Treatment Centre
Neurological Teaching CentreW M Johnson (Stroke)
Nearly two years ago I had a number of small strokes, and the brain scan that the consultant neurologist Dr Kellett arranged showed brain damage in the area which controls walking. He termed the resultant condition gait apraxia. The only treatment he could prescribe was Sinemet to help with a resulting Parkinsonism. He also suggested that local physiotherapy would be helpful. Unfortunately there was a long waiting list for treatment and subsequently Dr Kellet recommended we approached M.N.C. where I was assigned to Karen Saunders BSc(Hons) MCSP, the specialist neurophysiotherapist.
Fortunately my cognitive powers appear to be unaffected, but I find it deeply frustrating to have to concentrate my thinking on the act of walking which previously one takes for granted. Karen took a detailed history and filmed my movement efforts in great detail. She then addressed my specific problems. Notably for me they were help with balance and getting my brain to be aware of my, help with manoeuvrability in confined spaces -especially indoors- and coping with 'freezing' during walking and especially when attempting to start walking.
Karen has displayed patience with my sometime impatience and helped my wife Sheila to understand how best to help and encourage me. "Impatience" in this context means my difficulty in recognising that walking may be an end in itself and that it is counter-productive to think during a walk of what I am walking to do. I still have to frequently remind myself of this.
Initially I was looking to be 'cured' and felt discouraged when I fell short of that, but what is very important is that I can now recognise what I have been enabled to do with Karen's guidance, and to make the very best of life rather than dwell on what I have difficulties with.
W M Johnson
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