Spasticity?

[jjose_01]

Being a recovering stroke patient. I'd have to say that the general muscle relaxants, Baclofen and Zanaflex were worse than worthless. I never tried icing mainly because I live in Minnesota and in winter my spasticity gets much worse. Stretching helps for an extremely short time. Botox was the only thing that helped. My plastic brain is not smart enough to learn to do two things at a time, ie. turn off my spastic muscles and turn on the opposing pair. I really don't think I can function in spite of my spasticity. I consider spasticity the main deficit I currently have(curled fingers, bicep always on, latisimus). Hopefully sometime soon the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke will start up some research on what is the best treatment for spasticity.

Reading your message, in my opinion, is enough to say that you recovered from a devastating and debilitating effects of stroke. All you have is what we call the "residual deficits", wherein, there is a slim chance of improvement.

I'm sure you already coped up with the fate of the half side of your body and all I can advice is to focus on "function", like, improving your activities of daily living, dont focus on your affected side ("turn off my spastic muscles and turn on the opposing pair"), you still have the other half (unaffected side) and the recovering function of your affected side to do things which matters to you....

I hope, the law is in your side if you really need employment and many support groups are there to help you with your vocational life.

My point is, take a look at the bigger picture, you are better than that spastic limb you have now. We are a perfect spirit that lives in an imperfect body...circumstances such as stroke doesn't build, it reveals your true CHARACTER!

Enjoy your everyday life.