I’m still struggling a bit with constructing sentences and paragraphs but I thought this might be helpful or useful for other stroke recoverers.
I did have a stroke many years ago which unfortunately left me with enough mental cognitive function to keep going and trying. It’s the part I lost that has taken some time to identify. Recently I have been having therapy which is allowing me a safe personal space to actually start thinking intelligently without pressure from outside influences. That is helping immensely.
Without reading into medical journals on brain function just googling areas of the brain, based on where I felt the pain when the stroke hit it would appear to be around the orbifrontal lobe. Just above the left eye. Just from the Google search the orbifrontal lobe can be responsible for
Decision making
Reward processing
Social conduct
Emotional regulation
As a list that does fit in with the problems or symptoms I’ve experienced during the years of the stroke. I had lost the ability to speak on a coherent social level. One of my big fears is that I may have lost part of my social regulation, probably down to length of time I lived with the stroke.
Perhaps if you’re in a stroke recovery it might help to know which area of the brain has been effected, what you need help or support with to aid recovery.
Overall a stroke is a brain injury and is very likely to effect the nervous system in a big way. No one seems to have many solutions for disregulated agonising nervous system. I have found propranolol very hot baths and massage does slow things down pretty well.
Short more intense exercise with stretching helps move blood and oxygen around the body including up to the head.
I just wanted to write this from my experience because A) it can help to share and B) in the hope it might help others.
@Tim1W thank you for sharing your experience. I am glad you are finding therapy a great help.
I think you are right about exploring the part of the brain affected. I didn’t feel any pain with my stroke just dizziness and nausea but I do know it affected my occipital & parietal lobes. Mainly occipital. I have never really looked into it much - briefly early on I think. I might just revisit it as I am more able to understand it now.
Do you attend any local Aphasia or stroke groups? I attend one run by the Stroke Association. And it’s just a small group of about 20, including a couple with their carers. The beauty about is the confidence it has instilled in me. I’m naturally a quiet person anyway, which made it all the more difficult for me to converse socially, to even get my speach going again after my stroke. The encouragement and support you get from it lasts and keeps moving forward to the next session.
No Tim, I’m up in Greater Manchester. But you can find what’s local to you here Support groups in your area | Stroke Association. If you scroll down that page a touch there is a search box where you can type in your post code and it will list everything there is from closest to you and radiating outwards to furthest.
Hope these help
Lorraine
‘…Several organizations in London offer support groups and services for individuals with aphasia. These include the Stroke Association, which has a Communication Support service in Islington, and Dyscover Charity, which provides support for people with Primary Progressive Aphasia. Additionally, Aphasia Re-Connect is a registered charity near London that offers support, therapy, and information for people with aphasia and their families.…’
