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A word of wisdom!
Keep Practicing Your Writing!by Gopi A. Tejwani, Ph.D.
I suffered from a hemorrhagic stroke, at the age of 62, more than twelve- years back. An AVM in my brain stem ruptured. I was in a coma for two weeks, seven weeks in the hospital, three months in a wheelchair, six months on sick leave, and three years in professional therapy. With the grace of God, family, and friends' support, rehabilitation, and hard work for years, I survived. I am 75 now, still, teach part-time at a major university in Ohio.
While in the rehabilitation hospital, I realized that the stroke has put my body in deep trouble. My all right side of the body, from foot to hand has become very weak. I am right-handed, and all fingers in my right hand are curled up! I could control the thumb in my right hand but none of my other fingers will listen to my command. I could not touch my thumb with any finger. I could not hold a pen in my hand. How can I write? What kind of a teacher I will be who cannot write on a blackboard? These thoughts crossed my mind. I thought my life was over if I cannot write, walk, drive, use a computer or not take care of my daily essential functions. I had so many of these problems, and I will tackle them in other essays. This essay mainly focuses on the writing aspect.
Instead of griping about these problems, I decided to tackle these problems simultaneously. I thought if I cannot write with my right hand, let me practice writing with my left hand. My idea was to write 1,2,3…..,98,99,100 and a,b,c……x,y,z., daily three times on plain paper. I kept writing for over a year with my left hand. I became comfortable writing short sentences with my left hand. I was ecstatic! I could write checks and pay my bills! At the same time, I also started writing with my weak right hand, occasionally. In about two years, my index finger in my right hand started gaining strength. I started practicing writing with my two fingers, my thumb and the index finger, of my right hand. Soon, I noticed that writing with my right hand was neater and more comfortable than my left hand. Nowadays I write with two fingers of my right hand.
Meanwhile, after 7-8 years after my stroke, even the middle finger of my right hand has gained strength to a point that I can control its movement at will. The movement of two little fingers also I can control, but they move always jointly. I cannot control separately the movement of my 4th or 5th, little finger.
Writing with two fingers, thumb, and index finger requires grabbing the pen carefully and writing is not as firm-handed as with three fingers. Now that my middle finger also has gained strength, I am practicing writing with three fingers of my right hand. I aim to be able to write long letters. Practice, Practice, Practice!
I suffered from a hemorrhagic stroke, at the age of 62, more than twelve- years back. An AVM in my brain stem ruptured. I was in a coma for two weeks, seven weeks in the hospital, three months in a wheelchair, six months on sick leave, and three years in professional therapy. With the grace of God, family, and friends' support, rehabilitation, and hard work for years, I survived. I am 75 now, still, teach part-time at a major university in Ohio.
While in the rehabilitation hospital, I realized that the stroke has put my body in deep trouble. My all right side of the body, from foot to hand has become very weak. I am right-handed, and all fingers in my right hand are curled up! I could control the thumb in my right hand but none of my other fingers will listen to my command. I could not touch my thumb with any finger. I could not hold a pen in my hand. How can I write? What kind of a teacher I will be who cannot write on a blackboard? These thoughts crossed my mind. I thought my life was over if I cannot write, walk, drive, use a computer or not take care of my daily essential functions. I had so many of these problems, and I will tackle them in other essays. This essay mainly focuses on the writing aspect.
Instead of griping about these problems, I decided to tackle these problems simultaneously. I thought if I cannot write with my right hand, let me practice writing with my left hand. My idea was to write 1,2,3…..,98,99,100 and a,b,c……x,y,z., daily three times on plain paper. I kept writing for over a year with my left hand. I became comfortable writing short sentences with my left hand. I was ecstatic! I could write checks and pay my bills! At the same time, I also started writing with my weak right hand, occasionally. In about two years, my index finger in my right hand started gaining strength. I started practicing writing with my two fingers, my thumb and the index finger, of my right hand. Soon, I noticed that writing with my right hand was neater and more comfortable than my left hand. Nowadays I write with two fingers of my right hand.
Meanwhile, after 7-8 years after my stroke, even the middle finger of my right hand has gained strength to a point that I can control its movement at will. The movement of two little fingers also I can control, but they move always jointly. I cannot control separately the movement of my 4th or 5th, little finger.
Writing with two fingers, thumb, and index finger requires grabbing the pen carefully and writing is not as firm-handed as with three fingers. Now that my middle finger also has gained strength, I am practicing writing with three fingers of my right hand. I aim to be able to write long letters. Practice, Practice, Practice!
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