Sometimes it works…

 

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Well, you’ve heard a lot of bad news, you’ve heard a lot of sad news, and you deserve some good news.

By now, you’re well aware that I am quite lazy. That I hate exercise! That I hate being scheduled! I hate disappointing people – especially myself. And that in spite of it all I expect miracles. (After all, I did follow Oral Roberts to his camp meetings as a child.)

But I have been doing SOME work. I like the concept that I can retrain my brain. So I try it in small ways.

Refrigerator Handle

I have to be consistent. For instance, I always usually use my affected hand to open the refrigerator door. The handle is a bit difficult. it’s necessary to open my hand in order to put at least two fingers under the edge and pull it open.

I am patient with my hand. I gently use my left hand to pry the affected one open so that it will fit under the handle. Sometime as I am sitting by myself I practice the move, always saying “open” as I extend the fingers over and over.

Yay me! This morning my hand accomplished the task on its own. My brain, my fingers, my refrigerator door – together they worked a miracle.

xxoo

 

 

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Tone: Muscle tone is really good when you’re whole-bodied and not good after a stroke. Tone is evident when my fingers curl, when my elbow bends keeping my arm at my waist, and when my foot turns under when I try to step down.

With tone my hand can grip the sleeve of my coat as someone tries to help me with it. They might feel as if it is necessary to break my fingers to remove them. 😂 On the other hand when I try to pick something up my grip is amazingly weak and I am apt to drop the object. My brain-muscle connection is a bit skewed. An attempt to extend my fingers makes the wrong muscles flex and causes my fingers to clasp in a fist.

I reassure my brain that I am safe and all is well. Then everything relaxes.