Doctor updates

August was a busy month. Here are some updates:
Sleep Study - In 2005 I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and was severe enough to be placed on a cpap machine which I admit was not fun nor did I use it as much as I should have at the time. I was lucky and highly suggest not doing what I did and follow all doctor instructions. The latest study shows some sleep issues but I'm no longer having the severe sleep apnea. I have moderate snoring and my issues come about when sleeping on my back. Treatment- sleep on side and continue to loose weight, use a nasal spray at night.

Thankful that I have improved with 30lb loss and no longer needing a machine to help me sleep/breathe.

MRI's - had 2 MRI's done the week of the 12th of august. They went fairly fast and the techs were really helpful and pleasant.

Blood work - went to see a Hematologist and wish he could be my regular doctor. He paid attention and asked several questions along with having a sense of humor that went along with me and my family. I had several tests done (14 vials of blood) on the 23rd of August. The office called and said that my tests were negative! and they are forwarding the results to my neurologist.

I go to the neurologist on the 17th of September to discuss the MRI's and the findings of all tests.

Thanking God for all things and know He is in control!

Wow! It's November!

Where did the time go? Last time I wrote was back in August. I had just started a new season of therapy. At that time I was walking with a 4-prong cane and barely getting around my duplex. I was not doing dishes and rarely went in the garage. I left almost all the cleaning to my husband and 99% of the food preparation/cooking. I didn't think I could manage with a right side that was not functioning in holding items or walking. Sure I get out and about but no where near what I did before my stroke. After my time was up at therapy, I'm doing so much more and have to watch it or I do too much.

I'm walking around the house about 90% of the time without any assistance - No Cane, or walker or anything - maybe a wall or door from time to time but thank the Lord! Outside I use a single prong cane and still working up the courage to walk unassisted. Yes I still have issues with my muscles and swelling in feet/legs but I'm walking and doing better as time goes on. I still need to work on my energy and getting out to church on Sunday. Please pray that my anxiety goes away being around people and that my brain will function when around crowds. Like I said, my energy is not the best and some days even just going and walking, end up in pain in my right foot and lower back. Please pray that we can get in a better routine.

I'm using my right hand more and some feeling coming back. I thank God for all He has given me! I cooked macaroni and cheese and brownies in therapy. Now to apply what I did, at home. Difficult to process what I'm doing at times and how to manage around our kitchen. I did make a moist chocolate cake, for my daughter's birthday, that I did everything except put in the oven. The cake was so yummy that by the next day it was all gone between family. I've even fixed a few plates for my family at meals and took plates from living room to kitchen. A work in progress but I'm happy to try and keep at it!

Other things that have happened the last few months - I had a severe stomach illness in September/early October, that lasted for 4 weeks. Praises for giving the right meds and good doctor to check on my stomach area to rule out other possibilities. I admit that I had doubts about what we needed to do but God was right there watching over me, my fever and the pain.
My husband still looking for work. Praise that the unemployment was continued. Praise that he is able to go to college starting in January, still waiting on GI Bill confirmation but thankful for whatever God gives us during this time. We are trusting Him for provision for what we need. The unemployment will stop at the end of the year or sooner if work is found.
My husband had a small wreck in August and the car still needs to be fixed. We are saving up and almost have enough. Praising God for the safety of both my husband and the other driver and passenger. That neither party was charged and insurance has paid, now to get the damage fixed. Please pray nothing happens while we get our funds together.

Whew long post - Thanks for reading. I hope you all have a good week. For those that celebrate Thanksgiving, a wonderful Thursday and a happy, thankful day. May God bless you all.

June Update

An update of sorts. As a family we are working on unpacking and dealing with bugs (spiders, ants and whatever else shows up) in our rental home. I'm not fully able to do household chores so I've tried to direct my husband and daughter how to do tasks that I would have normally took on myself. I've had to learn to not be so picky and let them learn how to do daily tasks. Letting go has not been easy and frustration creeps in when I look around. Tasks unfinished and so I try to do them or I end up complaining that I'm being ignored. I know there are things that they want to do and things I want to do but order is what I'm needing. Cleaning is not fun but as I know, having a clean ordered home makes for several days of enjoyment.

My blood pressure has been lower (95-115/ 58-76) and at times I have wanted to just sleep the day away. We lowered my medicine and for the past week I have been feeling better. We also changed two other meds a few weeks ago and so far doing well with no major side effects.I won't know how things are really going until August when have blood tests and doctor visits. I will also finally get to see a neurologist and hopefully get some therapy started to help focus on my issues. I'm still having issues of: balance, lack of feeling or full feeling, muscles spasms and tightness, pain mainly in shoulder/back, right hand function. Most of the issues go together or affect each other. With some feeling or lack of feeling, makes tasks harder like walking, exercises and fine motor function. I have almost full range of arm but small tasks with hand need work. I have a lot of pins and needles sensation and we are trying to work on my feeling. Almost every day my husband will mess with my hand and arm. He will touch different areas and ask me what do I feel when not looking. This activity exercises my brain and requires me to think about what is going on. Part of recovering is to have repetitive sessions of feeling activities. I'm hoping that one day I will not only feel in muscles but the outside skin feeling also. We have seen small improvements in my hand and fingers. I now can almost tell which finger he is pulling on. Walking is still a work in process. I feel different muscles and every day something different but I am starting to feel my heel. We are hoping that these small improvements continue showing.

I'm not getting out as much as I was when we first moved here. I wish I could say that I could just up and go but that is not how I am. I have issues in the morning with waking up and my throat. Another issue that came after having the stroke but not for almost a year. Then my pills, one with two meals and one for breakfast and one for dinner. A new routine (one has to be 30 minutes before two meals) started a month ago that we are finally getting used to me taking but still can be a pain. I have to use my tray for some to make sure I have taken them because I forget very easily.

Not a full update but that's just part of what we are doing. I thank the Lord for every day that is given to me. I'm reading my bible all the way through for the first time. I'm a little more than half way but every day is great to read a few chapters and think about what God has said. I'm in the book of Isaiah and just recently read chapter 53. Written before Jesus but about Him. Read it sometime.

May you have a wonderful weekend.

Thanksgiving

A time for change is coming. The last few weeks have been busy with medical & dental appointments and visit from my mom. There were vacation times for my daughter and husband. (Of course at different weeks) So I have had lots of company every day.

I went to my neurologist appointment last week. Everything is progressing and my doctor was impressed with all that had improved in 6 months. I still have a ways but doing well. I did get a prescription for Baclofen to help my tight muscles and the spasms. We are still testing amounts and have seen some improvement with less pain and relaxing of my tighter muscles. Still have varying degrees of pain but in time, I think, the pain will lessen.

I also had a few dental visits - I'm embarrassed but I know that the doctors will take good care of me. I have several upcoming visits over the next few weeks to include removal of 4 back teeth and several filings. The combination of stroke side effects and bad past have brought me to this point but all is changing.

As far as waiting - I'm excited to what the future has in place with God's direction. The time is ending for us to be here so 1. base housing is no longer an option, 2. no longer waiting for an answer so now time is to move on and forward. My healing gives glimpses and I know that one day I will be fully healed. As far as when - only God knows. Now we have to decide where to move, when to move and what is provided in the move. More later...

As we get closer to when we have our Thanksgiving meal, we are choosing to be happy and look forward to spending time just us especially as a break/pause in all that goes around us. We will have our small feast with turkey, cornbread, dressing, and many vegetables. I can't leave out the pumpkin pie.
Thankful to the Lord Almighty God for providing what we have and need, for His peace as we make decisions and shedding light on changes that need to be made.

May you all be blessed in the coming days, weeks as we come to the end of this season/year!

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts,

to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

Colossians 3:15

God bless,

Hemorrhagic Stroke and health issues

I am not a medical doctor nor have any degree in the medical field. I have my experience of a hemorrhagic stroke and what I have learned by having day to day effects of the stroke. I will not explain everything but to give you awareness as to what can happen when a person does not take care of themselves, like I did.

Strokes affect approximately 795,000 a year, new and re-occurring, 1 in every 18 deaths are because of a stroke, in America alone.
"It's the No. 3 cause of death behind diseases of the heart and cancer" in America. (statistic from the American Heart Association - http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/123/4/e18) For more statistics see website journal or American Heart/Stroke Association.

There are two types of strokes, Ischemic (blood clots) and Hemorrhagic (bleed - ruptured blood vessel). Even among the types there are several ways the stroke can happen as there are many blood vessels in the brain leading to different parts of the brain.
So I had a stroke, November 25, 2009, that is classified as a bleed (Hemorrhagic) but even more so the bleed was deep. *another statistic "Hemorrhagic stroke accounts for about 13 percent of stroke cases." 13% - not that many if looking at the whole picture.
The bleed as I was told was deep and there was nothing they could do without creating more damage to me to make it stop. However, I was lucky! My bleed stopped before I had my CT Scan (Computerized axial tomography) done and the bleed was not constant but boy did that do more damage then your normal cut.
In my last update post I asked if anyone had a question. Most have replied to blog about daily things. I will have to think as I really lead a boring life.
I walk to A - B and sometimes C and D. *chuckles*

Clint from Lyrics of Love and Lore writes: Is there medication that can help prevent strokes like you have experienced?

No and yes - No if you are healthy and have no need for medicine and your doctor has given you a low risk. Strokes affect any age, male or female, healthy or unhealthy, does not discriminate even if medical field puts age limits. But the healthier the better chance to not have a stroke or any other health illness.Yes, medication if there are health issues that need to improve. Improving your health helps to lower your risk for a stroke.

For my stroke, High Blood Pressure was the culprit. I did not keep up with my blood pressure nor did I have money or insurance for many years to keep my health in check. So yes, medicine would have helped my chances if my blood pressure was monitored. My blood pressure was so high at the time of my stroke that there was no measurement for me. By the end of all that went on in the first two months after my stroke, I was on four blood pressure medicines. 4!! Ouch! For the last 8 months I have been on three and more stable but still need to be monitored.

If you have not been to a doctor in the last year or have regular check ups, I urge you to have a complete physical and blood work done and know your numbers. Blood Sugar, Cholesterol, Blood Pressure, Weight etc. If you do not have insurance look around for free tests and doctors/clinics or ones that have pay plans. Just get checked!

I am improving but still limited use of right hand/arm and right leg. It's not fun and not anything I would want you all to go through.

I forgot to mention last update that my husband and I have started Weight Watchers. I cannot exercise that much so watching what I eat is so important especially if I am going to lose weight.
I hate to admit what a weigh but I started at 235 last Sunday but I am at 226 for the first week. We both did well and are really having fun counting our points and holding each other to this plan of eating healthier.

Time for dinner so I better go for now. Thanks for reading. Hope you are having a great week. God bless you!