Drug Treatment May Be a Stroke Breakthrough

Dean Reinke
Deans' Stroke Musing

Monday, January 13, 2014

Aspirin plus fish oil for a hyperacute treatment.  This was written about almost 2 years ago and if we had anything other than craptastic stroke associations clinical trials would be completed. You'll have to challenge your doctor if you have an ischemic stroke as to what is the downside to providing this treatment. I'm sure Dr. Bazan can be found by your doctor with a minute amount of google research. Drug Treatment May Be a Stroke Breakthrough.

Led by Louisiana State University neurologist Dr. Nicolas Bazan, a team of researchers from several institutions has claimed a potential breakthrough in drug treatment to prevent long-term brain damage in those who suffer certain strokes. Bazan directed a study that, using laboratory rats, administered aspirin and an omega-3 essential fatty acid to yield a new protective molecule that can mitigate damage to cells around the area of an ischemic stroke. Ischemic stroke occurs when an arterial blockage denies oxygenated blood to parts of the brain, as opposed to hemorrhagic stroke, which occurs when a vessel bursts inside the brain.

Shingles and Stroke Risk

Jeff Porter
Stroke of Faith

Thursday, January 09, 2014

I've never had shingles and hope to never experience that ailment. Like most of you, I know people who've had shingles and have heard horror stories.

But is the disease a sign for future stroke risk? This recent article cites research that younger adults who've had shingles may face higher stroke risk:

• Adults who get shingles after 40 don't have an increased risk of stroke. But along with those who had shingles before 40, they do have a higher risk of heart attack and "transient ischemic attack" (TIA), sometimes called a mini-stroke, the study authors said.

From the National Institutes of Health

• "In those aged less than 40 years at the time of herpes zoster, the risk of stroke, TIA and [heart attack] occurring in the years following was significantly higher than in [people without the infection]," said Dr. Judith Breuer, study lead author and a professor of virology and head of infection and immunity at University College London, in England.

• "Herpes zoster is also more common in individuals who have risk factors for vascular disease, including diabetes and [high blood pressure]," Breuer said.

Now, this is not designed to add to someone's anxiety (see a couple of posts before) but rather give a heads-up to take action to avoid the risk factors Breuer cites.

See the original article:

Shingles and Stroke Risk

in

Stroke of Faith

How Do You Define Loneliness?

Kate Allatt
A Rocky Stroke Recovery

January 11, 2014



29th December 2013:

Radio 2 with Clare Balding and her guest Ester Rantzen this morning at the gym:

She said,

‘loneliness is NOT about being alone, it’s about loss, I think.

…Loss about the grief of losing a partner, loss of a divorce, loss of a driving license, a loss of a sense of smell, hear or taste…’

She also said,

‘I have someone to do SOMETHING with, but no one to do NOTHING with.’

I TOTALLY agree with her but I would also add,

'loneliness is also about the loss of your old-self due to illness'

OR

'Loneliness is the loss of how a loved-one once was.’

See the original article:

How Do You Define Loneliness?

in

A Rocky Stroke Recovery

What Defines You? Redux

Barb Polan
Barb's Recovery

January 11, 2014

This will be worth it, so please watch this before going on:

Called Worlds Ugliest Girl Response Unbelievably Beautiful Literally Cried 

I’ve blogged about this before: “What defines you?” Post-stroke, my mind and my life have been singularly focused on recovering from stroke. I wake up in the morning knowing that I’ve got yet another enormous challenge that day, another day of trying the best I can every minute. But I work hard to have goals that are not stroke-related: I write, cook and bake, plan and attend social events, nurture friendships, and read book after book.

As she explains in her TED talk, Liz rejects others’ definitions of her, their negativity, and explains how she found for herself what defines her, who she is, rather than defining herself by her syndrome. She turned around the bullying and deprecation hateful people directed at her and used that to fuel her success, to propel her toward her own goals, not toward the expectations of others.

Her advice to the audience is: “Use that negativity in your life to make yourself better … I guarantee you will win.”

How We Learn to Speak: the Teaching of Talking

Mark A. Ittleman
The Teaching of Talking

January 10, 2014

This video may dispel some myths about learning to talk, and some of the methods that are currently being used in the United States today to deal with people who are not talking or those who have lost the ability to talk.  I always attempt to make my blog posts simple so that anyone can understand the principles involved.  People like things simple, so that understanding occurs.  People who have speaking difficulties and caregivers who have never had to deal with problems of speaking like information that is relatively easy to grasp and understand.  I am experimenting with more videos since many people have sent us e mails and like the video format.  Please let us know what you think.  I hope you will obtain a copy of The Teaching of Talking on our website at teaching of talking.com, and become our friends at facebook:  teaching of talking.  Let me know if I can answer any questions for you by sending me an e mail at markittleman@teachingoftalking.com.  Please share these videos with friends or organizations that help those with speaking difficulties.

Thanks / Mark


Standard YouTube License @ Mark Ittleman

See the original article:

How We Learn to Speak: the Teaching of Talking

in

The Teaching of Talking

Universe

Amy Shissler
My Cerebellar Stroke Recovery

Jan 12, 2014

Sorry again about the previous email.  I hit publish before I was ready again.  I need to stop doing that.

Before the stroke, I was absolutely miserable and hated my life.  I needed to make some changes in my life and I had plans to.  But the universe apparently did not agree with my plans.  The universe thought “no, first you’re going to do this.  First you’re going to have a stroke, survive that stroke, and live in HELL for a few years.  And not only are you gonna have a stroke but your doctors are going to royally screw up and make the rest of your life a lot harder than it has to be.  And your doctors are not going to help you get better in the least little bit so you’re on your own kiddo.”  Thanks docs.

When I was very ill and completely dependent on other people, I got a lot of help.  For this, I am super grateful.  That being said, despite being told differently, I don’t owe anyone that helped me a damn thing.  Hopefully all the help that was given to me was done out of love and nothing was expected in return.  Some stuff was expected of me in return, I know that.  But somehow I didn’t buy into that.  Don’t compare your illness to relationships or let it influence relationships.  Don’t.  What you SHOULD do is pay it forward.  All that help that was given to you, give it to someone else.  You get what you give.  You get back from the universe what you put out there.  Later this week I’m going to give you a very specific way to help someone else who badly needs it.  I really hope you do and put some good karma out into the universe.

See the original article:

Universe

in

My Cerebellar Stroke Recovery

Don't Forget the Yang

Peter G. Levine
Stronger After a Stroke Blog

Sunday, January 12, 2014

If movement is the yin, sensation is the yang. Try to zip up your zipper with gloves on. Its hard to even find the zipper! Part of the finding and the zipping is being able to feel. The feeling of the zipper tells you where the zipper is, how much force it will need to be pulled up, the angle of pull that is the most efficient, etc., etc.


For survivors, it more than just the feeling of the zipper between their fingertips, its also the feeling of the entire arm and hand that may either be diminished or lost. If you think its hard to pull up a zipper because you can't feel the zipper, imagine how hard it is to pull up a zipper if you can't tell where your hand is! This ability to feel where the extremity is in space (without looking at it) is called proprioception. Proprioception, when intact, is a constant feedback loop.

Dem Newfies. Got Every Thing Covered.

Jackie Poff
Stroke Survivors Tattler

A doctor in St John's Newfoundland wanted to get off work and go hunting, so he approached his janitor.

"I am goin' huntin' tomorrow Buddy and don't want to close the clinic. I want you to take care of the clinic and take care of all my patients and I'll give you fifty bucks."

"Yes, sir!" answers Buddy.

The doctor goes hunting and returns the following day and asks: "So, Buddy, How was your day?"

Buddy told him that he took care of three patients. "The first one had a Headache so I gave him TYLENOL."

"Bravo Buddy! The second one?" asks the doctor.

"The second one had a bad stomach and I gave him MAALOX, sir." says Buddy.

"Bravo, bravo! You're good at this and what about the third one"asks the Doctor?

"Well Sir, I was sitting here having a smoke and suddenly the door flies opens and a woman enters. Like a flame, she undresses herself, taking off everything including her bra and her panties and lies down on the table and shouts: HELP ME - I haven't seen a man in over two years."

"Lard Tunderin' Yeezus, Buddy!!! What did you do?"

"I put drops in her eyes!!"

Some Mornings...

Diane
The Pink House On The Corner

Sunday, January 12, 2014

If I could edit my life, the way a writer edits a story,  I'd start this post out like this:

Yesterday, I woke to the delightful sound of birds chirping outside my window...

But, unfortunately, I cannot edit my life, so truth be told, this post will start like this:

Yesterday, I woke to the sound of Bob having a bowel movement. So, of course, I bolted out of bed, first went into the bathroom to change into the sweats and sneakers that I wear for walking the dog and then gathered all the supplies needed to clean up the mess. And it was a mess as I had given him a laxative the night before as, once again, he's been constipated. But I managed to get him clean, and get a clean, fresh pad installed beneath him and just when I was going to fetch a fresh pair of Depends, GAAAA! He goes again. All over the bed.

Which is enough to make me cry.

When the SHTF Happens Revolt !

Jo Murphey
The Murphey Saga

Saturday, January 11, 2014

I've had a rather rough 24 hours.

3:30am- I'm sleeping peacefully in my bed. Awoke to an ominous rumble in my bowels. Just one then then my body spewed forth a yucky surprise before my brain had time to process what it meant. Thank God for diapers! It gave me time to pull back the three blankets I was under because it was cold in the house and I once again opted for leaving the space heater in the office. I donned my AFO after pulling the Velcro free of the blanket. You know those furry, micro plush ones that catches everything but oh so warm? Grabbed my tennis shoes and put them on. The whole time more stuff was spewing forth in danger of flooding all over everything.

I clean up while sitting on the commode, and then I realized my nightgown was not clear of my upper thigh and rump on my affected side. More mess as I clear it and carefully pull the soiled garment trying not to touch my body and hair one handed. Feat accomplished, another rumble issues from my bowls. Now naked in a 58 degree bathroom because in my rush to the commode I forgot to turn on the radiant floor heating switch, I plopped myself down on the commode. Easier clean up this time. I shoved a was of toilet paper between my cheeks to from a plug.

Francis Collins: We Need Better Drugs -- Now

Published on Mar 21, 2013

Today we know the molecular cause of 4,000 diseases, but treatments are available for only 250 of them. So what's taking so long? Geneticist and physician Francis Collins explains why systematic drug discovery is imperative, even for rare and complex diseases, and offers a few solutions -- like teaching old drugs new tricks.

SSTattler: See as well the Jan 4/2014 SSTattler "Geraldine Hamilton: Body Parts On A Chip".


Standard YouTube License @ TED

RMR: Rick Goes Carriage Racing

Uploaded on Oct 11, 2011

Rick visits the High Country Carriage Driving Club in Calgary, Alberta to compete in their Combined Driving Event.



Standard YouTube License @ The Rick Mercer Report

---------

Saturday News

Contents:

• Headline - Dystonia and Stroke
• Comics   - For Better or For Worse, Dilbert, Garfield, Betty
• Eclectic - Many articles from other bloggers and mostly about "stroke"...
• Trailer  - Rick Mercer Report - Intelligence, humorous, politics in Canada.

Def'n: Dystonia and Stroke

See also:

• Jun/30/2012  | Paralysis and Spasticity From SSTattler
• Deep Brain Stimulation From Wikipedia
• Botulinum Toxin From Wikipedia
• Baclofen From Wikipedia

Dystonia From Wikipedia

A person with medication

 induced dystonia.

Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder, in which sustained muscle contractions cause twisting and repetitive movements or abnormal postures. The disorder may be hereditary or caused by other factors such as birth-related or other physical trauma, infection, poisoning (e.g., lead poisoning) or reaction to pharmaceutical drugs, particularly neuroleptics. Treatment is difficult and has been limited to minimizing the symptoms of the disorder, since there is no cure available.

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms vary according to the kind of dystonia involved. In most cases, dystonia tends to lead to abnormal posturing, in particular on movement. Many sufferers have continuous pain, cramping, and relentless muscle spasms due to involuntary muscle movements. Other motor symptoms are possible including lip smacking.

Video: Dystonia and Stroke

Dystonia Documentary by Ryan Murphy

Uploaded on May 17, 2011

Dystonia Documentary Dystonia Movement Disorder Cervical dystonia spasmodic torticollis Blepharospasm Oromandibular Spasmodic dysphonia Laryngeal Focal writer's cramp


Standard YouTube License @ dystonia2025

Saturday Comics

For Better and For Worse
Lynn Johnston - 2014/01/10

"Farley! Farley! I'm freezing...."

Dilbert
Scott Adams - 2014/01/10

"It boost my oxytocin levels without..."

Garfield
Jim Davis - 2014/01/10

"Jon's listening to a recording!"

Betty
Delainey & Rasmussen - 2014/01/10

"I've got plenty of the good habits..."

  
** I tried to get low or free price at the people http://www.UniversalUclick.com/ for the images for the cartoons. It was too high for Stroke Survivors Tattler i.e. we are not a regular newspaper and our budget is very low. Fortunately, you will have to do only 1-click more to see the cartoon image, it is legit and it is free using GoComics.com and Dilbert.com.

*** Changed from "Pickles" to "Betty" -- "Betty" is a excellent cartoon and Gary Delainey & Gerry Rasmussen are authors/artists/cartoon-strips and they live in Edmonton.

Eclectic Stuff

Definition: Eclectic(noun) a person who derives ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources.

Spasticity Reduction in Dystonia and Stroke

Peter G. Levine
Stronger After Stroke Blog

Monday, December 9, 2013

SSTattler: Re-publish SSTattler from Saturday, December 21, 2013.

So, here's the deal. I'm a member of the FB young stroke survivors group.   If you are not, I'd suggest you join. These folks do not pull punches and most are robustly and actively  engaged in their recovery. (Many have the same posture as Dean of Deans' stroke musings. Put his blog in your faves. Now.)  The group as a whole reminds me very much of many spinal cord injured people who I've worked with; no BS, been there done that, laid bare.

I'm also a member of the "Neuronauts" group on FB. This group has a pathology that causes a spastic pull on muscles called dystonia. The muscles that are affected can be pretty much anywhere and can jam body parts into themselves and into other body parts. I'm not generally Mr. Empathetic, but the Neuronauts will break your heart. Shocked, sad helpless is the way their stories sometimes make me feel. Stories of living with a complete and painful betrayal of their bodies. Short term excruciating pain and long term injuries often result.

Dystonia is caused by injury to the basal ganglia (which can be caused by stroke). The basal ganglia is a "gang" of structures deep in the brain.  "The basal ganglia... monitors the speed of movement and controls unwanted movements"

Bob's First Botox Treatment

Diane
The Pink House On The Corner

Friday, July 5, 2013

On Tuesday, I wheeled Bob over to the new neuro doctor's office for his first Botox treatment for cervical dystonia. Of course, it was raining cats and dogs that day, but we were going--come hell or high water, because it had taken 3 months to get in to see this guy.

Before we left, I glanced through the "Botox for Cervical Dystonia" brochure that the neuro doctor had given us three months ago. I guess I just wanted to be informed. Unfortunately, it only ended up scaring the living daylights out of me. All those side effects, including "problems breathing which can be severe and result in loss of life".  Jeepers...... For a few minutes, I actually considered cancelling that appointment. But then I reminded myself what Dr. Doom had said about Botox being "one of the safest drugs around" and coming from Dr. Doom, that really means something. So I sucked down my fears and we went.

We got there early. And the doctor was running late.

Can Magnetism Help Us Control the Brain, Remotely?

Dean Reinke
Deans' Stroke Musing

Saturday, October 8, 2011

I like the comment about controlling a worm. And I personally think we should attach tPA to them and direct it directly to the clot. It would take a lot smaller amount and probably extend the timeframe a lot without the risk of bleeding.
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-10-magnetism-brain-remotely.html

Scientists at the University at Buffalo have received $1.3 million from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to test how tiny, magnetic particles can be used to remotely control neurons in the brains of mice.

If the work is successful, the research team will have given neuroscientists a powerful, new tool: a non-invasive technique for triggering activity deep inside the brain.

A Question Of Trust

Gary Gray
PEI Stroke Recovery

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

The Question: As a stroke survivor, caregiver, family member or health care professional are you concerned about where to find trustworthy health and safety information?

Submitted resource:

When given the challenge of recovering from a stroke, it’s important not to become overwhelmed with the flurry of information, tips, and guides that follow. Survivors and caregivers must sort through these readings and find the most trustworthy sources, without a clear solution on where to go first. The American Recall Center aims to make that easier.

With a focus on making medical news easy to understand, The American Recall Center offers news and safety updates on important health topics. From dangerous prescription medications to steps to avoid a potential hip replacement, our site always has the patient’s best interest in mind.

By breaking down the FDA’s jargon-filled news and updates into straightforward terms and put them in plain-language, patients can go into a doctor’s visit with knowledge and confidence to know exactly what questions matter to ask.

Another helpful offering on the site is Patient Safety Alerts, a notification system that sends personalized updates on the medications that matter to you. Simply select the drug or medical device categories relevant to you, and when the FDA releases a safety update pertaining to that category we send an update to your email. Never worry about missing news that can affect your health and save time by signing up for Patient Safety Alerts.

See the original article:

A Question Of Trust

in

Prince Edward Island Stroke Recovery

CPSR Lecture: Strategies to Improve Physical Activity After Stroke

Sharon D. Anderson
Stroke Survivors Tattler

Published on Dec 11, 2013

Many people are looking for exercises they can do at home to improve the functioning of  their affected arm or leg.  UBC professor Dr. Janice Eng speaks to the HSF Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery on her research (December 2013). In a lecture that I attended,  Dr. Eng suggested that these home exercises can be as effective as constraint therapy for arm recovery.

The key with any exercise for stroke recovery is that it be intensive (do it at least once a day with as much repetition as you can) and  that your brain is engaged in the task. As you do the exercises, think about the affected arm or leg moving, feel the muscles moving, and try to move it a little bit more/ a little bit further each time.


   Standard YouTube License @ Canadian Partnership for Stroke Recovery

Fore Thought and Action After a Stroke

Jo Murphey
The Murphey Saga

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

I'm realizing that my previous post is boggling most of you readers minds. How am I am to do what I do after a stroke. It takes a lot of fore thought and trial and error.

I have always been able to set priorities before acting. This stems from years of experience as a life flight nurse. I know you've all heard of the ABCs...airway, breathing, circulation in any first aid course. I tend to function like that after decades of following ABC steps. Critical first and everything else next. I call in my front seat/back seat method of prioritizing. Paying the electric bill before the power is cut off. Giving medicines in a timely fashion to prevent crises later on. Mopping up spills when they happen prevents falls later on. I personally dislike when others make their emergencies my emergencies. This takes a lot of fore thought to stop emergencies becoming emergencies.

Cracks on the Ends of My Fingers

Rebecca Dutton
Home After a Stroke

January 5, 2014

Winter is finally here and I have a crack in the skin at the end of the fourth finger on my sound hand.  Every time the end of my finger contacts an object the crack opens painfully.  I wash my hand so often I have no natural oil in my skin.  In previous winters I have worn a rubber glove to bed after slathering my hand with many types of lotion. This only slows down the drying process.

I felt desperate when the end of my fourth finger cracked open because I knew my thumb was next.  It develops an even bigger crack which is even more painful.

I Googled paraffin bath because warm wax softens the skin.  On-line users said it takes 6 hours for the wax to melt.  To prevent burns, the heating element is too weak to melt the wax quickly.  This means leaving the unit on 24 hours a day to keep the wax liquid.  I already run up my winter electric bill by turning on Christmas lights and using a warm air vaporizer 6 hours a night.  Then there were users who said wax leaked out of the bottom of their unit.  Since I live alone there is no "Honey do" at my house.  Fortunately, one of my on-line searches for paraffin baths captured a hand cream that contains paraffin so I bought it.

Bath and Body Works makes a product called True Blue Super Softening Hand Lotion with paraffin.  The sandpaper rough skin on the end of my thumb disappeared after one application.

It took 5 days for the crack on my fourth finger to close up after using one small dab the size of a pea each day.  This is good because the lotion costs $12 for a 2.5 fluid ounce tube.

I let the lotion sink in after I go to bed at night.  I put a dab of lotion on the back of my hemiplegic hand and get into bed with a small towel and the remote that turns off my ceiling light.  I put the remote next to my sound thigh and cover it with the towel.  After I transfer the lotion to my sound hand, I press on the remote through the towel to turn off the lights and lay my hand on the towel. This is so much easier than using my teeth to wrestle a rubber glove on and off my sound hand.  My hemiplegic hand is an assistive hand, but I need all five fingers working on my sound hand.

See the original article:

Cracks on the Ends of My Fingers

in

Home After a Stroke

Battle Strokes With Ultrasound?

Jeff Porter
Stroke of Faith

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Lately, we've seen news about better stroke outcomes. But there's still so much room for improvement. Now, check out this future-looking article from Popular Mechanics about ultrasounds and the fight against stroke:

To date, the most effective treatment is the clot-dissolving thrombolysis drug tissue plasminogen activator, tPA. But tPA is a far-from-perfect solution, says Andrew Barreto, a neurologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. “IV-tPA will help about 30 of 100 patients who receive it within the first 4.5 hours after stroke symptom onset,” Barreto says. “But, many patients are still disabled, so we need better treatments.” 

Barreto and some of his colleagues think that ultrasound could be one of those treatments. Ultrasound has been a valuable tool for diagnosing and tracking strokes in the brain for years. Now, a wide variety of new technologies are making it possible for neurosurgeons to use ultrasound waves, which travel at frequencies too high for the human ear to pick up, to not only identify the signs of stroke such as blood clots in the brain but also to help treat them.

I was one of the fortunate who benefited from tPA - with minimal remaining effects of my stroke. It's great to hear that researchers are out there seeking more and better tools to battle strokes.

See the original article:

Battle Strokes With Ultrasound?

in

Stroke of Faith

David Letterman, New Year's Resolutions for a Stroke Survivor, and Other Things

Joyce Hoffman
The Tales of a Stroke Patient

Dec 30, 2013

This post is short. It's New Year's Eve, for cryin' out loud. It seems I'm all over the place, but wait a minute. I promise focus.

David Letterman is a funny man. And "The Top Ten" lists don't hurt his image. Beginning 1n 1985 with "The Top Ten Things That Almost Rhyme With Peas," the lists still go on today. I'll wait for a promo of "The Top Ten," and if they're going to be on the show, I'll plan to watch them, but fatigue overtakes me sometimes and sleep is my go-to activiy.

Anyway, almost 30 years later from "The Top Ten" inception, I decided to do my own, and these are my "Top Ten New Year's Resolutions for 2014," from this stroke survivor, in reverse order, inspired by Letterman:

Base of Support

Amy Shissler
My Cerebellar Stroke Recovery

Jan 7, 2014

The definition of balance is keeping your center of mass (COM) over your base of support(BOS).  If your center of mass goes outside the base of support, you fall.  Manipulating the COM/BOS is how therapists move people.  Ok, so in standing, a woman’s center of mass  is like around her belly button and a dude’s is around his chest.  When you’re standing, your feet are your base so stand up and draw a circle around your feet – that’s your base of support.  Stand with your feet wider apart, it’s easier to balance right?  That’s because you just made your base of support bigger.  When balancing on one leg you have a wee little base of support so it’s harder.  That’s why therapists tell people to use canes and walkers, to increase their base of support.  When you’re using a cane, your BOS is no longer just your feet but the point of that cane is included in the circle around your feet so the BOS is bigger.

But sometimes the muscles don’t cooperate or aren’t strong enough and it doesn’t matter how freakin’ big you make your BOS.  So, yeah.

See the original article:

Base of Support

in

My Cerebellar Stroke Recovery

Piano Therapy

Grace Carpenter
My Happy Stroke

Monday, January 6, 2014

Since the spring, I’ve tried to practice piano regularly. It doesn’t sound much like music yet, but I have progressed a lot since the early days of my recovery. I work on scales, basic exercises, and pieces I learned when I was in third or fourth grade.

Sometimes I do have a good cry at the keyboard. I miss making real music. But I do think that trying play the piano has helped me a lot, in unexpected ways.

When I practice, often I don’t focus directly on finger dexterity, because it’s too frustrating. I still don’t have much sensation or proprioception in my hand and arm. So I focus on looking symmetrical while playing. I compare the angle of my right wrist to my left wrist, or left chest or the right chest,  or the angle of my forearms.

Then I make tiny adjustments of position or posture, and at some point, I usually get a sudden feeling of awakening in some muscle in my right side. Usually it’s a muscle (or group of muscles) in my trunk: my shoulder, or upper back, or my chest, or my abdominal muscles. It can be a stretching feeling,  or a heavy feeling, or an itchy feeling. But that feeling of my body waking up is addictive. So I try to hold on to that feeling, and make it happen again.

One day a few months ago, I was getting tired after about 15 minutes. I needed a change of pace, so I decided to really  to work on arpeggios for the first time (but with  my left hand--it’s too frustrating to try with my right hand at all). When I (and most people) play arpeggios, I have to lean from end one of the keyboard to the other end, and back again. So I leaned, and voila: I had that wonderful awakening feeling--in my right buttock. Now I think of arpeggios as “butt practice.”

I’m sure I could find a few reasons why regaining sensation in this part of my body is good. But the biggest is very utilitarian: any gain of sensation also helps me regain strength, and any gain of strength helps me to improve my gait. In stroke recovery, everything is connected.

Bach Minuet - 3 Years and 9 Months After Stroke:

Standard YouTube License @ Grace Carpenter

See the original article:

Piano Therapy

in

My Happy Stroke

A New Beginning? Running Free Rights Back Under My Control

Kate Allatt
A Rocky Stroke Recovery

January 4, 2014


It’s only taken 8 months of careful re-negotiation and a further 6 months following a deferred period, after a new contract was signed.



Standard YouTube License @ Kate Allatt

But, I am now back in control of MY life and how would be dramatized. (This is a delayed Xmas present for me!!)

Furthermore, I can try and secure the translation and audio rights to the book now.

Horseback Riding Problem

Jackie Poff
Stroke Survivors Tattler

A blonde decides to try horseback riding, even though she has had no lessons, nor prior experience. She mounts the horse unassisted, and the horse immediately springs into motion. It gallops along at a steady and rhythmic pace, but the blonde begins to slide from the saddle.

In terror, she grabs for the horse's mane, but cannot seem to get a firm grip. She tries to throw her arms around the horse's neck, but she slides down the horse's side anyway. The horse gallops along, seemingly impervious to its slipping rider.

Finally, giving up her frail grip, the blonde attempts to leap away from the horse and throw herself to safety. Unfortunately, her foot has become entangled in the stirrup, she is now at the mercy of the horse's pounding hooves as her head is struck against the ground over and over.

As her head is battered against the ground, she is mere moments away from unconsciousness when to her great fortune......

Frank, the Walmart greeter, sees her dilemma and unplugs the horse. And you thought all they did was say "Hello" !!

The Teaching of Talking: “The Speech Correctionist.”

January 5, 2014

Every profession has gone through changes with time.  Often changes bring additional knowledge and expertise.  Listen as Mark Ittleman, Speech Language Pathologist shares some ideas about the process of speech correction that should be kept in mind by the therapist, parent, caregiver or family member.  His book The Teaching of Talking can be found on the Teaching of Talking Website:  http://www.teachingoftalking.com  and is also available there to order through Audible.com.  We hope you will like and friend us at   http://www.facebook.com/teachingoftalking.



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Richard Resnick: Welcome to the Genomic Revolution

Uploaded on Sep 15, 2011

SSTattler: Only about 1 minutes "Dystonia" but a great video about Genomic.

http://www.ted.com In this accessible talk from TEDxBoston, Richard Resnick shows how cheap and fast genome sequencing is about to turn health care (and insurance, and politics) upside down.


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Malcolm Gladwell, "David and Goliath" | Talks at Google

John C. Anderson
Stroke Survivors Tattler

Published on Oct 16, 2013

SSTattler: I got a Xmas present, the book "David and Goliath"; it is great book - thank you! Please take a look at the interview of Malcolm Gladwell.

Malcolm Gladwell, the original speaker for the Authors at Google series, returns to Mountain View for a discussion about his latest book: "David and Goliath".

Malcolm was interviewed by Prasad Setty of the People Analytics group at Google.

Malcolm Gladwell, the #1 bestselling author of The Tipping Point, Blink, Outliers, and What the Dog Saw, offers his most provocative --- and dazzling --- book yet.

Three thousand years ago on a battlefield in ancient Palestine, a shepherd boy felled a mighty warrior with nothing more than a stone and a sling, and ever since then the names of David and Goliath have stood for battles between underdogs and giants. David's victory was improbable and miraculous. He shouldn't have won. Or should he have?

In David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell challenges how we think about obstacles and disadvantages, offering a new interpretation of what it means to be discriminated against, or cope with a disability, or lose a parent, or attend a mediocre school, or suffer from any number of other apparent setbacks.


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Notes of Administrator

John C. Anderson
Stroke Survivors Tattler

Format change:

• "Content:" with active links in Saturday News from September 2013 and beyond is done; just try it.  Thanks for Dean to remind me to implement it.
• The key "labels" i.e. "⌘ Headline", "▶ Comics", "▶ Eclectic", and "⌘ Trailer" works from January 2012 and beyond. Some small errors but I fixed it and it is on my weekly repair task if necessary.
• I changed to the screen format down to 1310 pixels width (formally 1360 pixels). It is compatible to the "laptop", e.g. MacBook Air - 13.0 inches - 1440 pixels, and works perfectly. The "desktop" has lots of room, e.g. iMac - 21.5 inches - 1920 pixels. The "miniLaptop", e.g. my Acer @ Linux (and Microsoft) - 11.5 inches - 1366 pixels, it works if you set "Auto-hide the launcher"; if you do not set "Auto..." you will have to change the image left or right about 50 pixels sometimes but usual it is OK. Thanks to "Anonymous" from "Pain in Your Brain" comments.

RMR: Rick Climbs Mt. Nimbus

Published on Oct 9, 2013

Rick travels to the Purcell Mountains in British Columbia to hike the Mt. Nimbus Via Ferrata.


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Saturday News

Contents:

• Headline - Probiotics - Good For You?
• Comics   - For Better or For Worse, Dilbert, Garfield, Betty
• Eclectic - Many articles from other bloggers and mostly about "stroke"...
• Trailer  - Rick Mercer Report - Intelligence, humorous, politics in Canada.

Def'n: Probiotics - Good For You?

Probiotic From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Élie Metchnikoff first suggested the possibility

of colonizing the gut with beneficial

flora in the early 20th century.

Probiotics are micro-organisms that have claimed health benefits when consumed.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bifidobacteria are the most common types of microbes used as probiotics, but certain yeasts and bacilli may also be used. Probiotics are commonly consumed as part of fermented foods with specially added active live cultures, such as in yogurt, soy yogurt, or as dietary supplements.

Studies are examining whether probiotics affect mechanisms of intestinal inflammation, diarrhea, urogenital infections or allergies. Through 2012, however, in all cases proposed as health claims to the European Food Safety Authority, the scientific evidence remains insufficient to prove a cause and effect relationship between consumption of probiotic products and any health benefit.

When a person takes antibiotics, both the harmful bacteria and the beneficial bacteria are killed. A reduction of beneficial bacteria can lead to digestive problems, such as diarrhea, yeast infections and urinary tract infections. The possibility that supplemental probiotics affect such digestive issues is unknown, and remains under study.

Video: Probiotics - Good For You?

SSTattler: There is thousands YouTube about probiotics - some are OK and some are NOT - be careful.

Probiotics

Uploaded on Oct 25, 2007

The Wonderful World of Probiotics


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