Doreen's World

what's happening people?????

My life with my girls - Stephanie (18) and Lillian (8) and my cats. I had two strokes (December 2008 and March 2009) and I'm slowly getting well.

http://mylifeandstuff.typepad.com/my_world/

Originally published at doreenpayne.com.

specialist yesterday and he's happy. mri again on 28 May - specialist too. is hard to speak and internet hard too - my brain sometimes not work - words, spelling, etc. is hard. 1-5 years recover specialist says. simple sums are too hard for me too

mostly I'm frustrated at the moment.

Originally published at doreenpayne.com.

Original Air Date:

Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor - Her Story:

Oprah opened the show by introducing Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, a Harvard trained neuroanatomist who had a stroke in 1996. Dr. Taylor wrote a memoir of her experience titled My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientists Personal Journey and has since appeared on Oprah's Soul Series & Dr. Oz show on XM radio show. Dr. Taylor's video of her talk at the TED Conference in February of 2008 has also received over a half million hits on YouTube.

Dr. Taylor introduced her experience to viewers sharing that she lost memory of everything from her stroke - returning to an infant state - but that it wasn't necessarily a bad experience.
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor - The Day of the Stroke:

Oprah had Dr. Taylor go back and describe the day she had the stroke which started off normally with the alarm going off. Dr. Taylor remembers going to turn her alarm off and having pounding pain behind her left eye, and since she was fit and healthy, thought it was odd to have pain. Brushing it off as a headache, Dr. Taylor returned to her routine and began her workout, continued to her shower, and dressed for work. Throughout the morning she observed feeling separate from her body and having deliberate movements and didn't realize she was having a stroke until her right arm went paralyzed.
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor - Getting Help:

Once she realized she was having a stroke, she first thought it was cool for a brain scientist to have the opportunity to explore her own brain, but then moved on to getting help. It took Dr. Taylor 4 hour to make a phone call to a colleague; not recognizing numbers since her hemorrage was in the left side of her brain, she had to match the shapes from the business card to the shapes on the phone keys. Since the right side of her brain was intact, Dr. Taylor knew from the tone in the voice on the phone that he knew it was her and was getting help. Some of her abilities remained while others were wiped away.
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor - Brain Hemispheres:

Dr. Taylor described in a video clip that the right hemisphere of the brain is focused on the present moment, the idea of being and thinks in pictures. The left hemisphere of the brain thinks in language, deals in past and future and is focused on doing. Dr. Taylor's stroke damaged the left side of her brain meaning she lost all language, memory of her life and sense of identity.
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor - Recovery:

Dr. Taylor was transferred to a hospital in Boston to begin her recovery while her boss contacted her mother in Indiana. Dr. Taylor's mother, GG, was told to take care of what she needed to do to be able to be with her daughter for an extended period of time. GG arrived in Boston on the 3rd day after the stroke and Dr. Taylor remembers there being excitement in her room, though she didn't know what a GG was. Dr. Taylor shared her memory of when GG first arrived at the hospital - she entered the room, acknowledged the doctors, came around to the side of the bed and climbed in; holding and rocking Dr. Taylor.

GG commented on the show that she doesn't often talk about the stroke because it brings back the feelings of fear, not knowing what the future would hold for her daughter. A breathing body was how GG described Dr. Taylor; she didn't know any other way to respond but to hold her and care for her.

It took a full 8 years for Dr. Taylor to be nurtured back to her "normal" self, though she and her family had to mourn the death of the old Jill Bolte Taylor. Dr Taylor explained that her old self was left behind and the new person couldn't be held to the criteria to re-achieve who her old self was.
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor - What Patients Need:

Dr. Oz joined the conversation when she shared how rare it is for a doctor to experience their own specialty; that it shines a light on the process and gives doctors a different perspective.

Dr. Taylor described in a video clip the things that all patients need:

* Honor the healing power of sleep
* Speak to me directly
* I am not stupid, I am wounded
* Treat me like I will recover completely

Dr. Taylor then described her fight to come back to reality. Since the external world was painful - having to relearn how to understand and process language - she was happy to zone out into the blissful state of the right brain.
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor - Treatment of Patients:

Part of the way Dr. Taylor fought to get her balanced life back was by her care in the hospital. It made an impact on her recovery how the doctors and nurses treated her when entering her room - the right side of her brain recognized the energy of the people treating her, even if she couldn't understand the language in the beginning.

This concept hit home to a viewer, Sarah, who was spoke to Oprah and the doctors via Skype. Sarah shared how being a nurse she was impacted by the idea of compassion and energy that she brings to patients. She stated that she thinks of Dr. Taylor now every time she starts shift.
Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor - Dr. Oz on Stroke:

Dr. Oz presented what happens to the body when a stroke occurs - comparing it to a charlie horse in the brain; the hemorrhage kills the brain tissue. 85% of strokes occur when something clogs an artery and the artery pops, leaking blood onto the brain tissue. Jill's type of stroke is very rare and because of the type is why she has been able to recover completely - there were enough cells alive to rebuild the left hemisphere of the brain.

Dr. Taylor and Dr. Oz then showed viewers examples with real brains - a normal brain, a brain with a hemorrhage in the brain stem, and a brain with a hemorrhage that completely destroyed the right side of the brain.

Dr. Oz then gave 3 quick steps to test if someone is having a stroke:

* Have the person smile
* Have the person put their hands up in the air
* Have the person repeat a basic sentence

These steps will aid in early detection because they reveal if certain muscle groups are working and if the brain can still understand language to repeat. The earlier a stroke is detected the better - if treated within 3 hours, medication is available that can break a blood clog and save vital brain tissue.

http://oprah.about.com/od/oprahshowrecaps/p/jillboltetaylor.htm

Originally published at doreenpayne.com.

it bloody well POURS. If youll allow me to use an amazingly abused clich.

Its a well known fact to anyone who reads this blog that the past month hasnt been so rosey. Perhaps even the past few years. I like to try to look on the bright side when I can, because being gloomy doesnt seem to help much at all.

But sometimes, its harder than others.

Mums been having some kinda serious health issues, which make everything in general more complicated. When she saw the specialist they found blood clots in her brain, part of what has been giving her speech and motor skills issues - I guess. She had to stay in Orange Base Hospital for a night or so when she went to the specialist because of the results.

Nan told me, she had what I like to call the face of doom. It wasnt terribly comforting waiting for her to tell me, but though it was bad it was better than I expected with that face.

Clearly someone thought I hadnt had enough trauma, because only a little while after I found this out, I went outside to feed the dogs and found my Labrador dead by the dog house. She must have been there for hours. She was only four years old, I dont think she died of natural causes.

Mums been back to the local hospital a few times since, nothing as serious as the clots - meds problems, mostly. I still worry, though. Shes afraid she might die.

Im not terribly sure I blame her, despite the doctors reassurences. But I dont think shes going to die, not yet something the universe seems determined to teach me is that we all do die, eventually, though. In the interim my knee seems to have taken a vacation on me, it sort of collapsed under me again while I was helping my aunt make my bed at Eugowra.

I also need a new sewing box.

link

Im ok - getting better

Originally published at Depressed Mama.

it bloody well POURS. If youll allow me to use an amazingly abused clich.

Its a well known fact to anyone who reads this blog that the past month hasnt been so rosey. Perhaps even the past few years. I like to try to look on the bright side when I can, because being gloomy doesnt seem to help much at all.

But sometimes, its harder than others.

Mums been having some kinda serious health issues, which make everything in general more complicated. When she saw the specialist they found blood clots in her brain, part of what has been giving her speech and motor skills issues - I guess. She had to stay in Orange Base Hospital for a night or so when she went to the specialist because of the results.

Nan told me, she had what I like to call the face of doom. It wasnt terribly comforting waiting for her to tell me, but though it was bad it was better than I expected with that face.

Clearly someone thought I hadnt had enough trauma, because only a little while after I found this out, I went outside to feed the dogs and found my Labrador dead by the dog house. She must have been there for hours. She was only four years old, I dont think she died of natural causes.

Mums been back to the local hospital a few times since, nothing as serious as the clots - meds problems, mostly. I still worry, though. Shes afraid she might die.

Im not terribly sure I blame her, despite the doctors reassurences. But I dont think shes going to die, not yet something the universe seems determined to teach me is that we all do die, eventually, though. In the interim my knee seems to have taken a vacation on me, it sort of collapsed under me again while I was helping my aunt make my bed at Eugowra.

I also need a new sewing box.

link

I'm ok - getting better

Originally published at doreenpayne.com.

it bloody well POURS. If you'll allow me to use an amazingly abused clich.

It's a well known fact to anyone who reads this blog that the past month hasn't been so rosey. Perhaps even the past few years. I like to try to look on the bright side when I can, because being gloomy doesn't seem to help much at all.

But sometimes, it's harder than others.

Mums been having some kinda serious health issues, which make everything in general more complicated. When she saw the specialist they found blood clots in her brain, part of what has been giving her speech and motor skills issues - I guess. She had to stay in Orange Base Hospital for a night or so when she went to the specialist because of the results.

Nan told me, she had what I like to call "the face of doom". It wasn't terribly comforting waiting for her to tell me, but though it was bad... it was better than I expected with that face.

Clearly someone thought I hadn't had enough trauma, because only a little while after I found this out, I went outside to feed the dogs... and found my Labrador dead by the dog house. She must have been there for hours. She was only four years old, I don't think she died of natural causes.

Mums been back to the local hospital a few times since, nothing as serious as the clots - meds problems, mostly. I still worry, though. She's afraid she might die.

I'm not terribly sure I blame her, despite the doctors reassurences. But I don't think she's going to die, not yet... something the universe seems determined to teach me is that we all do die, eventually, though. In the interim my knee seems to have taken a vacation on me, it sort of collapsed under me again while I was helping my aunt make my bed at Eugowra.

I also need a new sewing box.

http://siren.crowned-meadow.net/2009/03/18/when-it-rains/

explains my stroke, etc

Originally published at doreenpayne.com.

arm sore and mouth numb. specialist & mri in 1 week.

Originally published at doreenpayne.com.

my arm is giving me hell - twitching and sore. seeing the dr next Wednesday for results. also physio next Monday.

blood pressure is finally under control which is good.

my depression is way out of control still.

Originally published at Depressed Mama.

[Tony Blair is reading a newspaper report]
Tony Blair: Oh my God. George is back in rehab.
Cherie Blair: George?
Tony Blair: Bush. George Bush. Oh God, he was found comatose on his ranch.
Cherie Blair: [drily] Im surprised anyone noticed.
Tony Blair: Hes my friend. All right? George is my friend. We went through hell together.
Cherie Blair: Oh, I thought you sent other people to do that.

the trial of Tony Blair

Originally published at doreenpayne.com.