Dr. Sharon Ostwald
A Word
from
Dr. Sharon...
May is National Stroke Awareness Month! Two important media events are occurring that demonstrate that finally Stroke is being recognized as an important health care issue in the US.
The National Stroke Association and NBC TV have announced the upcoming television special: Brain Attack: A Stroke Survival Guide. The show will feature real-life stories from stroke survivors, including celebrity survivors Mark McEwen, Della Reese and former Miss Arizona Leann Hendrix. For the list of showings beginning April 14th, go to http://www.stroke.org/site/
PageServer?pagename=
TV_listings.
The second important media event is the broadcast of our own video, Living After Stroke: Conversations with Couples, a documentary video filmed here in Houston; it interviews six couples who were participants in the CAReS research study. Living After Stroke: Conversations with Couples is an honest and intimate look at the issues that six couples faced as they worked to recover after a stroke. It is being sent to PBS stations throughout the country for broadcast during May. As this newsletter was going to press, the 40th Annual WorldFest-Houston, the 3rd oldest film festival in North America, notified me that Living After Stroke: Conversations with Couples has been nominated to receive one of four top awards in the category of “Religion and Ethics.” Winners will be listed on the WorldFest website on April 30 at www.worldfest.org. To see the video in your area, please call your local PBS station and request that it be shown in your viewing area. We are requesting that the 30-minute film be followed by a 30-minute call-in program with stroke survivors and experts. This film will be available for showing during Stroke Awareness Month in May.

Houston’s 2007 Stroke Conference A Success
 The 2007 Stroke Conference, “Surviving Stroke: The Journey Toward Wellness” held on Friday, March 23rd was very well received. Dr. James Grotta, Professor and Chairman of Neurology at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston started the day with an excellent presentation, “Different Strokes for Different Folks” that raised many questions from the audience.


- Dr. Grotta with Participants -
Dr. Grotta is shown in the picture talking with participants following his presentation. For more information about symptoms of stroke, tPA and other new treatments and current clinical trials go to www.strokeassociation.org or www.stroke.org. These sites offer information and resources for stroke survivors and their family caregivers, as well as health professionals.
Two presentations during the day focused on chronic post-stroke pain which is experienced by some stroke survivors. Dr. Benoy Benny discussed the diagnosis and treatment of post-stroke pain, while Dr. Bing You discussed the use of acupuncture. Useful information for stroke-related pain can be found on www.centralpain.org, www.painonline.org and paincare.org.
Consistent with the conference theme of wellness, Mike Powers was back by popular demand to do a demonstration of Tai Chi (shown in the accompanying photo). For those of you interested in learning more about Tai Chi, here are some interesting websites: www.wustyle.com, www.familytaichi.com, www.tai-chi.com and www.worldtaichiday.org.

- Mike Powers Leading Tai Chi -

Drs. Blair and Rita Justice very generously provided all participants with a copy of A Different Kind of Health: Finding Well-Being Despite Illness, a book written by Dr. Justice. Dr. Justice, an internationally known professor and author, autographed copies of his book for conference participants. Dr. Justice experienced a stroke affecting his speech center and has been a proponent for increasing the public’s understanding of the impact of aphasia on stroke survivors. He and speech therapist, Kris Conley, led a Lunch n’ Learn session on aphasia at the conference.


- Dr. Blair Justice Autographing His Book -
A very good online resource for those experiencing aphasia is www.aphasiahope.org. This is a very informative website which provides insightful tips for living with aphasia and shares personal experiences of aphasia survivors. The site also features resource lists, research articles and studies, news and a listing of aphasia-related conferences. Other websites for aphasia are www.aphasia.org and www.nichd.nih.gov.

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CAReS Spotlight
Spotlight
Bod Gregersen, a retired merchant marine officer, experienced a hemorrhagic stroke (bleed) across the posterior limb of the internal capsule and into the lateral portion of the thalamus on the left side of his brain four years ago.
His stroke came on suddenly as he was watching TV; fortunately his brother was there and called 911. After two weeks in Memorial Herrmann Southwest Hospital, Bod was transferred to the Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR).
He spent six weeks doing intensive rehabilitation at TIRR. Bod said, “Upon discharge, I thought I was fully recovered, but, boy, was I wrong!” After leaving the TIRR hospital, Bod attended TIRR’s Challenge Program for three months, which he describes as “set up as a school” with each day organized into different classes, such as physical therapy, group discussions, and occupational therapy that included activities such as washing your car, planning a meal and cooking.His physical function progressed well, but he said, “it was not until graduation day that I realized that I had a form of aphasia.” It took about three years for Bod’s aphasia and peripheral vision problems to clear up. We are glad to report that Bod now speaks so well that he was invited to present a Lunch n’ Learn session on Physical Fitness with physical therapist Carolyn Kelley at the 2007 Stroke Survivor Conference.
Bod is the leader of the TIRR Support Group for stroke survivors and their family members. He invites you to attend the meetings on the second Thursday of the month except December. The meetings are held at the TIRR Outpatient facility at 2455 South Braeswood in Houston, from 2:00pm – 3:30pm. They have speakers who talk on topics relating to strokes, including topics like physical fitness and adaptations necessary for stroke survivors, and they conduct open discussions on any subject that might be relevant for the stroke survivor. Parking is free.
Bod also served on the stroke conference planning committee. Thanks, Bod, for all your hard work!