Support and attitude help stroke victims

As a child I was told my great aunt was unable to talk due to a stroke. Most of the time she sat and listened and had a pleasant look on her face. Once though she cried, and not understanding, I thought she was unhappy.

When my father had a stroke, I was quite a lot older and understood his situation and how frustrating it was for him to lose his speech and the use of his right hand. He regained about 65% of his speech and a few times he cried out of frustration. As much as it hurt to see him sad, I knew he wasn't unhappy.

His attitude, sense of humor, close friends and family gave him a quality of life he might not otherwise have enjoyed. He never lost his ability to use a computer and to keyboard although he had to learn to use his left hand. He would write weekly newsletters to his friends and print them to be read aloud on Friday nights. He loved to laugh and never missed an opportunity to go for a joy ride.
Toward the end of his life when he needed to be in a wheelchair, he had my mother make a sign out of cardboard that said"Will work for food." He then sat outside at the end of his driveway with the sign enjoying laughs with neighbors who stopped to see him. He died at age 90 with  his family all around and a smile on his face. (BTW: My father lost a leg in WW II.)

Even when he and my mother lived in Florida his left hand would get so cold. He used a microwave

Maine Warmers' Microwave Hand Warmer Mittens

hand warmer from Maine Warmers to help warm that one hand. Maine Warmers has a variety of microwave heating pads that can be used to warm hands, whether from a stroke or just the chill of winter.

May is Stroke Awareness Month.

Increases the risk of stroke:

• Being overweight
• Lack of physical exercise
• Tobacco use
• Drug use
• Heavy use of alcohol 
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Sleep apnea
• Cardiovascular disease

Unavoidable risk factors:

• Heredity
• Age -- 55 and older
• Race -- African Americans are higher risk
• Gender -- Males are more likely to have a stroke

Symptoms -- Call 911 if you are or see someone experiencing any of these:

• Trouble speaking or understanding
• Weakness, numbness, or loss of use of an arm or leg, or portion of the face
• Loss of balance or dizziness
• Blurred vision or double vision in one or both eyes
• Sudden, severe headache

For more information on strokes visit the Mayo Clinic Website.