FAQ
This page (Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ) is with me in mind .........no two strokes are the same, so what works for me may not necessarily work for other people with LIS.
Q : Is the condition final?
A : Things happen extremely slowly.......we are talking months or years. Don't expect anything because you might get disappointed.
Q : Are the senses affected by this condition?
A : No, I can see, feel, taste, hear and smell normally........some people have vision problems. LIS also affects sleeping - for the first 2 years I was taking sleeping medication.......now I sleep like a baby. When people first visit they ask if I recognize them and talk waving their hands as if I am deaf!! No need, I see and hear normally.
Q : Do you feel cold or hot?
A : Being immobile I tend to feel cold. This condition affects the body's system to control temperature and when I feel cold I cannot shiver. The body also constricts the blood vessels in the extremities (arms & legs) to send more blood in the vital organs in the torso.
Q : Can you eat?
A : Depends what you mean by eating...... I cannot have food that requires chewing. It must be liquidized (pureed) or it must be very soft. There are some foods that cannot be pureed (eg a hamburger) but with a little thought there are lots of things I can have. Remember time factor - I began eating after two years.
Q : Can people with LIS go home?
A : Yes, but the patient requires constant care and must be bathed, cleaned, fed, etc....and can never be left alone - it is a full-time job that requires total attention towards the patient. Then there is the issue that the house has to be totally accessible by a wheelchair.
Q : While eating, do you feel hot or cold food?
A : As I explained before, my senses are unharmed and the feeling in my mouth is all there - having said that, I tend to prefer avoiding very hot food as it seems to bother me more. What's worse, liquidized or pureed food seems to retain heat a lot, and when some is put in my mouth and is too hot for me......I cannot spit it out!!