Blooming Psycho’s New Strange World Today

There are two types of strokes: Hemorrhagic and Ischemic

On June 6, 2004, my father suffered a hemorrhagic stroke which left him partially paralyzed on the right side. He was 68 years old. On that day, life for my entire family changed drastically.

Less than a week earlier, my son and I had invited my father over for a barbecue lunch to celebrate his birthday. We had chicken-apple bratwurst and potato salad. It was a simple meal, but I remember how happy he was. My mother was out of town, and he was touched that we would take the time to do this small thing for him. I will always remember that.

My father was unaware that he had plaque build-up in his arteries (atherosclerosis) or that his blood pressure was spiking. His blood pressure was not chronically high, but according to the neurologist at the hospital, he was probably experiencing frequent spikes. These are often asymptomatic problems. The only way to detect arterial plaque is to have a scan. Depending on risk factors, I believe that everyone over 40 should have arterial scans semi-annualy, and everyone over 60 should have them annually. These scans are non-invasive. No dye is injected into the blood vessels. They are done using ultrasound.

At this time, my father needs 24 hour care and my mother is his primary caregiver. He had another small stroke last year which led to a fall and a torn quadricep. He is pretty well confined to a wheel chair. He can take a few small steps holding on to the deck railing. This is certainly not how my parents wanted to spend their retirement.

Here are the signs of a stroke as found at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. This page has a lot of information and is worth a visit.

The symptoms of stroke are distinct because they happen quickly:

* Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg (especially on one side of the body)
* Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech
* Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
* Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
* Sudden severe headache with no known cause

What should a bystander do?

If you believe someone is having a stroke – if he or she suddenly loses the ability to speak, or move an arm or leg on one side, or experiences facial paralysis on one side – call 911 immediately.

Strokes do not happen only to the elderly. Arterial plaque build-up does not happen only to heavy people. Everyone needs to be aware of these signs and symptoms and to have a yearly physical.

This information is for the book featured at the end of the post. The statistics shown below are frightening.

After a Stroke
The American Stroke Association estimates that about 4,800,000 stroke survivors are alive today and about 700,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

After a Stroke: 300 Tips for Making Life Easier is addressed to this wide audience. Because hospital stays after a stroke are often short compared to the lengthy period of rehabilitation and gradual return of function, After a Stroke concentrates on the home recovery process after a stroke and assists those patients and their families in attempting to grow from patient back to person. The author, a twelve-year stroke survivor and nurse, gives readers tips she learned and used herself during her recovery. She addresses topics such as communication, emotional liability, safety issues, personal care, relaxation techniques, and intimacy issues. The tips included in this book cover everything from dressing, hair care, cooking, and airline travel to using a computer and alleviating pain. Many activities that we take for granted can become a challenge after surviving a stroke. After a Stroke describes in detail how to accomplish daily living routines, combat fatigue, enjoy recreational activities, and how to turn stroke deficits into assets. The book frankly discusses self-esteem issues and using humor as a healing tool. No subject is off limits. Hutton leaves no gaps in relating what families and fellow stroke survivors need to know to live a full life post stroke. With over 300 tips to assist stroke survivors, this book offers tried and true methods for coping with the aftermath of a stroke. It is a very useful reference guide and can be read in sections depending on the reader’s area of interest. The book’s mission is to foster independence for people living with stroke and promote healing through a positive outlook. After a Stroke is an essential tool for all stroke survivors and their families.

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