I love using acronyms. I use them all the time in my daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goal planning.

I created the STRETCH acronym for one of many personal therapy strategies that I utilize.

Let me first mention that any therapy or exercise mentioned by me was designed for myself only.

It may or not not be of any value to you .If it or if any variation of these help you fine.

I am not a medical professional, a therapist or even a fitness coach nor do I play one on the internet.

 I mention strategies that  I have applied only to myself.

Before doing any exercise you should always first check with your doctor and/or therapist to see if it is safe for you to attempt.

I need not look any further than myself for an example of what I am about to write.

As the title of this piece indicates, it would be reasonable to assume that I am advocating stretching as a form of therapy.

That would be a correct assumption however as I was recovering from my stroke a little over three years ago, not only couldn't

I move my paralyzed left side but my shoulder on this side became 'sublexed", which means the ball of the shoulder became

 detached from the socket that it was designed to fit into.

Any movement, stretching, pulling or any weight  put on my shoulder would only  cause more harm by pulling the shoulder further

out of it's socket. This obviously had an adverse effect on my recovery as i was not able to do anything but keep my arm immobilized.

That said let me detail the letters and their meaning in the STRETCH therapy.


S: Stretch as much and as often as you can. Whatever you have that is on your non affected side you should stretch on your

weak side, Stretch your arm, hand and fingers. Stretch your legs, feet and toes. To me it just seems like common sense to get

your limbs and digits moving as soon as possible so they do not contract or freeze up. Any delay in movement will make it harder

 to recover down the road. Use it or lose it. After a spell of inactivity it will be difficult and often extremely painful to use your dormant

limbs and digits. For me just holding something like a coffee cup in my left hand brought unbearable pain. That's why people stop

trying. it just hurts so darn bad plus it isn't working anyway. Who wants to have a whole lot of pain? it is often times just easier

to use the other hand. i believe that stretching is the single most important thing that you can do for your recovery.


T: Take Action. Tiny steps or movements. Try something new  or something that you once able able to do. It doesn't matter how small

the accomplishment. Just try it anyway. Like the Nike commercial, Just do it.  I remember a major breakthrough

for myself when first arriving home after being released fro the rehab hospital was being able to grasp a ribbon with my thumb

and my index finger. The key here is to take action. it is your body, be proactive. Don't wait for someone to help you. Take action.

“The most important thing you can do to achieve your goals is to make sure that as soon as you set them, you immediately begin to

create momentum.” —Anthony Robbins


R .Rest and relax. I don't know why you had your stroke but your body needs to recover.

 Do your exercises,work hard but let your body and mind recover

Get plenty of rest and relaxation. Learn strategies like meditation and yoga when you are ready. Slow down and listen to your body.

Learn to relax. Taking deep breaths is helpful to obtain a nice relaxed state.

My stroke was caused by an asrtery rupturing in my brain. I had high blood pressure that I neglected to have treated. Had I listened

to my body and found a peaceful relaxing place within myself, I believe that I could have controlled my blood pressure.

I am not discounting a proper diet here, that should go without saying. We all need how to slow down and relax.


E. Expect great things to happen. Every stroke is unique and we are all affected differently  however, I can truthfully say that in over

 90% of the survivors that  I have spoken with, have recovered far more and faster than their doctors had said were possible.

There is a medical term, Neuroplasticity which is the brains ability to rewire itself after an injury. During my workouts I often

visualize my brain actually repairing itself. I don't know if it works but why not expect the best? Much like the Law of Attraction,

we attract to our life what we are thinking about all the time. Have nothing less than positive expectations.

What you focus on and believe in is true. What you focus on expands.

You may not gain 100% of all of what you had before your injury, however you may end up operating at 115% instead because you

most likely will improve in some other  areas of your life. Perhaps your life will have more meaning. it will if you allow it to happen.


T:Be Thankful. I'm not suggesting that you give thanks for your stroke but there are things that you should be thankful for. What are you

thankful for? Let's start with you being alive. I realize that they may not even seem like a blessing to you right now. Believe me, there

were many times in the first few months after my stroke where I wished that God would take me .I was weak and felt worthless. I recall

having a conversation with my physical therapist while still in rehab about how bad my situation (life) was while attempting to relearn

how to walk.

She said, "It could be worse", at that I responded in all seriousness, "Are you joking, what could possibly be worse than this"?

She then rattled off a litany of disorders most of which were progressive meaning they will only get worse. She said,"You are

continuing to improve". it was like someone threw a bucket of cold water in my face. I felt silly and stupid. it reminded me of the

short parable of the man who said,"I used to cry because I had no shoes until I saw a man without any feet".

It's all perspective. What are you thankful for?


C: Celebrate all successes. Yours as well as those of others. Applaud each and every success much like you would to a toddler

learning how to walk. Your subconscious doesn't know who you are rooting for, it only recognizes that you are celebrating a success.

Keep your mind in the celebration mode. Give your self a reason to celebrate often. Be happy for and celebrate all successes.

Make a game out of your little successes. reward yourself and have fun.


H: Help someone else. How can you do that when you are in a wheelchair , your life is so messed , you're angry, depressed and

bitter? Do you want to improve your life? Then help someone else. You can not help someone without helping yourself.

"He who wishes to secure the good of others, hasalready secured his own". -Confucius

Think about it, there is always someone who could use a smile, a kind word or a pat on the back. You don't have a monopoly on
 
suffering. Was your life problem free before your stroke? Did you have any troubling times before your stroke where a kind word

would have helped? Did you ever need a helping hand when your body was operating at it's peak efficiency?

 How about trying to make someone smile every day?

 One of my daily goals is to make at least three people smile every day. If you are home bound, in a nursing home or confined

to your bed and only see one person each day, help that person by making them smile or saying something to make them feel

better. This act every day will do wonders for your health by taking the focus off of yourself and onto the goodwill of your fellow

man and for the betterment of the universe in general. try it, you'll like it. When  I was still in the hospital even before rehab

my youngest daughter Katey who was 19 at the time created a large poster board sign that she brought to my room that read,

"Who have you helped today?" I wasn't much in the position to help anyone including myself but it did make make me think

and it helped me to take the focus off of myself.

Bob Miller
StrokesSuck