My Right Hand

I hope this note elicits some useful advice but also that it serves as an inspiration to others :slight_smile:

This morning :sunrise: when I started my morning abolutions with determination to act as a two-handed person I picked up my toothbrush and was struck by the new ability to hold it firmly in the right hand in what felt like the correct grip ! :slight_smile:

That was when my hand was down by the taps.

As I raised it to my mouth to use then the same old challenges emerged.
My grip loosened, I tilted my head down instead of continue to raise my hand up, There was neither strength nor coordination

But being able to grip it when I picked it up was definitely a new advancement.
One that is clearly on the path to capability that has not yet arrived in full.

Later when showering and using my customary daily exercise component of washing my left armpit with my right handā€¦ while the little finger curled in in a way that I still have not mastered preventing and the other fingers did a poor job of dexterously holding the soap I did actually feel that there was more strength :slight_smile:

I could actually rub the soap against me with appropriate pressure. Something that has been building over recent weeks. Today felt like another level of competency was attained :slight_smile:

Iā€™m wondering how much of this capability is because over the last week or so I have been digging the soil out of a compost bin That has done its purpose & bagging the soil for easier transport around the garden .
A few bags on various days (probably about 12 so far with another 10 or more to go - as Iā€™ve filled each rubble bag half full I have spent the 20 or 30 seconds it takes to wrap one corner and my fingers of the right hand into something approximating a grip. Then I grasped the other corner with my left hand lifted the bag and moved it out of the way. Frequently halfway I have to stop and spend the 20 to 30 seconds again restoring the grip

Itā€™s an action that I vary for different tasks but by making the right hand participant and by giving it challenges there were initially way beyond its capability My toothbrush now rises from the taps where the orientation of my arm is the same as the bags of soil :slight_smile: - but it loses the grip :frowning: in the same way I can put my hand flat on my head to wash my hair but I cannot yet put it flat on my cheek to wash my face.

Has anybody come across any elements of exercise or any discussion with physios about how capability of movement in the hand (and Iā€™ll guess the foot) is dependant on orientation of the whole arm (leg)

If so what can you share :slight_smile: That might help all of our struggles with recovering dexterity throughout the range of movement enabled by other joints.

As a final illustration of this: I have a basket for my pills on the kitchen table. For some months I have kept it at arms length. Initially I couldnā€™t extend my arm then I could extend my arm but not bring my fingers to form a pinching grip to pick it up at full extension - today I could reach out fully pick it up place it in front of me and let go of it!!

Progress is so slow :slight_smile: There are so many nuanced factors interacting - But it is there and Iā€™m coming on if not in leaps and bounds then in twitches and jerks :slight_smile:

Caio
Simon

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Sounds like youā€™re getting some capability back. Hopefully more will follow quickly. It is difficult to say if the compost bagging helped but i bet it did & it certainly wonā€™t have hurt.

Hereā€™s to the next stage of being able to bring the toothbrush to your teeth without losing grip :clap::clap::clap:

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Hi Simon, pleased to hear you are gradually getting some capability into your weak arm. I have yet to start this journey, as I have been putting all my efforts into trying to walk again unaided, but my arm does have tone and I have been told as w ell as passive movements, I must use the the power of the brain to send signals again. As the leg started working from the hip first, I can see the arm will work first from the shoulder and my understanding is the hand is the last part to come back. Your progress is really encouraging for me and others, keep up the brilliant work

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Keep it up, Simon,

As long as you desire to improve, you will. Digging / bagging soil was, very likely, the catalyst. I still screw my toes up when Iā€™m attempting something difficult. I can do all movement, but, as you know, I suffer from low sensitivity, and thus still face plenty of challenges. But I did 1 shoe lace up today before walkies. Most of my rehab with my arm has been about building up strength, particularly in the SITS muscles around the scapula.

I type my book using both hands now, as am doing now, but it takes me 50% longerā€¦ an acceptable trade-offā€¦ ie. Effort spent for stimulation gained.
The closer we get, the more work we realize is required, but we are inspired to go for it.

Bravo, Roland

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Keep up the good work SimonšŸ‘ Great to see you are reaping the rewards of your hardwork.

Regards Sue

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Hi @Annie1

ā€˜theyā€™ says all recovery is proximal to distal (close to the brain first)

I donā€™t recall when your stroke was. Not only do we have neuroplasticity to contend with as a mechanism that builds in avoidance but also tendon and muscle attrification - So I suggest a little of whatever you can manage for both of upper and lower limb - including passive movement is useful and like trees where they say the best time to plant a tree was 100 years ago the second best time is today :slight_smile:

Someone say mirror therapy helps with the thinking into moving. I have also used the activities of daily living such as door handles, lights switches, washing my self and laundry folding (sock pairing is still on the fringes of capability :slight_smile: )
Initially I couldnā€™t move my hand above my navel so I used to try everyday to open the shower door with it. it was some months until it was strong enough to overcome the magnet that holds the door shut by which time I could get my hand halfway to my navel. At 4yrs I can clumsily was Ā¾ of my hair :slight_smile:

Thank you for your encouragement and celebration of what Ive achieved so far and I had posted it in hope of encouraging others too so thatā€™s a triple win that we can share :slight_smile:

Caio
Simon

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