I don’t know about everyone, but not being able to use one’s leg and arm are very self-limiting in trying to do activities I’m very used to doing….self-care, walking, eating, etc.  It’s only been 4 months since my stroke occurred but I’ve been able to help myself with the aides that we found available.  If you are reading this online, then the main tool that can help is already at your fingertips….the Internet.   It’s been so useful to us, and will continue to help.  Just open your favorite search engine such as www.Google.com and type in what you need.  Resource sites most likely will be listed according to those sites most relevant. 

Throughout my journey so far, we’ve found several useful tools, which I will list here and the sources we used.  You may find other sources for these same tools which are just as useful.  You may find local sources if you live in a more populated area, and that too is just great. 

 Rocker knife -  no, this has nothing to do with being a Rock Star, but is a curved blade knife, some have a hook on the end.  How is this useful?  It allows you to cut a piece of meat, or other foods, using one hand, and gives you leverage to “rock” the knife, on edge, to cut easily. 
Source- Dynamic Living - http://www.dynamic-living.com/rockerknives.htm 
Second source – The Wright Stuff - http://www.wrightstuff.biz/surokn.html

Reaching aid – Since you’ve little or no use of your hand/arm while recovering, you will find it difficult holding on to some objects, which then might fall to the floor, or things are out of reach, from your present position.  This is a long handled device (many sizes, designs, prices) that allows grip on an item to be picked up or from a shelf.  Very useful for picking up items of clothing that you promised your wife you would fold for her.  Source – The Wright Stuff - http://www.wrightstuff.biz/reachingaids.html

Cleaning brush with suction cups – this is a rectangular shaped brush with two suction cups on the bottom.  It allows you to secure the brush to the bottom of a sink, allowing use with one hand.  How might you use it?  For me,  I have a partial denture.  To manually clean it I needed 2 hands, a toothbrush and cleaning paste.  This allows me to clean using one hand…a freedom of self-care, a small accomplishment in a world of dependence.  Source – Dynamic Living - http://www.dynamic-living.com/scrub-brush.htm 

 Gait belt – also known as a transfer belt….if you had any physical therapy during your recovery, or were in a hospital environment you may have used one of these.  Most are canvas and adjustable.  They wrap around the waist and are a good assist to the caregiver in trying to get you from the bed to a chair, or into a wheelchair.  They can also help in aiding your progress to take steps and to walk.  The one that my wife found is black, is about 4 inches wide, and has cloth handles all the way around for the caregiver to hold on to. 3 sizes, fully adjustable, waist sizes, 23” to 60”  It works wonderfully and is a great investment in protecting your stroke-affected arm, holding you steady, helping to lift you from sitting to standing, on and off the commode and providing a safe an secure device so that your caregiver doesn’t get hurt.  Source – ActiveForever.com - http://www.activeforever.com/ps-2118-38-safetysure-transfer-belt.aspx

Shower chair – I am not able to get in the bathtub, with a below-knee amputation on my left side, and stroke on the right side.  At the rehab center they used a light weight chair that was waterproof and designed to be used in the shower.  I was able to get a similar chair, except it also has arms, for use in my shower.  I am able to stand from my wheelchair, pivot, and sit down on the shower chair.  Your situation is going to different, of course, but you may be able to use such a chair.  Just so you know, I have a regular toilet in the bathroom, which is lower than I can arise from, and am able to use this chair over the toilet, and take care of toileting on my own. A major milestone….

Source – Spinlife.com - http://www.spinlife.com/Nova-Shower-Commode-Chair-Rehab-Shower-Commode-Chair/spec.cfm?productID=70677

Electric wheelchair – many stroke victims can use a manual wheelchair to self-propel in their living space by using the unaffected leg.  My unaffected leg is also a below-knee amputation, and I cannot nor should not use that leg, with prosthesis on, to propel myself.  Others may have difficulty using their non-stroke leg for other reasons.  This is why I purchased an electric wheelchair.  This can be an expensive proposition for the patient and care giver.  You should also give consideration to which hand can be used to operate the chair.  My stroke is on the right, so I had to request a left-hand drive controller.  Some of you may opt for a scooter, as the type seen on TV.  I chose to stay with a standard wheelchair configuration with removable footrests, and armrests that swivel out of the way.  We looked at a lot of vendors, but best pricing was with Spinlife.  Your needs may very, so be sure to work with an experienced sales rep when making your purchase.  Approved for Medicare?? It can be, work with the sales rep and they should help you with the paperwork.

Source – Spinlife.com - http://www.spinlife.com/Sunrise-/-Quickie-V-121-Folding-Power-Wheelchair/spec.cfm?productID=1020

Vibrator Sander - We were looking for a simple way to exercise my arm, moving right to left, and up and back.  we tried different things, and some worked, but most didn't.  My wife came up with a great idea.  I have a vibrator sander that I used for my woodworking before the stroke, and hope to use again, for that purpose.  She put a piece of terry cloth on the sander pad, got a piece of foam core, about 2 feet by 4 feet, and laid the foam core across 2 TV tables.  I set the sander on the foam core, place my affected hand on top of the sander, turn it on, and move my arm back and forth.  the effect of the sander is to decrease the friction, letting my arm float more freely, as i exercise.

Source - Anywhere that sells palm sanders; foam core can usually be found at discount stores, in the crafts department;  and you can use any small piece of cloth.

Prescription Assistance -  Being disabled, and having very limited resources, I had to try and find some financial assistance in obtaining my medications.  I'm on Medicare because of my disability, but the enrollment period for pharmacy plans was past by the time I was discharged from the hospital. I will look at this resource again next enrollment time.  In the mean time,  I found out that my County here in Virginia offered a drug discount card through the National Association of Counties and I obtained one from the local health department. This card afforded some discount on my medications at my local drug store, but one of the six medications prescribed is very expensive, especially on a fixed income.  I looked to the Partnership For Prescription Assistance for additional help. You should consider this too if you financial resources are limited.

Mouth Exercises and other speech stuff - http:www.myjourneywithstroke/mouthexercises.htm

Other Medical/Personal Supply Sites -

www.Activeforever.com

http://www.dynamic-living.com

http://www.wrightstuff.biz

http://www.spinlife.com

http://www.allegromedical.com/

Informational

http://www.strokenetwork.org/ The Stroke Network

http://www.americanstroke.org/ American Stroke Foundation

http://www.strokeassociation.org/ American Stroke Association

http://www.stroke.org/ National Stroke Association

http://www.chasa.org/ Children's Hemiplegia & Stroke Association

http://www.webmd.com/stroke/guide/stroke-home-treatment - WebMD.com

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/stroke.html - MedlinePlus.com

http://nihseniorhealth.gov/stroke/toc.html - NIH Senior Health / Stroke]

ARTICLE - Treatment limits bleeding stroke damage

ARTICLE - Tips for Improving Fine Motor Skills

http://www.strokesafe.org/ - SAFE, Stroke Awareness For Everyone

There are many other resources to be found on the internet, through the library, at your doctors office, through your local hospital, and so on.  On the web, included helpful websites are pharmaceutical companies that sell drugs to help with stroke and related disease.  As with the other resources listed above, one can get some valuable information and guidance from them.  Remember to keep in mind that they are also in the market to sell their medications, but that many of these same companies participate in the Partnership For Prescription Assistance program.

 

 If you have a valuable resource not already listed, write to me and it may appear on this page.  evanclements@verizon.net