StrokeSurvivorBlog

A side effect of Steve’s stroke was breathing difficulty. It wasn’t anything that could be treated with a pill. While he was in the nursing home he got instant relief from the labored breathing on two occasions when Krista, a substitute physical therapist, worked on him. She was just filling in and commuted from another city, but she had training in osteo-thoracic therapy.

For the next 9 months we tried fruitlessly to find another therapist like her, but to no avail. We tried a chiropractor for two months, but that’s wasn’t helping very much. Then my daughter suggested we call the nursing home and ask them to help us get in touch with Krista. “You have not because you ask not,” she said. She was right, all I needed to do was call and ask. I left a message on the nursing home voicemail, and a few days later, Krista returned my call. She knew of several therapists with osteo-thoracic (rib cage) training in our area, and told us who to call.

We got a doctor’s order for this type of therapy so Medicare would cover it, and within days we had the first appointment. We met Bob who twisted and stretched Steve’s rib cage in different ways. He broke a sweat in the strenuous 45-minute workout. After the first session Steve finally got some relief, and his breathing was about 50% better. We went twice a week for the last month and the breathing became very much improved. Bob showed me how to do some of the exercises on Steve so I can now help him at home.

Bob said the breathing problem was caused by the lack of use on Steve’s left side, so the rib cage sinks in causing compression against the lungs. With all the twisting and stretching, the rib cage is opened up relieving that pressure.

After all these months, we finally found the right therapist. Persistence was the key. So don’t give up. Keep asking questions. You have not, because you ask not.