stroke recovery

Stroke Recovery

Learnt a Lot

I've LEARNT A LOT having a stroke.

What it's like to have brain damage.
What lower, much lower, IQ is like.
eg not even knowing my name, date of birth, how my body works, like how pee and poop works.
How plastic the brain is, how much it can recover.
Recovery times, how much they vary between people, and how recovery is not a smooth curve.
It's more like a bumpy hill walk.
How actually experiencing a stroke gives you insight/understanding that just learning about it and doctoring does not.
In my case strangely how happy I've been all the way through.

Aura Migraines

They come on, a bit like my "slowness".
They both benefit from quiet peace.
People who have Aura Migraines will understand better than others.
It's not the same, but helps in real experience based understanding.
People with neurological issues may also understand better than pure muggles.
Struggles of all sorts understand thru experience best.

What is the physiology of Aura Migraines.
What is the physiological cause of Aura Migraines.
Trigeminal Nerve Involvement.
The trigeminal nerve, a major pain pathway, is involved in migraine attacks.
Environmental Triggers:
Various environmental factors, such as stress, sleep deprivation, certain foods, and changes in weather, can trigger migraine attacks.

Walking Speed

A measure, indicator, of brain. Slower when I'm tired and my brain is lower on fuel.
Fastest when fresh and when brain is tip top, fuel level at top.

Why do you measure walking speed?
Initially it's a guide to how well you are recovering.
The gold standard is over 5m.
Later on, like for me, it's more a measure of how my brain is that minute.
It can change in 5 minutes or over a day.

Do you realise how important this "botox" treatment is?

Without it I and many recovering from a stroke would have incurable finger tightness.
Maybe asking about it should be much more pisitive and leave less room for "no thanks".
If asked I would say "yes you should have it, no pain and needed to get better".
Botox, Dysport and Xeomin.

The main brand names used for this treatment are Botox, Dysport and Xeomin.
Everyone calls it Botox because it's short and catchy.
Botulinum toxin type A works by blocking the action of the nerves on the muscle, reducing your muscle’s ability to contract.
This reduces muscle tone (makes the muscle less tight), which can help you to straighten out your limbs.
This treatment is mainly used for post-stroke spasticity in the hands, wrists and ankles.
The muscle-relaxing effects of botulinum toxin type A usually last for about three months, and you should not notice any changes in sensation in your muscles.

A lifetime as a Muggle

A lifetime of normal. I used to be a Muggle. No neurological interests.
Then I had a stroke and I bacame Struggle.

Laying in bed you can feel normal after a rest.
You can have expectations based on normal.
This explains why some new patients get out of bed to go home, and fall over.
Only when you get up and start doing something do you realize that you are not normal.
You can act as if normal, tiring your brain not realizing until it's too late.
You have to learn to anticipate, and protect your brain.
You have to learn to be selfish for your brain.
I am learning. For my brain.

When my brain is tired and I lay down to rest, I get all sorts of sensations.
Uncomfortable, annoying, some slightly painful.
Only rest, quiet peace, allows my brain to relax and for those sensations to go.

Sensory Sensitivity.

For me it's not about things being "loud".
It's about my brain not liking it.
Like the way people hate the sound of chalk on a chalkboard, or ice, of scraping on a plate, or chewing.

It can just be things happening, especially unpredictable things.
Two people talking.
Someone talking on the phone.
The way someone talks.
Asking "Complicated" questions that require brainwork.
Multiple questions that each need brainwork. Simple questions are easier on my brain, love you, love you, or one simple question. Not a stream of different questions. I know it's taxing my brain by the feel.

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