I've recently communicated with a friend with whom I've not communicated in years, he asked me about the prognosis for my recovery and his asking got me thinking that maybe there are other of my friends and family wondering the same, hence the topic for my post today.
From the start, I was told by that it was unknown whether or not I would make a full recovery, that every stroke and every person is different so, recovery predictions cannot be accurately made; however, I was also told repeatedly that the first three to six months post-stroke are the most crucial for receiving physical therapy as that is when the brain is most receptive to creating new pathways (which is essentially what is required for recovery )and that function can return to the extremities as much as one, two or three years later so there is always hope.
Thus far, I've re-learned how to sit, stand, walk,smile,and eat without wearing my food at the end of a meal, now in therapy I'm working on standing balance and duration as well as as well as getting my left arm unfrozen from the bent across my torso position and trying to regain movement of the arm and hand and fingers (I'm getting an occasional indication of something happening). On a visit to my neurologist in January (my first seeing him since leaving the hospital in August) he told me that I've come along further than he had expected, so that is encouraging.Overall though I struggle with staying motivated and sometimes think I may be teetering on the edge of depression. Aside from that, I can get myself feeling really sad for my hubby in that he's had to take on so many responsibilities in addition to still working full time. He is highly stressed and overtired most of the time. The entire household (myself included) is rather cranky most of the time too.
