Please Share Your experiences with Brain Strokes

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BlueRain

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Hello, I’m hoping members will share their experiences if they or someone they know have gone through a brain stroke. I have a few questions. For example, how many weeks went by before getting fully conscience or what diabilities were left.

I mentioned this before, my uncle who is in his late thrities suffered a brain stroke. There was no bleeding in the brain. The doctor told us that 40% of his left side of the brain has been damaged and that he’ll probably never speak again. He has had a traeocotomy and a feeding tube placed into his stomache. His lungs are kinda working, but he has a machine that helps him breathe aslo. And now he has had a bad fever for a few days now, it was at near 105 at one time and now it’s still at 101 degrees.

My uncle is in California and my dad flew there and is still there. He’s handling most of the problems. But my dad is getting kinda desperate and losing hope. Basically the doctor says that he might stay like that permanetly and that it’ll be tough dealing with my uncle. But my uncle has opened his eyes a few times and it seems that he recognizes. The other day he opened his eyes and followed my grandpa with his eyes. But those are only for very short times and not often.

I hope people here will share their experiences, good or bad. I still have faith and my mom and I are praying for my uncle.
 
hi blue,

I’m 37 and had a stroke last March. The syptoms started back in December but I never gave it a thought nor did my MD because of my age and the fact that I was recovering from a viral infection so I thought my painful headaches were because of that.

To make a long story short, by some miracle the neurologist had a cancellation the next day (this was in March)and then a few days later I had my MRI and that is when he told me that I just had a stroke with a hemmorhage and bleeding in my brain and I was to go to the hospital STAT. If I had waited until April (they are booked well in advanced) I would’ve been dead. My husband was with me when I got the news and I was crying hysterically because I thought I was going to die. Anyway, I did manage to call my 2 best friends before I left the office to have them pray for me because of my diganosis.

I had no feeling in my right leg at all for a short time, my arms were weak, my short term memory was affected, and I couldn’t walk well at all. I was in the ICU for a few days before being transferred to another floor before being discharged. I had a lot of problems while as a pt. and when I got home but somehow I survived.

I had to have intense physical and occupational therapy 2x week for 3 months to regain my strength and had to take a neuorological test to see how much damage I suffered as a result. I was fortunate that my motor skills weren’t affected and I was able to use my arms/legs again. I firmly believe it was all of the prayers and my determination to get better which has helped me in my recovery. I’ve seen so many stories on tv recently about famous ppl (eg-Dick Clark) who’ve had strokes and I realize that I was extremely blessed that it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.

I know my situation is different from your uncle’s, but I just wanted to offer my experience and to let you know that each case is unique and all you can do is place your trust in God’s hands. My prayers are with you and your uncle.

God bless,
Lisa
 
you will get lots of stories, which may not be helpful since the type of stroke and causes will vary. Some are caused by bleeding in the brain, and some are caused by blood clots, so the treatment and prognosis will be different. some are caused by tumors and other underlying conditions that must be diagnosed and treated.

Foster daughter was raised by a grandmother whose husband survived, bedridden and paralyzed, for 5 years after a stroke. She cared for him dutifully. He had no bedsores when he died (of pneumonia) a testimony to the care he received. The grandmother also died of a stroke probably caused by her heart medication.

FIL had 3 strokes and two heart attacks between age 50 and age 62 when he died of the last stroke. He was partially paralyzed for the last 5 years and cared for by his wife with great devotion. His condition was caused by or complicated by adult-onset diabetes, smoking and drinking.

My mother had terminal cancer but died of a stroke possibly brought on by her pain medication, but no way to know for sure.

Strokes run in my family, my grandfather died of a stroke, he was also a smoker and drinker. high blood pressure also runs in my family so we should all be paying attention to our behaviors and controllling HBP, but I am the only one who does not smoke and drink and who takes BP meds. I am also the sickest. go figure.

SIL had a stroke in her 20s caused by ABC pills, and another sister had a stroke in her 40s after a hysterectomy, either because of HRT or the fact that after hysterectomy or natural menopause a woman’s risk increases greatly.
 
Almost 4 years ago my father suffered a stroke. He suffered from some memory loss and then perked up. Shortly thereafter, he suffered from another brain bleed and never recovered. Everyone in my family “expected” or “hoped” he would get up and walk out. I gave him “permission” to “find his parents” and that he did…surrounded by his life long mate and his 7 kids. Sometimes you just have to do that.
~ Kathy ~
 
Thank You all for sharing your experiences. It gives me comfort and more hope. I have a better idea of what to expect now. My uncle has been transferred to another hospital for rehabilitation. I’ll keep praying that he keeps progressing. He already moved his left hand when he saw one of my uncles, he was reaching out to him. I keep telling my dad to have patience.

On a side note, my dad now told me that it was the right side of my uncles brain that got damaged. I think my dad doesn’t realize that there’s a difference between the two. The brain is much more complex than what he thinks.
 
My dad had a stroke two years ago. He seemed semi-comatose for about a month, but it was apparently because of how much his heart (he had bypass surgery a day before the stroke)and an infection had weakened him. Although all patients are different, Dad did learn to talk and walk again, although not like before.

The medical team may tell you that typically, you get so much by the first month and about all you’re going to get within about a year. That is the typical, not a life sentence. Things like infections will change the time-lines. The kind of personality traits your uncle has command of will also make a difference. It will take some time to see what those are going to be.

I’d like to recommend Kirk Douglas’ book, “My Stroke of Luck.” It was a big help to me. In the meantime, have lots of patience and remind everyone that, although he may not be talking, he probably hears and understands everything. As the family is eventually the main coaching staff and support team, it will be worth it to him for you all to stay positive and to lean on each other, too.
 
My 76 year old father had a right side stroke last July. I went from knowing very little to knowing a lot in a short time. Since we are wonderfully, but weirdly wired, the opposite side of the stroke sight is affected. So, my dad’s left side was damaged–partial paralysis in this left leg, pretty significant paralysis in his left arm, and some congnitive problems. But, he can still talk your leg off and for that we are grateful.

The progress is slow, perhaps due more to his age than anything else. He was very independent before, so it’s been difficult for him to adjust to being under my mom’s care. (READ: They fight CONSTANTLY!) He thinks that he could still drive if we’d just let him, but that is totally out of the question. It’s been tough.

Oh, and he had a mini-stroke back in January. There don’t seem to be any lasting effects from that, but we will probably have more of those to look forward to. 😦

As for your uncle’s stroke and the prognosis, I think you could look to Dick Clark as a wonderful example of someone who came back. He, too, had to learn to walk and talk again, but he did it. I think much of the success is in the attitude.

Kathy
 
My mother suffered a stroke in 1999. At first she was paralized in the left of her face, her left arm, and left leg. She has recovered the use of her leg and her face has no signs of the stroke, but she can still not feel her arm.

Emotionally and mentally, she is a different person…she is prone to temper tantrums and crying fits…(never saw her cry before) and miraculously…before the stroke she was an alchoholic, post stroke she has no craving for alchohol at all! Apparently the stroke killed part of my mom’s brain that was addicted to alchohol…a really, really big blessing for her in spite of the tragedy.

I sometimes miss my old mom…she was strong willed and confident (despite suffering from alchoholism) New mom is more child like…but I have gotten to know her and like her, but she truely is a different person.
 
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Lillith:
Emotionally and mentally, she is a different person…she is prone to temper tantrums and crying fits…(never saw her cry before) and miraculously…before the stroke she was an alchoholic, post stroke she has no craving for alchohol at all! Apparently the stroke killed part of my mom’s brain that was addicted to alchohol…a really, really big blessing for her in spite of the tragedy.
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I noticed this too. My dad has cried more tears since July than in the whole 75 years before that!

My dad was an alcoholic too. The first words out of his mouth when he returned home were, “Where is the beer?” However, we’ve convinced him that he can’t drink because he’s on so many medicines. As difficult as it is to deal with him sometimes, I can’t imagine what it would be like with a few drinks in him.

Kathy
 
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KathyA:
I noticed this too. My dad has cried more tears since July than in the whole 75 years before that!

My dad was an alcoholic too. The first words out of his mouth when he returned home were, “Where is the beer?” However, we’ve convinced him that he can’t drink because he’s on so many medicines. As difficult as it is to deal with him sometimes, I can’t imagine what it would be like with a few drinks in him.

Kathy
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Hello Kathy…nice to meet you!

My mom was at a party that we threw last year…and snuck a drink of my sister’s coors light…my sister came back to her seat and mom asked when she had started drinking whiskey…beer tastes nasty to her now…strange the way the brain works isn’t it!
 
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BLB_Oregon:
I’d like to recommend Kirk Douglas’ book, “My Stroke of Luck.” It was a big help to me. In the meantime, have lots of patience and remind everyone that, although he may not be talking, he probably hears and understands everything. As the family is eventually the main coaching staff and support team, it will be worth it to him for you all to stay positive and to lean on each other, too.
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Thank You for that book recommendation. Hopefully I find a copy at the library tommorrow.

I’m surprised that some of the persons have had some changes in their personalities, I wouldn’t expect that to happen. I keep telling my dad to have patience and that this going to take a lot of work and perserverance. Thank you all again.
 
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