For pondering and prayer, this is my short sharing of a Christian Scripture passage that I am using to encourage myself. The passage is shared in the most common languages used in Malaysia as available for study by the Ministry of Education of Malaysia. Jangan takut, kerana Aku berserta denganmu. Jangan cemas, kerana Akulah Allahmu. Aku akan menguatkan, bahkan akan menolong engkau. Ya, Aku akan menopang engkau dengan tangan kanan-Ku yang penuh kebenaran. (Alkitab Versi Borneo – Malay)   ..read more

Today’s video in the series of of Dr. Elyse Newland‘s excellent home post stroke recovery exercise videos on YouTube, Instagram and Tiktok features a daily stretching routine that targets the wrist, thumb, and fingers can help improve spasticity over time. I was fortunate not to experience too much spasticity except on my upper arms making lifting my affected arm quite painful. This set of stretching exercises does help reduce the pain and stiffness although my twice weekly acupuncture sessions help a lot too. I will be including the “obligatory” plug for my fund ..read more

Today’s video in the series of of Dr. Elyse Newland‘s excellent home post stroke recovery exercise videos on YouTube, Instagram and Tiktok features something a little more unusual, a mental exercise to initiate movement when you don’t have movement on one side. This is similar to what I did when I first got my stroke by utilising hypnosis and Rapid Transformational Therapy® (RTT®) induced mental imaging to get off my wheelchair and start walking again. In fact I continue to use it today, after a hiatus of a few months, to improve the range of motion in my wrists, hand ..read more

I have spoken to a few survivors who seem quite upset that they have developed muscle spasticity. In a sense I can understand as I remembered the anxiety I felt when my arm muscles started feeling stiff and achy. In fact it still gives me anxiety and I end up being so worried of my fingers curling up that it keeps me awake. I then was made aware of the Brunnstrom Stages Of Stroke Recovery and realised the stiffness was part of recovery and that as long as I keep working on stretching and moving my limbs, the stiffness will eventually go sway. The Brunnstrom stages is one of the most well-know ..read more

For pondering and prayer, this is my short sharing of a Christian Scripture passage that I am using to encourage myself. The passage is shared in the most common languages used in Malaysia as available for study by the Ministry of Education of Malaysia. Adakah sesiapa yang sakit? Panggillah para tua-tua jemaah untuk mendoakannya dan menyapukan minyak padanya dengan nama Tuhan. Doa yang dilafazkan dengan iman akan menyembuhkan orang sakit itu. Tuhan akan memulihkan kesihatannya, dan dosanya akan diampunkan. (Alkitab Versi Borneo – Malay ..read more

Today’s video in the series of of Dr. Elyse Newland‘s excellent home post stroke recovery exercise videos on YouTube, Instagram and Tiktok will cover a 15-minute intermediate balance workout that is done standing up. This workout is best for stroke survivors who are able to stand but may become unsteady without support or when reaching. This is one set of workouts that I continue to do as I am still unable to obtain balance by standing on one leg. One more exercise I do is to deliberately stand on one leg while waiting in queue using my walking stick or a wall as supp ..read more

Today’s video in the series of of Dr. Elyse Newland‘s excellent home post stroke recovery exercise videos on YouTube, Instagram and Tiktok will cover a 15-minute intermediate balance workout that is done standing up. This workout is best for stroke survivors who are able to stand but may become unsteady without support or when reaching. This is one set of workouts that I continue to do as I am still unable to obtain balance by standing on one leg. One more exercise I do is to deliberately stand on one leg while waiting in queue using my walking stick or a wall as supp ..read more

For pondering and prayer, this is my short sharing of a Christian Scripture passage that I am using to encourage myself. The passage is shared in the most common languages used in Malaysia as available for study by the Ministry of Education of Malaysia. Adakah sesiapa yang sakit? Panggillah para tua-tua jemaah untuk mendoakannya dan menyapukan minyak padanya dengan nama Tuhan. Doa yang dilafazkan dengan iman akan menyembuhkan orang sakit itu. Tuhan akan memulihkan kesihatannya, dan dosanya akan diampunkan. (Alkitab Versi Borneo – Malay ..read more

I have spoken to a few survivors who seem quite upset that they have developed muscle spasticity. In a sense I can understand as I remembered the anxiety I felt when my arm muscles started feeling stiff and achy. In fact it still gives me anxiety and I end up being so worried of my fingers curling up that it keeps me awake. I then was made aware of the Brunnstrom Stages Of Stroke Recovery and realised the stiffness was part of recovery and that as long as I keep working on stretching and moving my limbs, the stiffness will eventually go sway. The Brunnstrom stages is one of the most well-know ..read more

Turns out today is also World Occupational Therapist Day. I owe them a big debt of gratitude, especially to Pavi at the National Stroke Association of Malaysia, Amalina at the Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital and the team at the University of Malaya Medical Centre. Three months ago, my right arm and hand was totally limp. Now I am able to marginally type out this post, turn the light switch on and off, occasionally use eating utensils with my right hand, and brush my teeth. I was also able to use a car steering simulator for the first time last Tuesday. Recovery is slow but steady. Even the sim ..read more