Stories Of Stroke

A woman recounts the horror of waking up paralyzed, unable to call for help. A man has a mini-stroke and refuses to listen to his doctor, only to suffer a disabling stroke soon after. A physician recalls watching a tiny baby in the throws of a stroke, convulsing violently. A survivor rejoices after finally crossing the street before the pedestrian lights change back. Blending such highly personal and moving stories with crystal clear medical commentary based on first-hand clinical experience, Dr. Olajide Williams demystifies this potentially devastating illness and provides a roadmap to recovery. Indeed, Dr. Williams shows that the majority of strokes are not only preventable, but also treatable. Through compelling stories of patients, survivors and caregivers, woven together by easy-to-understand medical explanations, Dr. Williams provides practical tips on preventing strokes with specific lifestyle prescriptions, on recognizing the different forms of strokes, on managing symptoms after stroke, and on overcoming the psychological burden of stroke. He also reviews the new clot-busting treatments, which have dramatically improved the recovery rate of stroke victims. Combining cutting-edge medicine with the gripping stories of patients, survivors, family members, and physicians, Stroke Diaries strikes a blow against the current public health crisis in stroke.

"Transformative...[Taylor's] experience...will shatter [your] own perception of the world."—ABC News The astonishing New York Times bestseller that chronicles how a brain scientist's own stroke led to enlightenment On December 10, 1996, Jill Bolte Taylor, a thirty-seven- year-old Harvard-trained brain scientist experienced a massive stroke in the left hemisphere of her brain. As she observed her mind deteriorate to the point that she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life-all within four hours-Taylor alternated between the euphoria of the intuitive and kinesthetic right brain, in which she felt a sense of complete well-being and peace, and the logical, sequential left brain, which recognized she was having a stroke and enabled her to seek help before she was completely lost. It would take her eight years to fully recover. For Taylor, her stroke was a blessing and a revelation. It taught her that by "stepping to the right" of our left brains, we can uncover feelings of well-being that are often sidelined by "brain chatter." Reaching wide audiences through her talk at the Technology, Entertainment, Design (TED) conference and her appearance on Oprah's online Soul Series, Taylor provides a valuable recovery guide for those touched by brain injury and an inspiring testimony that inner peace is accessible to anyone.

“A brave, encouraging, genuine work of healing discovery that shows us the ordinary, daily effort it takes to make a shattered self cohere.” — Floyd Skloot, author of In the Shadow of Memory “The stuff of poetry and of nightmares... [Lee] investigates her broken brain with the help of a journal, beautifully capturing the helplessness, frustration, and comic absurdity (yes, a book about a stroke can be funny!) of navigating life after your world has been torn apart.” — Susannah Cahalan, author of Brain on Fire “Lee excavates her life with the care of an archeologist in this stunning memoir...Her account is lyrical, honest, darkly comic, surprising, and transcendent in the way it redefines the importance of family history, memory, and what of it we choose to hold with us. A beautiful book.” — Christa Parravani, author of Her: A Memoir “A searing memoir buoyed by hope.” — People “This honest and meditative memoir is the story about how Hyung-Oak Lee rebuilt her life, quite literally one step at a time, and how she discovered the person she had always wanted to become.” — Refinery29.com “Honest and insightful” — New York Times Book Review “Emotionally explicit and intensely circumspect... . With careful thought and new understanding, the author explores the enduring mind-body connection with herself at the nexus of it all. A fascinating exploration of personal identity from a writer whose body is, thankfully, ‘no longer at war.’” — Kirkus Reviews “Fearless... [Lee’s] engaging memoir...makes a difficult topic accessible and relatable. Lee expertly explains how the brain works and how even a damaged brain can adapt. Her narrative is both scientific and emotional, revealing the wonders of biology and the power of the human spirit.” — Booklist

Dr. Mike Dow is a best-selling author, psychotherapist, and relationship expert. So why is he writing a book about stroke? Well, what you probably don’t know about Dr. Mike is that his younger brother, David, is a stroke survivor. What’s more, David’s stroke happened when he only 10 years old. This means most of Dr. Mike’s teenage years were spent witnessing what his family was dealing with trying to find the best treatments for David. He struggled to know what to do to help his brother. He watched helplessly as his brother wrestled with depression, trying to find the motivation to recover on top of the challenges of adolescence. He mourned the loss of what could have been —and he was angry. How his family would have loved to sit down with top experts in stroke to find out what they should be doing and have their questions answered. Now Dr. Mike has the ability to do just that, and he’s doing it so that others in his family’s position don’t have the same struggle. Armed with questions from stroke survivors and their loved ones, Dr. Mike talks with the best clinicians across the country to get over 100 answers you need to know to maximize your recovery.

Billions of dollars are spent on stroke-related rehabilitation research and treatment techniques but most are not well communicated to the patient or caregiver. As a result, many stroke survivors are treated with outdated or ineffective therapies. Stronger After Stroke puts the power of recovery in the reader's hands by providing simple to follow instructions for reaching the highest possible level of healing. Written for stroke survivors, their caregivers, and loved ones, Stronger After Stroke presents a new and more effective treatment philosophy that is startling in its simplicity: stroke survivors recover by using the same learning techniques that anyone uses to master anything. Basic concepts are covered, including: Repetition of task-specific movements Proper scheduling of practice Challenges at each stage of recovery Setting goals and recognizing when they have been achieved The book covers the basic techniques that can catapult stroke survivors toward maximum recovery. Stronger After Stroke bridges the gap between stroke survivors and what they desperately need: easily understandable and scientifically accurate information on how to achieve optimal rehabilitation.

This is the true story of Canadian stroke survivor Peter Fee, a mature, professional businessman whose life was drastically impacted when he suffered a stroke in his 50th year. Peter has since been undergoing the process of rehabilitation at a few Toronto area hospitals, including programs of traditional physiotherapy. Having been discharged from outpatient rehab programs, Peter had reached a plateau in his recovery. He then began and continues his quest for alternate and further possibilities of rehab and recovery. After being home for nearly two years since his initial admission to hospital, Peter began researching numerous other avenues, techniques and equipment for self-therapy and recovery which include acupuncture, TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), Taoist Tai Chi and other miscellaneous traditional aids. He continues with these options to this day. This is the story of his life including his youth, maturing and growth, professional career and near-death, as well as his physical recovery progress and experiences to date. Peters story is not complete as of the printing of this book because he is continuing his recovery efforts. For this reason, Peter has already started writing his second book. He continues to make daily progress. He is determined.

Bestselling author Jeff Kagan wrote this book to help stroke survivors, their friends and family. These are the actual stories of stroke survivors and their family sharing their stories with you. These stories show the happy, funny and serious side of stroke. They show recovery does happen, one day at a time. Each story will bring laughter and tears as you read, and each is so important toward your recovery. The Special Forward is written by David Ober, MD Chief of Neurology at Nyack Hospital, Nyack, NY and will teach you about stroke and recovery.

Not Your Dad’s Stroke is written by a stroke survivor for stroke survivors and their loved ones. It documents the author’s recovery from a 2012 stroke, and examines the research and treatment advancements over the twenty years since his dad had his stroke. The author also discusses strategies and resources to help make recovery easier. The book includes personal accounts from other stroke survivors, caregivers, and a therapist. Not all the stories have happy endings, but all are informative and inspirational. Most newly diagnosed stroke patients are in fear of the unknown. In the author’s case, his first thought was of his dad's stroke, and how it had been the start of his dad’s decline. However, as the author’s treatment and recovery began, the first thing he realized was that things had changed for the better, with faster diagnoses and improved treatments. From the beginning, he had a better prognosis, with early discussions on recovery and preventing the next stroke. Everyone knows someone that has had a stroke. It can happen to anyone at any age. No two strokes are the same, as no two recoveries are the same. The bottom line is that recovery is hard work, survivors have to keep at it, and at some point, learn to accept the new version of themselves. This book will be an informative resource and inspiration for newly diagnosed stroke patients, anyone who has suffered a stroke, and for the loved ones and caregivers of stroke survivors. The manuscript was built around common questions about stroke identified though conversations with stroke survivors, caregivers, and peer support workers.