Stroke Diaries


Book Description

A woman recounts the horror of waking up paralyzed, unable to call for help. A man has a mini-stroke and refuses to listen to his doctor, only to suffer a disabling stroke soon after. A physician recalls watching a tiny baby in the throws of a stroke, convulsing violently. A survivor rejoices after finally crossing the street before the pedestrian lights change back. Blending such highly personal and moving stories with crystal clear medical commentary based on first-hand clinical experience, Dr. Olajide Williams demystifies this potentially devastating illness and provides a roadmap to recovery. Indeed, Dr. Williams shows that the majority of strokes are not only preventable, but also treatable. Through compelling stories of patients, survivors and caregivers, woven together by easy-to-understand medical explanations, Dr. Williams provides practical tips on preventing strokes with specific lifestyle prescriptions, on recognizing the different forms of strokes, on managing symptoms after stroke, and on overcoming the psychological burden of stroke. He also reviews the new clot-busting treatments, which have dramatically improved the recovery rate of stroke victims. Combining cutting-edge medicine with the gripping stories of patients, survivors, family members, and physicians, Stroke Diaries strikes a blow against the current public health crisis in stroke.




Grandpa's Crooked Smile


Book Description

"My Grandpa is my best friend. After Grandpa had a stroke, mom taught me the Smile-Reach-Speech Test. It's an easy way to know if someone may be having a stroke and that you should call 911 right away. I'm glad that's what we did because now Grandpa and I are back to doing fun stuff together." Anyone can have a stroke. With the Smile-Reach-Speech Test, parents and children will learn to recognize the signs of a stroke and call 911 right away. Knowing what to do in an emergency is just as important as learning to whistle or catch a ball. It's easy to learn. Just ask Grandpa. Grandpa's Crooked Smile includes games and activities to help your whole family learn the Smile-Reach-Speech Test.




How to Prevent Your Stroke


Book Description

Live-saving advice is given for those at risk of their first stroke and those who have already had a mini-stroke--the #1 risk factor facing survivors.




After Stroke


Book Description

After Stroke: Enhancing Quality of Life brings together an extraordinary selection of advice, practical survivor techniques, information about resources, and personal stories of triumph. It is designed to help those who have experienced a stroke attain the highest quality of life possible, under their new physical restrictions.Recuperating from a stroke is an arduous process that has only just begun when the survivor is released from the hospital. This book shows anyone interested how to create an effective climate for healing and how to help the survivor realize his/her fullest recovery potential. It offers varied perspectives of everyone involved with a stroke: the patient, the family, and friends as well as the team of specialized physicians, nurses, psychologists, physical therapists, speech pathologists, and diverse therapists.Through its interesting and varied essays, After Stroke: Enhancing the Quality of Life offers the reader a clearer understanding of the injuries that the body as well as the mind have sustained. This anthology is carefully designed to present enhanced perspectives into all aspects of the healing and recovery processes that follow the personal tragedy of a stroke.




Stronger After Stroke


Book Description

Billions of dollars are spent on stroke-related rehabilitation research and treatment techniques but most are not well communicated to the patient or caregiver. As a result, many stroke survivors are treated with outdated or ineffective therapies. Stronger After Stroke puts the power of recovery in the reader's hands by providing simple to follow instructions for reaching the highest possible level of healing. Written for stroke survivors, their caregivers, and loved ones, Stronger After Stroke presents a new and more effective treatment philosophy that is startling in its simplicity: stroke survivors recover by using the same learning techniques that anyone uses to master anything. Basic concepts are covered, including: Repetition of task-specific movements Proper scheduling of practice Challenges at each stage of recovery Setting goals and recognizing when they have been achieved The book covers the basic techniques that can catapult stroke survivors toward maximum recovery. Stronger After Stroke bridges the gap between stroke survivors and what they desperately need: easily understandable and scientifically accurate information on how to achieve optimal rehabilitation.




My Stroke of Insight


Book Description

"Transformative...[Taylor's] experience...will shatter [your] own perception of the world."—ABC News The astonishing New York Times bestseller that chronicles how a brain scientist's own stroke led to enlightenment On December 10, 1996, Jill Bolte Taylor, a thirty-seven- year-old Harvard-trained brain scientist experienced a massive stroke in the left hemisphere of her brain. As she observed her mind deteriorate to the point that she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life-all within four hours-Taylor alternated between the euphoria of the intuitive and kinesthetic right brain, in which she felt a sense of complete well-being and peace, and the logical, sequential left brain, which recognized she was having a stroke and enabled her to seek help before she was completely lost. It would take her eight years to fully recover. For Taylor, her stroke was a blessing and a revelation. It taught her that by "stepping to the right" of our left brains, we can uncover feelings of well-being that are often sidelined by "brain chatter." Reaching wide audiences through her talk at the Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) conference and her appearance on Oprah's online Soul Series, Taylor provides a valuable recovery guide for those touched by brain injury and an inspiring testimony that inner peace is accessible to anyone.




Had a Stroke? Now What?


Book Description




Relentless


Book Description

An Incredible Journey of Determination and Recovery In 2005, Ted W. Baxter was at the top of his game. He was a successful, globe-trotting businessman with a resume that would impress the best of the best. In peak physical condition, Ted worked out nearly every day of the week. And then, on April 21, 2005, all that came to an end. He had a massive ischemic stroke. Doctors feared he wouldn’t make it, or if he did make it, he would be in a vegetative state in a hospital bed for the rest of his life. But miraculously, that’s not what happened . . . In Relentless, Ted W. Baxter describes his remarkable recovery. Not only did he live, but he's walking and talking again. He moves through life almost as easily as he did before the stroke; only now, his life is better. He’s learned that having a successful career is maybe not the most important thing. He’s learned to appreciate life more. He's learned that he wants to help people—and that’s what he does. He gives back, volunteering his time and effort to help other stroke victims. ​Relentless is a wonderful resource for stroke survivors, caregivers, and their loved ones, but it is also an inspiring and motivating read for anyone who is facing struggles in their own life.




Healing the Broken Brain


Book Description

Three experts on stroke recovery share their knowledge and advice for stroke survivors and their families. Dealing with the onslaught of information about stroke can be confusing and overwhelming. And if you happen to be a stroke survivor with newly impaired language skills, it can be especially hard to comprehend everything your doctors, nurses, and specialists are telling you. This book consists of the top 100 questions that survivors and their families ask, with answers from the top physicians and therapists in the country. The questions start out basic but then get more specific to address different areas of recovery. And, for stroke survivors still struggling with reading comprehension, or for family members who are simply too tired to read long passages, there are Takeaway Points at the end of each chapter to help simplify everything. Includes answers to frequently asked questions such as: · What is a stroke, and who is at risk for one? · What is the best diet for a stroke survivor? · How does group therapy compare to individual therapy? · What should a stroke survivor look for in a therapist? · How long will it take to recover, and how can stroke survivors maximize their recovery? · What can someone do to prevent having another stroke? In this book, you’ll gain a wealth of information, inspiration, advice, and support as you navigate your journey through stroke recovery.




So, You've Had a Stroke


Book Description

During her career as a clinician and researcher, Christine H. Davis has worked with and written about the phenomenon of aphasia. Aphasia leads to word- and sentence-formation difficulties and is associated with damage to the left hemisphere of the brain often from strokes or tumors. Davis was urged by stroke survivor, Michael W. Maher, to write these stories as a valuable contribution to the aphasia literature as experienced by her patients. These stories are from the survivor's perspective as they struggle to express themselves. Their battle to join their families and communities says much about what is crucial about language and the meaning of being human. The book is divided into sections by aphasia type: anomic, Broca's, Wernicke's and mixed aphasias. Within each section survivors and their families explain their recovery from the onset of the stroke through discharge home and into a meaningful life forward. Through the testimony of thirteen stroke survivors and seventeen of their family members, you gain an understanding of aphasia and the remarkable resilience of these survivors and their families.