Use the labels in the right column to find what you want. Or you can go thru them one by one, there are only 29,372 posts. Searching is done in the search box in upper left corner. I blog on anything to do with stroke. DO NOT DO ANYTHING SUGGESTED HERE AS I AM NOT MEDICALLY TRAINED, YOUR DOCTOR IS, LISTEN TO THEM. BUT I BET THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET YOU 100% RECOVERED. I DON'T EITHER BUT HAVE PLENTY OF QUESTIONS FOR YOUR DOCTOR TO ANSWER.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Stroke rehab - phone use
I'm breaking one of my rules in this situation. Rule - Always go for recovery, do not compensate. At my new workplace we have a standard phone on the desk. It should be so simple to put the phone in my left hand and hold it to my ear, leaving my right hand for writing stuff down or surfing the internet while in a phone meeting. I tried this a couple of times, it takes me 3 minutes to get the phone in my hand, prop my elbow on the desk and I still have to hold everything with my right hand. My wrist curls down, my lats pull my arm to my side with extreme persistence, my ear does not stay on the receiver and I can't get everything back to usefulness without using the right hand. Without spasticity to contend with this would be a simple exercise in repetitive movements. So I'm going to get a headphone set that allows me hands-free operation. The problem is that its a Cisco IP phone that requires a headset that has a normal phone jack connection, Best Buy and Officemax don't carry them, supposedly Staples does. Staples is $120, I'm buying it from Amazon for 19.95 As an ADL there must be a therapy protocol out there someplace for recovering phone abilities(not compensating/cheating like me). Cell phones are impossible to use in my left hand, I end up punching all the buttons and I can't keep the phone to my ear. Which is why I compensated and got a bluetooth.
The funeral home is going to have to pry the headset off my cold dead body. Being able to use a phone quickly makes me useful and keeps me in touch with people I love. For me recovery as a person trumps hand use.
ReplyDeleteI use a speaker phone as my landline, and patience - on both parties' sides - using my cell phone (up and down between phone and pen). For the former, I announce my intention and get an okay before proceeding; it's also perfect for being on hold (medical offices) or navigating through a phone tree (pharmacies).
ReplyDeleteAnd Dean - you can forgive yourself for being your renegade self and breaking your own rules.