That a sucky thing for an OT to say. Sounds like she's just in it for the job, and not the patients.

If you haven't done it yet, get the Sammons Preston Catalog. http://www.sammonspreston.com

Pages 29 - 31 are several nice ustensils and aides for helping people feed themselves.

At the early stages it's not about getting better, but learning to function with what you have. And don't worry about loosing your temper and raising your voice. It's part of being human, as long as it's not a constant thing.

Michael

KJ,

I tell this so often on the board that regulars are probably sick of hearing it, but they told us that my husband would be "nothing but a vegetable for the rest of his life." They were so wrong!!!!! Don't believe that stuff the medical community is telling you. You just have to keep working and believing that improvement is possible and you have to keep your husband believing that his patience and hardwork will pay off. Because it will! I can see why an OT would say a person might not improve fast enough to keep their insurance in place but they are WRONG to tell you there will be no improvement or "this isn't going to work." We did a ton of homemade therapies and made enough gains on our own to get my husband into a rehab from a nursing home situation.

You will raise your voices again....it's very frustrating. So don't be so hard on yourself for being human. But work on finding the humor in stuff---it helped us a lot.

Jean

KJ,

GIVE UP? LISTEN TO "PROFESSIONALS"? POPPYCOCK! THE BRAIN IS RETRAINING, AND DOING A TASK OR EXERCISE OVER AND OVER HAS LOTS OF MERIT. SO WE JUST STAY AT IT. AN INCH BECOMES A FOOT, A FOOT BECOMES A YARD, ETC.

THIS A STORY ABOUT MY DAUGHTER, THOUGH NOT STROKE RELATED, SHOWS HOW INSENSITIVE AND WRONG A PRO CAN BE. MANY YEARS AGO, SHE HAD A CASE OF "SCHOOLPHOBIA" IN HER JUNIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL. SHE HAD A FEAR OF GOING TO SCHOOL AND AFTER MUCH TIME WITH A PSYCHIATRIST, A DECISION WAS MADE TO PUT HER IN A MENTAL HOSPITAL FOR THIRTY DAYS. SHE WOULD BE ON A FLOOR WITH TROUBLED TEENS. WHEN THE DOOR SLAMMED BEHIND US AS WE LEFT HER, I HAD A BIG KNOT IN MY STOMACH.

SHE WORKED HARD. A FEW DAYS BEFORE HER RELEASE, WE WERE CALLED INTO THE DIRECTORS OFFICE FOR A PROGRESS REPORT. WE WERE TOLD SHE WOULD NEVER BE PRODUCTIVE AND SENDING HER TO COLLEGE WAS A WASTE OF MONEY. WOWEE!!!!!!

WELL SHE CAME HOME, WENT TO SCHOOL AND HER GRADES WENT UP. IN HER SENIOR YEAR, SHE WON THE TOP JOURNALISM AWARDS. WE SENT HER OFF TO COLLEGE, AND GUESS WHAT? SHE GRADUATED. TODAY SHE IS MOM TO TWO ADOPTED KIDS, AND GETTING THEM WAS NO EASY TASK. BOTH WERE OPEN ADOPTIONS AND THERE WAS MORE STRESS THAN EVEN I COULD HANDLE. SHE'S THE BEST CHILD ( AND ADULT ) A PERSON COULD HOPE FOR.

LOOK, MY WIFE STILL YELLS AT ME. I USED TO GET ANGRY, BUT NOW I UNDERSTAND HER FRUSTRATIONS. THIS WHOLE THING GETS ON EVERYONE'S NERVES.

I'VE GOT TO START SLEEPING. I JUST GO ON AND ON IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. SWEET DREAMS.

MARTY

Hi there, another stroker here (I'm 45, chiro caused stroke tore artery), while I'll say everyone is hit differently is true, it doesn't substitute for a continally positive atmosphere. (at times, that's SO hard but important, for both of you)

In hosp (3 weeks) my DH slept in a chair and on a cot EVERYDAY and when in Rehab of Chicago he drove EVERY NIGHT for 3-4 more weeks (during the winter)after working(5pm) EVERY DAY!!! He had over a 100 round trip(on my new car!) commute everyday while in Chicago DURING rushhour (which is no picnic here).

The first year is the worst, and I remember it like a fog, the second year got better and this 3rd year has been almost like normal to me. I was told I'd never run again (HA)and while I lose my balance if I spin around from the dishwasher, so I gotta not to too nutsy, if it hadn't been for my "never quit, or "deal with it" positiveness "I would come back" husband, I would not be doing as much as I am...I OWE it to my husband. And sometimes I doubt ( but then hope) I could be there as much for him as he was for me.

Sure we had our days when we both got down, but we never let it be for long. REST and sleep is the elixor of the recovering brain, exercise also helps, get those muscles moving... I had been hit totally on left side, now you could not tell..Strokers get down too, I hit myself over the head for being short with the kids but its not like it used to be--not as much-stimulate the brain mentally , and physically but rest equally too. And NO NON POSITIVE therapists-(precheck if possible, ASK for who's good) to find someone he'd fit with (personailitywise)and then chain her to your house!! They were another lifeline to me.. This too shall pass, give it your all and pray!!! whatta got to lose- it helps to have some kind of faith!