Pretty ridiculous, but today I am a year "stroke free". Or a year post stroke. Depends on your attitude I guess?
But the last two weeks I realise every dead leg or stiff joint and I've panicked. NOT AGAIN. I get them daily, so why now?
Doubt it will ever go away, but it's nice to have made my first milestone.
If anyone needs encouragement instead of this stress, post stroke, I had no arm or leg function right side. After 2 months, I no longer had to chase peas round a plate, I could hold, but not control, a knife, Enough to stop them rolling off my plate. After 3 months. I could eat my dinner unaided, but my wife had to cut it up.
Now, I can benchpress and deadlift more than before. Yes, gym helps. But I had to slow down, I was pretty much killing myself trying to be what I was.
Enjoy where you are at, know it will improve over time, don't over do it (you will have been told this by the "experts", but you also need to hear it from the "VICTIMS".
On the down side, can't do anything overhead, deltoids are shagged. Foot declared profoundly weak.
Know what? We are the experts! It's our bodies. I plan to make a full recovery.
I may have to revise my plan.
But not for a good few years!
Watch this space - race you to a good result!!!!!
PS. From chasing peas, to eating unaided, to lifting weights.... good results are a matter of time.
Well done! I was just the same as you in the first 3 months.. couldn't walk, feed or wash myself and had to do what I always play pop with my husband for and that's eat with a fork because I couldn't hold the knife in the left hand. Now, can eat alright, can use a knife and fork, walk without a bad limp and I'm too back lifting weights at long last. I've started right back at the beginning with the weights and on a programme at the gym to build things up gradually. I ache like billyhoo but I'm back to where I wanted to be - took me 2 years though. But as the slogan on the gym wall says "It doesn't matter how slow you go as long as you don't stop!"
p.s. I still can't cut toast into two without it flying off the plate though
Good attitude. You will indeed make your recovery.
I am coming up for four years. The second year will usually allow you good recovery. But I have had good recovery for all four years. Slow, but its definitely recovery. Need to keep muscles all ticking over otherwise they might cease up.
I had a really good day esterday, doing a lot of stuff for the first time.
And I am decorating a room (my study) which I could easily have assumed impossible. By tomorrow night it will be complete.
I do find getting good night time sleep is essential.
Hey mate : bless ya...we got same positive, resilient, attitude ... onwards upwards also...I too aiming for remarkable recovery - I almost there after 8 years of relentless effort...I leave you in my slipstream brave warriors lol...
Looks like we're going the same route - I resigned myself now to looking at a good 2 years for good progress, not yet where I want to be, but i see it is possible. Hopefully.
I'm convinced the attitude helps. Physio and Doctor all laughed at the attitude first off. and yes I was being unreasonable in my aspirations, but if I'd aimed low I feel I would have achieved low.
I didn't hit my target (yet) but certainly can't complain at progress.
Room completed and all the junk put back. I am surprised that I could do this. Just took it bit by bit and with no pressure I seemed OK doing quite a bit each day.
I worked very very hard on my sleep. Got up and watched TV. Forced myself to adhere to a specific bed time. Tried varying evening drinks etc. Slept with a light on. Some prefer to read. Some use yoga or relaxation methods. Whe I was going through a spell of pain that would actually keep me awake (My pain is in the legs so noticeable when lieing down) then I would take a pain killer and that seemed to get me to sleep. And I also tried three and even four pillows. Anything and everything I could think of.
I think a strong point is that I simply tried everything that might suit me and didnt worry about it. My attitude is that I can sleep during the day if needs be. I do wake up most nights, needing the bathroom, but thats OK as I go straight back to sleep.
I have also used a tinnitus relaxer which helped me. That was to get me to sleep and not keep me asleep. However, If I was unable to get back to sleep then the relaxer would work.
I found it quite hard to fathom how much sleep I need. As it happens the answer is 7.5hours, and ythis will vary a lot. I also wanted to work out the best time to go to bed. As it happens this is 11.15.
I am convinced that all my efforts to get recovery will only work if I get adequate sleep.
Yeh! ...it the shitfyt of your life::for ya life...the main battle is between the ears ...and dealing with the 'ball - achingly ' slow recovery. ..still, my mantra is ...nothing to broken - too find a way back...
..so mate; thanks for your post ...we both winners playing kick-arse with our pussy strokes...just keep on keeping on ... we can beat...to the Victor ;the spoils, as someone once said...
Top man...You are inspirational...I to been laughed at re my unrealistic goals for recovery, and although I not indulge myself here,with a catalogue of post- stroke achievements many can't believe I have come so far in the close too 9 years I been fighting to put myself back together...your right with your 'aim low - achieve low' comment...as relentless as chronic stroke is ; from the get-go; my mindset has always been to nibble constantly and consistently away at the extreme edges of what's possible...it works, as many of the brave survivors on here highlight in their moving and knowledgeable posts...I learned more about the condition by reading this forum then from any neurologists or other 'experts'...you gotta live it to understand it...our best friends are independent spirit and self- reliant attitude...to us victors; the spoils...I hope...he he...
Yes indeed. Monday nights sleep will impact on Tuesday Wednesday and maybe Thursday.
I think the difficult bit is to find out how much sleep you need.
Beware that we dont all work to a 24 hours clock. Our bodies dont behave to that and for me this was nothing to do with strokes. I have always been a 25 hour day person.
So few people, SS and others, bother to consider how much sleep they need. I guess its a case of sleep and see what happens. But when most of us need to leave the house at a given time, like most of the full time workers, it is important to getr enough sleep.
