On the advice of my best friend, I kept a diary of my progress after my stroke. I still keep it every day. Here is the record for the first 25 days. A little explanation: a Stedy stand is a clever piece of equipment for moving patients from place to place, for example to take you to the toilet. It has a platform you stand on and then a seat folds down behind you and you wedge your knees against a panel in front, so if you only have one leg working you can't fall.
Day 1/2 Got up in chair using Stedy stand already. My hips good and brain clear. Failed swallow test first day but passed second, so allowed to drink and progress to eat.
Day 3 Really impressed with me at physio and speech therapy.
Day 8 First speech therapy – lots of exercises.
Day 9 My knee straightened on its own and my arm stretched more than yesterday.
Day 11 My leg moved!
Day 20 Out in chair for 4 hours. More movement in leg and less tightness in arm.
Day 21 Physiotherapy brilliant and I walked a long way in a stand!
Day 22 First writing practice legible.
Day 23 Physio walking and standing. Getting it sussed.
Day 24 Physio on standing and reaching.
Day 25 Michael took me out in a wheelchair for the first time.
Showing posts with label speech therapy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label speech therapy. Show all posts
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
Friday, 16 July 2010
Stroke Recovery: Speech Therapy
Having written two poems about physiotherapy, I set my mind to writing about speech therapy. The exercises, both massage and spoken (and sung!), are truly beneficial.
Speech Therapy
You take it for granted until it's gone:
To ask for what you want.
You know the words but they won't come out,
Try to speak and you can't.
If you're lucky your speech is only slurred
And still your mind is clear.
And now you have to figure out
How to make the words appear.
Along comes the friendly speech therapist
To show you how it's done.
Massage your face to wake it up,
They even make it fun.
Take your time to enunciate clear,
Practice all the word lists,
Sing your scales to improve your pitch,
Listen to your therapist.
They'll help you every step of the way,
To talk and keep in touch.
At last you can make yourself understood.
So thank them very much.
Speech Therapy
You take it for granted until it's gone:
To ask for what you want.
You know the words but they won't come out,
Try to speak and you can't.
If you're lucky your speech is only slurred
And still your mind is clear.
And now you have to figure out
How to make the words appear.
Along comes the friendly speech therapist
To show you how it's done.
Massage your face to wake it up,
They even make it fun.
Take your time to enunciate clear,
Practice all the word lists,
Sing your scales to improve your pitch,
Listen to your therapist.
They'll help you every step of the way,
To talk and keep in touch.
At last you can make yourself understood.
So thank them very much.
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