This week is a solo episode.

I have a new job! Plus, I just tried Dysport for tone and spasticity for the first time. And...what does stroke prevention have to do with sales? I talk about all of that in this week's episode.

New Drug

I've just had my first round of Dysport to treat tone and spasticity in my arm and hand. I talked about tone in greater detail in one of my early episode. It's gotten better since then but I still have a way to go.

I'd been getting Botox in the past. It takes a couple weeks to have an effect and lasts for about 3 months.

Dysport is another implementation of the botulinum neurotoxin. It lasts for four months and the dosage is lower than it is with Botox. In my experience, it appears to kick in faster as well. I noticed results days later instead of weeks. So far, it seems to be a winner.

New Job

I just started a new full-time job as a contractor with Microsoft News Labs. My role is to help folks in the journalism community use Microsoft products to do their jobs more efficiently so they can focus on the work of journalism.

I'm excited. I was initially concerned that it might tax my energy level too much, but what is actually happening is that I seem to have more energy. I'm not wasting spoons on hustling to find my next paycheck. I think this routine may pay other dividends in my recovery, too.

New Approach

We talk about stroke prevention as an important thing to prevent strokes, but we don't often talk about why you want to prevent a stroke.

In sales, it's more important to focus on the benefits a product gives a particular customer, rather than the features the product has. It has to be all about the customer for a salesperson to be effective.

If we apply that logic to the stroke prevention message then it becomes less about preventing a stroke and more about preserving your ability to walk. Or talk. Or make decisions. Or use two hand to do anything. Or control all your bodily functions.

Ultimately who cares if we have a clot or bleed in our brains? That's not what we care about. What we actually care about is the impact that clot or bleed has on our day-to-day lives.

Hack of the Week

This week's hack comes from Dr. Carol-Anne Nelson at Destination Rehab.

Put your bar of soap on a glove or mitt when you shower. This way, you won't drop it. You may even be able to use your affected arm to bathe, aiding in recovery. And the texture may make scrubbing easier so give it a try.

Links

Dysport website

http://dysport.com

Botox website

https://www.botoxspasticity.com/

Medications to reduce arm spasticity

https://www.webmd.com/stroke/features/after-a-stroke-medications-to-reduce-arm-spasticity#1

Destination Rehab

https://www.destinationrehab.org/

Carol-Anne Nelson on Strokecast

http://Strokecast.com/DestinationRehab

Tone 101 on Strokecast

http://strokecast.com/2018/03/02/episode-003-tone-101/

Snake Oil on Strokecast

http://Strokecast.com/SnakeOil

Microsoft Office 365 for Journalists (My new team)

https://news.microsoft.com/office365forjournalists/

Where do we go from here?

• What are your thoughts on Dysport or going back to work after stroke? Let us know in the Facebook group at http://Strokecast.com/FacebookGroup or in the comments below.
• Follow my story on Instagram @Bills_Strokecast or by going to http://Strokecast.com/Instagram
• Don't get best…get better.

Strokecast is the stroke podcast where a Gen X stroke survivor explores rehab, recovery, the frontiers of neuroscience and one-handed banana peeling by helping stroke survivors, caregivers, medical providers and stroke industry affiliates connect and share their stories.