What are /r/stroke's favorite Products & Services?

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Same here. I use a crossbody bag with multiple pockets. I put all my cards in one packet

here is what I got.

Talking is ok. I never lost auditory stuff. So that was what I did. Listen to music. "Watch tv." I bet he's throwing up. If not that's a positive. I threw up all February. I still can't walk right. For spasms, I use a massager. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087M9C8F8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_H75SS9XZDQVBSHJ16PCH?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

For double vision I try to use bad eye. I'm a little different though. No stroke. I got coils so it should shrink.

This is a great solution. Here’s the one I got on Amazon. You can have it delivered in a couple of days.

TowelSelections Women's Robe, Turkish Cotton Terry Shawl Bathrobe X-Large/XX-Large Charcoal https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HXHVBI2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_0AC4CbCEAYEW5

https://www.amazon.de/Massageringe-Yin-Yang-Fingermassage-Wellnessmassage/dp/B0029MQ0RO

And I had to translate everything from German to English 😂

Take care and all the best wishes for you, your father and your family.

"You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have" -Bob Marley. I suspect that you are not giving yourself enough credit for how far you have come and what you have accomplished in your rehab. The younger you have a stroke, the greater the risk of depression, so that's something to keep an eye on. Doing stuff that is meaningful, masterful (shows expertise), or pleasurable is a great tactic. I also suspect that you still need to mourn your old self and your old hopes and plans. interesting book that you might like. Identity Theft: Rediscovering Ourselves After Stroke https://www.amazon.com/Identity-Theft-audiobook/dp/B07R4PXH8D/ref=sr_1_1?crid=N3K5QGQ3SEPV&keywords=identity+theft+rediscovering+ourselves+after+stroke&qid=1669255731&sprefix=identity+theft+after+stroke%2Caps%2C391&sr=8-1

I also suggest a lightweight blanket. I am definitely more sensitive to textures after my stroke and prioritize being comfortable. My favorite is this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GVCVZ7F?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

A fleece sweatshirt with a zipper that is easy to get on and off will also be great. I really like my Patagonia Better Sweater and my REI Hyperaxis 2.0 hoodie. LL Bean also makes really nice ones.

She may appreciate a pair of comfy pants that don’t require much effort to put on or pull off. I don’t know if it would be embarrassing for her, but comfortable seamless underwear will also be a godsend if she doesn’t have them. 🤷‍♀️

How long has it been since your stroke?

Mine was on the left side as well, and it was probably 2-3 months after that before I was able to get back to any form of normalcy in regards to gaming. I was never able to fully recover, and it still causes issues to this day (10 years later). For my recovery I started playing Diablo, though any arpg would work similarly. Most of my stuff was on the mouse, with skills and abilities on 1-4. I did that for a few weeks, and then moved on to World of Warcraft, back to WASD. It took me a few months to get skilled enough to get back to raiding, but it was never the same. I still hunt-and-peck type. It can be painful over long sessions.

One thing I would definitely recommend- get a VERY low profile keyboard. This helped me a TON. This is the one I got. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08SK9QT1T/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Additionally, an MMO mouse might help as well, as they have many more buttons on the side which can be mapped. Corsair, Razer, and Logitech all make good options.

Bought my Dad one of these. He finds it challenging and is using it to work the affected hand. https://www.amazon.ca/DAddario-Varigrip-Adjustable-Hand-Exerciser/dp/B001OCGGEM/ref=asc_df_B001OCGGEM/?tag=googlemobshop-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=292939538874&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4495422278908878232&hvpone=&hvptwo=&amp...

I was hit by a drink driver a couple of years ago. Had a brain bleed and was left with a left side complete Homonymous Hemianopia. Always fun trying to explain to people that its not the same as closing one eye. Anyway during my recovery I was trying to find exercises that could stimulate my brain to try and recover lost vision or at least practice with my vision. I found some online games/exercises that were very basic but cost a lot. I can't remember what the site was. I like programming and so I made an app that contains two mini games aimed at training your vision. I found it helpful for myself. Its completly free but is only available on the Google play store.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hemianopia.trainer

I know there is other software out there and i'm certainly not claiming it to be the best or even work but theres the link if you'd like to try it.

I was hit by a drink driver a couple of years ago. Had a brain bleed and was left with a left side complete Homonymous Hemianopia. Always fun trying to explain to people that its not the same as closing one eye. Anyway during my recovery I was trying to find exercises that could stimulate my brain to try and recover lost vision or at least practice with my vision. I found some online games/exercises that were very basic but cost a lot. I can't remember what the site was. I like programming and so I made an app that contains two mini games aimed at training your vision. I found it helpful for myself. Its completly free but is only available on the Google play store.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hemianopia.trainer

I know there is other software out there and i'm certainly not claiming it to be the best or even work but theres the link if you'd like to try it.

My ankle is still pretty immobile - try walking on the beach if you're near one or a public high school will have a sand pit near the track.

Balance board from Amazon while you sit on the couch.

I bought this one NALANDA Wobble Balance Board,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07XDRP67J?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

My stroke was caused by my migraines. I have head pain daily now. Including thunderclap/ice pick headaches. Sometimes the pain is so sudden and intense, it drops me to the floor and I'm in tears. Luckily, it's short. But sometimes there's lingering after pain.

Does her pain appear to be sudden and short (less than 2 minutes for the severe pain)? Does this describe what she might be experiencing? Migraines can manifest themselves in different ways after a stroke, including as those types of headaches. I'd ask her neurologist about possible migraine treatments. Unfortunately, most migraine preventatives have strokes as a side effect, so doctors don't often prescribe them.

At home, I'd recommend keeping her hydrated. Drinking ice water all day helps me a little. And ice packs when the daily pain gets too bad. They make ice pack helmets that were very useful when I was bed bound. My strokes (I had 2) happened June 2018. It, unfortunately, has not gotten better for me.

I sincerely hope they get better for her. Good luck.

I believe they use air pressure through valves, so I guess it does it for him? He's almost at 3 months and he can somewhat close his fist but barely and he isn't able to open it at all. It's stuck at a semi curled position for reference it's something like these:

Rehabilitation Robot Gloves, Smart Chargeable Finger Training Rehab Orthotics Rehabilitation Gloves with Single Finger Training and Mirror Mode, for Stroke Hemiplegia Hand Function Recovery (Small, Left Hand-blue) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Q61DQ3V/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_KVAJQ6P33M5601EHENGH?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Samsung 27" curved monitor Model code: c27f398fhnxza

Mine are several years old(mfg april 2017), but this looks like the latest version of it:

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-LC27F398FWNXZA-C27F398-Curved-Monitor/dp/B01CX26WIG

*stroke.org support group finder to get local expertise. https://www.stroke.org/en/stroke-support-group-finder *stronger after stroke by Peter Levine "a roadmap to recovery"
https://www.amazon.com/Stronger-After-Stroke-Third-Recovery/dp/0826124135/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3304VB7E87YOL&keywords=stronger+after+stroke+by+peter+levine&qid=1647658119&s=books&sprefix=stronger+after+stroke+by+Peter+Levine%2Cstripbook...

*The Warmline connects stroke survivors and their families with an ASA team member who can provide support, helpful information or just a listening ear. Call our Stroke Family Warmline at 1-888-4-STROKE (1-888-478-7653).

-the brain is amazing, anything can happen. -every stroke is different. -progress may slow down a lot after the first 3 - 6 months but it never stops. -rehab may last a lifetime. Thousands of reps, hundreds of changes to movement, speech, vision, cognition, personality, etc. Some get better on their own over the first year or two, others we learn to compensate for. -Don't forget to take care of the caretakers!

I would be raising hell and asking questions of the hospital, neurologists and PT/OT/speech therapists. I don't think they should still be using covid as an excuse to kick people to the curb. If possible, intensive in-patient rehab is the best way to take advantage of the early healing burst. Best wishes to you all.

This reminded me - here are a great pair of nail clippers to use with your affected hand. Much better than the standard tiny clippers (I couldn’t even hold those when I was in in-patient rehab): EZ Grip 360 Degree Rotary Stainless Steel Sharp Blade Fingernail Toenail Clipper, Trimmer And Cutter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01IC1O6BC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_82X7C69CQJ3PWKX1N9QY?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I used this pro workbook to do voice drills. I also practiced reading aloud 30 minutes per day.

Workbook for Aphasia: Exercises for the Development of Higher Level Language Functioning (William Beaumont Hospital Series in Speech and Language Pathology) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0814333117/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_navT_a_ECRR68NBFZ97088MEHYH

Listen, we are all different but here's my experience. I tried alot of things and one of the therapist did stem therapy. That helped but she was to gental. So I got one from Amazon and did it 3 times a day for 30 minutes a time. I also went as high as I could stand. Helps wrist, hand and fingers. The pinky is a little tough to hit, its a very small nerve. Good luck. iSTIM EV-805 TENS EMS 4 Channel Rechargeable Combo Machine Unit - Muscle Stimulator + Back Pain Relief and Management- 24 Programs/Backlit (Including Electrodes Pads) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0777JT98F/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_0X03FYCB6DTQE99SEWZ5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

They are just Hiking poles. We got them from Amazon.

TrailBuddy Collapsible Hiking Poles - Pack of 2 Trekking Poles for Hiking, Camping & Backpacking - Lightweight, Adjustable Aluminum Walking Sticks w/ Cork Grip https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N46UYTL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_2YFZ9M22TE4CKVRSWX7Q?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

These are the most helpful things I had with my mother when she had her stroke:

• Shower seat and shower grab handle
• Shower tools to help her more easily reach difficult areas while cleaning herself
• Walker and/or cane should be readily available by the bed for her when she gets up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night
• Second railing - my mother had a hard time climbing the stairs so we got a second railing installed going upstairs (one on each wall) which helped immensely and made her feel safer
• If she will be preparing her own food you may want to consider a kitchen seat/stool of appropriate height so she can sit while making herself food
• Seat belt extension if the weakness in her arm makes it difficult to buckle herself into a car
• Front closure bras are easier to manage with arm weakness
• A body pillow really helped my mom because her weak arm was also painful

Also, please make sure your mom keeps her left arm MOBILE and regularly stretches, my mother had a right side stroke and her arm was immobile for nearly a week and this caused frozen shoulder. She is still in physical therapy trying to recover from frozen shoulder months after she was released from in-patient care.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/frozen-shoulder/symptoms-causes/syc-20372684

I wish someone had to us about this because it is such a horrible condition to recover from once you have it. Please keep an eye out for this.

Since you said It is your left side, I assume It would be your left hand as well. I also assuming you know how to type cause you typed this out. One thing that helped me when I had my stroke and my left arm did not work as well as it did before the stroke and fine tune it was typing games. Just plain old typing games on the internet.

Ninja cat was the best. https://www.typing.com/student/game/ninja-cat

Cause I am sure you felt like I did, That your left arm felt like a piece of meat just hanging their and got in the way. Until I started using a 2.5 then a 5lb weight in the hand daily and also playing the typing games. Did it's functionality come back and my brain relearn its usefulness. Don't give up it will take time, but the key is repetition, So the brain relearns and makes new connections.

From your other posts you are probably ahead of me. 3 weeks afterwards I was in a medical coma & it wasn't for a few more weeks before I was starting to "walk" across a room with the help of 1-2 physical therapists with that generously described walk-like movement leaving me drenched in sweat.

I had a ( massive) right side CVA (also a hemorrhage type I think) at 32 almost11 years ago. I think within six months I was able to make a fist sometimes with a lot of effort & shaking. My shoulder had pretty good control & elbow was tough but worked. Twisting my wrist & opening my hand are still beyond me.

I guess I had a speech delay too, never came across a good way of describing the really strange pauses in speech I had to make to think of more words to say or put the planned words back in the mental buffer before I could say them.

Some milestones I recall:

• Within 6 months I could walk with a cane but had terrible endurance. The endurance improved as my muscles rebuilt.
• Within a year or two I could walk without a cane to varying degrees & pretty much never use it now.
• I don't remember when my speech quit being odd but it was probably between 1-2 years since I had gone back to work at the 1 year mark
• At some point I put real effort into going from one handed hunt & peck typing to one handed typing & it probably took 6-12 months to get up to 30-4wpm

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Recovery is different for everyone & the severity as well as location of the stroke makes a big difference. I recommend a shoulder bag to carry stuff & like this one. There are lots of assistive devices that can help with various things, is there anything in particular you want to do again?

Sammons Preston-49984 Transfer Disc, Pivot Disc for Transfers, Weight Transfer Device & Mobility Aid with 360 Degree Rotation for Turns, Change in Direction, & Transferring Between Seats, 12" Diameter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XTLCJYN/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_YSJKKPARANDSBDQSP5DQ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I mean this. When getting into the car she would go towards her strong side, which made it easy. However, getting out of the car then required her to lead with her weak side which made it difficult to pivot onto the wheelchair. Not sure where you are with PT/OT, but my mom was almost completely limp on her left side and PT trained us to pivot her during transfers. This disc was also really helpful for getting her to use the bedside commode instead of a bedpan. Btw, would definitely recommend stocking up on A LOT of towels and disposable underwear.

microsoft handed that division off to logitecha couple years ago & this was the result of a controller+the most commonly needed buttons. Amazon seems to sell it.

This is the unit we bought (below). It is plenty powerful, the highest level he's used is 7 (out of 10) and it makes those muscles jump! There is a guide book included with the unit that shows where you can place the pads and it also has six different settings, although we've always only used number 4 (personally I think each mode feels the same but I'm not an OT). It has a USB charger and it's strong enough that even though we use it 5-6 days a week on my hubby, between 20-60 minutes each session depending on how many body parts are on that days schedule, we only need to charge it once a week.

I'll try to send you photos I've taken of where the OT had placed the pads on a bit.

Belifu Dual Channel TENS EMS Unit 24 Modes Muscle Stimulator for Pain Relief Therapy, Electronic Pulse Massager Muscle Massager with 10 Pads, Dust-Proof Drawstring Storage Bag，Fastening Cable Ties… https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Q32KX3J/ref=cm_sw_r_u_apa_fabc_e1a3FbY7D7NVE?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

How about one of those heated gloves? (Note that there are a whole lot on Amazon; this is just the first result.) https://www.amazon.com/JINGOU-Rechargeable-Battery-Electric-Temperature/dp/B08HYMMS1L/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1YR9LKATHEQFS&dchild=1&keywords=heated+gloves&qid=1607620109&s=outdoor-recreation&sprefix=Heated+gloves%2Cdigital-text%2...

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nl.asoft.speechassistant I had a stroke about 3.5 years ago. There are really good apps for people living with Aphasia. Aphasia changes you life! Tell your mother in law to sing, read every sign she passing. I feel bad for her.

The HEMI SLING is available in the US my rehab hospital had stokes of it.

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amazon link https://www.amazon.com/Comfortable-Shoulder-Elastic-Immobilizer-Ligament/dp/B002BU8EUA/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=hemi+sling+right+arm+after+stroke&qid=1583358774&sr=8-8

I recommend a Kindle reader. The new 10th generation model also plays audiobooks from Audible.com.

To hold it up in bed, check this device out:

nbryte Tablift Tablet Stand for The Bed, Sofa, or Any Uneven Surface

[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AHGIDE6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_bxb.CbB0GK6Q9 ]

EDIT: if he’s opposed to tech, keep in mind that the screen on the Kindle Paperwhite is very easy on the eyes, AND you can make the font any size you like.

You might think about getting a TENS Unit. This one is cheap but effective and they used one on me at Physical Therapy after my stroke for my left hand. I already had one at home because they're great for massages but they also can be used to force the hand to flex (completely painlessly) for a set period of time.

They also had me do little dexterity activities like flipping a large bottle cap with my left hand, stacking cups, or using my left hand to pick marbles out of a bowl of rice one by one.

A lot of people like "stronger after stroke" by Peter Levine = https://www.amazon.com/Stronger-After-Stroke-Third-Recovery/dp/0826124135/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1529540156&sr=8-2&keywords=levine+stronger+after+stroke.

As an Internet stranger with no medical expertise, Let me suggest that it is early days yet, I bet she is still dealing with swelling/inflammation, shock, and sensory overload. Please don't buy into arbitrary recovery timelines, as u/athea says, every stroke is different and rehab might be 2 or 3 or 4 years. [Please take care of yourself as well so you are around for the long haul.]

I was 6 weeks in an intensive in-patient rehab hospital where 3 hours of therapy a day wiped me out for the next 21 hours. So I guess it depends on perspective although weekends were horribly boring. Being able to work towards recovery that hard really helped me and I feel lucky to have met the therapy staff there. Your home health therapists should be able to help her survey most of the damage and get her started on rehab plans.

Thank you very much for stepping up to help her and best of luck to both of you. Her journey id going to be longer and more frustrating than you can anticipate but effort, humor and positive energy towards rehab will eventually pay off.

I use one-hand nail clipper. One-hand nail clipper

My father (58) had a large ischemic stroke about 7 months ago, and had his speech completely knocked out. He was able to get some speech back, but still has trouble with finding words, creating sentences and he has some slurring. His speech also deteriorates as he gets tired throughout the day The Speech Therapy Aphasia Rehabilitation Workbook series by Amanda Paige Anderson (there are four workbooks) has been really helpful both with the speech and also logic and cognition.

I'm not sure about the confidence issue. We are struggling with that too.

I found this book really informative: My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey. The author documents her stroke and recovery and what she found to work best.