I little insight from my 4 ½ year journey.
The road is long and arduous. It has many ups and downs. Unfortunately, my stroke was very severe. But fortunately, my life has become miraculous.
The fist trauma is the damage to your brain. Which will be with you the rest of your life. There is a direct correlation between the damaged area of your brain. And the lifelong struggles that you will have to endure.
The second trauma is to your body. If you can’t move. Your muscles will atrophy. If you don’t use it, you will lose it.
I have found that the best strategy for recovery is to take a HOLISTIC approach.
1. Mental Health. Your attitude will make you or break you.
Surround yourself with positivism
IPR: Immediate Positive Response. When down find something that breaks you away from depression.
ANTS: Automatic Negative Thoughts. The ANTS will kill you.
2. Physical health. The body is one entire unit. When one part of the body is damaged, other parts of your body will be negatively affected
Exercise the affected parts of your body, along with the unaffected muscles
I found the follow activities very important
Reading: It strengthens the mind. Read positive articles, posts, and books. Ignore the negative
Writing: It also strengthens the mind and helps sort out your thoughts and emotions.
Music: Music stimulates your brain increasing the neural synapses in your mind. It also relaxes you
Rest: Your body recovers best when resting.
Nutrition: Healthy foods provide the building blocks for a healthy body. Sodas, Sugar, Alcohol. & Tobacco are all poisons. If you must use moderation.
Exercise / Therapy: If your relearning to walk again, your muscles have atrophied along with the neural pathways in your brain. Whatever the affliction is your trying to recover. Break it down into small increments. Work on one movement at a time. i.e. bending a knee or ankle. Fingers or wrist. It takes repetitive activity to re-learn these skills. And you need to rebuild muscle. If you’re learning to walk again do not forget that walking requires muscles from your core and back as well. Many exercises can be done from a chair or bed. Do not forget to stretch.
I am also a big believer in Chiropractic care. It keeps your body in balance.
Therapy is just like piano lessons. You must practice what you were taught between sessions.
Positivism creates an upward spiral of energy
Negativity creates a downward spiral of energy.
God gave you an Inch. It is up to you to take a mile
Life is what you make it. Make it beautiful
I will never be the old me. But I am getting better. And Better is Better.