Hello enableme member

Welcome to the first enableme newsletter for 2017.

The beginning of a new year year can be both an exciting and a challenging time. You may be making plans, reassessing, prioritising, doing some house keeping or dreaming big!

The fabulous thing about enableme is that you have a community of people that have your back, will be there with words of encouragement and great advice to help you make the best of 2017.

So let's jump straight into it with new blogs, goals, forums and our first podcast for this year - Happy reading...

Sex after stroke is a topic that people might think about but find difficult to discuss - including many health professionals. But it's not just about sex, as the dynamics of relationships are also challenged by stroke. In our next podcast we break the silence on these important aspects of a fulfilling post-stroke life.

Sandra Lever: is a Clinical Nurse Consultant at the Graythwaite Rehabilitation Centre at Ryde Hospital in Sydney, who lectures on sex and acquired disability and has recently published research on the impact of stroke on female sexuality.

Lisa Mangwiro: is a Speech Pathologist and one of the team on the Stroke Foundation’s StrokeLine.

Jayson Killick: is a young stroke survivor and StrokeSafe Ambassador.

Worried about incontinence? Experiencing changes to your libido? Not sure how your partner will react? Join us as we discuss all things - sex after stroke.

Forums:

• Josnjos asks about: PFO Closure - Surgery Recovery
• Sue Bowden talks about: Stretching, Tai Chi and Yoga
• Marcus shares a video about: Brain Flooding
• Effieadler: Mom weak after stroke
• Karen: Return to work after stroke (new comments)
• Emma: Overseas Travel

For all conversations click here

Blogs:

• Marcus: Touching the Void - The Rope
• Halvorsen: Right leg problems, cramps, numbness, DVT, balance
• Katrina: Endings and Beginnings

For all blogs click here

Ask a question:

• Simon: What level of recovery would be expected at the 5 month period?
• Linda Weeks: How do I know whether my mother's cognitive changes are related to her stroke?
• Sandra: How do I manage seizures after stroke?
• Bert: How long does dizzy spells, double vision and difficulty finding words last after a stroke?

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

Goal setting is a great way to take charge of your own recovery. Goals are highly individual – that’s the beauty of them. However others on enableme will have had similar goals, or may even just have something to offer about setting a goal and going from a wish to a plan.

Advice on how to go about achieving a goal is always helpful, but just being cheered on is great too. Getting back to work, study and driving are popular goals on enableme, but we’ve had everything from stressing less, to learning to brew beer and taking the grandkids to Disneyland.

Check out members' recovery goals here and add your advice and support.

Goals:

• Halvorsen: To Maintain or lose some weight and exercise more
• Rhonda1953: Going back to work & driving
• AlexB: Get movement back in my arm
• Katmary: Learn to stress less and calm down more, (not get embarrassed by my Deficits)

Click here for all enableme member goals.

enableme member Rob Bussey tackled a massive two kilometre swim in the Port River last year as a celebration of his recovery from stroke - amazingly when he started training for the swim Rob could not swim more than five metres.

Rob said he trained for The Big Long Swim for months, and although it was going to be tough he was looked forward to the challenge.

“I have a pool in my apartment and swim nearly every day. I couldn’t swim five meters when I started and now I do 1500 metres,” Rob said.

“It’s amazing how far I’ve come. When I had my stroke in 2014 it was bloody awful at first. I was in a wheelchair, then on a walking frame and eventually a walking stick. I just kept working hard on exercises to get through it.”

Check out Rob’s blog here.....

Do you have a burning question about how to find information that's based on real evidence? How do you know someone claiming to be a health professional is genuine?

This is your chance, join our Where is the evidence online chat on Thursday January 19 at 11 am Eastern Standard Time. 

Professor Tammy Hoffmann, a clinical epidemiologist from Bond University who specialises in evidence-based practice will be online to chat with you.

Listen to our Where is the evidence podcast here, and you will receive an email alert on Tuesday January 17 with instructions on how to join the conversation.

We're looking forward to chatting with you.

Travelling is one of life’s great pleasures for many of us. Stroke can make travel challenging but it can be done with some extra planning to ensure your health and safety while away.

Travel insurance helps prepare for things that could go wrong. But the trouble is, having a medical condition like stroke can make it difficult and expensive to get the comprehensive coverage you need.

For more.....

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