Chris DeWald: Stroke and emotional changes
Hello, my friends and also my religious enemies. What a way to start an article besides with friends. Seems I made some religious enemies from my article on melanoma, and my immediate reaction was not favorable. That shall be revealed later, but is relevant to how we as stroke survivors deal with complex emotions.
According to one source, http://www.paxilprogress.org/forums/showthread.php?t=20421
What is Emotional Lability?
Emotional lability is the term used when someone is more emotional and/or has difficulty controlling their emotions. It can happen with many neurological conditions and often happens after a stroke. Some people describe feeling as though all their emotions are “much nearer the surface” or more exaggerated after their stroke. For example some people may become upset more easily, or cry at things they would not have cried at before their stroke. Their emotional response is in line with their feelings, but is much stronger than before the stroke. For other people the symptoms can be more exaggerated, and some people find that they cry for little or no reason. Less commonly, people laugh rather than cry, but again the emotion is out of place and does not match how they are feeling at the time.
What causes emotional lability?
Emotional lability is caused by the damage done by the stroke. Chemical changes within the brain can cause psychological and emotional changes. Frequently, difficulties with swallowing and tongue movements coincide with emotional lability. If this is the case a Speech and Language Therapist may help to accurately identify emotional lability.
Here I am again !!! Now that I just provided you one term, the following information is more prevalent. http://www.tree.com/health/stroke-emotions.aspx
Surprises Stroke Emotional Aspects: Depression, Anger?
Having a stroke causes emotional difficulties for both the patient and family members. Anger and anxiety are common responses to the permanent limitations and loss of independence caused by a stroke. Further, the slow and sometimes tedious pace of rehabilitation can cause lack of motivation that, if left unchecked can develop into depression.
This is not just out of facts, I had it. The anger was mean and powerful. Being told I could not be employed anymore at 50 years old was impossible. Being told I was lucky I was saved for a reason and should be dead was not a compromise. Telling yourself, This was not true, and in a week all will be well, did not come about. I confirm the first part of this article.
Personality Type and Stroke
Surprisingly, personality type plays a large role in stroke rehabilitation. People who react well to stress, control anxiety, and are generally optimistic about life before a stroke are most likely to react well to life after the stroke. People whose personality type makes them prone to anger, anxiety, or depression, or who lack motivation usually find stroke rehabilitation difficult and discouraging.
On the other hand, personality type is vulnerable to change after a stroke. While any stroke victim is at risk of depression, sudden signs of anger, anxiety, and uncontrolled crying in people who were previously adept at handling stress may indicate that the stroke has caused a personality change.
Lack of Motivation and Signs of Depression
Stroke rehabilitation can be slow, painful and frustrating. When stroke survivors do not see the improvements they hope for, they are more likely to lose motivation. Lack of motivation is a normal reaction to setbacks. However, when a lack of motivation persists and impairs progress in rehabilitation or if the lack of motivation spreads to other areas of life, it may indicate depression.
Signs of depression in stroke survivors should be reported to health care professionals as soon as possible. If depression is left untreated, stroke survivors may become suicidal.
Signs of depression include
•lack of motivation
•increase or decrease in appetite
•sadness
•fatigue
•memory difficulties
•personality changes
•sexual problems
•suicidal thoughts
•insomnia
•feeling “hopeless
Now, this list is fine, I feel, as a general rule. But as a “stroker,” I did not have lack of motivation. I wanted to get back to work … and you, as a stroke survivor, will get busted by a neuropsychologist if you try to lie yourself on a work release. I did lie, and that is not good. An Increase or decrease of appetite occurs? Hello, hospital jello stinks. Had a brain stem injury? Enjoy liquid IV fluids. Have sadness? Really? You just lost half your body somewhere. You can see where I am headed. I feel these are normal serious stroke reactions. So bring them anyway to your physician’s attention. Tell your caregiver, they need to know from you.
Anger, Anxiety, and Depression in Caregivers
Anger, anxiety, and signs of depression are common in caregivers as well as stroke patients. The restrictions and changes to routine and family life can cause frustration and anxiety in any family member. A stroke patient whose personality tends towards anger and depression, or whose personality changes radically, can leave caregivers feeling angry and resentful. This anger at times turns into guilt (“How can I be angry at him? He’s the one who’s sick . . . “), which can result in increased stress and depression.
See that, caregivers. You deserve a hand and lots of praise.
Time To Share
They mystery feelings I had when I began this article shall now be revealed. I was not the only one to be singled out by a person or people that I now forgive. I thought you readers should see what is out there as food for thought.
There was this first strike at me. I want to warn the readers. The article can be highly offensive. It contains pictures that may be offensive. It also contains racial hatred.
http://collectiveunderground.wordpress.com/category/chris-dewald/
They even photoshopped my melanoma.
Was I alone? The answer is no, and they struck out at a deceased young lady also.
http://andgodmadelight.blogspot.com/
This stroker went through all the emotions mentioned. I contacted via e-mail every form of government, state and federal, as I felt that no person should be subjected to this agenda. Tax-exempt status? Good Morning, America … I love you, readers, and I do forgive them. I just wish the government had a set.
A set of what? Sorry, I am a forgiving man.
Column by Chris DeWald
Chris DeWald: Recurring strokes
It is so good to be back to writing articles. Nothing had happened to me to write about until April of this year. I had not been feeling well for about three months leading to April 2011. My blood pressure was out of control in elevation and also in sudden drops. It was necessary for me to see my General Physician once a week to attempt to regulate it. One visit turned into a setback. My body talked to me and I fell out at her office. All said and done, I spent a week back at Augusta Health with another stroke. So let’s explore this. Caregivers and survivors alike need to just be aware of this.
According to www.stroke.org/site/DocServer/NSAFactSheet_RecurrentStrokerevised.pdf?docID=998:
After stroke, survivors tend to focus on rehabilitation and recovery. But, preventing another (or recurring) stroke is also a key concern. Of the 795,000 Americans who have a stroke each year, 5 to 14 percent will have a second stroke within one year. Within five years, stroke will recur in 24 percent of women and 42 percent of men.
Having one or more of these factors doesn’t mean you will have a stroke. By making simple lifestyle changes, you may be able to reduce the risk of a first or recurrent stroke.
These simple lifestyle changes can greatly reduce your chance of having a stroke:
Control your blood pressure
Find out if you have atrial fibrillation (an irregular heartbeat that allows blood to pool in the heart and cause blood clots)
Quit smoking
Limit alcohol
Monitor your cholesterol levels
Manage your diabetes
Exercise often
Eat foods low in sodium (salt) and fat
Monitor circulation problems with the help of your doctor
Gee, right off the top we see blood pressure. Now I don’t want you to be afraid of living. Yes, strokes are a scary life changing event. They often end up with disabilities and a hard journey for any recovery no matter to whom. My first ones took place in the brain stem. I had two at once on each side of the brain stem. I did not just one being alone in my head. It is lonely up there.
This recent stroke took me through situations I had forgotten. Laying on the gurney in the ER and not caring about IV insertions. Not me for sure in that respect. Getting run to the CAT scan and getting sick from any type of movement. Just lying there and being pushed caused such horrible vertigo. I did not care about the MRI scan and being claustrophobic. My words were slurred again, my left side went on a vacation somewhere and I wanted my world to end.
Yes, I admit that my initial feelings were “no more,” how long do I have to fight you, Mr. Stroke? I was lucky again. Within two days, I regained my voice and my ability to walk. I had to fight and I did not want to give up after regrouping my thoughts. My motivation was the hospital Jell-O. I was not staying there for that anymore. When I left, I had the clonus again and the spasticity returned to the status of my first mean strokes of 2006. That has cleared up from physical therapy. My left arm has become the victim of having less power. My left hand is still numb and I can’t find the re-boot button for my hand…LOL.
I told you about me and getting depressed because I believe it is a natural thing to do. If it is justification for me on the way I felt. Granted … But I left my Superman tights at home that day … Yikes, erase that image, OK … It is what you do next when you know you are getting depressed that counts … Now, I may be that exception to the rule because I do have severe cerebral arteriosclerosis.
In other words, I am hard headed (lol) with limited blood flow supplying my brain the nutrients for survival. So this does not mean you are going to have another stroke in five years. The statistics from a good organization are not made up. I do not drink, smoke or have issues with my cholesterol. I was having issues leading to this controlling my blood pressure. The brain stem controls your heart and breathing rates and I believe this sign was warning me.
People that have had strokes, don’t let that monster get you. Oh, it bites and leaves scars. Just bite back harder. See you readers next time.
Column by Chris DeWald
Jim Allsup: Life after a stroke
May is National Stroke Awareness Month, a time of the year when we reflect on the progress we’ve made in stroke prevention and recovery, and look for ways to continue improving stroke response in the future. Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. experiences a stroke, which is the third-leading cause of death in the country behind heart disease and cancer.
The good news is that the death rate for stroke has fallen significantly in recent years. The bad news is that approximately 7 million stroke survivors are living with the after-effects of a “brain attack,” which can include pain, emotional disturbances, problems with thinking and comprehension, problems with memory and even paralysis. A stroke affects more than your mind and body though, often wreaking havoc on your finances as well.
Just as your body needs care and rehabilitation, your finances also need tending as you adjust to a loss of income and increased healthcare costs. National Stroke Association recommends that survivors and their caregivers look into a number of support options following a stroke, including the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. If you have worked and paid FICA taxes, you have paid for this insurance and have the option to claim your SSDI benefits.
Understanding SSDI, how it works and how it can help ease the financial burden of a stroke is a vital part of recovery. That is why Allsup has teamed with National Stroke Association to help survivors, their caregivers and family members navigate the SSDI process, which is notoriously complex and frustrating. In 2010, there’s an estimated nationwide backlog of nearly 2 million Social Security disability claims. Americans with disabilities are waiting an average of 14 ½ months to receive hearings before the judges who determine their eligibility for benefits.
An overwhelming majority of SSDI applicants face grave financial and personal setbacks while waiting to be approved for disability benefits, including worsening illness, drained retirement funds or other savings, the loss of health insurance, missed mortgage payments and even foreclosure and bankruptcy. The following tips can help stroke survivors regain financial and physical health at the same time.
Apply for disability benefits from Social Security. This is an insurance program taxpayers and their employers have funded. The monthly income provided under SSDI is not the only benefit. SSDI also makes it possible for stroke survivors to get healthcare through Medicare 24 months after the date they qualify for SSDI cash benefits. Also, in some cases, individuals may be able to stay on COBRA for 11 additional months if they receive SSDI benefits.
It can be a long and frustrating process to apply for SSDI. National Stroke Association recommends stroke survivors—especially those with cognitive deficits—seek help with their SSDI application. A representative with expert knowledge of how to prepare your claim can make it easier and faster for the government to decide if you qualify for SSDI. On average, individuals with professional representation are approved faster and at higher rates than those applying on their own.Choose the best Medicare plan for you. If you qualify for Medicare, you face a maze of choices. You may have as many as 30 plans to choose from for prescription drugs alone. The choice can be confusing, but it is very important that you choose the plan that best meets your needs. If you choose the wrong plan, you could end up paying a lot more for your care.
You want to look for a plan that will cover the special services you need for stroke care. For example, some Medigap plans cover more of the costs of skilled nursing care. Depending on where you live, you may be able to get a Medicare Special Needs Plan (SNP) for stroke patients. A plan like this tailors its benefits, doctors and drug coverage to best meet your needs for stroke care.
Look for other ways to lower the cost of your care. You may be able to save money on your prescription drugs. If you are on Medicare due to disability or because you are age 65 or older, see if you qualify for the Extra Help program. Some states have State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs that help people pay for prescriptions. Also, the company that makes a drug you take might have a program to help you pay for it.
Access programs designed to help ease into life after stroke, such as National Stroke Association’s recovery-focused webcast programs called Living After Stroke and iHOPE. Living After Stroke demonstrates how to make kitchen, bathroom and total home modifications for safety and comfort, explains available transportation options and discusses recovery and emotionally adjustment. The program iHope covers topics such as depression after stroke, how to deal with different types of pain and mobility problems, and the importance of self-care for caregivers. Both programs are accessible on National Stroke Association’s website, stroke.org. The website also features a stroke support group registry that helps individuals find local groups that provide assistance, information about stroke and recovery issues, and helps them connect with local resources.
Organizations such as National Stroke Association have made great strides in raising public awareness about stroke prevention, stroke symptoms and the effects of stroke. For stroke survivors and their families, raising awareness of the help that is available to meet the challenges of life after stroke is equally important.
Jim Allsup is the founder, president and CEO of Allsup, a nationwide provider of Social Security disability representation and Medicare plan selection services.
Osteoarthritis
Column by Chris DeWald
Submit guest columns: freepress2@ntelos.net
How many ways are there to say “ouch”? How many licks to the chewy Tootsie Roll center? How many times I have seen on television commercials for arthritis. People are seen rubbing their hands and either taking an over-the-counter medication or some cream.
Then I see them all smiles. Can I say, “Horse hockey”?
Osteoarthritis is also called degenerative joint disease, OA and osteoarthrosis. It is the most common form of arthritus. It causes pain, swelling and reduced motion in your joints. It can occur in any joint, but usually it affects your hands, knees, hips or spine. Continue reading “Osteoarthritis” »
Chris DeWald: Strokes and friendships
Posted by afp on November 1, 2011 · 2 Comments
What is the common root of this loss of close friends? I feel friends in sheep clothing cannot withstand being around people that are ill, or have changed. Some of our physical attributes changed and are “ugly” to some. The clenched fist from the muscles getting atrophic; muscle tone tighter than a mosquito’s rear end looks unusual to those seeing it for the first time. Angry pathetic words are made up like lobster boy and claw man for this condition. Their IQ might be superb, but outward appearances derive negative connotations.
According to
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1460-6984.2011.00079.x/abstract:
Outcomes and Results: 29 participants were recruited of whom 10 had aphasia. The main reasons given for losing friends were: loss of shared activities, reduced energy levels, physical disability, aphasia, unhelpful responses of others, environmental barriers, and changing social desires. The subset of participants who experienced the most extensive loss of friends were those who described a sense that they were closing in on themselves leading to a withdrawal from social contact and a new preference for meeting only close friends and family.
Those with aphasia experienced the most hurtful negative responses from others and found it more difficult to retain their friends unless they had strong supportive friendship patterns prior to the stroke. The factors which helped to protect friendships included: having a shared history, friends who showed concern, who lived locally, where the friendship was not activity-based, and where the participant had a ‘friends-based’ social network prior to the stroke.
I would score this high. I feel there are more direct causes. Fear from your ex-friends is one. The article above should be laced with “Son, you have had a brain injury”. Once we understand that the “brain” injury caused the above, we have a basic start. Here comes the negative connotation again. Since he has a brain injury, we sometimes get lumped into being “less” intelligent. I have been trying to get employed at a menial part-time position. I see prospective employer’s looks and I feel the. I’m sorry…you appear “stupid,” or other words associated with being mentally inefficient. I scored high on all their employment exams, but never get called. I see others getting jobs, but not me.
All right, we have had a brain injury. As survivors, we need a social group/club to express our concerns. You shall find many of your best friends are now stroke survivors. Why? They have been “there.” Their failures and triumphs are shared and you learn from mistakes and also productive successes.
Now, have you changed to warrant friends leaving? Since my injury, I have tried to compensate my weaknesses in the wrong manner. I lie to myself and then it transfers to others. Failure to accept the “new” you can lead down the wrong path of life. Be knowledgeable and understand what is going on now. One of my issues was I was on the wrong medication for six years. I was being treated for depression from day 1 of the brain stem strokes. I was not depressed. The pieces missing in my injury was needed to have a mood suppressant. I was not depressed. The wrong medication turned me down the wrong path. If you had issues before, the wrong med can intensify your mode of operation.
So without help, you do what you believe is the answer to everything in your new life. No direction is prominent and you suffer as well as others. I had a devastating result to me handling things without help. I am so happy it was found and is now being treated responsibly. But your past of doing weird things for six years takes its toll on you and others. When do you stop saying sorry? When does “sorry” become a word that no one believes anymore.
Kim Anderson, from Irvine, Texas, tells me the following:
Most friends desert us after a stroke because we are not the same person we once were to have fun with. I have had a true friend for over 30 years, she has been there for me through thick and thin, when my youngest was born, my stroke and when my hubby died. No matter the circumstances. Now that is a true friend, she doesn’t treat me any different either. not one we thought were our friends, those were just acquaintances I think a lot of people don’t know how to act around us after we have a stroke or what they can do to help, they realize their own morality maybe.
Family members even have a hard time in knowing what to do around us. No one really does, I guess, unless they have walked in our shoes, no that is it in a nutshell.
Kim is a survivor, and I am indeed proud of her. Although she is a Cowboy fan and her other stroke buddy is a Steeler fan. I find them to be very intelligent, funny and strong willed.
Now we have an insight on the personal feelings and one type of anguish felt by survivors. If you are a friend, help yourself to understand. Help your friends to understand. It is a two way street. True friends are forever. Thanks, readers.
Column by Chris DeWald
Filed under Blogs · Tagged with brain injury, chris dewald, stroke, strokes