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1

Hello everyone,
Came across this impressive My Stroke Guide and thought why not!
I have had a stroke at 60. It happened 4 months ago.
Put the frighteners up my family but I being the positive type, with sense of humor, enjoyed the hospital stay with great staff, although sleeping was difficult.
I can’t remember much early on which is probably a good thing.
It took me 9 days to get out. Good support continued after.

So what is affected.
My right side. Although I can mostly use it, sensation is the real problem. I can lose a clog on my foot in the garden and not notice it has gone for a bit!

My eye sight is a bit strange. If I look at something at reading distance for too long centre vision goes distorted, mid range and long range is then affected too.

Bit deaf in my right ear.

I go blank with words. Funny enough ‘stroke’ is one of them and I have to think of a cat!!

I forget things. Left the gas on a few times amongst other things!!

I get tired. Nodding off on the sofa is a past time.

Work. The company gave me 4 months full pay. They would entertain phasing back in of course. I feel though that after working there forever it is time for a change especialy as the job is stressful anyway.

I think things could have been a lot worse, and things have improved. I keep a diary to remind me how things were. Spelling was terrible!

I can move around, communicate and still have my sense of humor.
Don’t get me wrong though, I have had low moments and have wondered what the heck is happening.

I have never had so many letters come through the door with NHS on them. Appointments of course!
I am told stroke wise that it is early days.

Well, thanks for reading and I hope you all get by.

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Good job. You got off lightly, if I may say so. It’ll make a comeback. At 58, I had a stroke and it took me 6 months before I felt anything on my affected side. Tell me; what can you feel? Have you tried stimulating touch? Sandpaper, a comb, a feather, walnuts, coconut shell, spiky ball, etc

Good luck, Roland

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Welcome to our ranks @Poncho . You’ll find a knowledgeable bunch willing to share their experience. And yes everything you relate is pretty vanilla by the standards of many who are on here . While no one has identical impacts in total all of us share something with what you have related

You might like Welcome - what we wish we'd heard at the start as a generic grounder that will cover many of the topics that are likely to be relevant .
If you’re at the 4-month mark that is often the start of when some new symptoms may emerge

Great that you’re getting support, have had good support and have, it appears got off lightly

Ciao
Simon

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Hi Roland
Thanks for the response and your comments.
Yes trying the spikey ball, scouring sponge, feather, Lego!! With some success.
What can I feel? Often that side feels like it is cold and wet.
Cheers

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Hello Simon,
I now have an image of a bunch of people all having vanilla ice cream! Got a flake?
I shall take a look at the generic grounder thanks.
New symptoms!! Hmmm interesting. Mind you my eyes started about 2 months in.
Support I was getting but now on my own unless I need help. Not complaining.
Thanks

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The generic grounder is good.
I was told the golden time for things to improve fast track is 3 months, maybe 4 at a push. After that things slow up although do not stop.
Certainly told to repeat exercises regulary otherwise things slip back.

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I look at stroke recovery like a job. It’s boring and relentless but you just keep on going. BTW I disagree that you have ‘got off lightly’ no one who has gone through what we have, gets off lightly. Good luck to you.

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@Poncho hi & welcome to the club none of us really wanted to join.

The effects of everyone’s strokes are different but I agree with @clibbers1 that no one gets off lightly. It sounds like you are doing ok but have some things still to resolve. It is early dsys gor you yet & recovery can take many months,/ years but is all about determination & lots of repetition.

I had altered sensation on my left side & did all the things that @pando suggested. I spent hours touching different things to get the sensation back & it did come back. Not sure how long it took but possibly 3 or 4 months…mine was quite a mild altered sensation though.

Nodding on the sofa is a common pastime in the early days. I still do it but not as often as I did.

Returning to work is harder than you may think and when the time is right for you a phased return would probably help loads.

Wishing you all the best.

Ann

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Hi @Poncho just wanted to welcome you to the forum :smile: I don’t have anything more to add that hasn’t already been said. Just rest when you need it and pace yourself as this is a marathon not a sprint. Brain’s are very stubborn and don’t like to be pushed, they get their own back on you the next day flooring you with fatigue :roll_eyes: So you have to find a pace that your brain is happy with, so just give it what it wants :sweat_smile:
Look forward to see you around the forum :smile:

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Hi @Poncho

I’d be prepared to argue that the facts might be strictly true but the impression normally given is actually off track

See NeuroPlasticity as the ENEMY!

Ciao
Simon

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Hello Simon,
I will have to fire even more brain cells on this again!
Just accidently deleted the message!!!

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Hello and welcome, Poncho. Sorry to hear you’ve had a stroke although it’s great to hear you’re doing much better.

On the sensation front, it’s worth persisting with the ‘sensory re-education’, ie what you’re doing with the spikey ball etc. After my stroke, my left arm/ hand was totally numb and the hospital OT’s got me started on the sensory stuff the same day I was admitted. A lot of sensation had already returned by the time I was discharged from rehab 7 weeks or so later, although I was still unable to discern what I was holding in my hand with my eyes closed - in fact, everything felt exactly the same, whether it was a cotton wool ball or a metal spoon! So I was thrilled a couple of months later when I asked hubby to fill a bag with bits and pieces from around the house and I was able to accurately say what each item was by touch alone. The most amazing thing for me was that I was able to feel the pulse in my right wrist with the tips of the fingers on my stroke hand (don’t ask why​:woman_shrugging:t2::see_no_evil:).

So keep going with it. No-one can promise it’ll solve the problems but getting back even some sensation is better than having none. And at best, you’ll get loads back.

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Hello clibbers1
Thank you for your message.
Boring and relentless? Yes can be but has a goal of course and I do try and find other things to use. Dragging my feet around different carpets at the moment!

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Hi Ann
Good and encouraging to hear you did get your sensation back. Thank you
Must be getting near time for another nod!

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Hi EmeraldEyes,
Thank you for your welcome.
Yes I know what you mean about the fatigue and pacing yourself.
What I have found is to try and keep my sleep pattern otherwise nights are all over the place.

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Thank you for your post regarding sensation.
I have no recollection of being started on sensory stuff at the hospital.
I do remember dropping the cutlery or a pen during my stay!
When I got home I was given a box of all sorts of things (standard issue) to practise with including clothes line pegs and putty. It all did help. Hanging washing is now the envy of the neighbours.
Joking aside though it actually did help with hand/eye cordination and strength.
Good for you Trace57

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Hi Poncho
You mention cold and wet. Have you got any other odd sensations such as tingling ? Electrical nerve type pain ?
Cheers
Nigel

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Hello Nigel,
Electrical nerve type pain? No I would say.
Tingling? Yes I would say, mixed in with the cold and wet. Can be quite intense to touch.
I find it difficult to describe such things though.
Cheers

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Hi Simon,
Thanks for the link NeuroPlasticity as the Enemy!
Yes I think I get the gist.
Feels like the system recognises this potential, perhaps has begun to, which explains why I was given exercises to do AND given a box of bits with which to complete tasks as well as cognitive exercises.

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Could I ask Poncho, where in the brain your stroke was ?
Our brains seem to be a series of compartments and depending on which bit is damaged, dictates the outcome for us.