Gail Green works her trunk muscles as she tries to push the blinking red button with her hands. The Dyna-Vision is used to build better reaction time and muscle control.

Gail Green has worked in the history department at the University of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC) for the past eight years. She works hard for 30 professors, 5 graduate teaching assistants and two work-study students. Gail takes care of payroll, orders all office supplies and helps with department special events.

For years, Gail has battled multiple auto-immune diseases, including systemic lupus, Raynaud's Phenomenon and Sjorgen's Syndrome. (Raynaud's—loss of circulation to the hands and feet; Sjorgen's—affects moisture producing glands causing dry mouth and eyes.) But Gail does not have high blood pressure or high cholesterol. She thought that the last thing she would ever have to worry about was a stroke.

On December 18, 2005, Gail had a stroke that paralyzed the right side of her body. She spent three weeks in the hospital. It is hard to gage just how much a person contributes until they are gone for a few weeks. While in the hospital, the professors called with numerous pleas for help; one professor asked her everyday how to send faxes.

"The professors really helped me out in the hospital though. They would bring me lunch or send me money because they know how much I hate hospital food. They called everyday and it meant a lot to know that I had friends who cared about me, friends that need me," said Gail. She was admitted to the Rehabilitation Institute for therapy in January.

Gail uses a restraint mitt to help regain use of her right hand. The restraint mitt forces Gail to use her affected hand.

"Coming here kind of felt like coming home. My oldest son had cerebral palsy and was a quadriplegic. We brought him here for a thumb splint and a seating clinic. I see a lot of kids that remind me of him," said Gail.

"When Gail first came to the Institute, she had very limited movement in her right arm and right leg. She was using a wheelchair fulltime and could barely propel herself with her left arm. She had very little endurance and needed to take naps between therapy sessions," said Lynn Heley-Ford, occupational therapist.

Lynn Heley-Ford, occupational therapist, works on Gail's hand, eye and feet coordination using a Work Simulator.

For three months, Gail has been working towards regaining the life she had before the stroke. It wasn't until after returning to work part-time, that Gail began to notice how much harder she had to work to be able to do the things that used to seem so easy.

"I have to type left-handed now. Anything that I used to be able to write by hand, has to be typed. I've had to learn to use a left-handed mouse. It's taken a lot of adapting," said Gail.

It is always the little things that we take for granted. Gail was afraid that she would never be able to crochet again. Soon after coming to the Institute, recreational therapist Bria Heymach encouraged Gail to bring her supplies to therapy and teach others to crochet. It was in trying to teach others that Gail discovered that she could crochet using long needles. That day, she was so happy, she almost cried.

Gail uses a typing practice program to improve her left-handed typing skills.

"Lynn came up with solutions for me. A paper cutter instead of scissors, an automatic stapler, a left-handed mouse. It's been great working with everyone here. I haven't had very many down days because everyone here always cheers me up. As bad as having the stroke was, I was excited to know that I was coming here." said Gail.

Gail has been steadily improving over the last three months. She is now walking with a cane and has started constraint therapy to help her regain the use of her affected hand. Gail has also been using our Work Simulator to improve the reaction time of her hands, eyes and feet. Throughout everything, Gail remains hopeful.

"I'm working on walking and using my right hand; it doesn't work yet, but it will," said Gail.