BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor

Subject: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Dec 05 - 08:06 AM

I am working as a volunteer with a stroke survivor (my second stroke "client"), and I am looking for videos to help him, in his areas of interest. I've looked around at what can be bought within my non-existent budget, and I may get some church contributions to help with these; but in the meantime I thought, why not ask at Mudcat?

What I have noticed is that TV viewing in the right subjects can spark a LOT of verbal communication that has been blocked in various ways by the stroke damage. These conversations can then lead to improved communication in many other areas.... sort of a free-assocation starter. The associations follow the line of retained memories. Starting in a client's interest area provides the motivation necessary to WORK the mind around whatever blocks are there. The mind-- the amazing human mind-- does the rest.

It's amazing to work with these people. Imagine how many of them are rotting away once the clinically-evaluated rehab ends-- parked in front of TV DRIVEL that, if it were the right material instead, could help unlock them for years of happy life! Imagine the relationships that could flourish once communication can happen!

I'm sure these could be of tremendous benefit to Alzheimer's folks, too... (I'd use them throughout the assisted living facility my friend is in.)

Anyway, THAT's what I am asking for help about. If you have (US- compatible DVD or VHS) or can tape (VHS for US machines) videos, I can use them!

John's areas of interest are gardening and animals, especially dogs. He also watched almost a WHOLE HOUR of the current Animal Planet program, "Growing Up (Clouded Leopeard)" about the hand-rearing of two cubs.

If you can help, please post what you can share(here), and PM me for mailing address.

Thanks for any help!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Dec 05 - 08:11 AM

PS, I mean that he watched and discussed the "Growing Up" program. Fully engaged.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: SINSULL
Date: 28 Dec 05 - 09:10 AM

The only thing I have that comes close is "The Secret of Roan Inish, Island of the Seals", a wonderul magical story filmed in Ireland about a selkie's child.

SINS

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Dec 05 - 09:16 AM

I would love to use that. If you can share a copy, please PM for mailing info. If YOU think it comes close, I bet it does.

Thanks!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Dec 05 - 09:39 AM

And Shakespeare. Old B/W movies of Shakespeare's plays. "As You Lke It" caused a great stir last week; he can't read, they say, but before I told him what the movie was, he saw SHAKESPEARE in the opening credits and blurted it out! I had to translate some of the dialog, but he followed the action and KNEW the characters. "This guy is the bad guy" or "She's the lovey-dovey one", etc. And he was right!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: Bert
Date: 28 Dec 05 - 11:30 AM

Try the dollar bin at Walmart they often have old movies and TV episodes. I just got four episodes of Sherlock Holmes for Christmas.

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: SINSULL
Date: 28 Dec 05 - 08:09 PM

WalMart is the antiChrist! Shame on you, Bert! Come here and let me grab you by the ear and escort you to Big Mick and Donuel who will set you right.

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 28 Dec 05 - 08:37 PM

This is drifting it a bit from WYSIWYG's exact request, but I think it might be useful, maybe to your friend, maybe to other people.

English storyteller Taffy Thomas had a massive stroke when he was 36 - which ended his activities as a fire eater and acrobat, but put him on the road to becoming one of the best storytellers there are. And a few years back, with Jim Woodland and Janet Russell, he put together a kind of ballad opera called "Take these Chains from my Heart", telling the story of what happened, of the time leading up to the stroke, the stroke itself, and the slow recovery.

There are details of how to get hold of the recording down that link I gave just now, and it's really worth getting hold of. I saw a live performance of it at Sidmouth a few years back, and was knocked out by it.

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Dec 05 - 09:36 PM

Thanks, Kevin. That WOULD be awesome in video-- I only see it as audio CD right now. I wonder if anyone here has a copy in video?

The expected "prognosis" for people in their 80's, who survive major strokes, just really pisses me off. It seems to be assumed that they will not want to make it all the way back. As long as they can rehab enough to be tended in a nursing home, that seems to be "enough" rehab. This was a VERY active man, mentally and physically-- he only retired from the active priesthood a few years ago!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: LilyFestre
Date: 28 Dec 05 - 10:56 PM

Susan,

   It might be a good idea to check out the library in town and at the University, both of which have videos that can be borrowed free of charge.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: wysiwyg
Date: 28 Dec 05 - 10:57 PM

LF, can you check MU then?

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: Little Hawk
Date: 28 Dec 05 - 10:59 PM

Yes, the library is probably the place to go, I'd say.

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: LilyFestre
Date: 28 Dec 05 - 11:01 PM

Nope, I don't have a car.

But you can email them and ask....go to www.mansfield.edu and click on North Hall.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Dec 05 - 08:55 PM

S, I know you want people to just send you stuff instead of burdening you with just more leads, I would love to but just don't have anything suitable lying around (I don't think a scratchy copy of "Rollover" or "Wayne's World" would help). Here are a couple more gratuitous ideas though:

Haunt a few local video rental places, some are phasing out their tapes and selling them really cheap ($2) as they stock up on DVDs.   

Ask around among movie fans, you may find one doing the same thing, building a DVD library and dumping old tapes.

Ask any corporate types if their companies have old promotional videos they used to show to clients or investors or recruits or trainees, these can have cool footage of factory processes, aerial shots, etc. that might be useful. Some colleges also do this, it would be so cool if there was one for your patients alma mater.

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Dec 05 - 09:19 PM

Thanks, Guest, I don't mind the odd idea or two. :~) I'm a great one for recruitinghelpers/I mean getting people involved.

I'll ask Mrs. Client to look at the local library. Gets her out and gets her involved. She's been a bit of a naysayer on ideas to help-- too literal-minded to deal well with the Stroke World which is more fluid and intuitive. Pls, she quite naturally thinks of Client as how he was, not how he is. I'm lucky-- I knew him superficially but with great chemistry before the stroke. He's all discovery, for me, so it's easy to spot what is working; it's right before my eyes.

And your idea reminds me-- he would probably love our PCN Tours, where the Pennsy Cable Network takes an hour at a time to cover all PA industries by following the assembly line with a narrated tour from their PR people. Oh yeah! PCN Tours have Martin Geetar, Mack Truck, Zippo Lighters, Orthey Autoharp, a couple of bell choir bells companies, and all manner of musical stuff as well as just about any industry one can imagine. I can tape those or find a parish volunteer who needs a way to help. I can ask high school faculty contacts to plumb their collections as well.

Your "alma mater" idea also works-- he had a long relationship as faculty in a couple of cool places. I'll float a note there as well.

With luck I can build a librbary of materials to use with more than one person-- I think I am on to something in how I see all of this.

"No idea too small or too large,"

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 10:21 AM

!!! WOW !!! A certain Mudcat friend has just offered me BOXES full of stuff that could equip the whole facility!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I promise, anything I get will be put to good use.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 01:12 PM

Are you going to keep these DVDs and videos at your home?

Are they only for your "clients"?

Will you give these videos and DVDs to the facility so that all who live there might benefit?

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: wysiwyg
Date: 30 Dec 05 - 01:39 PM

Duh! :~)

I'm WAY ahead of that point, guest! I'm organizing librarians (residents) at multiple facilities!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: wysiwyg
Date: 31 Dec 05 - 10:32 PM

refresh

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 06:17 AM

Ted Edwards book 'Unfinished Business' is a fantastic account of his fight back from a stroke. To any victims who can still read it would be an inspiration.

Good luck in your search.

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: wysiwyg
Date: 01 Jan 06 - 01:44 PM

Thanks, DtG.

I think that for John, the spark in his heart is not to "come all the way back" from the stroke, but to regain the joy his life always reflected in enjoying a constant state of learning, discovering, sharing, and reflecting. What he delights in now is not "progress" in recovery per se, in total or by benchmarks, as much as the "normality" of having an active mind with things within his grasp and interests. He was as tickled to put together an aerial picture of hundreds of mud-soaking hippos, as he once had been tickled by writing and delivering a pithy theological poem. He longs to be seen and appreciated as a sentient being with his wry personality fully intact, instead of having folks assume that everything that seems broken is his new "self." As I tried to explain to his wife-- these videos aren't the "medicine," just the spoon. The medicine is the perceptive observations he shares when watching them WITH someone who is on his wavelength; he finds his wavelength much easier to share, with these sorts of videos, with people who not usually well tuned in to him.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Jan 06 - 12:13 PM

Update on PCN Tours as mentioned upthread:

Thank you for your inquiry.

We have a PCN Tours lending library. You can borrow up to 5 videos at a time and return them within 30 days, at that time we can send you five more and so on... You can choose from our complete listing under PCN Tours on our website at www.pcntv.com On your letterhead list the 5 that you would like to see and also list 3 alternates. Upon returning the videos you will be responsible for the shipping cost.

Cool beans! It will take many productive minutes to review the list with my friend each week-- a worthwhile activity in itself! I'm sure Mrs. Client will underwrite the return shipping-- she loves to do errands in town and to find things he loves (while I visit with him on her "day out," so I'll see if the returns can be her task!

Maybe his facility would like to start a video club.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 08:43 PM

My darlin' friend departed this life this afternoon-- snuck off home. Thanks to all who sent wonderful videos.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 09:03 PM

I knew those stars were sparkling brighter tonight.

Goodbye Father John....I'll be missing you and those baby blues.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 09:08 PM

News on arrangements Saturday night or Sunday AM, LF.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: LilyFestre
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 09:17 PM

Hugs to you and Hardi.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: wysiwyg
Date: 02 Mar 06 - 09:57 PM

Thanks, Michelle. We've both been busy making calls and coordinating arrangements all evening-- it's just starting to hit me now, and Hardi's already upstairs putting it into his electric guitar.

But I would like to share this-- John was ready, and getting readier all the time. The last few times I saw him, he'd grab my hand as I'd turn away after settling him in for his afternoon nap.

"Hey!" he'd say with a fair bit of urgency.

"What is it, John?"

"Hey, if I don't ever see you again, I just want you to know I've been having the BEST time with you."

"John, I'll be right here when you wake up," I'd grin. But I knew what he meant, and he'd keep looking into me expectantly with his piercing, twinkling eyes till I relented and answered him from my heart.

"Thanks, John. Me, too," I always answered.


Oh, I'm sure he's laughing his ass off at what a fuss people are making, getting the Bishop and everyone else coordinated to drive all the way up here just to TRY to squeeze into the tiny church he'd chosen for his service!

:~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: LilyFestre
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 07:11 AM

I'm sure he is laughing all the way....I always told him that I saw a few horns holding that halo up...and that twinkle was always a giveaway!

I can imagine your scenario vividly and it doesn't surprise me one bit.

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Help Request: Videos for Stroke Survivor
From: Donuel
Date: 03 Mar 06 - 08:48 AM

Rats, I just disposed of 500 VHS tapes chronicaling the last 25 years of selective PBS programing and funny shows.