After a trip to my monthly stroke association meetings
I received some encouragement and advice on getting my left arm working again.
The use of play dough and repetition is the most effective method. Rolling the ball of dough into a sausage with the flat of my hand having opened it out flat a repeating it frequently daily is my rehabilitation pattern. No immediate changes but will report on progress. My friend has the use of his left arm back so a great opportunity.
That sounds very encouraging @mrfrederickson please do report back on your progress. The other thing I did was use a stress ball and toll ot around in my hand and squeeze it. The one i had had some eyes that popped out if you squeezed it. When i got the eyes to pop out i knew i’d made some progress. Took a while but i got there.
I can’t help feeling you should have doing this from day one. With the aid of your right hand if you couldn’t actually pick up or hold with your left. That’s was one I already had underway before PT or OT ever started coming around. Had several different strengths of putty too, along with a penny jar, clothes pegs, paper clips, bull clips, hand strengtheners,
Being in lockdown I had no idea what to expect from the therapists, needless to say they brought all these things. But I’d already made a start and what I didn’t already have in the home I’d bought online.
Nearly every time I set the putty down, my hubby or the kids would start playing with it…three big kids at heart…I’d sometimes find my putty worked into the shape of an animal or something
But it is great news that you can now do that much with your hand, you’re finally making good progress, good sign that you are breaking out of your lockdown
@mrfrederickson that’s good to hear, I used therapeutic putty (fancy name for play dough), stress balls and fidget toys to get my hand motor skills back.
Yes Mrs5k I too have a stress ball but was advised not to use it as the dough is more malleable and holds shape upon being squeezed. Time will tell.
You are lucky my adult kids are far more childish and have left shapes of more provocative body parts which whilst funny I’m not sure they would meet with our current woke culture.
It was good though, because they made feel normal…for want of a better word…more comfortable and relaxed with the new me. I think they all played around and fiddled with all my therapy aids, even had me go hunting for such and such because one of them had been using it It made it all feel less of a handicap/disability and I’m grateful for that.
Hey, even my daughter had me cut her hair, dodgy arm and all. I managed to nip off a sliver skin from the tip of her ear. She bled like a stuck pig as the saying goes, but all either of us could do was laugh 'til the tears were rolling down our faces.
And even despite that, my son had me cut his a few weeks later
A nice situation my kids keep telling me I’m the Same person but easier said than how it feels, regaining physical strength will go a long way to making me feel more sane
I had pegs too. Lots of flying pegs initially as I tried & failed to attach them to a tub. But eventually I could get them all stood up straight like soldiers & my hubby got a rest from having to pick them all up
Was given tasks to do wx play dough whilst having physio in hospital. Another good one is to pik up buttons of various sizes from tiny to coat button size. I was reaally rubbish at the start but can do it easily now so keep on wx it. You will get stronger regards sue
Like @Mrs5K said it took months, even now 2+yrs on, although I can do things like thread a needle and hand sew, I’m not nearly a nibble as I was pre stroke.
Your stroke was obviously bigger than mine, but I’m sure you will get a lot more use out of your arm and hand with hard work. Now you’ve got that movement from your shoulder to lift your arm away from your body, I’m confident you will start making some good progress with it. Keep it moving, keep it active even when you’re just sitting watching tv or whatever. Keep those actions forever fresh in your mind, so the brain can’t forget or laps. Have a little more faith in yourself and what you are capable of Onwards and Upwards my good man…you can do it if you B&Q it
Yes sadly it was very severe I was nearly dead, total left side paralysis and peripheral vision loss on the left side, it will be a very long time before I know normal functioning life in the realm of 8 years if like surviving peoples experiences prove.
Onwards and Upwards my good man…you can do it if you B&Q it