Strokecast

Produced in Washington, DC, A Teachable Moment focuses on four local survivors that represent the greater story of stroke in the United States. LAI Video also speaks with loved ones and medical experts to clearly describe the disease, its debilitating impact and the tangible steps anyone can take to reduce the risk of a stroke. The documentary uses contemporary animation to better illustrate the science behind stroke, available treatments and preventable risk factors. I first heard about “A Teachable Moment” through an article on StrokeSmart.org.   This is a film about four DC-are stroke survivors and their experiences as the go through this life changing event. The film premiered in Washington, DC, on May 17, and is available to groups interested in hosting a private screening. If this seems familiar, it's because I talked about this movie back in Episode 014 with Anne Dailey, one of the featured survivors. This week, I speak with Mark French. Mark is not only one of the other featured survivors. His organ

The medical and stroke industries can be complicated places. They have arcane jargon and complicated processes. And that's important. The detailed knowledge and industry shorthand helps folks within the field communicate quickly and clearly with each other to provide the best care possible. It's just different from what non-medical folks deal with. But is it really all that different? What I'm finding in my personal experience is that it has a lot more in common with my own field of Adult Learning & Development, sales skills training, and brand evangelism. For example, the corporate training field and the PT, OT, and Speech fields are all focused on helping folks develop or relearn skills and abilities. We're all working to rewire the brain so the learner/patient can do things they couldn't do before. The therapists rely more on rote memory and process repetition than the corporate trainers due, but it seems like there's an opportunity to study how best practices in each field can help the other. The ADDI

A few weeks ago, I was visiting the Reddit Stroke forum (r/stroke) and saw some posts from The Online Busker. I checked out his site, and thought his music was great so I invited him on the show.   Craig was a professional musician and guitarist before his stroke. He made a nice living playing in the bars and restaurants of Portugal and Gran Canaria. He moved to the Spanish mainland and began teaching English in Salamanca. When his stroke happened he had to make some decisions.   Craig worked to relearn how to play guitar. He adopted several strategies, including the use of double-stick tape. You can see the results in this video, and you can see a whole lot more over at OnlineBusker.net   During our chat, Craig also talked about one of his more popular videos with some tips for playing guitar after a stroke.You can check that out here. Craig wanted to help others with his music. On his website, you can tip his virtual guitar case. Half of all the funds he raises there go to the World Stroke Organization. O

This week, I talk with Emilee Mason. Emilee was one of the OTs I worked with when I was in the hospital. She's one of the folks who helped me get my arm moving again and helped me develop some of the new life skills I would need, like how to get into the shower. We met up at a local Starbucks (I should figure out how to get them to sponsor this) and had a wide ranging conversation that covered topics like: What is OT? Motivating patients Dealing with unruly patients Caring for caregivers What happens when a medical provider becomes a patient   Hack of the Week If you have trouble with using a wash cloth in the shower, try an oven mitt instead. Instead of trying to grip it with the affected had, simple slip your hand into it so you can still bathe with that affected hand.   Where do we go from here? Do you want to hear more interviews like this? Let me know in the comments below. If you listen on an iPhone or other Apple device, you can help the show by heading over to the Apple Podcast store and leaving a

This week, I talk with Dr. Kate Lorig, about her new book, Building Better Caregivers. I learned about the book from Dr. Danbi Lee, an Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy at the University of Washington, and a contributing author, through our work with the Seattle Young Adult Stroke Survivors group. The book is a collection of tools to help caregivers more effectively care for both survivors and themselves. The resources and advice are accessible and practical. It covers a wide variety of topics including: How to run a family meeting How to ask for help Different types of mobility aids and adaptive gear Understanding behavioral issues Exercise … and much more. Some of the advice that sticks out most for me is that to support a caregiver, don't just ask what you can do to help. Instead offer a specific form of assistance. Kate has been working in this space for years and through the Self Management Resource Center has put together a number of programs around Building Better Caregivers.

This week is largely musing about the nature of stretch goals, identity, and striving for recovery. This week, let's talk about comfort zone. It can be nice and cozy, and I really like things that are nice and cozy. The only problem with it is that there is no growth in the comfort zone. To grow and improve and recover and get those limbs back, we need to push ourselves. We need to try new things. We can't let our brains forget about that limb and give up on it. We have to be willing to fail at a task in order to succeed in the long term. Growth and healing happens at the edges. stretching beyond those edges gets us closer to where we want to be. If we never fail in a task during our recovery, we're probably not trying hard enough. Hack of the Week This week I began using my girlfriend's Kindle (affiliate link) to read library books. My reading pace took a major hit after the stroke for a few reasons. one of the big ones though, is that it's more difficult to physically manage a book with one hand. Holding it

  Podcasts Let's talk about 3 podcasts in this podcast. After all, the reason, we're podcasters is we like talking about our passions. I mentioned in the previous episode of this show that Microsoft has new technology to create live subtitles as a presenter speaks. I talked about it much more extensively in episode 65 of 2-Minute Talk Tips. You can learn more here. I used the tool to create a transcript of this episode. It's not perfect, but if you'd rather read than listen, click here. I joined Cam Compton on the Hand In Hand show on the Strokefocus network. You can listen to that episode here. You can also explore Strokefocus.net in more detail here. Cam and I talked about our stories, the importance of support groups, keys to recovery, mindset, and exercise. I also appeared on Lyn Henderson's Inside Knowledge podcast. Lyn's show is all about resilience. Based in New Zealand, she interviews folks from around the world to learn how they've overcome challenges to live the lives they want to live. We talk abo

"I'm never satisfied with any progress. That's why you wake up in the morning." -- Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO on making products and services more accessible. On May 31, I attended the Microsoft Ability Summit. It's a product showcase, presentation time, and multi-company job fair focused on accessibility and giving job seekers with disabilities an opportunity to meet with recruiters. They had a great demo Presentation Translator. This tool automatically subtitles whatever a speaker is saying and displays it on their slides. It also supports translation into multiple languages nearly instantaneously. It's a very cool technology that I'll probably talk more about in a future episode of 2-Minute Talk Tips. I'm especially interested in whether the subtitles are helpful for folks with aphasia or other challenges. It was a great event, with an extensive set of accommodations to make it as accessible as possible. You can learn more about the event and initiatives here or by following the Twitter Hashtag #abili

Oily fish may not sound appetizing, but research on the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids from seafood reaffirms the health value of eating fish – particularly the oily kind – a couple times a week, according to a new advisory from the American Heart Association. -- American Heart Association News This article that came out on May 17, 2018, is good news because I really like sushi. I grew up hating it, but gradually came around. You can read the whole article here. You can read the paper the article was based on here. When I "graduated" from Rehab Without Walls to outpatient therapy, my PT aide and I went to lunch at Yo! Zushi in Seattle. This was a therapy goal because it meant walking more than a mile round trip. This was the longest walk I'd taken since my stroke. The thing about recovery is that it's made up of lots of small milestones like this. Or like walking to Starbucks. Or carrying something. Or simply getting gin and out of your own wheel chair. Or putting on your socks. These things all get

Produced in Washington, DC, A Teachable Moment focuses on four local survivors that represent the greater story of stroke in the United States. LAI Video also speaks with loved ones and medical experts to clearly describe the disease, its debilitating impact and the tangible steps anyone can take to reduce the risk of a stroke. The documentary uses contemporary animation to better illustrate the science behind stroke, available treatments and preventable risk factors. I first heard about "A Teachable Moment" through an article on StrokeSmart.org.   This is a film about four DC-are stroke survivors and their experiences as the go through this life changing event. The film premiered in Washington, DC, on May 17, and is available to groups interested in hosting a private screening. Here is the trailer:     Anne Dailey is one of the survivors and she talks about her journey this week. Some key things really stood out for me: Getting help fast was critical to Anne's recovery. Anne had personal and s

Video Project I'm thrilled to announce a video project I've been part of now airs on local TV in Seattle. The Medical Minute is a partnership between King 5 and Swedish Medical Center highlighting the working relationship between care providers and patients at Swedish. I got to share the screen with the always awesome Olivia.  Check it out below.   Learned Nonuse Neurons that fire together, wire together. -- Dr. Norman Doidge (and, apparently, several others) In a few weeks I have one of those rare Seattle events where a tie will be appropriate. So now I need to figure out how to do that. Do I get a clip on, or do I try to learn to tie one-handed?  Clip on seems easy and temporary. One-handed tying would become a lifelong skill and permanent. Do I really want a lifelong solution here? Isn't that just conceding that I won't get my left hand back? I'm not prepared to make that concession. The brain functions like a network of dirt roads. The ruts in the road make it simple for instructions to flow i

The Amazon Echo is a smart speaker. That means it has a microphone and connects to the internet. It can play music and podcasts and do so much more. More than 30,000,000 people in the US have one of these things. If you'd like to join them, click here (affiliate link). This week, I talk about 10 ways stroke survivors and caregivers can use the Echo to live a better life. They are: Calendar Medication Reminders Timers Remember this Shopping lists Audio Books Phone calls Ask my Buddy Meditation and Mindfulness Home automation The reason I'm talking about it is because I have good news about Strokecast. There is now a Strokecast Alexa skill. You can go up to any Echo device in the US and say, "Alexa, enable Strokecast." It's great for anyone who prefers not to listen on their phone. Where do we go from here? Do you have an Echo? What skills do you find most interesting? Tell us in the comments here. If you need an Echo, visit Strokecast.com/alexa. Enable Strokecast on your own Echo and liste

"Put your life into our rehab, not the other way around." -- Robyn Weiss Rehab Without Walls Robyn Weiss is a licensed PT, former Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy, and currently the Community Relations Manager for the Pacific Northwest Region of Rehab Without Walls. Rehab Without Walls is a transitional therapy organization that helps stroke survivors move from inpatient care to living at home before going to outpatient care. They do PT, OT, Speech Therapy, social work, and more. In my case, that meant PT Elisa, PT Aide Cory, and OT Micayla would comer to my apartment for 90 minute sessions last summer after I left the hospital. We completed important community living exercises like walking to Top Pot Donuts and Starbucks. Robyn is a passionate advocate for the program and for its mission. In this episode we talk about her background and the value she sees in Rehab Without Walls. Hack of the Week Robyn explained that sitting down doesn't have to mean doing nothing except experiencing back

Ultrasound I'd been experiencing hip pain for several months when I tried to move my affected leg. My therapists tried to figure out the cause and couldn't quite pinpoint it. Eventually, I got a referral to and ultrasound specialist. He quickly found the issue -- it was a tendon. He gave me a steroid injection and after a few days most of the pain was gone. The main cause was my gait. Basically, because I don't walk like I use to (I tend to swing my leg out, lock my knee and lift my hip) I irritated the tendon, and it screamed at me whenever I tried to use it. The short term solution is the injection. That will last a few months. The longer term solution is to strengthen my knee and leg-brain connections so I can learn to walk again with a more traditional gait. And Evening with Neuroscience I attended a panel Q&A with a bunch of neurologists last week, and it was a fascinating 2 hours. I spent the time soaking in all sorts of information and tweeting about it. #EWN2018 In dreams your brain does

Tango is like a puzzle with your body -- Gabriela Condrea Last week, I sat down at my current favorite Starbucks location with Gabriela Condrea to talk about dance, connection, stroke survivors doing the Tango, and TangoStride. We talked about how she got into Tango, how anyone who can stand (with assistance) and bear weight for 10 seconds, can dance. Her students tell stories of having a great time, meeting new people, improving their balance, and getting better at walking while having fun. Gabriela first connected with the Tango in Peru nearly 10 years ago. Before she discovered hw powerful it could be for folks with disabilities, she wrote a book of life lessons she learned on the dance floor. When 1+1=1: That "Impossible" Connection came out in 2011 and was a natural project for this language arts teacher. In the ensuing years Gabriela would continue to travel, to teach, and to learn as she developed the program that would first come to be known as NeuroTango and now as TangoStride. Dance is n

When I exert myself in PT and OT, I tend to grunt obnoxiously. Besides that, I also have a habit of tensing my core bearing down, and holding my breath while my face turns deep red. It's like a professional weight lifter pushing 500 or 800 pounds (what is a lot for a weight lifter?) over their head. Except in my case, the heavy weight is my leg. Or my arm. That's why my therapists have to keep reminding me to breathe. Holding my breath in like that is the Valsalva maneuver. And it's a bad idea. This week I explore the Valsalva maneuver, the literal hole in my heart (PFO), leg squeezy things, and spy/crime drama in hospital assassinations. Hack of the Week Watching way too much Food Network taught me the idea of Mis En Place. My stroke drove home the importance of it. Mis En Place roughly translate as "everything in its place." It's the step of cooking before you cook. You set out all your ingredients, premeasure them, prep them, and set out your gear before you start cooking. Then it goes more smoothly.

This week, I talk with Gerrit Barrere about a huge number of topics. Gerrit survived 2 strokes in 2003. We discuss: Gerrit's stroke story How stroke affected his work Emotional lability and pseudo bulbar affect Stroke Recovery Support Group benefits Demographic shift in stroke Power of stories Tips for new survivors Before we go further, I do want to give a little content warning. At about the 17 minute mark, we have some discussion of suicidal thoughts. If you find yourself experiencing such thoughts, please talk with your doctor, counselor or any of your therapists. They can help you get the help you need. Remember, your brain may not be giving you the best input after a stroke. Depression is particularly common in folks post-stroke, and, as Wil Wheaton of Star Trek fame often says, "Depression Lies." But back to Gerrit. I met Gerrit through the Seattle Young Adult Stroke Survivors group. He's led it for many years and helped hundreds of people connect with one another in that time. After 13

In this week's episode, I talk with Daman Wandke, the founder and CEO of AbiliTrek, and Kyanne Flint, the CAO of AbiliTrek.  More than 19 million people with disabilities travel each year in the US. They are working to make that experience better. Here is some background on them from the AbiliTrek page. Daman Wandke – Founder, CEO Daman@AbiliTrek.com Daman Wandke, MBA, is the Chief Executive Officer, as well as a technology consultant and national disability advocate. Daman is an avid traveler; traveling for both business and pleasure. “Seeing that travelers with disabilities need to be able to travel without having to worry about not having an appropriate hotel room when they arrive at their destination”, Daman set out to find a solution; hence, the birth of AbiliTrek. AbiliTrek’s goal is to empower the disability community with the Ability to Trek without boundaries. Before working on AbiliTrek full time, he was an Accessibility Analyst at SSB BART Group, an IT accessibility consulting firm, w

  Housekeeping Welcome to Week 5 of the Strokecast. What do you think so far? Let me know in the comments below, or email me at Bill@strokecast.com You may have noticed the "Bill Suggests" menu at the top of the page. That's a collection of books and tools related to stroke recovery or public speaking that I find useful. They are also affiliate links. That means that if you click on them Amazon will send me a portion of the sales for the next 24 hours. It doesn't change your pricing or impact you in anyway. If you see a link to a product on Amazon on this site, you can assume it's an affiliate link. In Episode 004 last week, I talked about my experience on the JoCo cruise with a focus on disabilities. I actually travelled with my friend Jon Clarke this year and we recorded an episode of his podcast over the course of several days. In it, he tries to figure out just what this whole cruise thing is. You can hear this discussion here, or subscribe to Caffeinated Comics in your favorite podcast app. Should

Housekeeping Strokecast is available on more platforms including: Apple Podcasts YouTube Spotify And coming soon -- Goggle Play Music I've begun compiling a list of Stroke support Facebook groups here. Have you read the Stroke Smart magazine put out by the National Stroke association? You can sign up for a subscription here. Let's Talk about Cruising   [caption id="attachment_87" align="alignleft" width="300"] I did a full round of PT and OT exercises at the rail of the ms Oosterdam overlooking Cabo San Lucas.[/caption] Last month I joined the 8th Annual JoCo Cruise. It was my 6th time with the group and my first as a traveler with disabilities. It's a full boat charter of Holland America's ms Oosterdam. 1500 folks joined us for this week-long nerd summer camp. I always have a great time and recommend it to anyone interested in geeky pursuits, board gaming, science fiction, fantasy, writing, podcasting, and great music. The community, while not perfect, is fantastic. I also found it to be qu