Eve was in her 80s when she had a severe left hemisphere stroke that left her paralyzed on the right side and struggling with expressive aphasia. Despite intense attempts to speak she could make only sounds, not words. She cried a lot and her daughter brought her for FNS treatment in 1995 hoping that something might help because all rehabilitation had been completed.

The decision to move to a warmer climate had been made so that Eve’s care would be easier and she could enjoy being outdoors. Because of the impending move we did not have many treatments. A positive change that occurred was that she had fewer crying episodes and even was smiling instead. She became more alert. I was surprised 10 years later to get a call from Eve’s daughter who had a question unrelated to Eve. When I commented that I was sorry that I hadn’t been able to help Eve, her daughter said that she had been helped a great deal by FNS. Aside from continuing to have a happier mood, she had regained considerable movement of her right arm and this made dressing and transferring from the wheelchair much easier. I was pleased to hear that these seemingly small changes had made Eve’s, and her daughter’s, lives easier.

There is no one kind of stroke or combination of deficits following stroke. Many people with stroke who have had FNS treatment have made gains in some symptoms areas that make their lives easier.

BWB © 2010