The answer is yes,Arabelle,if you keep working on it,it can improve.It sounds like you are doing great.I wish you the best-Jen

Arabelle, I survived my first stroke 12 yrs ago and had a second one seven yrs ago. I am still seeing improvement to this day. The thing that is most important during recovery is to not let yourself get down. A posative mental attitude is very imortant. Keep at it I know you can do it and if you ever need to talk we are all here.

Casey

I had my stroke 4 years ago. I too had left sided weakness. I was put in a manual wheelchair, then an indoor walker, then an outdoor walker, then a 4 point cane, then a 1 point cane, then unassisted (which is where I am at now). Don't give up and stay motivated it's possible. Your legs have to strong enough to stand on. Walking is a process. Don't give up I never did/will.

my dad had a stroke about 3yrs ago and he was fine when he came out of hopital, but sadly he didnt keep up with the exercises and now he has put alot of weight on and can only walk a few steps where as b4 he could walk down the street, so please keep up with the exercises my thoughts are with you

Hi, Exercise is very important to regain your mobility, and you need to work on it everyday. If it is your left side, that is weak then the stroke must have been right side, which is the part of the brain that controls large muscle movement. My best friends husband had a major stroke which left him paralized the whole left side, Bobby worked everyday for over 10 years, he did walk short distances and was able to stand, pull himself up and to transfers with him and his wife. He wound up having lung cancer and unfortunately passed away a year ago, but he had the determination and the will and he did it. They told my friend she could never take him home and that he would require a two person transfer for the rest of his life, they fought relentlessly. They also went on 2-3 trips a year, going on a cruise to the Mediteranean, several in the carribean, they went to Cuba several times, and many places in Mexico. His zest was for life and I honour his courage to fight every day when no one gave them any kind of hope. A couple of years after he had the stroke he walked into the nerosurgeons office on his own, so happy, and got no response from him at all, he did not even look up.

You can do anything you put your mind, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication from you and your will to keep working hard, you keep talking and we will keep helping, Joanne

p.s. do you like to swim??is there a pool near you??we have a group called the strokers which helps with excersising in the pool which is great as well.

there is definitely potential for improvement. it sounds like you're on the right track to see if a brace would be appropriate. if a brace can position your leg/foot in a more natural position and help your brain "get out of bad habits" (walking tiptoe), thats a good step (no pun intended) in the right direction. another thing you might want to do is spend some time in front of a full length mirror to see if you can get your body to stand midline (since it seems its hard for your body to feel this, it may be helpful to use sight to help correct it instead). good luck! keep up the good healing!

you can use this too, I don't but you can it's about $4000-%5000. But you can't really put a price on independence.

http://www.bioness.com/Bioness_for_Foot_Drop.php

yes, arabelle, things will improve. it just takes a lot of patience,and practice, but things will get better. JIM

Hi my boyfriend had a stroke with hemorging and was not talking for a few days. Then he spent a month in rehab & were home now. The problem is he's in a wheelchair and can't use both right arm & leg. He also tiptoes & don't exercise to much. He thinks it's just gonna come back in 6 months. I explain that's not true. I'm going Crazy because he dont even want to use his brain on games or puzzles. He is depressed and I'm stressed out. I feel like I had a child suddenly. Please pray for us.