Aug 20
mysteryjordan
mysteryjordan , Posted on SUPPORT NETWORK Blog

My story I guess

I had my firt stroke on May 31, 2006 when I was 39 years old.  The second the day after and the third the day after that.  The doctors could find no reason for the strokes other then to say it was and I quote "a fluke".  I was paralyzed on my left side, blind in my right eye, couldn't walk, talk or feed myself. My husband was abusive and refused to take me to therapy, so I pretty muh taught myself everything to date.  This week, I've had two TIA's and that's kinda woken me up to everything.  I have questions.  I fall all the time...my left leg just gives out on me.  My left hand can only sometimes hold things.  Most of the time I dr;p things.  (Yes, I left the husband when he hit me 6 months post stroke) I remember how hard it was to just breathe through one lung....how tiring it was.  I'm left handed so I ca only write my name and that's it.  I've tried to very hard to teach myself to write with either hand but it looks like that isn't going to happen.  For the long time survivors out there...does the falling stop?  The dropping things?  Also, sometimes I cannot stand to be touched because it hurts.  There are some other weird things that happen that I'll mention later when I think of them. As of this week with the 2nd TIA, my jaw will open and close in spasms. ??  Is that relatedd to the TIA's?  My room mate was with me in the ER an watch it happen and got the nurse, but it had stopped when the nurse arrived and she didn't write i down or believe it had happened.  (That ER visit was a horror story to be told later perhaps).  Is it too late or therapy to work on me?  I'm going to a neurologist as soon as I see a general practioner for a referral.  It's nice to be here.  If there are spelling errors it's because half my fingers are paralyzed...and I cannot see enough of the screen to check them out!  Sorrry in advance.  I also have memory problems.
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3 Comments
  • Scott046
    Scott046,
    Hello MysteryJordan - first let me say sorry for your stroke but thank you for the post. While not a stroke victim I am a caregiver and play a support role for my wife (Angie) who experienced a stroke at age 50. A year and half post stroke and we're still experiencing many of the things you mentioned, yet everyday we also experience gains in recovery through my wife's tenacious and never ending commitment to daily therapy. So yes to your question about therapy, stay engaged and make small achievable goals as bench marks to work towards. While gains in mobility and cognitive issues are slower now than the first year, they are still definitely gains we wouldn't have experienced without the therapy. Thought organization and speech challenges yes, falling at times yes and learning the best possible controlled fall when possible :-) we continue to work hard and try to keep some levity in our daily challenge. Stay positive, stay with therapy and Gid Bless
  • LovesGrandmaandGrandpa
    LovesGrandmaandGrandpa,
    I too am a caregiver to a stroke patient, my grandfather. He had had 4 major strokes and more TIAs than I care to count and he has his good days and bad days. It is still a struggle for him and his last stroke was in 2013 but he has had several TIAs since then and he also has diabetes is blind in his left eye (previous to the strokes), he has 3 stents and has the left side weakness. He still does therapy and works very hard at it which helps. I don't think there's a point where therapy doesn't work but I guess it might be harder if you don't get it right away but not impossible. My grandpa still falls and drops things, he's broken his hip and arm from falling. With getting all the therapy he has gotten, he's done really well and can even hold things in his left hand sometimes. Persistence pays off and do does stubbornness (my grandfather is proof of this). The ER visit is common unfortunately, they've done that several times to my grandpa. It's horrid. Unfortunately, there is not a lot they can do for a TIA but the trouble comes with knowing what is or is not a TIA. You definitely need a support system and I am happy to he here. Keep you head up, stay strong, be stubborn and persistent, and don't let anyone make you out to be useless because of your problems. A few doctors have treated my grandpa like that and it did him no good. You shouldn't do anything reckless but you have to live your life so try to do it safely is what I'd say. I'm glad your roommate was there with you and hopefully your roommate is a big part of your support system. Stay strong. When you get better which I believe you will if you want to, you will start to appreciate things in life that you once took for granted just like anyone else who was healthy and then was suddenly not. You've proved to be stronger than the strokes and TIAs and stronger than the abusive husband, you're gonna make it.
  • mysteryjordan
    mysteryjordan,
    thank you both so much. Encouragement is helping! For some reason, I have to see a general practitioner before the neurologist. So that appt. is on Monday. I'm typing everything into word so I can print it out for them. (Not good at thinking when it's time to think!) I'm looking forward to therapy.
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