How do I Recover?

I received an E Mail from a woman who is 33 years old and has had a right brain stroke leaving her left arm paralyzed and left leg partially paralyzed.

Thought I'd share my reply to her because so many people E Mail me with similar questions about getting better.

First you must have a good attitude about your recovery and you have to be in charge of it. After all, it's your stroke, not the doctors, nurses and therapist’s stroke, it's yours. Who's better than you to be in charge?

Stretching arms and legs don't retrain them; it keeps the muscles loose which is a very good thing.

Using your brain to rewire past the damage is what gets them moving again. My mother always said I should use my brain, so it did and it got me out of my stroke.

Perhaps you could use my advice to this woman for your own recovery.

Here's what I wrote;

I'm happy you work everyday at getting better. You need to retrain your brain. Moving your arm and leg will prevent the muscles from stiffening up but it's your brain that needs to rewire itself past the stroke damage area.

Your brain is very powerful, the most powerful computer on earth so let's use it.

Starting with your leg you need to move every muscle, one at a time, to retrain or rewire the muscles.

Start with one toe moving it back and forth, up and down several times. Do this 3 times at day.

Next do this with each toe then move to your ankle. Again moving it up and down, side to side back and forth.

Add to this exercise, tightening and releasing your toes, then ankles, then knees....do this with both legs to compare how strong each is.

Anything in you leg not working you must think in you mind that you're moving it, do this over and over again. The brain will find a way to rewire around the problem so you gain control again.

With your arm flex the muscles that work closest to muscles that don't work. Move them around just like your leg, do this over and over again. As you do this, think in you mind that you're moving your fingers. Your brain will again try to rewire past the damage and find a place in your brain that will control what you want to move. Expect results and when these exercises make even the smallest difference you must tell everyone! They will be impressed and you will be inspired to continue to exercise.

A reminder; these excerises are to be done over days, weeks and months there are no shortcuts. Miracles take alot of work.

Have a positive attitude, after all, tears make it very difficult to read my book.

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