My name is Jeff I had a stroke in October 2019 age 68. Always outgoing fighting shooting etc took the legs right out from underneath me and left a raging animal inside wanting to be free. It is extremely frustrating from an outgoing independent person with the ability to go anywhere you want any time any place. To being tied down to a bed. 8 months in hospital let out to semi freedom at home and being incarserated yet again in your own home unable to move around. Relying on physio therapists who greatfully come out to the house to get me to walk. A very slow and demanding job which the animal inside did not recognise always wanting to do everything to quick unable to understand the necessity to recognise little bits grow. Now after the realisation that little things grow to big things I feel alot better but it is still very hard to accept life. All I can say is if it helps any body in the same situation time a small word means everything. Slow and steady wins the race. I relish the though of having some replies. If I can help anybody please let me know. Jeff
Thank you for posting Jeff. I think we can all empathise with you. My big stroke was in 2016 and I had a mild second one this May. Over the last few years, I have learnt to be patient, but also to keep on trying. Improvements happen, but much slower than we all would like. Am still stuck with post stroke fatigue, so I'm off now for my midday nap. Best wishes.
Hi jeff, I had the stroke in 2016 within days of returning from completing the Cleveland Way 110 miles of North Yorkshire moors and Coast. My plan was it was to be the first of many long distance trails. But a week after returning I couldn't walk at all and was laid out for 10 weeks in hospital. 4.5 years on walking is still laboured and very tiring. I grieve greatly for the loss of the independence. There was nothing I loved more than pulling on my boots and heading for the hills. Now to walkveven 100 metres is as much as I can manage.I continue to practise and maintain hope that there are further improvements vto be made. The slowness of any recovery is agonisingly frustrating especially I am sure for people who were previously very active. But cit comes with determination. That is harder to keep up as time goes on but I know from others on the forum who are further in than me that things become possible even years after the event. No denying it it is the most frustrating thing I have ever had to deal with. And it gets me down still. I still have no function in my left hand, but I keep hoping and work with whatever minimal movement I do have. I have no idea what will develop and how much I will have to simply adapt to being disabled. I have done a lot of the latter and now trying to get started again on walking practice. It is hard work.
Keep going and let us know about your progress
Best wishes
TONY
To John,
Thank you for replying to my post sorry it took so long to reply, but i cannot use the computer i have got to rely on my family.
I totally understand you predicament and wish you well in your battle lets hope its not a long war.
Jeff
Hi Tony,
Glad to see your fighting even now its such a long time you are an inspiration.
I had a big knock back this week failed the electric wheelchair test. Couldnt go between the cones because of my vision on the left side, so now i got to work out a way to pass this test. After driving for 30 years i cant drive between some cones. This storke business brings you down to a very low level a long climb up to get back.
So all the best
Jeff
Keep at it. I managed to return to driving but it took a year of lessons with an adapted car to essentially re-learn it. Then I went and screwed it up by having a scrape with a roadside fence oversteering taking a left turn. Made a bad dent that insurance company wouldn't repair. All a bit stressful and even though repairable I had to agree to it being written off. Got paid out ok but now I have no car and confidence took a knock. Similarly over 30 years of driving without incident. Vut in some ways I am happy to be relieved of the responsibility. I wasn't enjoying it much to be honest. I doubt I will be looking for another car anytime soon, but if decided to, I would take another period of retraining before I d be confident enough to go back to it. Vision is ok but fatigue is a a limiting factor. Too risky to drive when fatigued. All in good time. Theres no necessity to drive right now. So might look at the scooter option next year. Necessity drives recoverythey say. If you can get the practice with the cones slalom you will get there in the end. Good luck. Just start again!
Best wishes
TONY