A
female
age
51-59,
anonymous
writes:hello. has anyone had a close family member suffer a stoke? my father had one on sunday night. he has lost the use of his left arm and hand, his speech is slurred but can still make out what he is saying, he can walk aided, and trys to feed himself. please has someone experienced someone who has made progress, any tips imperticular on what to expect, any advice is very welcome.thankyou Reply to this Question
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reader, anonymous, writes (26 August 2009): Hi,
the first thing is to try not to worry.
The prognosis for most stroke victims is very positive, only the most serious of stokes lead to very debilatating long term affects.
My best friend had a stroke at 16 that sounds exactly like that of your father. He regained use of his limbs and speech relatively quickly and was walking fine within a few weeks. It took a while longer for him to gain full use of his cognitive function back (eg. he couldn't remember how to use a tap).
He is now absolutely fine and you would never know he once had a stroke.
I hope your father is OK, an stay positive, its likely he will be fine with a little time and help.
A
female
reader, old-spinstah +, writes (26 August 2009):
I'm so sorry that this has happened to you. A stroke is caused by either bleeding or a blood clot in the brain. The brain is a really complex organ and different parts control different activities so it's very difficult to advise you on what exactly to expect without knowing the part of the brain that's been most affected. I would advise you to speak to your fathers consultant or primary nurse - ask them for a meeting and come prepared with a list of questions rather than just having a quick word in the middle of the ward.I have worked with stroke sufferers for many years and many of them make such good recoveries that no-one would know. They have recovered well enough to drive, ride bikes and go on five mile hikes! Much of this will depend on the age, health and mental attitude of the person before the stroke i.e the younger the person, the fewer concurrent medical conditions they have and the more positive their general dispositon the better they recover.This does take hard work though and many people take 2 years or more to get to a stage where they feel truly independent again. Hopefully he will continue to receive physio, occupational therapy and speech therapy once he is discharged - ask the staff who are treating him.My main tips would be1) Plenty of rest (for both of you) and keep visits from non family members short and limit them to 2 people at a time.2)Encourage him to talk, don't speak for him or finish sentences3)If he appears to be "ignoring" the affected side, make sure you always approach him from this side and sit on that side when you talk to him. This will encourage him to pay attention to the affected side4)Understand that he may get very grumpy and cantankerous because he can't do the things that he used to but don't let him become demanding. Some people can become very self-centred after a brain injury and expect others to run around after them or to always get their own way. Nip any really unacceptable behaviour in the bud - such as shouting, swearing, hurtful insults etc.Also ask the hospital team what services they can put in place for discharge such as help with washing, dressing, cleaning etcI hope this has helped some. All the best and I wish you and your Dad well. xx
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (26 August 2009): Therapy, physical in particular through an Occupational Therapist will be of enormous benefit and please try to ensure your father receives as much support and help to regain use in his body asap. With a stroke the faster people work with the patient to rehabilitate them after a stroke the better and the greater the success. Your father will feel at times frustrated and angry with life and with himself and he will need patience and understanding from those who care but without patronisation so that he retains his dignity. This is a major event but he can make progress with support. My uncle had a stroke and with correct treatment he is very close to a full recovery - only on odd occasions are we reminded he has had a stroke. I would suggest those around him get as much information from professionals as possible as it can be an isolating experience - look out for support groups on a local level as they have good knowledge.
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