Cat,

I agree that we can't compare ourselves to each other but I can tell you what every survivor will tell you. PT is exhausting to a survivor and though we can move something it doesn't mean its easy to move it.

At 8 months I still couldn't move my arm enough to get my hand high enough to scratch my nose. I could pull my hand open with my good hand but if you dropped a quarter into my hand I didn't have the strength to hold it...so to me his progress seems excellent. Even now, after two years, I can only get my foot to be in the correct position if I'm bearing weight on it. When my foot hits the floor it is on my toes, and I have to force my weight onto it to get it flat. So again, to me, he's doing amazing.

Arm and hand deficits seem harder to overcome. My OT told me when I first came home to do many of my arm exercises laying down. It supports the upper back and shoulder and makes it easier to get good range of motion but when she came to exercise me, I couldn't wait for her to leave so I could go lay down.

Lifting my arm today is nothing like lifting it the same distance pre-stroke. Doing it 5 times in succession feels like lifting 30 lbs 5 times with that arm.

I may have stated this method before but here is what gets me doing better!! I use my bike to exercise daily that helps build up my leg, ankle and thigh muscles in both legs! Then I use a cane but I stand close to my bed and do squats to help my knees bend better and be more stable which helps me in standing and in walking!!

Now I get injections in my knees and back about every other month, got one tomorrow, since the holidays and that meningitis scare with injections!!

Arm and hand is harder to get back but again riding my bike moves my hands, wrist, elbow and shoulder all at once which is a big help in recovery for me and I'm old!! Some people have said to me I don't move like I'm that old but thy can tell I had a stroke by the way I hold my left arm!!!

Hope that helps in plans you may want to try and BTW he moves his foot better than me the way you said he can!! I can't do that!!!

At two years Lauren cannot move anything on his left (affected) side. So, to me, the movement you are seeing is celebration worthy! Mike's got enough going on that it can be built on with continued effort. The survivors guide us caregivers best in terms of tiredness. It is clear that any therapy is exhausting very quickly. Overdoing has a negative effect so rest is as important as the therapy itself.

Lauren has developed some swallowing problems so the speech therapist as him doing tongue exercises. It is huge effort for him and really tires him out. We do it after eating so he will have best strength for eating. It's fascinating to see each activity required to function in the world (that we do mindlessly and without effort) divided into the many steps required to do the activity. For instance, I never realized that, in order to stand up, we all have to lean forward pretty far to do that. I just stood up. But now, with Lauren, we move the bottom forward in the chair, bring the left foot underneath the body, get the right foot under too, lean forward, lean forward more, push up from the chair, straighten the knees, etc. Every stand requires that level of thinking and cueing for him. Can you imagine how exhausting all that is for just one simple function?

Mike is making progress and that is a good thing. ~~Donna

8 months out it sounds like to me he is making good progress. I give much of my recovery success to exercising and working on specific areas when I did note improvement. It is important not to let muscles atrophy if at all possible. Keep him moving, he will complain, ignore it. I noticed improvement even 5-6 years out because I did not stop trying even though I wanted to. When I started I could not lift anything with my left arm, even the arm itself. Now I lift 40 lbs 45 times three days a week. I am actually stronger now at 67 than I was at 61 before I stroked. He CAN do it, put up with his complaining and make sure he keeps it up. Any luck on a saeboflex yet? My hand would not work like it does without it.

P.S. Give him lots of encouragement when even small progress is made. I remember stopping a movie we were watching to proudly show Lesley the tiny finger movement that Had just returned to one finger in my left hand. One night I fell asleep wiggling my big toe for the first time since my stroke.

Cat,

From my perspective Mike is doing excellent. I only wish that William did as well. Keep up the good work.

I love hearing that you are doing so well. Great job.

Ruth

I think Mike is making great progress! I have weakness in both hands arms. In the beginning I was not able to lift anything . If i did it was not for very long. I still have some issues with my arm weakness and hands but it has gotten much better then it was in the beginning.

Terry

I too think Mike is making progress. Larry cannot open his hand fully unless he has Botox and then there is very little movement. Larry transfers well and can get up from a chair while his cane is there. He can walk and do steps with his small quad cane. The walking is baby steps but at least he CAN walk. I agree with the above post, you have to make them to the exercises even tho they complain. It's quite a job doing everything for the caregivers too.

Julie

Cat :

Mike is doing great in his recovery, now he has to build on his recovery. start doing functional things with it more times & in time it will become stronger. I can not oen my left hand yet, but I had good recovery in my foot & I focused on whatever was moving. For example today I walk 11+ miles on my treadmill on my exercise days. use my left hand to close lights, kitchen cabinets, & holding things down while opening our mails. idea after stroke is start living your life again with adaption. fat lady hasn't sung yet so show must go on of our life. once you realise that life feels great again just little different

Asha

Cat: you have to read back on your blogs a few months ago. Physically Mike is making incredible improvement. Don't worry about the tired honey. He is always going to be tired. So he gives you 4 reps every night - and trust me - it is wonderful that he is willing to do that. You give him two weeks and then you want 5 reps: slow, even progression.

The arm-hand will come last. There is no let up here. It will not progress as fast as the leg-foot, but it will progress. So maybe there you wait for three weeks.

With Mike's other issues, his physical recovery seems to be progressing fast and well. Please keep up your support and encouragement. Let him know that Harley is still on the list! And he will walk down the aisle and he will be able to get that ring on your finger!

Happy New Year honey. Debbie

Thanks everyone. I appreciate all the feed back you guys give and it really helps when I can tell him the assessments you guys give. I daily thank God for giving me this site, without you all we would be totally lost in process as I am sure you all know. I always tell Mike about the feedback you give and it really seems to help him! He has been really trying hard this past week especially, I think its the momentum of the new year but i sure hope it lasts all year. God Bless you all and thanks again.

Hey Cat, just saw your post. I think what you are describing is fabulous! I can remember when I was very sore and had trouble walking, taking very small steps to prevent too much movement in my joints. It was exhausing. I think the crazy things I've had wrong with me in my life are all helping me so much, to know what he is going thru. So, yes, they really need sleep to heal and because of their using so much energy for what seems like small efforts, but which are gigantic moves when you have to WILL them to happen.

The only thing Bob can do with his hand, is squeeze my finger a little. I get his hand as limp as I can, and insert my finger into his curved fingers. I have him do it a few times, trying to relax his hand between squeezes. I have him do it more than once a day, rather than more times, as it gives him more chance to work on it without feeling spent.