My Stroke Rehabilitation Begins

As a Stroke Survivor, my Stroke Rehabilitation commenced almost immediately in the

Critical Care / Telemetry Unit of the Kaiser Hospital in Roseville, California.

I began my Stroke Rehabilitation on the first day of hospitalization. I was introduced to my assigned in-hospital Occupational and Physical Therapists on the second day. With their help, we affirmed that as a result of my stroke, I could raise my right ( stroke ) arm, but could NOT touch my nose with the index finger of my stroke hand, even with my eyes open! As for my right ( stroke ) leg - I could not move it without assistance. And, I could not even wiggle the toes on my stroke foot.

While scary, it was explained to me by my Stroke Rehabilitation Team, that my leg was as physically healthy as it was before my stroke. It and my foot just were not receiving the neurological signals that previous to my stroke would have stimulated my nerves and muscles to contract and expand as they would have before I suffered my stroke.

Equipped with this understanding, and with the help of my Stroke Rehabilitation Team, we started with the in-hospital rehabilitation exercises for my stroke arm and hand. I needed my stoke arm and hand to function first so that I could feed myself, write my name, comb my hair, and assist in my bed bathing and toileting. By the third day, I could PRINT my name legibly with a sharpe pencil. Each day for that first week, my “handwriting” became more and more legible. And, by week’s end, I could find the end of my nose with the finger of my stroke hand - on the first try!

I made remarkable progress with my handwriting on only the third day of my Stroke Rehabilitation.

It became clear that I had accepted the principles of a science the neurological community refers to as Neuroplasticity. The brain’s ability, with enough repetitions, to form new connections between brain cells around the damaged part of my brain, sufficient enough to re-route the necessary signals to make my hand and arm do what I needed them to do. I was blessed with the complete understanding and (ability) to make the most of my neuroplasticity

I was encouraged to begin my rehabilitation with my stroke hand and arm as these were limbs I would need to begin taking care of myself and help in the rehabilitation of my stroke leg and foot.

Early in that first week, I could not touch my nose with my stroke hand; or hold a spoon, comb, or pencil. My occupational therapist prescribed several hand/finger exercises, but the one that was most encouraging was the One Where I repeatedly turned over a set of 10 concave glass beads - starting at the top, and then back up from the bottom, over and over until I got tired. This exercise gave me much confidence early in that first week. I tested the effectiveness of this exercise by the progress of my ability to print, with a pencil, my name using my stroke hand. I am right-handed. As you see in this photo, there is a remarkable difference in just a couple of days. Everyone, my therapists, doctors, nurses, and my community of friends and relatives, were impressed with my progress and especially my willingness to “do the work” in my own rehabilitation.

Flipping glass beads was an important part of my earliest Rehabilitation as a Stroke Survivor.

This was vital because almost from the day I was admitted, I was being judged for my potential for Kaiser to make possible my transfer to their Acute Rehabilitation Center in Vallejo, CA. I have spoken often of the little islands of experience that dotted my Stroke Recovery. On one of those “islands” was me, my therapist, and my day nurse "Twinkle".

My Critical Care Nurse Twinkle gave me tons of support and remains my Friend and Advocate.

The effort I put into the beginning of my Stroke Rehabilitation, proved to my Kaiser Team that I was sufficiently motivated to be graduated to Kaiser's Acute Rehabilitation Center in Vallejo, California. The Team was sufficiently impressed that I was allowed to remain in Critical Care for two extra nights until a bed could be secured for me at KFRC. The last day in Critical Care will live forever in my memory. Unannounced, my doctor, nurses on duty, therapists, and discharge planner all crowded into my room to personally extend their well wishes, and reaffirm their belief in my ability to go on toward the most challenging part of my recovery - Acute Rehabilitation. My days spent in bed . . . were about to end !

Kaiser Nurses create a bridge from critical care to self-directed recovery of their Stroke Survivors.