Stroke - One Year Later

 One year ago today, April 5, 2020, I had a stroke. It severely weakened my right side and it has been a long recovery. I am 98% recovered and I want to tell you more about what helped me recover, and what my continued struggles are so perhaps you can learn something that will help you or you can gain compassion for someone going through a similar recovery. 

First and foremost, I thank God for His protection and for being ever-present to help in time of need. I cannot so much as breathe without Him and He did far more than help me breathe through this process. He protected me when I was in the hospital being neglected; He protected me from having a worse stroke; He gave me increased compassion for others who are suffering; He stayed stedfast when I could not so much as read His Word or pray. I could go on.

I have to give much, much credit to Leon and Carrie Knight, The Performance Doc, who gave my life back to me and helped in more ways than I can express. They cared so deeply about my recovery and helped every step of the way. To this day, we keep in touch and I consider them friends. The confidence they gave me was one of the highly motivating factors that led to my recovery. Thank you to Leon and Carrie!

I also needed help with my speech and swallowing. I was originally sent to a speech therapist but she offered no help whatsoever, so I was on my own. I found a lady on YouTube who helped me the most. She gave exercises that really helped, and helped quickly. I did them several times a day and they worked. Find that resource here.

I still struggle in a few areas. I still have Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA) and it is difficult. PBA is when one laughs or cries at potentially inappropriate times, or laughs and cries uncontrollably for no apparent reason. I've found that when I'm upset or facing a difficult conversation I will lose it and either begin to laugh or cry and, at that point, the conversation is really over for me. I've had a few people not take this well and I've had no ability to correct their misunderstanding of it. On another note, my husband wins all our arguments now because I start laughing or crying and that's that. I have found that if I know I'm going to face something emotional, if I have a good cry before hand, I do better at the time. It is better in that sense. It's still a challenge. It's like my emotions are incontinent....I can't control my response to things.

While my speaking voice is 100% healed, my singing voice is not. I used to sing soprano, but right after the stroke, I could not sing at all. Now I can sing, but I sing tenor. That's a big adjustment. Singing soprano is still too taxing.

My typing, aka keyboarding, is slower. Before the stroke, I did 90-95 words per minute. Now I'm going, maybe 55-60 words per minute. Very frustrating but at least I'm typing, 

Occasionally, I choke when drinking water or another liquid. I have found that using a straw gives a big advantage with drinks and I almost always use one now. This is the opposite of the advice a speech therapist gave me. She said never use a straw. That was not good advice. A straw is better in this situation. 

I can honestly say I am healthier now than before the stroke. I've lost 50 pounds, my energy has skyrocketed and I sleep so much better. My doctor put me on Hydroxychloroquine to avoid Covid19 and it has had tremendous health benefits for me; i.e. my arthritis cleared up as did my severe eczema. It helps the body with inflammation and lowers cholesterol as well. It's been good for me and I plan to keep taking it long after Covid is gone.

Overall, I'm pleased with my progress and I will never forget the helplessness I felt when it first happened. Thank you to all who have prayed for me and continue to do so. I had to blog about this a year later. Such an interesting anniversary to have!

~Tricia

The Candace Owens Show: Dr. Stella Immanuel

Upside Down Medicine

A friend of mine is in the ICU with the China virus. It did not have to come to this. Had his doctors treated early with the many treatments available, he would likely be well right now, The main news outlets do not report on the cures for the China virus......they only report death and sickness. Just think of it, several highly effective treatments are available but doctors allow their patients to get very sick instead. Many have died unnecessarily.

When will it stop?

In the course of raising eight children, there were countless trips to the doctor and NEVER ONCE did any of the doctors tell me to take my kid home and see if they got worse. NO! They treated them for what was wrong. They treated them on suspicion of disease or infection. They did not leave them untreated.

But, the CDC, for the China virus, recommends waiting at home to see if you get worse. Look it up for yourself if you don't believe me.

What?

Who does that?

That's upside down medicine.

More than 20 studies have shown effective early treatment with a variety of medications. Why are people still getting deathly ill?

Because the media is withholding lifesaving information. The media is your enemy.

Our president got the China virus......and what did they do? They treated him early and he got better right away! He has advocated for early treatment......and the media has been silent.

If you get the China virus, don't wait to get worse. If your doctor won't give you early treatment, you can go to America's Front Line Doctors and get treatment. Do not wait until the disease worsens. Get treatment early.

If you do not have the China virus but are in a vulnerable category for it, you can get preventative treatment if you qualify,

No, I am not a doctor; I am referring you to the best doctors in America. They have saved lives. They will save yours.

~Tricia

I Started taking Hydroxychloroquine - Here's What Happened

Because I had a mild stroke in April and I felt my body had enough to recover from, I asked my doctor for Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) as a preventative for the Wuhan Virus. 

She said no.

I then asked my neurologist the same thing. 

He said no.

So, I contacted America's Front Line doctors at speakwithanmd.com and they, through a virtual visit, agreed with me and prescribed it for me. The pharmacy was only allowed to give me 11 pills. They cost $30.00. 

I took one a day for five days, then one per week. I take 200 mg once per week now. That's it.

Here's what happened to me since I've been on it:

    The arthritis in my right hand is no longer a problem. This hand was broken a few years ago, and even with a doctor's referral, an orthopedic doctor would not treat me. No reason given. So, I wrapped it up myself and after about three months, it seemed to heal but developed arthritis. It was so painful I had to wear a brace for over a year to be able to sleep and was taking Tylenol twice a day for the pain.

Since taking HCQ, my hand no longer hurts, no longer swells and has gained the strength it had lost. I can grip again....a feature I had lost.....and am able to move and use my hand like it never had a problem!

Based on that, I wanted to be able to keep taking HCQ past my 11 pills, but the governor of our state has put restrictions on it. However, the same doctor was able to prescribe it for me and give me more than a year's supply because he prescribed it for arthritis this time and we used a different pharmacy. Only two pharmacies in my city will dispense it.

I was able to get 60 pills for $85.00.

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The second benefit is, my severe eczema has cleared up. By severe, I mean at one point I had eczema from head to toe over 80% of my body. I tried all kinds of things over the past four years since it broke out and nothing provided lasting relief. While the 80% had finally cleared to less than 20%, it was still severe in that it would break out to the point where it broke the skin and was very painful and bleed. I thought I'd have to deal with it for the rest of my life.

Enter HCQ. 

I had no idea it works on severe eczema! My skin has healed and I have had no breakouts since I started HCQ. Sometimes I have a little itching, but NO breakouts! I am amazed. 

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For my arthritis any my eczema, I hope to take this for the rest of my life.

Bonus: I'll likely never have a respiratory disease because of it, either! 

Win/win.

If you're worried about negative side effects, I have had none. At such a low dose, 200 mg once per week,  side effects are nil. As with any drug, a higher dose would be dangerous, but my low dose makes it safe and effective. The doctor who prescribed it is so pleased about the eczema because he told me he had no idea! It's nice to have a doctor humble enough to admit that.

So, that's my HCQ story!

~Tricia