PPA)</span></h3></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-slice-text field-type-text-long field-label-hidden" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-items" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="field-item even" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0em 0px 1.5em; padding: 0em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a condition where language capabilities become slowly and progressively worse, leading to a gradual loss of the ability to:</b></span></p><ul style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0em 0px 1.5em; padding: 0em 0px 0em 1.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Read.</b></span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Write.</b></span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Speak.</b></span></li><li style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Understand what other people are saying.</b></span></li></ul><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0em 0px 1.5em; padding: 0em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Deterioration can happen slowly, over a period of years. Other mental functions such as memory, reasoning, insight and judgement are not usually affected.</b></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0em 0px 1.5em; padding: 0em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">It's important to get an accurate diagnosis for PPA. This is to rule out other degenerative brain disorders like Alzheimer's disease where language and memory and reason are affected.</b></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0em 0px 1.5em; padding: 0em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit;"><b>The operative word here is "may."<span style="color: #333333;"> </span>I have mostly </b></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit;">Broca's aphasia, but I have no trouble with written expression. In fact, words come about easily </b><span style="font-family: arial;"><b>through</b></span><b style="font-family: arial; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit;"> writing rather than speaking. </b></span></span></p><p style="border: 0px; box-sizing: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 1.3; margin: 0em 0px 1.5em; padding: 0em 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><b style="font-family: arial; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;">I was a Communication prof so being able to say words clearly was important in my playbook. Am I disgruntled at my speaking ability? You bet. Would I ever accept the stroke? No way. But if I don't fall anymore, that would be good enough for me. </span></b></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-79760413317298177252021-07-17T17:50:00.006-07:002022-07-23T14:29:35.085-07:00Yes, You Should Use Global Warming and Stroke in the Same Sentence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwg7jZgNFZ0zqrA0mColJXDnsyetXbicFsVO7TxP9BMyGD-mAQ8tTbWLJRfg7UXEzUwH5FYboxAlxaxvJ3XZfiEol6ibTQivMSwIYT30h_0nmYHr6YfGYt3tiW9uPSb22GQzR79G5iwc/s227/world+peace.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="227" data-original-width="222" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFwg7jZgNFZ0zqrA0mColJXDnsyetXbicFsVO7TxP9BMyGD-mAQ8tTbWLJRfg7UXEzUwH5FYboxAlxaxvJ3XZfiEol6ibTQivMSwIYT30h_0nmYHr6YfGYt3tiW9uPSb22GQzR79G5iwc/w626-h640/world+peace.jpeg" width="626" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /><br /><span style="background-color: white;">If you haven't been under the proverbial rock, you have some idea of what global warming is. First, some background dummied down for the population--of which I was one.<br /></span></span><div><span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span>The combustion of fossil fuels is the reason temperatures are higher now, that is, hydrocarbons heat up the planet to produce the greenhouse effect. As a </span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span>result, it </span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span>causes interactions between the </span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Earth's atmosphere</span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span><span> and incoming radiation from the sun. Thus,</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"> too many gases trap the radiation from going skyward again and heating up not only the earth but the seas and melting ice caps. </span></span></span></div><div><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 602px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span><br /></span></span></p><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 602px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><span>Burning fossil fuels like coal and oil puts more and more carbon dioxide into the air. </span><span>Too much of these greenhouse gases can cause Earth's atmosphere to trap more heat because the abundance of gases can't dissipate anymore and go back to the atmosphere. </span></span></p><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 602px;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Here's</span><span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"> an example. Carbon dioxide up to the second Industrial Revolution in the mid 1800s was about 280 parts per million. As of 2018, the CO2 in the atmosphere was 407.4 ppm. And t</span></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;">hat's how bad the global warming is, and it will go up if we don't change our daily routine. </span></span></span></p><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 602px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There was talk in the 1990s about car-pooling so there wouldn't be so many cars on the road, but </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Americans (of which I am one) need the freedom to go wherever they want and when they want as I did, too, before the stroke so most of them drive their own damn cars. There w</span><span style="font-family: arial;">as also talk of solar and wind power. But </span><span style="font-family: arial;">much of that talk has died down. </span></span></p><p style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; height: auto; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 1em; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 602px;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So we only have to blame ourselves because </span><span><span style="font-family: arial;">humans have been rapidly changing the balance of gases in the atmosphere. So where does stroke come into the picture? </span></span></span></span></p><p style="border-radius: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">1. In one study from 2016, which used data from the United States and China because those two countries emit the most greenhouse gases, is one of the first to examine the interaction between air quality and the number of stroke cases.</span></p><p style="border-radius: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Led by </span><span style="font-family: arial;">Longjian Liu, M.D., Ph.D., lead study author and an associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Drexel University,</span><span style="font-family: arial;"> a</span><span style="font-family: arial;">cross the two countries, researchers found that the total number of stroke cases rose 1.19 percent for each 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air increase of PM2.5 and </span><span style="font-family: arial;">also found that temperature had an impact on air quality and risk of stroke.</span></span></span></p><p style="border-radius: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;">Thus, people living in the South of the United States had the highest prevalence of stroke at 4.2 percent compared with those in the West who had the lowest at 3 percent, Liu said.</span></span></p><p style="border-radius: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Researchers also found that temperature had an impact on air quality and risk of stroke.</span></p><p style="border-radius: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">"Seasonal variations in air quality can be partly attributable to the climate changes," Liu said. "In the summer, there are lots of rainy and windy days, which can help disperse air pollution. High temperatures create a critical thermal stress that may lead to an increased risk for stroke and other heat- and air quality-related illnesses and deaths."</span></p><p style="border-radius: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">2. In a more recent study by Dr. Guoxing Li et al focused on YLL (years of life lost) and found that models used indicated projections to estimate temperature-related YLL in the 2050s and 2070s the monthly analysis to be a significant increase occurred in the summer months, particularly in August, with percent changes >150% in the 2050s and up to 300% in the 20</span><span style="font-family: arial;">70s. </span></span></span></p><p style="border-radius: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So f</span><span style="font-family: arial;">uture changes, beginning right now, in climate are likely to lead to an increase in heat-related YLL.</span></span></span></p><span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: arial;">3. And from 2021 comes this: Dawn O. Kleindorfer </span><span style="font-family: arial;">et al</span><span style="font-family: arial;">, in a study which focused on l</span><span style="font-family: arial;">ifestyle factors, such as a healthy diet and physical activity, are key for preventing a second stroke. </span><span style="font-family: arial;">[A second stroke. I can't even imagine.]</span></span></span></div><div></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Low-salt and Mediterranean diets are suggested for reducing stroke risk. Patients with stroke also are at risk for prolonged sitting, and they should be motivated to perform physical activity in a safe way.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">If THAT doesn't convince you.... So check air quality, stay cool, eat healthy, and get up once in a damned while. Have a good day, everybody!</span></div>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-5155924022206609132021-06-13T15:27:00.006-07:002021-06-13T23:36:34.847-07:00A Horrific, Honest Email From Sara Riggs: A Heartfelt Story I Had to Place on My Blog in Its Entirety <p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0b8NXg2J0wkDPmv19Y2V3JEyYZmVZKh2kAjYOu7YpMzZdWcIZR2P71wHu5UCuRGz7aHv-3dsms24vjsEC5II1S45CBwMFDKAxd0dSA8Gm9vHvi8MkGFVqfDQWhKshJVLQJyzk5OMnJ4I/s275/stroke+surgery.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0b8NXg2J0wkDPmv19Y2V3JEyYZmVZKh2kAjYOu7YpMzZdWcIZR2P71wHu5UCuRGz7aHv-3dsms24vjsEC5II1S45CBwMFDKAxd0dSA8Gm9vHvi8MkGFVqfDQWhKshJVLQJyzk5OMnJ4I/w400-h266/stroke+surgery.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br />I usually get similar emails all the time, slightly different in location, length, and effects. But this one from Sara Riggs is different, so different that I felt I should share it with my readers. If it was on Facebook, I would feel strange giving it a "like." And trust me. You won't like it. </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">But yes, Sara, in the blink of an eye, it's all gone: confidence, empowerment, self-love. And now you have another job. You, like me, will probably never accept it, the final stage of grieving, and no, it's no reason to celebrate with those inane stroke-versaries, but what's the alternative! You should make it the best life you possibly can and join support groups, as many as you can find.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Here are two of the best support groups out there on Zoom:</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Daniel's group meets at 1pm PST every Tuesday: The Zoom link is </span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://zoom.us/j/3249406839&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw3elBqgFT2rUKzKHj9mn6aO" style="color: #1a73e8; letter-spacing: 0.2px; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">https://zoom.us/j/3249406839</a><br style="color: #3c4043; letter-spacing: 0.2px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /></span><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The other one run by Keith at 3pm PST every 2nd and 4th Tuesday is</span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; color: #3c4043; letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; color: #3c4043; letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><a href="https://zoom.us/j/2671668755"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">https://zoom.us/j/2671668755</span></a></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I, too, was opposed to joining a stroke support group for many years, but once I joined, I go every Tuesday and I never regret it. There is joy and laughter, not at first because you're new, but eventually.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Maybe write a book? As an editor, perhaps I can advise you.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">So here it is, Sara Riggs' experience: </span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span id="docs-internal-guid-cd1048dc-7fff-aa38-3df9-de4ed085a47f"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">May 24, 2021</span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This morning when I woke, my first thought was the same as every other day: What day is it and what needs to be done: calls to make, appointments, is it trash day? Today is Monday and I have two calls to make to doctors. Then I realized the date and began to cry. 3 years ago on May 24, 2018, my world changed forever. I wonder who besides me will remember. I wonder if I want anyone to. If no one does, will it hurt me? If someone does, what is there for them to say anyway? Last year, in the same internal conflict, I wrote 2 short sentences of what I wanted to say, if it was mentioned. Nobody remembered, and the words were not needed. I am most fearful of those who want to celebrate today. They will say I </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">should</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> be happy; what I </span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">should</span><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> think about today. While I understand why others would think that, I also know it will not be understood why I do not feel that way. Why I dread today. For this reason, I will not, cannot, remind anyone. This is not a happy day for me. I do not celebrate. It is not an anniversary. Anniversaries are happy times to celebrate joyous events. When the annual observance of the day a loved one died, it is a reminder of a loss. Sometimes a sad day, reflecting on the events or days prior to the passing. Perhaps reliving memories. Today is the annual reminder of such an unimaginable and unexpected loss. A reminder of the death of a loved one, the loss of a life loved – mine.</span></span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am drawn into memories of May 24, 2018. I remember how the day was spent and with whom. The activities of the day before. My mind walks through the timeline. I remember a life of meaning. A happy, full life of excitement and joy for an anticipated future. Following a nice dinner with a good friend, with wonderful conversation and good wine, I was glowing. I remember a terrible pain in my head and an ambulance ride. I remember every article of clothing and piece of jewelry I wore (none of which was returned to me). The memories are painful, knowing that this life was erased only a few hours later. I remember waking in a hospital bed, an empty, nonfunctioning shell. The ability to move, gone. Sensation on half of my body, gone. My vision, gone. Half of my skull, gone. The joy of a life loved, gone. From glowing to the anguish of profound permanent loss in the blink of an eye.</span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.295; margin-bottom: 8pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For me, this day is an annual painful remembrance of the loss of a loved one. A day of mourning. Not an anniversary.</span></p><div style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">--------------------------</span></div><div style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Need I say more? I don't think so.</span></div></span></span></div><div><br /></div>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-74772663862469385432021-06-06T16:02:00.008-07:002022-04-12T19:06:20.177-07:005 F***in' Phrases We Should NEVER Say As Stroke Survivors to Each Other, In My Opinion<span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">This post, I predict, will anger some people, but I'm entitled to write what's on my mind. A handful of stroke survivors recovered completely. So disregard please. But it's my blog. And I've been writing this blog for close to 10 years, so I'm somewhat of an aficionado on stroke survivors. I wrote a post about a decade ago about the 10 things nobody should say or do to stroke survivors (<a href="https://stroketales.blogspot.com/2011/05/the-top-ten-things-you-should-never-say.html">https://stroketales.blogspot.com/2011/05/the-top-ten-things-you-should-never-say.html</a>). </span><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">But now, I'm reaching the breaking point of pure frustration when I hear stroke survivors talk about <i>themselves</i> or other survivors with the following phrases. If you want to use these 5 phrases, please go right ahead. But for me, these phases are absolutely non-sensical and inane! And yes, I'm <i>judging</i> you. </span><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">1. "My stroke-versary [a play on anniversary] is coming up next month!" often said with a grinning emoji. Like this:</span> </span><span style="font-size: large;">😀</span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Or worse, like this:</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1NDnGxRp7lv8p9SDZ9zrowdb87Vgm03TfemWxW_Ah11zDYYP-ddvWUPLE-agMqE87FmQeX14J54exzBItPOMhO5Yycnubzom5S9_N12tx6iY-IC4k2aiWKDSQ_9nPMoznvu7M04EH-o/s626/happr+face.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="626" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1NDnGxRp7lv8p9SDZ9zrowdb87Vgm03TfemWxW_Ah11zDYYP-ddvWUPLE-agMqE87FmQeX14J54exzBItPOMhO5Yycnubzom5S9_N12tx6iY-IC4k2aiWKDSQ_9nPMoznvu7M04EH-o/w120-h139/happr+face.jpg" width="120" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I get that anniversaries are once-a-year events, but there's a celebratory air, and really, what's there to celebrate, when your life has to be re-adjusted, re-evaluated, and basically re-done forever, and when you have other "things" wrong with you that you didn't have pre-stroke. Some people would say, "I'm lucky to be alive." But that's the nature of survivors. You lived. Everyone knows that by your presence. In my view, it isn't a reason to throw a party.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Esd-dmTScRcdVzPZhc1NaczggAOnAB71fgzSl3SCv6pnI_Q55jvj7OHi_sUI3LRRN61IrOYgZObhK4StQka3RY3RlTW-1FChEzUtqtxH3aDTlR2rLYF7929fjVfkwFFYYQXpenc7WEg/s800/handicapped.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="538" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Esd-dmTScRcdVzPZhc1NaczggAOnAB71fgzSl3SCv6pnI_Q55jvj7OHi_sUI3LRRN61IrOYgZObhK4StQka3RY3RlTW-1FChEzUtqtxH3aDTlR2rLYF7929fjVfkwFFYYQXpenc7WEg/w170-h145/handicapped.jpg" width="170" /></a></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">2. I don't like words "handicapped" or "disabled" when stroke survivors talk about themselves. "Survivor" or even the newer "thriver," yes! C'mon, people, let's get positive. Handicapped or disabled seems to venture in the area of less cognizant, or competent, than the normal person. And speaking of normal, I don't like word either. Nobody is normal if they have eccentricities, or neuroses, or psychopathies, of just plain weird behavior. Everybody in the world has a funkiness about them. </span></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0z6CIM13g3AEZUHRLZV3lqh4U1QnAemPcTZ8vDTt_sU2LvXJKj9Cnf5bZcgnpDcQXVpcyXJpL2Z-VeVBOuJlp6HcTr5m8tPBa_QzXBiaUVM1SJh95BCjWV4nvEwhosYF1v6diIacEHAc/s1024/hard+of+hearing.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0z6CIM13g3AEZUHRLZV3lqh4U1QnAemPcTZ8vDTt_sU2LvXJKj9Cnf5bZcgnpDcQXVpcyXJpL2Z-VeVBOuJlp6HcTr5m8tPBa_QzXBiaUVM1SJh95BCjWV4nvEwhosYF1v6diIacEHAc/w153-h124/hard+of+hearing.jpg" width="153" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">3. I get shivers when shouting between stroke survivors is not corrected on the spot. You might say, "Hey. I'm a stroke survivor. I am not deaf!" (By the way, deafness always ranks under blindness. When some can't see, it's a tragedy. When someone can't hear, it often brings out giggles even though one of the senses is lost. That, too, is a tragedy).</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwtKQ7lEpUJ8nGj1g1qb7QmB-3qEALdEAv_4M1L-G1wxi3aG4WW2KGVXUWffgN6ltC0fl_V5muM7-JIpAV3_ApjRpLRBPhRpvbPrBejfU5gHQn7cIq_LVaZTmhrKkZCIe1sNksGBRH3A/s281/clapping.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="179" data-original-width="281" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSwtKQ7lEpUJ8nGj1g1qb7QmB-3qEALdEAv_4M1L-G1wxi3aG4WW2KGVXUWffgN6ltC0fl_V5muM7-JIpAV3_ApjRpLRBPhRpvbPrBejfU5gHQn7cIq_LVaZTmhrKkZCIe1sNksGBRH3A/w281-h143/clapping.jpeg" width="281" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">4. My anger increases when a stroke survivor says, "If you put your mind to it, you can do anything." That statement is not true for the majority. For example, most stroke survivors can't drive anymore, especially if they had seizures. Any activity requiring two, stable hands? Even holding a paperback book, or putting on a jacket, or clapping? Out of the question. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAvtng_tNaBWjwUfMvK4H-4gQSJOtbdB5Fg8a81rlAt_lTM8CQU0uZYm-XSx1TtBjR3AKnA0Ut4URZqExYiXdn05nFcdhR7VUWs6zwUyJeMpZjraHTzJTG_7tCIPIpVdG7shT5T5aNbw/s296/God.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="296" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCAvtng_tNaBWjwUfMvK4H-4gQSJOtbdB5Fg8a81rlAt_lTM8CQU0uZYm-XSx1TtBjR3AKnA0Ut4URZqExYiXdn05nFcdhR7VUWs6zwUyJeMpZjraHTzJTG_7tCIPIpVdG7shT5T5aNbw/w296-h117/God.jpeg" width="296" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">5. I believe in God, but some survivors bring religion into the mix heavily. I heard one survivor say, "If you pray every night, God will reward you and improve your condition." And if you don't pray every night? God will punish you? I don't think so. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The above is just a rant, to get those points on the screen so maybe you will read them again and give me a pass, and know what it's like if a stroke survivor is having a really </span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">bad day. </span></div></div></div>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-74885227810496731072021-05-30T23:05:00.003-07:002021-06-03T10:35:04.732-07:00Invisible Disability: Determined TV has another episode!<p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">The fan base keeps growing! This time, an Air Force veteran, a dentist, and a healthcare advocate? This particular episode is about 3 people who share something in common. Stroke! See what each of them has to say on this topic: </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Invisible Disability </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DJcBMcDPb2Q0&source=gmail&ust=1622439983992000&usg=AFQjCNFj8i5kNMnqOoSHQ_3PSwJ9yCNVGw" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcBMcDPb2Q0" style="background-color: #a2c4c9;" target="_blank"></a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DJcBMcDPb2Q0&source=gmail&ust=1622439983992000&usg=AFQjCNFj8i5kNMnqOoSHQ_3PSwJ9yCNVGw" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcBMcDPb2Q0" style="background-color: #a2c4c9;" target="_blank"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JcBMcDPb2Q0" width="320" youtube-src-id="JcBMcDPb2Q0"></iframe></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DJcBMcDPb2Q0&source=gmail&ust=1622439983992000&usg=AFQjCNFj8i5kNMnqOoSHQ_3PSwJ9yCNVGw" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcBMcDPb2Q0" style="background-color: #a2c4c9;" target="_blank"><br /></a></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Then the audience can ask intriguing questions and make pointed comments. And don't be afraid to disagree. Mark Garman, who hosts the channel of Determined TV, chooses resilient people who can stand up for themselves. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">If you or a family member want to appear on Determined TV or have suggestions for a topic, here's the way you do it: </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Visit our website at</span>: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.determined.live&source=gmail&ust=1621902154875000&usg=AFQjCNETUBXt6OrLlOd_kCQbwMCcBeZiSg" href="https://www.determined.live/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">https://www.determined.live</a></span></p><div class="gs" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; width: 864px;"><div class="ii gt" id=":1ay" style="direction: ltr; margin: 8px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="a3s aiL" id=":1ax" style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.5; overflow: hidden;"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: x-large;">Visit our YouTube channel: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEqH9lSoc4jxKgI71gHE_vA&source=gmail&ust=1621902154875000&usg=AFQjCNEqmCb2_pbRNhk3EHsiW_0HsBxNFw" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEqH9lSoc4jxKgI71gHE_vA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/<wbr></wbr>channel/UCEqH9lSoc4jxKgI71gHE_<wbr></wbr>vA</a></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Visit our Facebook page: </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/DeterminedShow/&source=gmail&ust=1621902154875000&usg=AFQjCNGog2XV90OQ-usMeCXbPloJnUsyNQ" href="https://www.facebook.com/DeterminedShow/" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.<wbr></wbr>com/DeterminedShow/</a></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: x-large;">Would you complete the short survey to help improve </span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: x-large;">this channel? Just click on the link below! </span></div><div class="gmail_default"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://forms.gle/ckiB14JtL2YCmJgf8&source=gmail&ust=1622525324659000&usg=AFQjCNHwngul7hmeZn0w-kHvUiu1sPPhIQ" href="https://forms.gle/ckiB14JtL2YCmJgf8" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: x-large;">https://forms.gle/<wbr></wbr>ckiB14JtL2YCmJgf8</span></a><div class="yj6qo ajU" style="color: #222222; cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; margin: 2px 0px 0px; outline: none; padding: 10px 0px; width: 22px;"></div></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">Sponsored by Strokefocus, for all brain-injured people</span></div></div></div></div></div>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-68296355323833236812021-05-29T13:52:00.015-07:002021-05-31T23:32:46.439-07:00About Caring for the Elderly, of Which (Gulp!!!) I Am One<p><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">I like to write my own stuff, love it actually. People ask me all the time if I would sponsor their guest articles, and my answer 99% of the time is a kind albeit emphatic no. But this time, I differed from the pattern. Whatever the condition, I believe it would help many. So here it is, written by </span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Claire Wentz for </span></span></span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://caringfromafar.com/&source=gmail&ust=1622406685622000&usg=AFQjCNFkRgwBRoiH7tUQlITD1c0OVXO2IQ" href="http://caringfromafar.com/" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Caringfromafar.com</span></a><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">, <span style="font-family: arial;">asking the correct questions all who are in this situation should consider.</span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">Claire writes: </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">For more insight into life as a stroke survivor, be sure to bookmark </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;"><a href="https://stroketales.blogspot.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">The Tales of a Stroke Patient and More</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: large; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 483px; overflow: hidden; width: 624px;"><img height="483" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/5FVnZA0TBMGps3fyf1mEVVyFpVYwzCKqM9ihKyqcmuP1Q8xEm6hJrOeHGt2kWzQdzZIqPhzZXgENYnO0U9o2d5pVZiguqO93XTO4pjLPWRYuk_Z71wPIdi88iZA-0kDDoLEZNfI" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="624" /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Image courtesy of </span><a href="https://pixabay.com/en/hands-old-young-holding-caring-216982/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip: none; background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Pixabay</span></a></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Ease Your Mind (and Financial Burden) by </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; color: black; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Planning for Long-Term Care</span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br />More of us are living well into our golden years than ever before. While it’s a wonderful thing to live longer, that often means requiring long-term care at some point. What are your plans for long-term care? If you require care, how will you pay for it?<br /><br />Planning Starts Today<br /><br /><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/wadepfau/2016/01/05/costs-and-incidence-of-long-term-care/" target="_blank">Statistics indicate</a> the majority of people over the age of 65 will need long-term care at some point. As many as 58 percent of men aged 65 and older spend over two years requiring care, and 79 percent of women over 65 require long-term care for over three. With that in mind, how likely are you to need care?<br /><br />Assess Your Need<br /><br />Ask the following questions to determine whether you may need long-term care now or in the future:<br /><br /><br />Are there any home modifications you need to make? Many people opt for <a href="https://www.kiplinger.com/article/retirement/T047-C000-S002-6-things-you-must-know-about-aging-in-place.html" target="_blank">aging in place</a>, and home environments usually require alterations to support that choice.<br /><br />What lifestyle choices are you making now? How can you reduce the risk of injury or onset of illness? For instance, do you participate in high-risk hobbies such as mountain climbing or skydiving? Do you enjoy an unhealthy indulgence like cigarettes?<br /><br />Are there hereditary illnesses and conditions that could impact you? Many people are predisposed to <a href="https://www.firstforwomen.com/posts/is-cancer-hereditary-87499" target="_blank">cancers</a> that run in their families or issues like diabetes or heart disease. <br /><br />Paying for Care<br /><br />Understand Costs and Living Options<br /><br />Long-term care can be expensive. While what you will pay depends on where you live and the amenities you want, it is not unusual to pay <a href="https://www.genworth.com/aging-and-you/finances/cost-of-care.html" target="_blank">$90,000</a> per year or more. Are you counting on assistance from <a href="https://www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/info-01-2011/understanding_medicare_the_plans.html" target="_blank">Medicare</a>? It’s important to understand that Medicare doesn't cover long-term care after the first 100 days. (At that point, Medicaid coverage may be available, if you’re eligible.) Furthermore, as <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/24/less-is-more-the-dilemma-over-long-term-care-insurance.html" target="_blank">CNBC</a> points out, you need to qualify financially for these services, and you can’t have more than $2,000 in assets to do so. The best way to discern the costs for long-term care is by talking to and visiting <a href="https://www.seniorcare.com/nursing-homes/pa/philadelphia/" target="_blank">various communities</a> in the Philadelphia area. Single out a few different options that offer the amenities you want, and take tours. Even if you don’t need LTC right now, some communities offer future residents the chance to put down a deposit. <br /><br />Think Things Through<br /><br />These concerns may seem far off, but you or a loved one may benefit from investing in a care plan right now. For instance, long-term care insurance premiums are lower if you invest in a plan at a younger age. You can also use pre-tax funds from your <a href="https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/what-is-an-hsa/" target="_blank">health savings account</a> (HSA), if you have one, to pay for care. <br /><br />Think about these issues when deciding on your course of action:<br /><br />How close are you to retirement? You may have temporary disability insurance through your employer, but that won’t help once you retire. <br /><br />What are the savings and insurance programs available to you now to help pay for long-term care? Many health insurance plans don’t cover long-term care. <br /><br />How do you plan on paying for the costs of long-term care? <br /><br />Other Options<br /><br />In addition to long-term care insurance, there are a handful of options available for financing care costs. <a href="https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2016-03-10/why-no-one-can-afford-long-term-care-insurance-and-what-to-use-instead" target="_blank">US News & World Report</a> explains veterans can receive special assistance through the Department of Veterans Affairs, or you can use an HSA or get a reverse mortgage to pay for care. While reverse mortgages are an increasingly popular option for seniors who are 62 or older to supplement their income, you should consider this option carefully, as it comes with pros and cons.<br /><br />Other avenues include tapping into your retirement accounts or selling the family home. If you opt to sell, you’ll want to find a realtor who is familiar with senior moves like this and who can help you get the best price for your home. <br /><br />Ease Into Your Golden Years<br /><br />Planning for long-term care is a healthy choice. Weigh your needs and options, and determine how you will manage should a need arise. </span><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">For more information, write to</span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"> </span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Claire</span></span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"> at </span></span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><a href="mailto:claire@caringfromafar.com" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">claire@caringfromafar.com</a>.</span></div><div class="gs" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; width: 864px;"><div><div class="hq gt a10" id=":1df" style="background-color: white; clear: both; font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 0.875rem; margin: 15px 0px;"><div class="a3I" style="height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -10000px; width: 1px;"><br /></div><div class="a3I" style="height: 1px; left: -10000px; overflow: hidden; position: absolute; top: -10000px; width: 1px;">Attachments area<span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: x-large;">-----------------------------------------</span></div></div></div></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">-----------------------------------------</span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">There! Very thought-out mission accomplished. </span></div>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-44838518062063170742021-05-23T22:22:00.000-07:002021-05-23T22:22:27.663-07:00Determined TV has another post!<p><span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Jayesh Patel had a sweet family and was living a good life when his existence was interrupted by tuberculosis and meningitis which led to a subsequent stroke. </span></span></p><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">H</span><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">e got stuck in Japan as his situation deteriorated. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">The family has set up a donation link. Click the button "Help Jayesh" below and it will lead you to the link.</span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">His family is experiencing financial challenges to sustain the current situation and would like to bring him back to India because the Patel family has exhausted all of their savings through costly medical care. Help Jayesh, please!</span></span></div><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Below is the interview by the Determined TV with Varun Patel, Jayesh Patel's </span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">brother- in-law.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="341" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rcm2CH9W8kc" width="479" youtube-src-id="rcm2CH9W8kc"></iframe></span></div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span><div style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://youtu.be/341-rx4gfuI&source=gmail&ust=1621839994435000&usg=AFQjCNFbSOpBYdLi_lauRtrRtgzLpdlf5Q" href="https://youtu.be/341-rx4gfuI" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: inline; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="289" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/341-rx4gfuI" width="472" youtube-src-id="341-rx4gfuI"></iframe></div></a></div><div style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jayesh Patel is in need of so much help though donations to bring him back to India. If you can donate, that donation will be so appreciated in helping the Patel family. And forward it to people who <b><i>you</i></b> think can help</span><span style="font-size: medium;">. </span></span></div><div style="font-size: large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.impactguru.com/fundraiser/help-jayeshbhai-patel" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="700" height="137" src="https://i.ibb.co/yWr26nL/help-Jayesh.png" width="320" /></a></div></span><div class="gs" style="font-family: Roboto, RobotoDraft, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 20px; width: 864px;"><div class="ii gt" id=":1ay" style="direction: ltr; margin: 8px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="a3s aiL" id=":1ax" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.5; overflow: hidden;"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;">Do you think that this program is an effective way to help stroke survivors? </span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;">Mark Garman through his Determined TV would like to do more to help survivors.</span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;">Please spread the word if you want to see more, helping other families exist despite </span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;">the challenges that confront them. </span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;">Do you know any families who need support? Use any of the links below to help other </span><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;">families in need!</span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;">To follow the Determined TV,</span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;">visit our website at: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.determined.live&source=gmail&ust=1621902154875000&usg=AFQjCNETUBXt6OrLlOd_kCQbwMCcBeZiSg" href="https://www.determined.live/" target="_blank">https://www.determined.live</a></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;">YouTube channel: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEqH9lSoc4jxKgI71gHE_vA&source=gmail&ust=1621902154875000&usg=AFQjCNEqmCb2_pbRNhk3EHsiW_0HsBxNFw" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEqH9lSoc4jxKgI71gHE_vA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/<wbr></wbr>channel/UCEqH9lSoc4jxKgI71gHE_<wbr></wbr>vA</a></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;">or our Facebook page: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/DeterminedShow/&source=gmail&ust=1621902154875000&usg=AFQjCNGog2XV90OQ-usMeCXbPloJnUsyNQ" href="https://www.facebook.com/DeterminedShow/" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.<wbr></wbr>com/DeterminedShow/<br /></a></span></div></div><div class="yj6qo"></div><div class="adL"></div></div></div><div class="hi" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-bottom-left-radius: 1px; border-bottom-right-radius: 1px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: auto;"></div></div><span><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></div>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5188741950666965010.post-6214557895577518622021-05-15T19:06:00.007-07:002021-05-15T20:16:49.232-07:00We tried a new way of group discussion. What do you think?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">We had a great meeting involving stroke support groups and survivors from around the country. Tell us how you like the format. Would you be interested in participating in the future? What topic would you like to bring to the meeting?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Here is the video of the meeting. We discussed Depression after Stroke. Depression is a common challenge stroke survivors face.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">If you like this format and would like to participate in the future, follow the team: https://determined.live or https://www.facebook.com/determinedshow</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="342" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XwJ0ADAjEQ0" width="482" youtube-src-id="XwJ0ADAjEQ0"></iframe></div><p><br /></p><br /> <span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Three guest speakers for our first meeting:</span><p></p><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222;"><span id="m_-2666941905829111277gmail-docs-internal-guid-6b1162f5-7fff-a410-b883-b99d43af46a9"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: large; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Jessica Kruse</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><a href="https://i.ibb.co/LtDzVwm/Jessica-Kruse.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="524" height="213" src="https://i.ibb.co/LtDzVwm/Jessica-Kruse.jpg" width="192" /></span></a></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span>Jessica worked as a director of marketing of an architectural firm. In 2016, at the age of 36</span></span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a tear in her right carotid artery as a result of unknown neck trauma caused an</span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ischemic stroke.</span></span></p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #050505; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jessica is</span><span style="color: #050505; font-family: Arial; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> currently recovering from a coma caused by stroke-induced epilepsy. </span></span></p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></b></span></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;">Frank Plemons</b></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span><div class="separator" style="background-color: #a2c4c9; clear: both; color: #222222; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i.ibb.co/tbP57cX/Frank-Glasses-1.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="602" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://i.ibb.co/tbP57cX/Frank-Glasses-1.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Frank Plemons works as a Dell sales coach. He is an avid biker. Years ago, when biking with friends, Frank ran into an accident which nearly killed him. He suffered a head injury which led to a stroke. Frank is otherwise very strong and healthy.</span></p><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><br /></b></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-size: large;">Cam Compton</span></b></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><a href="https://i.ibb.co/sHySNbW/Cam-Studio2.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="200" src="https://i.ibb.co/sHySNbW/Cam-Studio2.png" width="211" /><br /></span></a></div></div></span></div><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Cam Compton is a stroke survivor, Her journey of recovery started after she suffered a stroke in 2012 the day after her 52nd birthday. </span><p><span style="background-color: #a2c4c9; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">At the beginning, she could not walk or understand what was happening. After 8 years, she regained most of her functions and explored many things she did not touch before stroke, including yoga, tai chi, circuit training. She helped create a number of online media programs including hosting brain injury talk show and hand-in-hand show, the podcast program for Stroke</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">focus.</span></span></p><div class="gmail_default" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></div>Joyce Hoffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14172031717511637862noreply@blogger.com0