I had a stroke this year, I am 26, and as a result now have no real will to live.

[WilliamVon]

It may seem very unusual for someone's family to turn their back on them after having a stroke, but in my case, with the exception of my brother, that is exactly what has happened.  I now, as a result, live in a group home in which I am poorly taken care of with the reminder everyday I get up that everything I once had has now been taken away from me.

This entire year has been HORRIBLE, and just keeps getting worse.  To top things off, the doctor's at the hospital I was treated at after the event were grossly negligent, but I have no way of easily getting justice from them, as medical malpractice law suits are so very complicated and time consuming.  I, mention the part about the doctor's mainly because of the rage I feel towards them and the entire medical community for these doctor's and a few other sets of doctor's afterwards behaving so very poorly.  Ironically, I was finishing medical school when this happened.  I suppose this is a big piece of my problem, as both my parents are physicians as well, and seeing as how I have been treated by physicians this past year and the subsequent loss of faith in medicine in general I feel a huge chunk of myself is now gone.  

Anyway, I really feel like there is no point anymore.  I have lost my intelligence/mental abilities, and now have nothing to define, but bitterness, sadness, and anger.

[armadillogray]

I sympathize with some---my mom lived only four blocks away but had every excuse under the sun why she couldn't do anything for my family yet my in-laws moved from another state to be with me and went way beyond expectations to help me for several months.  I do have a friend that wrote to me regularly while I was in the hospital and rehabilitation that found others that walk faster, talk clearer etc....and that really hurts....but tomorrow was never promised...

When I was in rehab, there was unfortunately an age division.  Those over forty thought PT and other young'uns had absolutely no experience in living and were full of book knowledge but not reality.  Young'uns thought that they were the realists and knew everything....

Sorry, but the books are not correct...it's the attitude of the survivor that is most important.
Just figure what you do have, what you want to achieve, and how to get there.  The decisions you have may not be in any book and may actually teach therapists there are other ways of approaching a problem.

I realized the best place to take a stroke survivor is the beach....the sound and smell are great, a person can feel so much more in the water, and the sand is soft enough that it prevents injury if the survivor wants to try out new things,  The first time I went, I felt like a real person....now, the rehab place takes all stroke recoverers there.  Whenever I want to try something new, I go to the beach and tell whoever is with me not to pick me up unless I ask.  So, if you ever see a blooming idiot running on the beach, it may be me....

I had my CFP license before the event and was told I had to find another career.  There was some worry that I would not be able to work with numbers or concentrate on plans.  I remember the look on their faces when I announced that I wanted to be a brain surgeon instead...

Get the book by Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor.  She was a Harvard-trained neuroanatomist before her stroke at 37.  She lost her speaking ability too.  It took eight years to get it all back with lots of practice and attitude, but she did.  Yes, there are great strides in recovery in the beginning and advances seem to taper off, but I notice little differences constantly and privately welcome such changes.

Remember, don't ever give up!!!

[oc1dean]

I turned my anger into proving that medical staff have no clue on stroke rehabilitation and determining to  know more than they do. That piece was not too hard.
Dean