Rehabilitation Time After a Stroke

My dad had a stroke about 3 weeks ago and it was a massive stroke, The doctors said that it's a good chance he wouldn't talk or walk again. He had his stroke on the left side of his brain caused by blockage. He is now in rehab and the Nurses say he is doing pretty good, but everytime a doctor comes in it dampens my family hope. They say he might get worse or they seem to think he should be doing better than what he is by now. But today he kind of mumbled to the thearpist when they ask who my brother was and he said "my boy." Now this seems like progress to me but the doctors always seem to think otherwise. He knows everything that's going on he even laughs when someone says something funny.
  I am in the military so I can't be home all the time but I pray he gets well.
  If anyone has any suggestions or any advice please help. And if anyone would call me that would be beneficial also my name is Ternandez 205 305 6477. You guys pray for me.

[PamRam228]

Ternandez it took all I had not to pick up the phone and call you.  My husband had a stroke caused by a bleed on July 12.  Basically, to make a long story short, he has improved drastically after the doctors told me they didn't know whether he'd make it or not.  Actually, what the doctors should be telling you is that he may or may not improve because they really don't know.  They don't even know the extent to how much your dad can improve..no one knows...it's all up the the brain to decide that.  You said the docs said he may not talk again?  Last I heard the words "my boy" is in the spoken English vocabulary!  Right?  So, right there should tell yo the docs don't really know.  Your dad can heal for months or even years after the stroke.  DO NOT...I repeat...DO NOT let the docs get you down.  It may seem bleak and hopeless at first but once your dad starts healing things will look brighter.  My husband couldn't move his left side at first and he had swallowing problems...all that improved and the only thing he really has a problem with now is double vision which prism glasses help with that.   He's very mobile and I can even go back to my full time job because no one has to be home with him every minute of the day.  Keep the faith, keep praying and never give up hope...little improvements from your dad is a reason to celebrate.  Please let us know how he's doing.  I'd really like to follow your dads progress.  God bless.

[Lynie]

My mother had a stroke May ’05 and is paralyzed on her right side, she has made some good progress but still have a ways to go.  In the beginning her face was slightly contorted (it isn’t now); she had difficultly swallowing, forming words and talking.  Now she can feed herself, periodically help with dressing/undressing, lying down/ getting out of bed and when she take her time talking you can understand her.

Depression plays a large part in dealing with a stroke victim but try not to feed it, this is something the doctor and physical therapist told my sister (whom our mother live with and she also work) which I think is something easier said that done.  I talk to my sister and mother every weekend (if not more) and go home when I can.  I try my hardest to not show how much the situation affects me but it really does.
  
Others who have had a stroke are better off than my mother and some are not, who’s to say how long your dads’ rehabilitation will take.  Whenever you do see your dad, try to keep his spirits up, as well as yours.

God bless.
  

[Liltazz]

Most doctors in general have an attitude based on recent lawsuits and legal complications.  Lawsuits have arisen when doctors have given hope and then the patient has not recovered or improved as they had expected.  Because of this they now seem more "trained" to not offer any hope, afterall there has probably never been a lawsuit filed against a doctor because a patient's condition greatly improved or because they fully recovered.

My dad's initial doctor stated that "Your dad is 80 years old and so you just need to accept the fact that it is his time to ___!  I could not believe that a doctor could be so cruel and heartless.  

To make it even worse, when I spoke to another doctor and nurses who worked with him, they were fully aware of his attitude.  A doctor who worked on his team said that she knew of other family members that had told her similiar stories and that even though she didn't agree with the way he speaks, she still wanted to consult with him because he was a "good doctor".

Don't let words discourage you or make you not believe.  Don't down play when you see improvement.  Anyone who cannot speak faith, hope and recovery doesn't need to speak in front of your loved one.

Keep the faith  Tracy

[jrioux]

I am 56 and had a stroke on June 19, 2007.  From what my doctor initially said, I thought that I would be confined to a bed or wheelchair for the rest of my life and that I would never be able to work again.  He didn't know and probably should've told me that he didn't.  

I now walk with a cane and work a little more than half time.  I'm glad my employer accommodates me.  My right arm is still pretty is useless but it is improving.

I probably worked harder to recover because of what my doctor said.  I'm sure that many people just get depressed when they hear bad news like that.  I hope your doctor's comments don't discourage your father.  Don't let them discourage you.  

Best of luck to you and your father.

Jerry

[JeffT]

Hi Ternandez,
We have a lot in common.  My Father had a stroke Christmas eve day at 9A 2007.  Life changed.  He is the focal point of the family and always has been.  First day with the doctors they told us he had a small stroke.  Hi didn’t!!!!  He had a severe stroke.  He was taken to a stroke center in ATL and the doctors couldn’t even tell us how bad it was.  He was in that hospital for 2 weeks. In that 2 weeks I learned more about doctors that I wanted to know.  We had 6-8 different General docs and 2 neurologists.  Every one of them had a different thing to tell us.  They took my mother on a rollercoaster ride from hell.  Finally I gather all the doctors together and had to speak to them as if they were my children.  I herded them outside my father room and first q I had for them was do you all ever talk to each other.  They look at me in confusion.  I pointed each one of them and out and the story they told.  I asked them how they would feel if their mother received 5 different stories about what was going to happen to her husband.  Finally I told them go back to your office discuss and elect one of then to come talk to me.   That is when the chief of medicine became involved.  Long story short is don’t be intimidated by these doctors.  They are just like you and me.  But watch out and double check them, they make mistakes too.  

Now we have just completed 2 weeks in the rehab facility.  You have to stay on them just as much.  He still has no movement in his right side and they are starting to tell us he may never have movement there.  They don’t know that and shouldn’t be telling my mother this.  But they are I guess preparing us.  He had plenty of feeling in his right side but his brain still hasn’t been able to tell it to move yet.  We are not giving up hope.

His speech improves daily.  His eating is improving but in the meeting today they said we may never be able to remove the feed tube.  Not only do I not believe these doctors/nurse/therapist, I correct them constantly.  Needless to say Im not the most popular at the rehab center but I do have their respect and understanding that I will not accept anything less than the best care for my father.   We make sure they take good care of my mother too.  She spends most of ever day there and my sister and I get there about 4 days a week each.  I just started working him on the computer with his left hand.  He seems to enjoy doing that.  He can’t use a keyboard yet but he likes to move the mouse around.  He is a retired computer programmer since the 70’s.  Good luck and god bless.

Jeff

[lahinva]

My dad also had a stroke about 18 months ago.. We like your were not the favorite people when he was in the rehab facility.  We had to fight for every bit of therapy he got.  After only 2 weeks in the facility they said he had reached his full potential and said he would not benefit from any further therapy.  Well we kept fighting and got him moved to an acute rehab facility and he improved enough that my mom is caring for him at home with minimal help from caregivers.  Don't let them tell you he won't improve and don't give up fighting with the insurance companies for more therapy.  My dad was 80 when he had his stroke so I think they just wanted to give up on him and put him in a nursing home.  

Good luck to you and keep us posted on his progress.

[pokey274]

Thank you guys for your comments, please continue to pray for me. My dad has being trying to pull himself up and get out of the bed. If he could move his right side I'm sure he would walk away. I heard him say boy, he got so mad at my nephew he said boy loud and clear. So you guys contine to pray for me and if you guys just want to chat and make me feel better my new number is 205 305 6405

[Fighting4Grandma]

Hey everybody,
    I am new as of today. I have been online searching for stuff of effects you have after a stroke.  I come from a fairly large extended family there are 10 cousins and we are all very close with each other.  Up until last night i had no idea what was going on. My dad was on the phone with his mom asking her if she was watching hockey but she was not answering and she only answered the phone hello and good you then mumbled something.  She can't seem to communicate with my grandpa and she won't talk beyond hello.  If you write something on paper she looks but doesn't say anything.  When you talk to her she looks at you with a blank stare. She fell down didn't get up for three hours and my grandpa was trying to get her up and all of a sudden she does it and sits back on the wall.   Prior she was saying that her foot hurt her a lot.  Can anybody help me PLEASE!!! I love my grandparents and i can't let go of wondering whats wrong!!! Help me PLEASE!!!
~sec

[JeffT]

I have not posted in a while and dont know if you all are still keeping up to date but I figured I would update anyway.  Its now Oct.  We are approaching a year after the stroke Dec 24 08.  He has made some wonderful improvments but still a long way to go.  

He has achieved all he goals with the theropy according to medicare so that is coming to an end this month.  So he is now able to walk with a cane slowly.  His right leg still has a little trouble lifting when it comes to stairs.  When he was able to go to the bathroom himself there was much celebration on my mothers part.  His speech is still not too good but it is improving a little.  his right arm has a little finger movement and slite grip but cant really be used.  

Now the problem is with Mom.  I think she is losing it.  She is burned out and sick of taking care of him cooking, cleaning and general care taker details.  Her depression is becomming very apparent.  My sister and I are trying to help as much as we can but it just isnt enough.  We have our own jobs and households to take care of as well.   I dont think my father relized that he is constantly asking her to do things for him.  He wont let her sit down and catch her breath and she is the type that will continue to help.  I think I need to get her in to theropy now.  

We have reached another hump with dad now and the imporovments are slow.  It get a little disapointing at times.  Im looking forward to the next big improvements.  One of the thing we got him was a nintendo WII.  I bought some education games that I think are helping him with basic skills.  I recomend if you have the means to buy one, do it.  It helps.

Thats all I have for now

Jeff

[carol96]

Hello, I thought I would just comment and let you all know that my husband had a cerebral hemmorage on the left side of his brain 18months ago, had two brain surgeries. It was pretty bad we didn't think he would make it.  He was in a coma and life support in ICU for 3 weeks, he was in the hospital a total of 2 months including 3 weeks of rehab.  When he first woke up out of the coma he could not see from his right eye, did not recognize me or his children, could not talk or eat and was totally paralyzed on the right side.  The doctor was very somber, but when my husband was transfered to another hospital out of state (we were on vacation) he made it a point to inform me that the brain heals very slowly and that the most noticible improvements will be the first 6 months, he said, a lot of Dr's. give up after that, but he told me not to give up and not to let the Dr's tell me my husband had improved all he can after 6 months.  He also said, that stroke patient's brain continue to heal and improve for up to 2 yrs.  It's been 18months and I still see improvements everyday.  He now walks on his own with a little limp, sees perfectly and talks.  His right arm is a little weak but it works enough for him to be self sufficient in his hygiene, eating, shaves on his own with no help and can walk miles, he can stay home by himself now, which was imposible before.  So there is hope.

[Akbari]

hi, I'm an occupational therapist. I have seen so many stroke patients because of my work and my research. as the answer to your question I should say that most results of rehabilitation and improvements will be made in the first 6 months after stroke. but its not all of that. I had a patient who was injured after a surgery and was hemiplegic. when I was working with her I could see that she could open her fingers after 8 years! that was a good experience for me to never stop rehabilitation for brain injured patients. now you should continue rehabilitation and never get disappointed.
good luck!

[akohsivictoria88]

hello. my mother had stroke 10 months ago, i think end of march 2012.
we were all devastated and this is the first attack, and no one in the family has been hospitalized before, so you can imagine all the worries and confusion in our family when that happened.  Up to this time, we are still struggling both financially and for her recovery.  She's still bedridden up to this time, and can only move her head, and a bit on her right fingers, and the rest is still paralyzed.  She is in NGT and had tracheostomy.  Sometimes, she made an effort to talk, and open her mouth to form words, but no voice would come out, maybe due to the trache apparatus still on her.  She would cry a lot most of the time, due to the pain from her bedsores, and also maybe due to depression.  Sometimes it's hard for us to know the reason why she's crying..  The neurologist who look after her during her hospitalization is quite negative on her chance for recovery.  Previously, we ensure that my mom would have her regular check-up at least monthly, but the neurologist told us, that there is no need, and we can just come back this January. I guess the doctor is not very positive that my mom would recover, thus, not giving us much hope and even discouraged us with the constant check-ups.. But we're still hoping that she will recover soon.  We hired private duty nurses and PT, who visits us regularly to take care of her and do therapy twice or thrice a week.  Despite contributions of the whole family, we are already having trouble with our financial resources, and are now worried on how we can keep up with her treatment needs.  Although, it's 10 months past already, we still can't believe that this have happened, and how our life changed since then.  But no matter what happen, we'll still try our best to hope positively and do everything to make sure my mom will be completely healed and will recover soon.  I just hope all our prayers will be answered soon.  I can't deny that sometimes we are starting to feel negative and lose hope, but we'll still continue to fight.  Aside from her complete recovery, I pray each day that everything we do for her is guided by the heaven and will only lead to what's best for her - which is to recover soon.

[akohsivictoria88]

hi carol.  i'm just reading the posts randomly, and i came across to your story.  It's good to hear that your husband is continuously recovering.  I just hope it will be the same for my mom, even though she's already 65 y.o. It's been 10 months since her stroke, and we see just little improvements up to this time. We're still hoping of course, that she'll totally recover, but at the moment, while it may still be not possible, we're praying that she can at least start to eat again by her mouth and without the NGT, and she can talk normally again.  We're praying that she'll recover soon for the trache apparatus be decided by the doctors to be removed from her because there is no need. And then from there, we can hope already that she can start moving normally and sit, stand and walk again soon.  I hope all these will be possible soon...

[akohsivictoria88]

hi pokey274.  Although i wouldn't wish for my mom's recovery to reach up to 8 years (because i'm praying and hoping that she will recover very soon, really soon), i still felt good with that what you've said that there's hope, as long there is continuous rehabilitation. It's been 10 months now since her stroke, but I hope it's still not yet late to see more positive recovery and progress very soon.

I'm just new here everyone, so any advice and suggestions on how we can improve our ways to provide better care my mom for her immediate recovery, is very much appreciated..thanks.

[akohsivictoria88]

hi pokey274.  Although i wouldn't wish for my mom's recovery to reach up to 8 years (because i'm praying and hoping that she will recover very soon, really soon), i still felt good with that what you've said that there's hope, as long there is continuous rehabilitation. It's been 10 months now since her stroke, but I hope it's still not yet late to see more positive recovery and progress very soon.

I'm just new here everyone, so any advice and suggestions on how we can improve our ways to provide better care my mom for her immediate recovery, is very much appreciated..thanks

[sara12345]

If your finances are struggling, why don't you have the PT person instruct you to give your mother the exercises?  Is your mother taking an anti-depressant?  If not, you should definitely get her on one.  Even if she isn't depressed, anti-depressants have pain killing properties.  I would think that your mother will continue to make some progress as the years go by.  If your mother grasps that she should be all better soon, that could further discourage her because she is doing the best that she can. You are setting yourself up for major disappointment to think that she will back to completely normal and that she will eat, talk and walk normally again very soon.  Instead celebrate any of her small steps.  That is something very positive that you can all do.  Sorry for your major disappointment.  But try to get on the positive side of things.

BTW, I had a stroke 4 years ago.  I had difficulty speaking initially.  And after months of speech therapy my brain still has trouble coming up with the simplest words at times.  I had pain after my stroke, but after many, many months of physical therapy for 3 to 5 days a week, I can now walk, but I have a stittled walk and still have pain in my arm and leg.  My hand can barely work.  I have problems swallowing, no appetite, and severe migraines caused by my stroke.  There are no instant get normal pills out there.  I am not normal, but I celebrate every improvement that I have made.  And I started out without anywhere near the disability that your mother has.