Perplexed about Stroke and Life

Dear Joyce,

I am 2.6 years post stroke and no day is the same. There are many challenges and situations that arise, so I would like to explore all situations here. Survivors, what do you think?

Perplexed in South Africa

Dear Perplexed,

I'm so glad you asked that question because no day is the same. It changes for me, too, 11 years later! Sometimes, I urinate in the morning three times in a row as a result from my stroke for urinary retention. In the eleventh years, the stomach pains were finding me doubled over. It turns out, after many tests, that GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) from too much acidity had spiked suddenly, so I changed my diet and I am well now. Yes, every day is a new adventure with stroke and, if you get a handle on the reasons, you will come to accept it as the new normal.

A Strokefocus member, Eugene Sekiguchi, adds, “My stroke was in January of 2011. The treatments available now seem to be more numerous than then and a bit confusing.  So I think of that. Occasionally, I wish that I had the stroke at a different time.  But now is now. The daily challenges of each day are quite different from day to day.  I think that hourly or even changes by the minute are baffling, but they all seem to pass.

“My long term goal is to erase ignorance about (normal) aging and put into context strokes, TBI, and other brain injuries.  Along the way, prevention, what to do and when to do it are questions that will be answered as time passes.” 

Well said, Gene!

Emotionally Stressed

Dear Joyce, 

From time to time, I become emotional and feel like crying or am impatient after my stroke, which causes a lot of stress. Will those feelings go away? 

Signed,

Emotionally Stressed 

Dear Emotional, 

Remember that crying, impatience, and stress are typical early on. My stroke is 11 years old, and for the first 2 years, I had those same emotions. They’re part of the grieving process that we all go through as stroke survivors, and will become less and less in time.

Establishing a one-on-one relationship, preferably with another stroke survivor who’s not “new” to the game, could be beneficial. Keep in mind that stroke survivors just can’t be rushed into a support group setting because someone else thinks it would be a good idea. 

When discussing your question, another stroke survivor in the Northwest Brain Network said that it helped him to focus on things he gained before stroke--such as job experience or hobbies, rather than the challenges after stroke. 

I hope this helps. At the very least, you are thinking about the emotions and know that you want to improve!