It's a long recovery. I had a serious brain stroke on August 11th, 2004. I was bounced around from hospital to hospital. I did intensive physical, occupational and speech therapy. I also ndid acupuncture. Initially I was in a wheelchair now I walk with a one point cane. It's June 13th 2008 and though I've come along way I'm not recovered. I still have a speech deficit. I can't walk unassisted and I'm very jerky with my movements. I know I'll never be the same as before the stroke but I'll be preety darn close.

This message is the most important one I have seen yet. I am Ralphs caregiver, I found DS about 7 months after my husbands aneurysm bleed. It is so very critical to talk to someone even if they are in a coma. They can hear and it gives them hope and encourages them to get better. They kept my husband in a drug induced coma for 5 weeks, I did not leave his side from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm. When he was ready to go to a regular ward we were waiting for the doctors to tell us that he would never lift his head off the pillow, my daughter made a face to him scrutching up her nose, Ralph did the same thing, we were so happy, we also for a couple of days could see his soul and his spirit in his eyes.

I have just taken Ralph to a naturalpathic person who was a Doctor in Croatia, she told me that at one point she was in an operating room and this patient died on the table, everything was quite in the room except she kept on talking to him, she had never met him before, he lived. A few weeks later he came searching for the persons voice who he remembered, and found her. When I was telling her about Ralph and not leaving him, she had goose bumps up her arm. She said that in all her years of being in the medical profession she always talked to her patients and explained to them what she was doing. I really believe that.

Ralph has aphasia and apraxia which are communication problems, he has a tremor in his right arm/hand and has right side neglect with his vision, that is all. Because of the stroke it has been a long time and his speech is getting so much better, he remembers his right side being paralized and not being able to move it. That memory goes back to about 8 weeks after the original bleed. He was in the worst condition of most people, nobody gave us any hope and for a couple of months, it was us who kept urging him to get better. Ralph also was bounced from unit to unit to floor, to new hospital, he did not get aneurysm surgery till 9 months later he did not have an angiogram till 1 week before he was being discharged. It has been 2 1/2 years, God has been good to us, we have strived and Ralph is our miracle.

My answer to all your questions is that stroke effects everyone different and you have to strive to be the best you can, and accept what does not work properly.

We are still striving and working towards Ralphs speech and memory gets better, Be strong don't give up, keep talking positive, take care, Joanne

I was aware when I had the stroke and was able to tell total strangers I AM HAVING A STROKE! Call for help. I don't remember the rescue team showing up but I do remember trying to talk to my daughter on the phone but I did not make any sense. I dont remember the ride to the hospital. I do remember seeing my wife and daughter in the E/R. I was unable to talk at this point but it made me feel less scared knowing they were there. I remember the helicopter ride to the next hospital (Boston) I just dont remember getting there. I had surgery to repair the aneurysm and it must have been two or three days later that I can really say I knew my family and friends were there. I was not talking at this point and everything seemed to be confusing to me. But the fact that I knew I was with loved ones helped me. I cant say that they knew that I knew they were there. But the talked to be, touched me gently. I was welled cared for. But in less than a week I was talking with my family. So I believe that you are aware of loved ones around you long before you can communicate.
In my case there was nothing that my family didnt understand. My wife and mother were both nurses. They had dealings with stroke folk long before me. There were a lot of things that I did not understand in the beginning such as mode swings left side neglect, inability to walk, and not being strong for my family. I guess I just didnt understand what was happening to me. But I learned very quickly what had to be done. My family (wife, kids, mother, brother, sister and friends gave me the strength to carry on. To fight to recover. To get my life back. I was very self motivated during my recovery. I looked forward to overcoming every obstacle placed in front of me because of the support I received from family and care givers.
Its been about 18 month since my stroke and if you met me today you would never know I had a stroke. I can see the little things that are still reminders to me that I had a stroke. Partial numbness in the left hand. Short term memory problems are still with me but are getting better and better all the time. I guess my brain is healing itself.
To sum up I would have to say the most important thing to have after a stroke is family and friends as they play a bigger role in your recovery than anything else.