If the stroke is on the right side of the brain, you are more likely to have left sided issues, the brain on the right controls the left and vice versa.
my left leg would not join in with full recovery but just a week or so ago, the worst of the restrictions actually stopped. That's six years post stroke. I do a little exercise six days a week and it seems to have paid me a dividend
keep positive
smile A lot
colin
Thank you for your reply.I was pleased to hear of your progress. It proves that things can get better. I exercise daily as you do, mainly Pilates stretches. I walk each day to the coffee shop from the car, slowly. I try to smile with my lopsided face, probably looks more like a grimace! I do look for the positive, helped by people like you. Keep up the good work. Lilian
Dear Lilian
the smile can be false, forced or fake. Best of all real, but that's not important. Us SS are inclined to have negative thoughts and telling the brain we are smiling will help to rebalance things.
I wish I could find out how to rebalance the dreams. I still get horrid dreams that wear me down.goodness knows what my brain is up to.
pilates are a grand way of exercising. If you then add in a fifteen minute daily walk then your body will behave a lot better.
I stupidly stopped my daily walks, on the grounds that I walk hundreds of yards pottering in the garden. I didn't grasp how important a daily walk can be.
I now am back to square one and struggling to walk more than half a mile.
i can not drive at the moment, so I am well and truly marooned. I need petrol for my mower. I need to collect my prescription from the local surgery. Not possible at the moment. In a month or two I will be able to walk for these things, but I am hoping to have my sight back and get driving by then.
frustration enormous.
but we both survived so something is planned for us.
my much loved cat needs me and that is very positive benefit. I never stay away from home, so he knows he can keep dry, be fed and get some love from his two humans.
best wishes
colin
Thank you for your reply Deigh. You have encouraged me . I am nearly three years into my stroke at Christmas. I was interested to read in your profile that you married in 1960,one year longer than us. It is our 60th this year. Did you celebrate with a party? You seem to have made good progress and should be congratulated. Lilian
Thank you for your reply. I shall try your exercises. The water I think I will adapt to mugs when I am washing up. I had physio for a while but everything seemed to stop with Covid.Lilian
Sorry to hear that things could be better. You always give so much encouragement to us all. Keep on smiling. It will improve. Best Wishes Lilian
No, we didnt have a party! May have had a long discussion wondering how we made it though! Parties are not very convenient these days but we did celebrate my 90th birthday two years ago with Valerie (my wife) doing a secret hire of a local boat and all our close friends invited to join us on it, followed by a meal at a local pub.
I am not in this picture, thanks to a weak bladder I was below in the heads having a leak!
Thank you for your reply. It looks as though it was a good party, pity you missed the photo but nature calls at inconvenient times!!! We don't know how we have made it so long either. We are having a celebration at the sailing club. My husband is a member who used to sail before he gave up to look after me when I had my stroke. I hope now I am much better that he will take it up again. Lovely to hear from you. Best wishes Lilian
Where do you sail from? I was a very keen sailor for many years and have 'Boatmasters Certificate' plus 'Coastal Navigation Cert' and am a Launch Warden. We gave up the boat when the first Americas Cup was held here and the Waitemata (Auckland) harbour became full of boat owners without skills or any safety knowledge, it became uncomfortable and dangerous. My earliest boating experience was gained at Stokes Bay, Hampshire in 14footers.
We took up campervanning instead where at least the other enthusiasts had driving licences!
Deigh
Dear Deigh. Thank you for your reply.You sound very experienced. My husband sails on the upper reaches of the Mersey ,still tidal. He has given up cruising just dinghy racing now. He has passed a shore based ocean masters, although 90% is forgotten. We also took up caravanning but have given it up since I had my stroke.Lilian
Sorry there Lilian, you got on the forum looking for help and I ended up chatting about my sailing experiences!
I think that I have the effects of my stroke pretty much under control after six years, this is not to say that I've overcome the problems but have a determination to improve my shortcomings. When I do my daily walk I carry a short pencil sized peice of wood in my right hand and keep it actively twisting through my fingers. Most of the time I whistle out loud to exercise my tongue. Many years ago I could warble and I'm now trying to get that ability back.
All day I am challenging my shortcomings by making my right hand work with tools and the keyboard. Tiredness is inescapable but have estabished a routine to minimise its effect on my life. My guitar playing , totally wiped out by the stroke, has now improved to the extent that I'm looking for other musicians to play jazz with.
My clumsiness I've had to accept as a way of life but am taking steps to ensure that I dont have accidents that would worsen the situation. How are you handling your shortcomings?
Deigh
So nice to hear from you Deigh. Playing in a small band is unbelievable, what a success that is.
inspirational.
I am about to take my morning walk. I am still trying to walk one mile.
best wishes from sunny and warm Essex.
colin
Lovely to hear from you Deigh. You don't need to apologise for talking about your sailing experiences. I like to hear about them even though I don't sail. I am now over two years post stroke and making some progress. I exercise every day , usually some Pilates for the upper body. I walk a few hundred yards from the car to the coffee shop, using my rollator. Yesterday I walked in the garden centre which I was proud of but exhausted! I still need help dressing and showering but I have been given good advice on the forum. I will be eighty three tomorrow and so many of my difficulties may be down to old age!!! I have up's and downs but I am determined and usually cheerful. Hope to hear from you soon, even if it is about sailing. Lilian.
Make the most of your sun Colin, we are into spring now and our sunny days cant be far off.
I play ukelele with the Probus Club learners group. I dont particularily like the instrument but it is good to talk music for an hour every week (pre shutdown!) My 60 years of playing guitar serves me in good stead and has given me a head start on the others who are beginners.
Deigh
I have found that regular exercising is a must. Apart from daily floor exercises (Which include 8 pressups!) I get in at least 1K of as fast a walking pace as I can muster usually around the shopping area of our township. I know all the places I can sneak in a few minutes sit down if I find it extra tiring, but the secret is to not give in to it. Pre shutdown I would call in on the opshops to chat to the volunteer workers there and occasionally buy something!
My wife Valerie (82) had a tumble resulting in a hip job a year ago and is finding recovery slow but only uses a walking pole for support when we are out together. Daily she walks around our block and pauses to chat with neighbours. For this she uses a walker mainly for security rather than necessity. Our health system has installed an aluminium ramp outside our ground floor flat to make access easy for her.
I rise earlier than her and am often doing my floor exercises as she passes through on her way to the bathroom. I automatically add 40 to the count as she passes me to try and impress her. I dont think it works, she knows me too well.
Deigh
I think the sunny days ended today. It's grey and still. It will be fine for my walk, which is increasing by a few yards most days, but just those few degrees cooler.
things are opening up, with various weekly activities going live. I will return to Church either this week or next.
our recovery post stroke gets muddled in with recovery post covid.
ukulele classes....interesting.
best wishes
colin
Good to hear from you, I like your sense of humour. I am sure after more than sixty years of marriage your wife knows you well! You won't fool her! Your exercise programme is much more ambitious than mine. I manage ten minutes of Pilates stretches each morning. I then when I am up and dressed I walk from the car and back to the coffee shop. I love my coffee so that is an incentive. Sadly since my stroke I have lost my taste for wine which I used to love. On reflection perhaps a good thing. I hope your wife recovers quickly, it is not a good thing to happen. It is encouraging to hear that she is walking.It is important to talk to others.Look forward to hear from you soon.Lilian
Hi I had my stroke 18 months ago and have now started to swim 2 or 3 times a week.l find it is beginning to have an effect on my affected arm and leg movements- just a few lengths has made a difference
I had my stroke 11 month's ago but great to hear swimming is having an effect I am exercising like mad I have left sided weakness following a brain haemorrhage
This is encouraging news, I started going to the gym a few weeks ago to do strengthening exercises on machines and walk on treadmill.
My posture has improved and strength in my limbs. It is slow progress, but I motivate myself by comparing myself to how I was yesterday doing certain tasks or just moving a finger.
I suffered an aneurysm which left my left side immobile 14 months ago.
It is hardwork to fight through the fatigue, muscular pain and depression, but I focus on the little successes which will ultimately lead to being able to be the best I can be.