Is anyone here dealing with the local NHS and the county council in Suffolk?
I’m curious and hoping to chat to others currently dealing with or have previously dealt with the system here.
Maybe we can use thread as mutual support?
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I’m next door in Norfolk! Take it you’re having problems?
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Hello! I’ve had lots of issues with getting mum into rehab (she had a massive stroke in February and is 77 - the hospital team’s prognosis is grim which is crazy as we’re seeing her improve all the time). I’m sure there’ll be other problems when mum’s back home - waiting for the discharge date.
But really, I’m just looking for allies.
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Have you looked at
https://www.stroke.org.uk/stroke/support/groups/map-local
Might give you some signposts?
Caio
Simon
Ps where in Suffolk. Wife & I used to do a lot of brass rubbing in Suffolk when I lived in Colchester 40yrs ago
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Thanks for the map. I’ve emailed the local Stroke support group but had no reply. I’m too busy to attend in person due to work. My parents have no appropriate transport (wheelchair) at the moment, and mum needs to be at home in time for carer visits - it’s too complicated for them to attend right now.
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Some of us meet every Thu afternoons by zoom (and 1st & 3rd Fridays for carers)
Weekly Zoom Online ‘cafe’ (also Carers)
There’s also one on a Friday evening and Saturday morning but you have to join the ZOG group for the details
Caio
Simon
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The hospital physios should sort out equipment your mum needs when she gets home. The physio met my husband at our house and I came home to a wheelchair rail to help me get off the loo handles in the shower and a “return” which I stood on and my husband pushed me round the house when necessary. Also I still have a perching stool in the kitchen and a stool in the shower. Mum should come home with a care package of probably carers coming in 4 times a day.
Good luck and hope your mum improves once she is home
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Is this for stroke survivors?
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Sorry only just seen your question! Yes Im a stroke survivor
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I even got a care package assessment when I had my hip replaced a few years before my stroke. For that I was provided with various walking frames for getting around the house, perching stool including aids for in the shower, support frame around the toilets, a little swivel pad for ease getting in/out of the car, grabbing stick, gadget for putting socks on, etc etc etc. Naturally there will be a lot more required for your mum, but she should get all this when it comes time to discharge her.
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Yes, this is for Stroke Survivors but more than that.
It is for everyone affected by stroke.
Relative, carer or both.
You might be family, husband, wife, child, partner, parent, cousin, friend or neighbour.
Anyone indirectly effected is included and welcome to participate here, make suggestions, ask questions, look for answers, read the jokes page.
The whole thing is a horrible stressful event. Go make a cup of tea, give yourself a minute to relax, wind down.
You are not alone we are in this together.
If I’ve left you out then my apologies, you, too.
keep on keepin’ on
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A little clarification…
Bobbi you have misunderstood the subject to which EMGs “this” applied (or taken the thread off topic)
Emg was asking if a physiotherapy assessment for equipment, support & adjustments to home was a health service as implied by Apple That is offered to stroke survivors
It is in fact offered to anybody who has disabilities that affect their mobility and safety in the home - thus includes rather than being exclusive to a stroke survivors
Your points about the trauma of stroke and the inclusiveness of the forum are valid and well made but aren’t quite aligned with the question asked
Caio
Simon
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I am from Great Yarmouth, but married a soldier from the North East and we live up here between Durham and Sunderland , but will always be a Norfolk girl 
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I had a stroke in September 2023 and although I live in north Suffolk 9Darsham, i had my stroke in Saxmundham so was taken o Ipswich, and have to say I was mightily impressed with the care adn physio I got there. Having returned home to Darsham aftr 2.5 weeks i was thn alo impressed withtttttt the continuing physio fom the team from James Paget who came for several months.
I am a profesional Classical Guitarist and the only thing I now lack is full control of left-hand fingers. If anyone can hlp with exercises for this I would be very ggratttttt eful, as \i need to get back to concerts 9the stroke happened the day before the third gig in set of five, nd \i also have a recording I wish to make! Any thoughts??
Rod Faulkner
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Hi @Rodrigo7 & welcome to the community. Sorry to hear of your stroke but good to hear you had a good level of care. That’s, sadly, not always the case.
I can’t help with the guitar question other than to say just keep practising. A lot of syroke recovery is repetition. Maybe @pando can offer some advice as I think he teaches violin- apologies if I’ve remembered that wrong.
Good luck & I hope you get back to your music very soon.
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Hello Rodrigo,
What’s your sensitivity / touch like? Did it suffer when you had your stroke? Do you get heaviness in your arm? I am a violin teacher, (my wife and I are performers, she can still play her cello beautifully) but I cannot play for the time being; my right side is affected. Unfortunately, I have no magical tips but I find Qigong healing helpful
Good luck, Roland
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Hi Pando, Thanks for your response.
Yes sensitivity in fingertips poor and left arm often heavy and some pain in elbow and shoulder at times. pieces are annoying with poor sound from poor left-hand finger placement, so most focus on developing chords in sections and gaining accuracy alomg fingerboard. progress so very slow and frustrating!
Music is my life and a couple of weeks ago very dark thoughts appeared through the devastation and frustration. I am sure we all suffer this at times and we must all just keep plodding very heavily onwards and hoping for progress. I will investigate Qigong.
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Hello and welcome @Rodrigo7
In discussion with Nick Ward who’s the professor who runs the Queen Square upper limb rehab program how well you are regaining extension of fingers is something of an indicator of the speed of your upper limb recovery - No guarantees of course.
I’m three and a half years in and my arm is fairly functional (with reduced range and strength) but my wrist is limited and my hand more so I can pinch but hand function is not equal to holding cutlery for example in either dexterity or persistence of grip.
I’ve gained the majority of use in the last year and the first year saw little VISIBLE progress but I kept battling - work to stop muscles and tendons shortening and atrifying is important. Have you been using FES and doing stretch & strength exercises? - stimulus to create good neuroplasticity and fight bad neuroplasticity is also key.
The medical ‘practitioners’ are not in my direct experience equal to explaining most of this 
Some of the folk on here (and from elsewhere) run a chat group on Thursday afternoons from 1:00 p.m. if you wish to come along You can chat it through - Thus. from 1pm uk time on https://bit.ly/StrokeCafe
And rather than Roland who has lots of really good advice I would reach out to @Strings Mick is a guitarist and singer and is developing chords he can form. We (Roland Mike and I) have talked with an AHP (allied health professions) lead about musical therapies. Happy to include you in future conversations if and when
Lovely part of the country you live in : ) love places like Cley-next-the Sea (we used to live in Colchester)
Caio
Simon
Ps Welcome post You might be useful to you too
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Simon, Thank you so much for your response and good luck with your recovery. Could you tell me what is FES. I do bungy work to strengthen shoulders and relax arms etc and on guitar exercises I have devised to get the fingers working more accurately. I will try to get to the chat at 1.00p.m. today. you have moved to another loelt rea. We regularly journey to Speyside in Spring,as keen birdwatchers, also to Mull in alternate years.
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Please do include me if oss in the discussions re music help, as I need every help I can get and will obViously share anything I can that might be useful to others.
All best wishes. Rod
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