Great book about the symptoms, effects and treatments of strokes.
Highs, Lows and Plateaus is an important book about the symptoms, effects and treatments of strokes. I read this book because my mother-in-law had a stroke 20 years ago and I was curious if treatment options had changed. The answer, as described in this book, is that there are many more options now than back then, which is great news even for those that had their strokes years ago.
The book uses layman’s terms or provides clear definitions of any medical terms making it an excellent reference for caregivers trying to decode physician’s jargon. It provides excellent examples from real people’s stories to clarify concepts. It even has illustrations when appropriate. It includes a comprehensive list of websites for additional information and suggests simple exercises to improve function.
While this book is targeted to stroke survivors and their caregivers, I felt the chapter on the symptoms of stroke and the importance of seeking treatment quickly was the most valuable part of this book so I’ll briefly restate them here. If you feel two or more of the symptoms, you should call 911. The symptoms are: severe headache, decreased or blurred vision, dizziness or loss of balance that is not accompanied by a change in head position, speech difficulties, loss or strange feelings in one side of the body, and weakness in one side of the body. The book explains these symptoms in much more detail.
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway but that has not impacted my review.