[ThirdAunt]

Hello my name is Scarlett, I have a mild left side hemiplegia, and although I'm lucky to have it mildly and are surrounded by supportive people. I don't know anyone with my condition, I've met people briefly in waiting rooms at Second Skin where I am fitted for arm splints but I don't have any secure contacts. I feel alone, no one gets what I'm going through, not even parents so I joined here to find someone who does know what its like (or remembers what it is like).
Thank you.

[*Georgia*]

Hi Scarlett

I'm Georgia and I also have mild left sided hemi. I am also a kid !! Although I also have a great supportive family , sometimes they just don't understand , because its not them. I would like to say that I also have supportive friends but unfortunately they aren't always , they are not outright mean (most of the time ) but I think because my hemi is fairly mild and I have known them for 14 years they always forget and its only in PE or when I'm having a really bad day that they notice. I've only been a member of hemihelp for about 2 years , although I had always known, my hemi has got a lot worse in the last three/four years and then I started to feel really alone. it can be very frustrating sometimes. i have only looked at the forums , even that has helped. hope this has helped.
Georgia

[ThirdAunt]

Literally, YIPPPEE, thank you so much for replying. How has it gotten worse? I know what you mean with friends, sometimes mine will make the odd joke about how I'm doing something just because they forget, ans you kind of have to give them this awkward half smile.

*Georgia*, on 04 May 2012 - 07:29 PM, said:

Hi Scarlett

I'm Georgia and I also have mild left sided hemi. I am also a kid !! Although I also have a great supportive family , sometimes they just don't understand , because its not them. I would like to say that I also have supportive friends but unfortunately they aren't always , they are not outright mean (most of the time ) but I think because my hemi is fairly mild and I have known them for 14 years they always forget and its only in PE or when I'm having a really bad day that they notice. I've only been a member of hemihelp for about 2 years , although I had always known, my hemi has got a lot worse in the last three/four years and then I started to feel really alone. it can be very frustrating sometimes. i have only looked at the forums , even that has helped. hope this has helped.
Georgia

[*Georgia*]

about two years ago I was sort of discharged by physio ( they said I could arrange an appointment if I wanted to but technically I was discharged ) the combination of no physio and growing made my left leg much tighter . when we eventually managed to get a physio appointment they then tried more exercises casting for a month but it didn't work so they refereed me to a consultant who was great and in Feb 2011 I had an operation to lengthen my left achillies tendon. the op was great as now I dont walk on my toes any more but the change in the way of walking has effects on my knee and hamstring . also since growing my left arm has started to become a problem , I'm not sure if its just that I now notice it or want to use it more but it is very weak and is is hard to straighten. I think that as I have got older other people have noticed more now , but growing definitely had a big effect on my whole left side . did it for you ? I think that now a lot of "pros" expect you to be adult about everything . I agree about the awkard half smile , and sorry for giving you the whole story !

[ThirdAunt]

Don't worry about the whole story, I've never heard anyone's story at all but my own and not knowing anyone else's is difficult to make comparisons with. Cause they say,"this is really good compared to what I've seen on people with your condition," and that doesn't mean anything.
I think that now, it's weird, because it feels like my legs are further away from me so I can't control them as much. Because I'm taller now. That doesn't really make any sense, I know!
10 months ago I started drumming which has really helped, and is surprisingly not as impossible as I thought it would be. Four or so months ago I started Pilates (however you spell it) so that has really helped, once I start getting on top of things, I do progress.
What is that op called, it sounds interesting, if it worked I would like to see what my new consultant thinks of it.
What do you wear in terms of splints and stuff?
Thanks for replying

*Georgia*, on 07 May 2012 - 03:45 PM, said:

about two years ago I was sort of discharged by physio ( they said I could arrange an appointment if I wanted to but technically I was discharged ) the combination of no physio and growing made my left leg much tighter . when we eventually managed to get a physio appointment they then tried more exercises casting for a month but it didn't work so they refereed me to a consultant who was great and in Feb 2011 I had an operation to lengthen my left achillies tendon. the op was great as now I dont walk on my toes any more but the change in the way of walking has effects on my knee and hamstring . also since growing my left arm has started to become a problem , I'm not sure if its just that I now notice it or want to use it more but it is very weak and is is hard to straighten. I think that as I have got older other people have noticed more now , but growing definitely had a big effect on my whole left side . did it for you ? I think that now a lot of "pros" expect you to be adult about everything . I agree about the awkard half smile , and sorry for giving you the whole story !

[*Georgia*]

the op I had was to lengthen my Achilles tendon , it worked in terms of now I can put my left foot flat on the floor ! but now because of my new way of walking my left knee has become effected (it hurts a lot and is very stiff) and also my hamstring has become tight . I have had botox twice on it and that worked but I haver to wait for a while now . I wear a split in the evening for 1 hour that I cant really move in , it stretches my foot into a 90 degree position. ( it has a spring so I strap my foot in and then slowly release it ) Apart from that I dont wear any other splits . I do have about a 2cm raise on my left shoe as it is shorter and I do have a lot of trouble finding shoes that fit me , can be built up , I can walk in and have good ankle support(the op also made my left ankle very weak)
good for you playing the drums, and sorry I took so long replying!

[ThirdAunt]

Don't worry, it is fine.
What is that splint called? It sounds like it would hurt! I wear one that goes under my tights, socks etc... so it is as discreet as possible, because when I was in primary I wore a horrible stiff thing provided by the NHS all day that I basically refused to wear to secondary, then my dad found the discreet one for me and although it sounds cheesy "it was a self esteem boost".
I have not had botox for a while now, not since about year 2, but I'm going to an appointment on Friday and I want to ask them to put me up for it.
What stuff do you do to help your leg? I don't like doing stuff that only people with hemiplegia do, cause no one else is doing it so just feel...different.
Thanks for replying, it is nice to know someone who has something similar to me and to know the other options out there.

*Georgia*, on 14 May 2012 - 05:54 PM, said:

the op I had was to lengthen my Achilles tendon , it worked in terms of now I can put my left foot flat on the floor ! but now because of my new way of walking my left knee has become effected (it hurts a lot and is very stiff) and also my hamstring has become tight . I have had botox twice on it and that worked but I haver to wait for a while now . I wear a split in the evening for 1 hour that I cant really move in , it stretches my foot into a 90 degree position. ( it has a spring so I strap my foot in and then slowly release it ) Apart from that I dont wear any other splits . I do have about a 2cm raise on my left shoe as it is shorter and I do have a lot of trouble finding shoes that fit me , can be built up , I can walk in and have good ankle support(the op also made my left ankle very weak)
good for you playing the drums, and sorry I took so long replying!