My Pain Got worse

My central pain became intolerable at night.  Central pain is constant pain created by brain damage.  Symptoms include pain caused by normally non-painful stimuli, constant burning, 

electric shock-like pain, and a stinging, tingling, or pins-and-needles sensation.  These abnormal sensations are usually localized to one body part, especially the hands or feet.  I have a constant burning sensation in my hemiplegic foot.  Three strategies give me relief.

Initially (1) taking Tylenol and (2) raising the sheet off of my foot helped me fall asleep.  In the photo I placed a ball outside the covers to show you what the ball under the covers looks like.  The ball keeps the covers off the end of my big toe all night long.  When these two strategies were not enough to help me fall sleep I added a 3rd strategy.

(3) Gel packs heated in a microwave oven.  WARNING: Gel packs heat up very quickly and are deceivingly cool at 1st touch.  I heat the gel pack for only 25 seconds on High because a stroke took away my ability to tell the difference between hot and cold in my leg. To safely remove the gel pack from the microwave and transport it to my bedroom, I put it on a stiff paper plate.  I place the gel pack NEXT to my foot. The gentle heat gradually extinguishes the burning sensation in my foot so I can fall asleep.

 Two sensations can cancel each other out.  This is why you rub a painful body part that has bumped into an object.  Ben Gay cream works because it has Capsaicin that produces a mild burning sensation that cancels the awareness of muscle pain.  homeafterstroke.blogspot.com

Home Programs Are Like Dieting

Home exercise programs are like dieting.  Both are "shoulds" that make me feel guilty when I do not do them.  As an OT I know exercise is important, but home exercises get boring after a few months.  I am still doing home exercises because each one is anchored to something I want.
For example, avoiding pain is a powerful anchor.

After I felt my OT massage a painful knot out of my shoulder I was determined to stop it from coming back.  The painful knot formed because I was repeatedly using my shoulder (see photo) to lift my hand. 






I start with my arms down at my sides and raise both hands to the middle of my chest using only my elbows.  This put less stress on my shoulder muscles when I lift my hand.  I do this movement 3 times before I take my pills with yogurt each day.

I set out the yogurt, spoon, and pills before I start exercising.  I am afraid I will lose the sensation of what normal movement feels like if I stop to gather supplies.  An anchor turns "I should" into "I want to."
homeafterstroke.blogspot.com

Opening Cans With One Hand

I do not use lots of canned food because most are heavily salted.  However, I love to make homemade spaghetti sauce and chili which require some canned food.  I make a big batch and freeze it in individual food containers that can be heated in the microwave.  Since I cannot make food taste better with butter or cream sauces I add lots of veggies to these one pot recipes.

I use an electric can opener made by Krups that uncrimps the metal rather than cutting it.  This leaves a smooth edge so the top can be put back on if you want to use the contents later.  The photo on the right shows how a right-handed person holds it while the photo below shows how my left hand holds it so I can see what I am doing.

Short cans do not have the clearance I need so I put them on a food storage container.  Since I do not open cans that often I have trouble finding the exact angle the opener requires.  I have to try two to three times before my wrist remembers the correct angle.          I know when I get it right because the noise changes from a high pitched whine to a low pitched growl.  The only time this can opener has let me down is when a hurricane has cut my electricity.

Happiness is Biochemical

"Your brain is like Velcro for negative experiences and like Teflon for positive ones" (1, p. 41).
We briefly notice positive experiences, but they slip away the way a fried egg slides out of a Teflon-coated pan.  Our stone age brain is wired to immediately store negative experiences that may be threats in the future (1).  A brain scan study found the brain was activated faster when people saw fearful faces than when they saw neutral or happy faces (2).  24 hours later, they also remembered more fearful faces than neutral or happy faces when they saw the photos again. 

Surprisingly, being happy does not require a positive attitude.  It requires action.  Here is a simple action that can change the brain.  Take 5 seconds to enjoy a happy moment (1).  I try to notice happy events I did not plan, like when I got the parking spot close to the entrance of a crowded grocery store the day before Christmas.  I sat still for 5 seconds, enjoying this treat before I got out of my car.  Lately I have been enjoying a shower.  I have been standing still for 5 seconds after I get out of the shower to enjoy this luxurious feeling.  When you pay attention to brief moments of happiness, the brain releases dopamine which builds a richly detailed positive memory.  For me, noticing brief episodes of happiness has a cumulative effect that affects how I feel at the end of the day.  homeafterstroke.blogspot.com

1. Hanson R, Mendius R. Buddha's Brain. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications; 2009.
2. Yang E, Zald D, Blake R. Fearful expressions gain preferential access to awareness during
    continuous flash suppression. Emotion. 2007;5:227-250