> my right leg was heavy and stiff
> my right arm did not move at all
> my speech was not very good
> my sight had been affected by the stroke
> and I could not read or write
I felt that the future did not look very bright and I kept having my black days.
After one of my doctors visits I was referred for speech therapy and physio, but disappointed to learn that I was only allowed six sessions of each. I started physio at at the Richardson hospital with Sarah, The first thing she did was to put my arm in a sling as she was concerned about my shoulder. She ordered me an arm brace which would support my shoulder. The next day out I had speech therapy at Darlington Memorial Hospital with Rosamond. The first session was to assess my needs.
At the end of April Jill from the Stroke Association starting to make weekly visits to my home. I looked forward to these visits as she was very good.
I was getting frustrated with speech therapy as I felt I was not making progress.
As I was not able to read Liz got me some talking books I would listen to these books for an hour each day Liz suddenly realised that I was starting to talk more and could form sentences. Listening to the to the books was obviously helping.
Whilst I was in hospital The speech therapist Claire had referred me to the Tavistock Aphasia Centre at Newcastle University so I was pleased to get invitation to go for an assessment. This was on 5 June in Newcastle. The assessment took 2 1/2 hours, it was only after two hours that they realised what my problem was. I could not read or write because I did not know my letters, I was dyslexic because of the stroke. They offered me a place there and then to start in October. I was really looking forward to this.
What Chris has not mentioned is how difficult life can be when you have to learn to do everything with your left hand when you are right handed! Simple things like eating become a pain! Also so with hand putting on socks, getting washed and dressed, squeezing toothpaste, tying shoe laces, pulling up a zip are all a problem! One of the biggest problem is cutting up food.
ReplyDeleteHi Chris I am just at the start of your blog and already finding it very interesting. I particularly like (maybe Like is the wrong word)...never mind where was I ah yes the way you call your days Black. I once read or should I say looked at the pictures in a book which I think may hit a chord with you. it's called I had a Black Dog, by Matthew Johnstone (no no relation lol)
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