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Hemorrhagic Stroke Recovery

My 55 yr old mother had a "massive" hemorrhagic stroke Feb. 18/05. The neuro surgeon said it was a large deep bleed in the left side of her brain, apparently she is lucky to have survived it and without surgery. The latest CT scan 3.5 weeks after the stroke the blood has started to re-absorb and swelling is going down. She is currently in a rehab hospital (March 18) with paralysis on the right side (arm and leg) and has aphasyia - she understands us but has a hard time getting her words out (she does put small phases together at times).A speech therapist works with her and she can read, write some (copies words) and has progressed with food (a feeding tube to puree foods to soft - ground foods). The speech therapist has positive prognosis for speech improvements over the next year. I'm wondering how paralysis recovery works? She has physio and Occupational therapy working her muscles but do people with paralysis get some motor function back and if so what type of time frame (3,6,12, months?)Is there any recent research or therapy to aid in the motor recovery process such as magnetic stimulation or emg that we should be considering or inquiring about? Any questions I should be asking the rehab or dr.'s to find out about my mother's prognosis for it....or is it giving her brain time to heal and see if rehab can help?

Thank for your time and any comments/direction are appreciated.

Shrish
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Avatar universal
My mother had a huge headache at 4am on feb 13 2017. My dad immediately called 911. When the paramedics came they knew right away she had had a stroke. They started her on a medication right away before they even left the house which saved her life. She had argeey yo drain the blood in her brain. The first week she said 2 words and slept 24/7. Paralysis on the right side but she can swallow. 3 weeks later she can have conversations with us and remembers pretty much everything. She despises physical therapy. She thinks they are trying to kill her. She's still very tired. Sleeping a lot. Still can not move the right side but she's getting better every day. It's a miracle she survived!
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Avatar universal
Hi,

My brother recently had a stroke and we were told he went through basal ganglia operation of left side, his right side is paralyzed and he was in hospital for more than a month, he is back home but his  second surgery is still pending, his left side work fine but right arm and leg has no or few movement, but recently i saw he is able to move his right leg to some extend but not the arm, he is bed ridden and given best of care, but his speech and my guess memory had been effected, he recognizes people but he doesn't remember many thing, my question is has anyone recovered from such condition and if they did to what level and how much time it takes and what all precaution needs to be taken? he just turned 40.
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What I know from my mom who had a severe hemorrhagic stroke at the age of 86, 5 months ago. She was a vegetable for more than a month, doctors said she wouldn"t live long.
She stayed in hospital for 15 days, let us take her home cause there was nothing they could do for her anymore.
She had a feeding tube and a catheter. She started waking up slowly slowly, speaking some words clearly even whole sentences, she understood everything but could not remember, did not recognise us, her family. She pulled the tube out of her nose all the time with the good hand which was tied to the bar of the bed. One day my father started giving her water with the spoon and she swallowed fine. After some time she ate solid regular food with her own hand. Her right side was paralyzed but 3 m later she could move the right leg just a little bit though. What worries me now is that she has deteriorated after gradually stopping the cortisone during the 2 weeks time. The tests came out fine, we can' figure out why even though we started the cortizone again to stop it more gradually than before.
She is also on antidepressants but not enough time for it to kick in to her system. That can be also the reason she sleeps all the time. All I want to tell you is that is too soon for your mom to wake up but I am sure she will. Do not wait for doctors to tell you what to do. Test things to see for yourself like we did for my mom. We also got rid of the catheter, she is on diapers.
I think the best care for any sick person is at home with some help.  Do not give up on your mom, time is on your side.
Let me know of her progress.
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2 Comments
Thanks this gave me hope for my Husband!
Hi how is you mum doing now ? Can I ask what kind of help you got my dad needs 24 hour care after his stroke and there is only me to look after him through the night . I don't want him in a nursing home .                                            Kind regards.                                               Debbie
Avatar universal
My sister's husband had a hemorrhagic stroke on New Years Eve. day.  He has left side paralyzed and seems out of it, but he is in rehab now and can sing and say about 50 words, he can't walk and is in wheel chair most of the time, he does not seem to watch T.V. or respond to conversations, he says yes and no and exactly when pushed, but he does not seem like himself, what is the best thing I can tell my sister to do, when he comes home in a week, and what kind of exercise will help the most.  Pam ( caring sister)
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Avatar universal
Hi , how is your wife doing now?
My dad is 55. He got similar condition. He has been living with stroke for a year now. Cant talk, cant understang , righy hand and leg cant move .
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1110049 tn?1409402144
mine was four weeks ago. I am fighting back.  Sorry about your mum
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Avatar universal
Hi Keith,

    I know it's been a while since you posted but my mom had a hemorrhagic stroke on May 30th and I have some questions for you.  You said you had vision issues.  What kind of issues and how long did it take for them to go away?  Also, how long before your short term memory loss cleared?  I keep reading these posts looking for how long it took before the blood reabsorbed back into the brain and what if any improvements came along with that but so far no luck!  

                                   Thanks,

                                        Sandy
                                      
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Avatar universal
Shot.. I do not know the answer to that.  My Mom had a massive stroke to her brainstem.  She opened her eyes a few times during the week she was in the ICU, but it didn't appear that she heard me.  I videotaped a conversation I had with her and when I asked her to blink her eyes, it looked like she did, but it could have been coincidental.  She had a blank stare... it was very sad, but we talked to her anyway.  We decided to bring her home on hospice after 5 days in ICU.. she was 80yo... and we did not want to put a feeding tube in her and send her off to a nursing home in the shape she was in.  She would not have wanted that.  It's been a very hard 6mo for my family.

Does your niece follow you with her eyes?  Any recognition to the outside world?
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Avatar universal
I am so very sorry about your brother... so very sorry :(  I lost my Mom in October due to a massive stroke to her brainstem... it is heartbreaking. My prayers go out to you and your family during this time of loss.  We have no answers... I know it's so very sad, I'm sorry.
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Day 11 for my niece she had a blank stare moves her right arm somebody tell me will it ever get better. Can the see anything, are they in pain?
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It's good to read a good report. Thank you Lord
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Same with ny 40 year old niece I am praying for a miracle. I am praying for you as well
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Thank you, my niece who is 40 is in the hospital now I found her Sunday. April 11-2015 on the floor don't know how long she had been there, she has not responded like one of the other people, she moves her tongue, she has Pneumonia from the aspiration. They suggest the nursing home, she is doing nothing, looks well has a feeding tube. I can't give up on a miracle, but afraid of what will be the ultimate outcome, I am up now can't sleep thinking about how I found her on that floor. I am devastated. She suffers from diabetes. And high blood pressure. Please continue to look for hope and her,p from the Lord
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My brother died April 2 nd, I remained positive but he just went downhill, got food on his lungs. We are heartbroken
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My brother died on April 2nd, he just deteriorated before or eyes and got food on his lungs, we are heartbroken
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Hi,

I feel like we are going through similar situations and wanted to share my brother's stroke case. He had a stroke on March 8 and it was unfortunate that he got help on March 9 because no one was there with him. He was unconscious when admitted to a hospital and after a CT scan, we were told he has left basal ganglia hemorrhagic stroke and the bleed was big and was in difficult part of the brain. It was very difficult for us to hear all these bad things at a time. He was then moved to ICU and a Neuropsychiatric doctor was treating him and hoping the bleed will be reabsorbed. After 4 days his consciousness dropped from 9 to 4 on Glasgow Comma scale. They then decided to do a surgery and clean out the blood, but we were told survival is 50/50. After two hours surgery, he was able to survive but still then we were told his recovery is 50/50. His conditions started to get even worse, his BP was high and  fluctuating a lot, infection problems and his consciousness dropped to 3, he was also on a ventilator and you can just imagine how difficult it would be to bear all these for the whole family... But even then I didn't want to give up, me and my sister chose to trust God that things will get better and started to encourage the whole family. After sometime, his conditions started to get better; his BP was okay, and they were able to control the infections. His breathing got better and on April 10, he was breathing by himself (he has a tracheostomy). His consciousness raised to 5 and he was then transferred to a semi-ICU. He hasn't yet opened his eyes and he only moves his right hand in response to pain..Still we are hoping and praying that he will pull through and recover. We chose not give up, even if the doctors are not so positive about his situations.
I think your brother's condition is better than mine, but I do understand how difficult the situation can be. But even then please don't give up, try to stay positive even if situations are not. Please continue to be the strength of your family.

The Hospital food are not so good, and we started to prepare food at home. we also use Ensure nutritional supplement. Does anyone have an experience using Ensure for such patients, please I need your advice. Also if you know any other food types that is good to give him...Thanks!!
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Avatar universal
How is your brother doing? Every stroke is different... and I think there may always be hope, but it's so hard to tell... as the strokes are so different in severity.  

It's April 1st, how is your brother today?
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Avatar universal
Hello

My Brother had a stroke on the 10th March a bleed stroke. I was with him in A & E until 5am in the morning and his right side was weaker but there was power - he also was answering with one word answers. The following day his responses were still appropriate but he was very agitated and his blood pressure was going through the roof so the following day he was put on a ventilator and sedated. A second scan showed the bleed had increased slightly.  It was not a big bleed but in a bad spot. He remained sedated and a third scan showed an improvement but we were told that he was worse off than the night he arrived in hospital. We were told he could die and that his chances were 50/50. Over the last week they have tried to lighten sedation but kept saying it was not working and he got agitated. One of the nights when his sedation was less he woke up and looked at us and and when we were leaving we said goodbye and he lifted his left hand as if to wave.  After that he got stressed and was knocked out again. On Thursday he was moved from ICU to HDU. We had 3 meetings with doctors this week each of them worse than the one before. His sedation stopped fully on Thursday and we were getting responses - we knew he knew we were there and his eyes opening slightly and then more and he was responding to music we were playing but when we mentioned it to the nurses they just smiled and said he was not obeying commands and they work off the Glasgow Coma Scale. The following day his eyes were open even more and following his girlfriend around the room, squeezing her hand and moving his left arm and leg. We were told on Friday to prepare for the worst. That if he got anything like pneumonia or his heart weakened that they would not be tying to save him. We were told he might die again and really they thought he may have had a more serious stroke but was too weak to scan.  We insisted on the responses we were getting and as we walked out of the family room devastated the doctor went to asssess him and we heard her saying Oh God there are some responses. In the last 2 days he has opened his eyes more and more -making more movements and tried to move his mouth (he has a tracheostomy) he has smiled and squeezed our hands. They are now scanning him tomorrow and have also started a few minutes of physiotherapy for his circulation . Do you think we have hope after all this - do these signs sound positive to any of you? On Friday I didnt know what to feel. I have been my parents strength keeping them positive but I felt a bit defeated on Friday and thought do I keep positive or am I in denial? Really loved reading these stores and thank you
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KayKay143... I'm very glad to hear there is positive results with your Dad.  Sending lots of prayers and hugs your way.
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Avatar universal
My father had a hemorrhagic stroke on September 28,2014 and they told us that he was not going to make it. The placed a temporary drain tube into is head, which helped a lot. His BP was up and down as well as his temperature. They say if the bleeding continues they will have to do the SHUNT process which is the permanent tube inside of his head. At this point I was like whatever will keep my father here, I am down for it. So they did the procedure and called all of the family in the room and said that he might not have needed the tube, because is wasn't really working, I was like what?? if he didn't need it why would you do it. Then I had to think to myself and say God has a reason behind all of this and that he will take my family out of this situation. The doctor then came in the room the next day and said that my father would be in vegetative state for the rest of his life, I became devastated and I had to snap back into reality and remember to keep the faith. The nurse came in and said Mike can you squeeze my hand and he did it, and then she said can you wiggle your toes and he did it. My dad is now in neuro-step-down and is responding sometimes he do hallucinate and sometimes he say things that doesn't make since but he still remembers everyone and still has his sense of humor. He is doing great! My dad is my world, And if you pray and pray and pray until God answers your prayers, he knows you are a believer. God bless you all and I believe my father has a testimony to share.
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Avatar universal
On July 13, 2013, I suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. I was 53.  They only gave me a 40% chance of survival. I don't remember the first month of the 54 days that I was in the hospital, but my family tells me that I was on a vent, I was dazed and unresponsive.  I was in ICU for 11days and then I was moved to a step down unit, where I began rehab in my room. I could neither sit up on my own, nor hold my head up.  I couldn't talk, read or write.

In my 10 month recovery, (today marks the date) I have certainly come a long way. I have had a lot of people all over the world praying for me. My sister says I'm a miracle. I've decided to write this to encourage those of you who may have suffered a stroke, or have loved one who has, to NEGU - Never Ever Give Up! I learned this from Jessie Rees during her battle with a inoperable, incurable brain tumor that she was diagnosed with in March of 2011. She lived only 10 months, but she was an example to me and many others by her positive and caring attitude.  

Today I can eat normally, read, write, type (with one hand because my right arm still isn't working YET), talk, & walk with the aid of a hemi-walker. I still have a long way to go, but I am still improving in baby steps every single day. Today my PT had me walk on my on for the first time since the stroke! I can also go from sitting to a standing position without using my hands for support.  
My OT uses e-stim therapy on my arm and leg.
My advice:  If your head starts hurting out of the blue and it's the worst pain you've ever experienced -CALL 911 Immediately. Try to get into rehab as soon as you can and if you're told to do 10 reps of a particular exercise, do a dozen. E-stim does help. Never listen to anything negative and if you get depressed, don't stay there too long. If you have particular ?'s, feel free to respond.
This site has given me hope that there is still more recovery in my future.
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Thank You. We have just experienced this in my family. It has been a very tough thing to go thru.
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Hello,
Recently my Grandmother had a hemorrhage stroke which has devastated me, my family and especially my Granddad.  I am so amazed that her story is so similar to everyone else's here on this page.  She also went into hospital the day before her stroke for a catheter and suffered 2 strokes.  The second one was the hemorrhage which put her into a violent sort of coma where she didn't respond to sound or touch but she was kicking and jerking and fighting to sit up.  The traumatic thing is that even though she was in hospital when it happened nobody discovered her until my Granddad came to collect her and found her all alone.  You can imagine how upsetting it was for him, they have been married for 58 years and they do everything together.
The doctors told us that she would probably die or be like a vegetable for the rest of her life which was the most distressing thing I have ever had to listen to.  And then as if by magic she opened her eyes on the second day.  It is now the eleventh day and she can walk, go to the toilet and feed herself.  
I am worried that she doesn't remember me and that she won't be the same person ever again.  I love her so much and she is so lively and energetic. I don't know if she always understands me when I talk. She can talk back sometimes, but often it is nonsensical.  She can read and sing but she can't find her own words.  Her memory is so bad that she forgets who she just spoke to or what she ate for dinner 2 minutes before.   I am also very upset for my Granddad who is 81 years old and is now living without her.  It makes my heart crumble to see the destruction that the stroke caused.  I know I am very lucky that my Granny has coped so well so far.  I just hope that she will recognize me and carry on loving me.  I am confident that she has some understanding of who I am, and I hope she knows how much I care about her.
These posts have been so useful to me.  Thank you everyone.
from a worried Granddaughter x
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Avatar universal
Thank you. Good luck with your wife. My dad doesn’t even have any insurance though I moved him to the states in 2011 and in order to be qualified ears Medicare he has to live here for 5 years so you can imagine what I am going through emotionally, physically and financially.  He is doing well with walking on quad cane and needs less help to keep his balance ever day.  I am super careful because I know if he suffer a fall it’ll be a major setback.  Was your wife walking at all before the fall? Admire you for standing by her side and keep encouraging her not every man takes “till death do us apart” serious.  She is even younger than my dad so I am sure she will bounce back, nutrition is very important too, increase lean protein, vegetable and whole grains in her diet and I would suggest even supplements.  It has been a week since I brought my dad home and I can see changes, he has more energy and feels better being off the nasty hospital food.  I use low sugar protein shakes and bars in between meals and increased antioxidants such as blueberry in his diet, it helps with the cell recovery.  I hope you are allowing others to reach out and take care of you while you are taking care of her, I am learning to do so myself.   Best of luck and thank you
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