It started quite slowly, I was waiting for my medical staff to give me some concrete information on rehabilitation and then I could follow that and recover. That never occurred, I don't think my doctors in 30+ years of practice had ever figured out anything about stroke rehab. Since my cognitive abilities were spared, as soon as I got access to a computer I found a number of stroke forums and everyone on them was looking for information that no-one had gotten from their doctors. It became painfully obvious that all stroke survivors are on their own, they need to figure out their own therapy protocols. Of the 5 stages of grief:
Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance
I am still in denial that I won't recover, I refuse to accept that compensation is the best I can do. Anger still exists against the medical establishment that has not set forward a strategy for stroke rehabilitation for all survivors. Bargaining I never did. Depression was from the total lack of communication about what recovery looks like. My vision was that in 6 months I would be canoeing again. With no discussion from any medical staff that this was impossible or even any information at all, depression was inevitable. I haven't accepted my physical limitations because I know I will eventually get them back. I have enough drive ,persistence, pugnacity and smarts to move my brain functions around. In any event I set myself a goal to change stroke rehab worldwide, this is probably an insane belief. And the way to do that is to research and plan what needs to be done. This blog is my starting point and from some of the responses its doing a good job.
From what I have been told, a stroke is a very individual thing. That because each brain is a little different, each stroke is too.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I do agree that there should be some norms in place for rehab. I wish you luck in your quest and I will continue to read.
Glynis, that is from the quote ' All strokes are different, all stroke recoveries are different'. The first can be true because 1 ml. difference in area can make the stroke damage different. The second part I absolutely do not believe, its just used as an excuse for the medical profession to not have to expend brain power in researching what is really true.
ReplyDeleteHi Dean, I so agree with you about the "professionals" not wanting to wast their valuable golfing and socialising time, in attempting to help someone who is disabled by a stroke, to recover. that is why the first line of treatment seems to always be "Acceptance"
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