You might have heard about our Hope After Stroke campaign. It’s all about finding that first glimmer of hope that inspires you to kick-start rebuilding your life after stroke. Rob and Syreeta shared their story with us:
While on holiday in Sydney, Rob had a stroke that resulted in full right-side paralysis and communication difficulties. Syreeta said: “The way I describe it is that every slate has been wiped clean. But I see glimmers of hope in the little things. Rob couldn’t speak, so I thought perhaps he could draw. I tried to draw a dodgy bike. But Rob, being an avid cyclist, drew a beautiful bike in the right proportions. Drawing was how we communicated for a year and a half.”
We’d like to know about your first moment of hope after stroke. It might have been a phone call with a loved one, or making your first cup of tea. What was the spark that inspired you to rebuild your life?
You can watch a video about Rob and Syreeta on the Stroke Association’s website here: https://www.stroke.org.uk/rebuilding-lives/rob-and-syreetas-glimmer-hope
My spark came while out walking with my husband.. I was only in hospital for three days, no physical looking disablement apart from a weak left arm and shoulder, but the mental fatigue is still here. My stroke was at the end of June this year, I'm 60, I still haven't gone back to work as I still have terrible fatigue, and brain muddlement, that is holding to much information is a no go at the moment. We live near the sea so have lots of lovely walks, on the cliffs or down by the sea.My husband and I would find these benches to sit on, and I noticed for the first time, how peaceful everything was, how much brighter the colours were, and the sounds of the sea and birds. This was my spark moment, I feel now as if I appreciate everything so much more and seeing things with new eyes.
So if you feel down, what ever the weather, just look around you and you will see new things, hear new sounds, and smell the air around you.
Difficult time. I have had no physio since early March and it does not seem to be changing and it's November now 2020. I find the guides usefull but I'm worried because I seem to make such slow progress. My stroke was in October of last year 2019 and I worried I have missed so much and my progress has stopped, does anyone else feel like this and how can I get beyond this in pass.
Hi Mal. Physio is becoming less and less available on the NHS. A lot depends on where you live. I had no physio either in hospital or out of hospital for almost a year. I had to fight all the way to get that by pestering my GP till he was sick of hearing from me. Then I got 3 sessions with a neurophysio who discharged me after that. Eventually, I took the matter into my own hands and paid private. I first went with Nuffield which was useless - loads of talking and no hands on treatment. I was then recommended another who worked wonders on me and has done ever since. I am 3 yrs post stroke but recently had another TIA 3 weeks ago. I am unable to drive for another 2 weeks but then I will be going back to my physio for a quick check up and put back on the right track again before the gym re-starts after lockdown. I'm not sure where you live but I pay £33 for half an hour's treatment. It is all hands on - no timewasting with talking. I am lucky to be in the hospital fund so I get half of my costs back so, for me, it is worth every penny. Most physios are still working through lockdown as they are now classed as an essential service. Hope that helps.
We were given some bee equipment a few months after my strokes in early 2019. At the time I couldn't read, my brain hurt, I was exhausted and I couldn't see anything to be very positive about.
However hubby encouraged me to start taking notes from our bee inspections (reading back now they don't make a lot of sense!!) but it did help with ordering my brain into repetetive actions. I was pleased to be doing something new and environmentally useful. Just watching them (for hours) has been very calming (sometimes alarming) and I tell them all my propblems! I don't have to be an expert - because even professionals don't know everything as the bees don't read the books!
They have given us endless enjoyment and kept us busy - especially during Covid restrictions this year -as well as honey! They have been a life saver. I now have a family of bees to care for - all 80,000 of them!!
Thanks for taking the time to reply. I'm kind of glad in some ways that I'm not the only one. I'm going to try and go private as it seems likely I will be waiting a long time for things to return to normal. I sorry you had anther TIA and your receiver is speedy so you can drive and get back to the treatment. I live on Anglesey and things are not brilliant most of the time,so I will try to go private maybe they can help coz I feel lost at the moment. Thanks so much!
Being able to do the things I did pre stroke. I was very sporty before - I used to kickbox for 18 years and a year and a half after the stroke I can now balance and lift my legs to do a push kick.
I have private physio because I wanted to get back to sports and wasn’t willing to wait around for the NHS to get back to me. I was already doing physio 4 times a week back home in Tanzania since my stroke in September 2020, and I continued albeit once a week when I came to Edinburgh in April 2021.
I box at the end of every session, I go the gym once a week, I do gentle bodyweight exercises at home and yoga once a week for relaxation. Being active was the only thing that kept me sane pre stroke and it not something I was willing to give up just because I had a brain injury.
I honestly believe that it is possible to re-train your brain to do the things you did pre stroke. I can see the results myself in my recovery journey, and that is the spark that inspires me not to give up.
