Stroke Recovery Timetable

[caregiver222]

My sweet 102 year old and seven months has experienced again a quantum leap in verbal skills. 2 1/2 years ago totally unresponsive, unable to speak a word for 6 months nor respond in any way. Unableto hold anything or feed herself. Next six months single word. Speech garbled,  Last two weeks she says "That's horrible!" (prune juice) "You look beautiful!" (to aide getting dressed) "I'm just a boring oldlady." "What time is it?""I haven't had dinner.""I'm hungry.""Let's go home." She eats without assistance. Initial inability to swallow any thin liquids. Only ocassionally now. Seizures. Initially ten times a day. No siezures in 1 1/2 years. Initially, distored face. No expression for 6 months. Now full facial expression, laughter, blows kisses and smiles. It has been a long road, but she continues to improve. So don'tlet age considerations prevent you from hoping.

[LFGC]

Thank you caregiver222.  It is just more than 2 months now that my Mom had the stroke.  She is making tiny improvements every day.  What I've noticed is that she'll have one day where she'll be awake for 9 hours, but then sleep the next 3 days afterwards.  

I am grateful for your comments.  Thank you so much.

[caregiver222]

Yes. My little sweety-pie is one hundred and two years and eight months old. And she was given up by the medical establishment at age 100. She could not say a word and had no facial expression. Her face was assymetrical and she looked like a concentration camp inmate. It was only after six months did she say her first word, and then the words came slowly. She still hasn't completely recovered, but smiles and laughs and can say "I love you," very clearly. And every day is a day of laughter. She held a baby last week in the park and threw a ball to a child and squealed with delight. She is like a sixteen year old in my arms. She also put on ten pounds and eats like a horse. All by her self! At age 100 she couldn't feed herself and was incontinent. She is no longer incontinent. Seventy six years of age is not all that old. If the condition is stabilized then there is a great deal of hope of recovery. A massive hemorrage can have many causes, including a simple vitamin K deficiency. On the other hand there can be structural abnormalities. Don't give up hope based on your mom's age.

[LFGC]

Hi,
Did you mean a 'one hundred two year-old' person?  It was 6 months before you saw any response?  Can you please clarify?  My 76-year old Mom had a massive right-side hemorrage on August 12.  

[vega1318]

Thank you for sharing this wonderful story!