Stroke: Recovery with Oxygen [Paperback]

Polly Houston (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2005

At age 77, Oregon resident Polly Houston suffered a "mild" stroke. She watched with dismay and alarm as this supposedly minor stroke caused her body to begin to malfunction. Her limbs were not responding to her commands. Her speech became slurred. All the while, Polly experienced what appeared to be indifference from her doctors and hospital staff. She soon learned that physical therapy was the standard treatment, and that most physicians felt not much could be done for the stroke victim other than to manage the damage as best as possible.

But as Ms. Houston eventually learned, not all physicians follow the conventional wisdom that stroke sufferers can only learn to live with their disabilities. Being someone who was not content to accept such a fate, Polly embarked on a mission to learn more about stroke and alternative ways of treating it. In the course of this mission, she discovered hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), the administration of oxygen under pressure. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) forces oxygen past blockages and into oxygen-starved tissues. As Polly discovered for herself, this can make all the difference in the world. She also discovered that recovering from a stroke is possible.

This book is for anyone who, like Polly Houston, is not content to let a stroke destroy their quality of life or that of a loved one. It is a small book but powerfully-packed with an inside personal perspective. Here you will learn that there are alternatives to convention. Join Polly on her journey from despair to hope. Both powerful and inspiring, you will applaud the courage of this writer.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

I was recovering from a "minor" stroke and becoming increasingly frustrated, because, hard as I worked at my therapy, things just weren't "coming back". When I learned that four million people have had a stroke here in the U.S. and are living with some sort of handicap, and that s stroke is happening every 53 seconds -- that's more than one a minute, every 24 hours -- I wanted to know more about this all-too-common medical problem.

What was wrong? Why wasn't I getting better? I've always healed quickly after a sprain, a broken bone or any illness. Why was this "minor" stroke different? What could I have done to avoid it? How do doctors treat stroke patients? Why did they tell me "Stroke is an emergency. You must go immediately to the hospital". This book records the things I've learned about strokes. The first time I read those magic words "hyperbaric oxygen therapy" (HBOT) my life changed.

Product Details

• Paperback: 211 pages
• Publisher: Best Publishing Company (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1930536216
• ISBN-13: 978-1930536210
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,690,122 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anger's Upside, April 24, 2005

By 

Ellen Gardner (Talent, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stroke: Recovery with Oxygen (Paperback)

I find this book both frightening and uplifting. It brings home to us the risk we all face (just by living) of suffering a devastating cerebral accident and uncovers information that can be so very vital in recovery.
Polly was angry, as we should all be, to discover the medical establishment's reluctance to share knowledge that has been documented and used for many years. I find it shocking that the American Heart Association and the Americian Stroke Association have no interest in promoting either the use of HBOT or the development of new clot-busting drugs despite the evidence that others may be more effective and have wider "windows" than tPA.
It seems clear that much has been suppressed by those who will benefit most from the "recommended protocol for stroke victims". Since when do doctors only reveal therapies that "work for everyone"?
Polly was angry but this courageous lady used her anger to dig into the issue giving us a well-researched book that needs to be read and shared by anyone who has had a stroke or is worried about the possibility of having one.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Surviving a Stroke: Options for Treatment, March 30, 2005

By 

H. Jane Teas (Columbia SC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Stroke: Recovery with Oxygen (Paperback)

Stroke by Polly Houston is a superb first person account of the devastation caused by having a stroke. So little is known from the patient's view, but this easily readable book describes how it feels to have a stroke, the unbelief of the seriousness of the initial stroke, and the progressive debilitation as first one and then another bodily function failed. The review of medical options, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, is contrasted with the lack of options offered by the medical care givers, and provides a well-rounded critique of the conflict between well-meaning physicians who make choices for medical therapies that may well not be in accordance with alternative therapy wishes of a patient. The book also raises valid issues of rigidity and therapeutic orthodoxy of clinical medicine that are slow to change, despite new research data. This book will give hope to care givers and victims of stroke.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hope for Recovery, March 16, 2005

By 

Tracy Galentine - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stroke: Recovery with Oxygen (Paperback)

My mother recently had a stroke and we read this book together. It gave us some hope for alternative treatments. We are looking for a hyperbaric chamber in our area to be begin treatment. Reading this book was encouraging helpful to us both.