Hello EnableMe member

Welcome back to another year of people helping people and changing lives for the better. We're excited to be on this journey with you and we look forward to talking all things stroke recovery in 2018.

We're kicking off the year by looking at changes in sensation and touch after stroke.

We delve into changes in sensation with Stroke Foundation Clinical Council member Professor Susan Hillier, young survivor Karen Bayly and StrokeLine Occupational Therapist Kirsty.

Karen has also shared her experience with managing sensory overload long-term.

William Lo has written a blog about navigating the health system and how to get the most out of the period you are in hospital.

Jude from StrokeLine looks into getting counselling after stroke.

The community shares what music helps to motivate them in recovery, and how music can define us. Click here for the Feel Good Playlist.

All this and more – happy reading!

P.S click here for all EnableMe newsletters.

Stroke can affect the way you experience the world around you as well as the way you move.

Problems with perception, touch and temperature, numbness, pins and needles, and proprioception (the sense of where your body parts are and how they're moving), as well as sensory overload, can greatly affect your daily life. In this podcast, we talk about coping with sensory issues and what you can do about them.

Our guests are physiotherapist and researcher Professor Susan Hillier from the University of South Australia who is also a member of the Stroke Foundation Clinical Council, stroke survivor Karen Bayly, and occupational therapist Kirsty Cole from StrokeLine.

Click here for the touch and sensations after stroke podcast and past EnableMe podcasts.

Forums:

• Sue Bowden: My place in this world
• Katrina: Educating myself about my stroke
• Krist45: Publishing a book
• Sue Bowden: Drinking Alcohol after stroke
• Marcus: Understanding Aphasia and Stroke through Photography
   

For all conversations click here

Blogs:

• Marcus: Last class of the term
• Malcolm: Travel after stroke 
• Ros: Cerebellar strokes explained
• Michael R: Neuropsych test

For all blogs click here

Ask a question:

• Katrine: ICA occlusion and posterior circulation stroke
• Cherie: Can we use contraception implants or injections after stroke? 
• Jas: How can I help the pain in my neck?
• Joanne: What rehab facilities are available 12mths post stroke after current rehab has finished?
   

Click here for questions asked by your fellow community members. Perhaps you can contribute some of your own experiences, learn something new or ask a question?

Sensory impacts of stroke. One person’s experience - longer term.

My final word on managing sensory impacts of stroke (for now!) is that it involves spending a significant amount of time in silent stillness to decompress ready for the next onslaught of sensory bombardment.

Somewhere in that alone, loneliness, I needed to find a way to reconnect my mind and my body and find peaceful acceptance. For me, that came through craft.. For more

I want to share how to navigate the healthcare system and use it to reach your goals. 

When I first had my stroke six years ago, support communities and resources such ‘My Stroke Journey’ and ‘EnableMe’ did not exist, and less was known about how to treat stroke and recovery – especially for younger patients.

At that time many (and for some now) people were left in the dark with a lack of certainty of what actually works in stroke recovery. I remember I was told that the brain was “plastic”, there was a plateau, but I was given no actual concrete information on how and why I had to do certain exercises. For more

From Amanda and Sophie for StrokeKids.

Squishy bags are perfect for sensory play without the mess. They are cheap and easy to make and your child will enjoy manipulating and playing with them.

The squishy bag is perfect for practicing letters, numbers, name writing, drawing pictures, shapes and words. Your child can practice hand and finger movements for pre-writing development on the squishy bag. For more

On StrokeLine, we often ask people if they have considered accessing counselling. Our role is to help people equip themselves with the tools they need to live well after a stroke, counselling is one of these tools and it can be a really helpful one. So how do people respond when we suggest it?

Well, usually there’s a pause and it’s a different pause to the ones that follow other suggestions we make. There may be a lot of different things people might be thinking during that pause:

“She thinks I’m losing my mind.” For more

State and Federal Governments have the ability to vastly improve access to stroke treatment and support so more patients survive, avoid disability and recover.

Stroke programs have been underfunded for many years despite the enormous needs of people with stroke. This is impacting the lives of thousands of Australians.

The Stroke Foundation is calling on Federal and State Governments to commit to action that will save lives and we need your help.

Writing to your local member of parliament (MP) might sound daunting, but remember your MP is there to represent you, they want to know the issues important to you and how best they can make a difference in the community.

• Join our fight for stroke. We are louder together.
• If you are in Tasmania or South Australia you can find out how to help in the upcoming election here.

 

Remember if you need help, or have tips to help us improve EnableMe, we would love to hear from you at enableme@strokefoundation.org.au

We look forward to assisting you in your recovery and helping you to live your life well after stroke.

Many thanks,
 

Diana Kerr | Online Community Coordinator
National Stroke Foundation | Level 7, 461 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
T +61 3 9670 1000 |StrokeLine: 1800 787 653