SweetMom

The summer where I live is very hot so I only had trouble in the winter, but after my strokes, its all the time. I must wear the softest socks. I cannot wear terry cloth on my feet, unless I turn them inside out. I wear rubber rain/garden boots year round. Those things are cold. I just started using this cream called CeraVu on my heals and the cracking seemed to start clearing up immediately. Its expensive, but cheaper than a dr. visit.

Kelli, thank you

Tracy, I also do research on Raynaud's and try to find out what different things to try alleviate the symptoms. And on top of that I have the neuropathy in my left foot and calf.

Its a crap shoot if ya ask me. What works one day seems like it doesn't work the next time.

I hope we all find some relief soon. 

​Like y'all winter is no friend of mine. Starting about sept my left foot and toes start going to sleep, turns blue/black and then the cracked skin. Oooooohhhhh the pain. Its always in the same spot too. I refuse to go to the wound center again. My insurance doesn't pay much on that and I get billed for the rest. I cannot keep paying out of pocket for dr. visits like that. 

I'm not sure if this is the right place to put this but if not, someone can move it. Anyway I saw where someone else has Raynauds Syndrome. I have it too. I have a lot of trouble with my left foot and toes and my fingertips on both hands. 

The doctors in the emergency room found it before I had my strokes. 

​I have a lot of trouble with it in the winter. My whole left foot will go to sleep and won't wake up. It also turns black or blue and I get sores where my heal will crack and gets infected. Its not as bad since I am not waitressing anymore, but was really bad then. The cold weather is the worst. 

I have a real bad sore on my heal now which makes it hard to walk. And I need to do more christmas shopping. 

Welcome Rick to the club nobody wants to join. My strokes were about the same time as your stroke. I have trouble with my left side and that has me also walking like a zombie.  I do work in the garden when the weather is cooperating. I have aphasia and apraxia, which is getting better, I think. I also have cognitive issues which keeps me from driving.  I wish you the best.

Hi Tracy, Welcome to the group no one wants to join, but if you do, it the best around. Wow you and I are kinda on a parallel. I am 15 months a survivor of 3 strokes. I had them relatively close together, within days.  I also remember how I was before and the serenity prayer is my motto as well. I'm not very happy with the personality change in me. I have aphasia and conversation is a bit thin for me. I stopped my PT with a physical therapist. It had become a pain to go. I got a dual elliptical/bike. I exercise everyday doing something physical. I am still a work in progress. I wish you much progress.

BKM, WOW, You are a Saint. I don't want to sound insensitive, but stroke recovery can be and usually is for the rest of the survivor's life. He isn't doing everything he needs to do for "his recovery". Your relationship has been put on the back burner (after 2 months) while his recovery is on the front. The recovery he's not taking seriously. I am a 3 stroke survivor. I have to work at my stroke recovery every single minute of every single day. I hate it, I don't want to do it, but I have to. I have to take my recovery seriously. 

You are not super woman. Sorry, but you're not. After 2 months of dating, you don't owe him the rest of your life. It's not your fault he had a stroke. And it's not your fault he has no family or friends to rely on. 

Ok, he is getting rude with you. Thats not ok. Call him on it or he won't stop. Selfishness comes with stroke. Stop it now before it gets out of hand and he does it in public, it makes it really hard to fall in love with someone who treats you like crap. (Don't ask how I know that)

This is what you can do for him so you won't feel guilty..............if he cannot live alone, you can help him find a medical guardian. They will help him file the necessary paperwork to receive SSDI or whatever he can receive from government sources. They will help him find suitable housing and/or nursing/therapy care. You are not obligated to him at this point and he doesn't seem to be wanting to take care of himself. He's the one with the medical problems, not you. However, this could really speed up his recovery if he thinks he doesn't have a free ride.

 Tough Love is really really hard (on both people).

I hope I didn't offend you or anyone else with this post. 

Sincerely,

SweetMom

Because I was so busy with PT and speech therapy, I didn't notice my neck getting stiff or rather I just didn't turn it. It became really bad when I asked my physical therapist, he told me not to let it get like that again. You gotta move those limbs and get those muscles loosened up. I try not going to the dr any more than I have to. They always want to find something wrong with me.

Thank You Fred. I try my best everytime I do anything. 

My neck had become so stiff that I couldn't turn it without turning my whole body. My therapist told me its common. Exercise it. Turn it from side to side as far as it will go. Its from lack of movement.  I was told to never go to a chiropractor after stroke. I cannot do situps yet because it stresses the neck muscles that lead to the head. I have to protect those muscles until the swelling goes down in my head.