This is about my stroke and how it effected my life. I had a major stroke 3 1/2 years ago I was paralyzed on my left side. This is how I see a stroke today. your life as you know it now dies and you are reborn into a new life.
I will explain what I mean, you are now a new born or physically disabled. As a baby you have to learn how to coordinate your movements, which you only have one side that works. While you are retraining your disabled side you need the help of a caregiver (which will play a big part in your new life) this is a hard job as they have to move you and take care 0f you like a new born baby. You than are trained to use your arm and leg again, and possibly you will be taught how to speak again. You will start to train and you will have to learn to eat again.
The hospital will get you started on your new road to life,it will be a hard road and you will have to work very hard to recover. Your care giver will be working with the hospital and the therapist to work out a plan to get you back. I was in the V.A. hospital (thank God) they decided to work me 8 hours a day 6 days a week. Which brought back 80% of my movement. When I left the V.A. I could walk and use my arm. I thought I was great and I had licked it. Ha Ha
After being home a few days I decided to cut the lawn I made one 30ft cut and was done, I could not do any more. I was really down by that and saw an article by The American Stroke association about doing a marathon They were looking for people to either walk or run so I called and got involved with them and my wife (caregiver) said that she wanted to also hoping to pay back for all the wonderful people who helped me.
I started training with just short walks increasing them up to 6 miles a day. I was walking slow as we were going to increase the speed as we went along. Doing the Disney Marathon you had to walk a 16 minuet mile. So we decided to do a 5k walk and I was going to walk it at a 16 minuet mile. The day came and we started the race i did most of the race at the proper time but the last 1/2 mile I could not make and i walked slow and finished. I knew than that there was no way I would be ready. My wife continued to train and I was giving support to the group. She finished the marathon, she was 66 at the time and it was her first marathon. I feel that I will try it again.
The V. A. had set up a retraining program for me. I was a Carpenter be-for so I thought that I would make a good home inspector. I was retrained for that when I was out of school I had to go into business for my self. It was going good and I went in for a check up and the doctor asked in I had ever had a E.K.G. I said no and he had one done it showed that I had a silent heart attack. He than said I could no longer work at what I was doing. Here I am at 66 years old with out being able to do what I wanted or knew how. I am on blood thinners and if I fall or get cut I could be in serious trouble.
I decide I would try to pay forward my thanks to all. I have Joined The National Stroke Association which deals in recovery methods and helping stroke survivors, I give them my input which helps them with new survivors. I also have a therapy dog which we take to hospitals, nursing homes, disable children homes, child care centers, And bring her to many other events. I was also driving seniors to there doctors and appointments. I do not feel that I would have done all these things if I did not have a stroke I would have been just another senior citizen.
To finish this story I am also a member of a stroke grope that meets once a month and goes to lunch once a month it is great support. One other thing that I am doing I have been going to Bethesda MD. the National Institute Of Health. I an volunteering in trials to see what they cand do for stroke victims and to help in their recovery. Do not ever say your life can not change and you can create a entirely new life.
SIGNS OF A STROKE
1 Sudden numbness or weakness in arm or leg especially one side only.
2 Sudden confusion or trouble speaking
3 Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
4 Sudden trouble walking, dizziness,loss of balance or coordination
5 Sudden sever headache with no known cause
Any ONE of the above signs means you need to get to a hospital soon you ony have a three hour window to get the necessary drugs.
I have one last thing anyone can have a stroke, from the womb till?
Not to scare mother's to be but 1 in 4000 new births had a stroke. I also have met 3 children under the age of 1 who had a stroke. I have met all ages who had strokes. I will talk with any one or groups about strokes. I hope to write more stories about my personal experience.