Strokes Recovery
Donation protected
September 6, 2014
Ok. All has changed. You can read the lines before June 23, 2014 when I sought help to continue physical Pilates therapy. The first $980 went to that. I will still use that therapy.
Now, things are different. Very different.
I cannot walk. I use a wheelchair. A non-fitting wheelchair. Yes, I was walking prior to brain swelling two months ago and following the strokes of almost two years ago.
Daily care needs have increased.
Arrived Wednesday, Sep 3, at a care home. Small private home licensed for 7 clients. Shared rooms, entirely old, quiet, mostly catatonic neighbors. I think it will be homey eventually. I like having a little part of a room. Wish it was a whole room. Like a tiny grotto of attempted peace. Cost does not leave a cent for personal care items, hair cuts, transportation, etc., tacos, tasty coffee or even eyelash extensions. In fact, leaves me $200 in the hole each month.
There's not much energy following brain swelling/spasming, mental health breaks and changing and rechanging of living situations, three hospital stays and being molested in the hospital. All in the last two months. May upgrade 'setback' to 'target of unknown malarkey'.
So now, help if you want to. It goes for basic, basic things. Setting up doctorate level counseling, getting needed things, paying phone bill, paying taxes, pursuing body therapies. Steps toward thriving. Very very timid, slow, weighed down steps.
Thank you.
From start of campaign for Pilates therapy $980:
Greetings!
Desire to make me sweat? Good.
I wish to continue intense, personal pilates lessons coupled with saunas. Continuing will mean advancing my brain and body's abilities.
These opportunities have proven effective for me. They are needed due to brain stem and cerebellar strokes.
I was physically attacked in September 2012. Prior to this, I was a vibrant, busy young professional. I had strokes in October and November of 2012, 6 in total. Turns out the attack had torn an artery in the back of my head.
Now I spend hours flat in darkness.
Huge advancements have been made. It's kind of shocking, really ;). Read on.
STROKE DEFICIENCIES (damages) included:
Loss of ability to control breathing, heart rate, blood pressure or oxygen levels.
Eyes operated independently.
Inability to read.
Intense, horrible vertigo and nausea.
Inability to sit up, swallow, feed myself, or know where my limbs were in space.
Hearing damage resulting in extreme sensitivity and inability to process sound.
Severe Headaches.
Inability to coordinate muscle movements or to stand, write, crawl or walk.
Loss of all equilibrium, all spatial awareness and ability to tell if someone was moving or if I was falling.
There's more, but you get the point.
I have come far in RELEARNING:
How to read, control my eyes (hence, the eyepatch) , comprehend speaking and feed myself.
I'm able to walk with a walker, talk, move and generally control movement.
Unless very fatigued, all heart rate, blood pressure, body core temperature and oxygen intake levels are controlled.
Plus many, many other constant achievements. Example: Showering took approx 3 hours while seated once I could sit on my own and move my arms. Now it's about 30 mins and I don't fall over or vomit.
Additional physical therapies are not proving especially helpful as my damages are so highly particular. But I keep working on my own. Cognitive development has been added by such things as puzzles, working to read, and trying to figure that out how to move limbs.
This is where pilates comes in. With the focused help of Linda, my teacher, my limbs move through varied and focused movements. This not only strengthens muscles, but I can feel neuro connections take flight as we work. It's amazing! It kicks my butt, but the pilates work is like incredibly deep, incredibly useful physical therapy. Far more exciting than traditional physical therapy.
I love it!
And the infrared sauna has allowed me to sweat for the first time in over a year and a half. It feels wonderful and so very cleansing.
Please help me to pay for pilates and saunas.
I am currently on disability and have state insurance. It will not cover the pilates.
Making $12,400 per year with $70,000 in medical bills does not allow a lot of room to pay for this unique and highly personal therapy. The sessions are $900 for 20, and the sauna is $300 for 20. I currently go once per week. Recovery after the sessions takes 1-2 days. Eventually we plan to up it to twice per week. It is estimated 2 years of continued therapy will be needed.
Some other goals are to pay for transportation to and from appointments.
Other goals include dancing, relearning math, hiking and getting to use an outdoor elliptical bike again.
Thank you
Ok. All has changed. You can read the lines before June 23, 2014 when I sought help to continue physical Pilates therapy. The first $980 went to that. I will still use that therapy.
Now, things are different. Very different.
I cannot walk. I use a wheelchair. A non-fitting wheelchair. Yes, I was walking prior to brain swelling two months ago and following the strokes of almost two years ago.
Daily care needs have increased.
Arrived Wednesday, Sep 3, at a care home. Small private home licensed for 7 clients. Shared rooms, entirely old, quiet, mostly catatonic neighbors. I think it will be homey eventually. I like having a little part of a room. Wish it was a whole room. Like a tiny grotto of attempted peace. Cost does not leave a cent for personal care items, hair cuts, transportation, etc., tacos, tasty coffee or even eyelash extensions. In fact, leaves me $200 in the hole each month.
There's not much energy following brain swelling/spasming, mental health breaks and changing and rechanging of living situations, three hospital stays and being molested in the hospital. All in the last two months. May upgrade 'setback' to 'target of unknown malarkey'.
So now, help if you want to. It goes for basic, basic things. Setting up doctorate level counseling, getting needed things, paying phone bill, paying taxes, pursuing body therapies. Steps toward thriving. Very very timid, slow, weighed down steps.
Thank you.
From start of campaign for Pilates therapy $980:
Greetings!
Desire to make me sweat? Good.
I wish to continue intense, personal pilates lessons coupled with saunas. Continuing will mean advancing my brain and body's abilities.
These opportunities have proven effective for me. They are needed due to brain stem and cerebellar strokes.
I was physically attacked in September 2012. Prior to this, I was a vibrant, busy young professional. I had strokes in October and November of 2012, 6 in total. Turns out the attack had torn an artery in the back of my head.
Now I spend hours flat in darkness.
Huge advancements have been made. It's kind of shocking, really ;). Read on.
STROKE DEFICIENCIES (damages) included:
Loss of ability to control breathing, heart rate, blood pressure or oxygen levels.
Eyes operated independently.
Inability to read.
Intense, horrible vertigo and nausea.
Inability to sit up, swallow, feed myself, or know where my limbs were in space.
Hearing damage resulting in extreme sensitivity and inability to process sound.
Severe Headaches.
Inability to coordinate muscle movements or to stand, write, crawl or walk.
Loss of all equilibrium, all spatial awareness and ability to tell if someone was moving or if I was falling.
There's more, but you get the point.
I have come far in RELEARNING:
How to read, control my eyes (hence, the eyepatch) , comprehend speaking and feed myself.
I'm able to walk with a walker, talk, move and generally control movement.
Unless very fatigued, all heart rate, blood pressure, body core temperature and oxygen intake levels are controlled.
Plus many, many other constant achievements. Example: Showering took approx 3 hours while seated once I could sit on my own and move my arms. Now it's about 30 mins and I don't fall over or vomit.
Additional physical therapies are not proving especially helpful as my damages are so highly particular. But I keep working on my own. Cognitive development has been added by such things as puzzles, working to read, and trying to figure that out how to move limbs.
This is where pilates comes in. With the focused help of Linda, my teacher, my limbs move through varied and focused movements. This not only strengthens muscles, but I can feel neuro connections take flight as we work. It's amazing! It kicks my butt, but the pilates work is like incredibly deep, incredibly useful physical therapy. Far more exciting than traditional physical therapy.
I love it!
And the infrared sauna has allowed me to sweat for the first time in over a year and a half. It feels wonderful and so very cleansing.
Please help me to pay for pilates and saunas.
I am currently on disability and have state insurance. It will not cover the pilates.
Making $12,400 per year with $70,000 in medical bills does not allow a lot of room to pay for this unique and highly personal therapy. The sessions are $900 for 20, and the sauna is $300 for 20. I currently go once per week. Recovery after the sessions takes 1-2 days. Eventually we plan to up it to twice per week. It is estimated 2 years of continued therapy will be needed.
Some other goals are to pay for transportation to and from appointments.
Other goals include dancing, relearning math, hiking and getting to use an outdoor elliptical bike again.
Thank you
Organizer
Mandy Logan
Organizer
Tucson, AZ
