Recovery

I believe in recovery, I have believed in recovery from my self as well as other stroke survivors. I am going to tell the story of my recovery. When I first started my recovery it was difficult.

I had a massive hemorrhagic stroke on May 19, 2011. I had a AVM from my date of birth. It took 51 years for it to happen. I do not remember much about what happened but some of it is coming back.

I spent a month at two separate hospitals, the first was in Fairfax for two weeks, and the last was for two weeks at Mount Vernon. Both of them are in Northern Virginia.

The last two weeks I was in Mount Vernon. I was in the hospital for inpatient therapy. I had PT, OT and Speech Therapy. The therapy that I liked the most was for exercise. That was physical therapy. I was able to walk with help and I was using regular clothing. The exercise was kind of like being at the gym.

This was very hard for me to do because I had to relearn how to do everything. I use to cook before my stroke but that changed everything. I am cooking again. I had to relearn how to eat and drink as well as using a fork, spoon and a knife. Learning how to do my chores again was very hard to do. After 44 months of recovery, chores have gotten easier.

My first few weeks at home, I had in home therapy. I think that was short lived. I then was able to have out patient therapy. I went to Loudoun INova for my therapy. PT and OT ended for me pretty quickly but my Speech Therapy lasted a long time and I still need it. I do not have one on one now. I currently have group therapy which is what has helped me.

I currently go to a place called the Stroke Comeback Center. It is located in Vienna VA. I began going there in January 2012. When I started my speech was not very good and I could not read or write. All of these things are getting better as well as my own work for therapy. I don’t like what happened to me after my stroke and having aphasia which is a language disability, but it gets better. I believe my time at the center is what has helped me with my recovery.

My relationships with friends and family as well as work individuals have changed. The most helpful and amazing change is my beautiful wife. She has been with me through everything that has happened to me as well as her. I have some very close friends but I have also lost many others due to my change with my disability.

I can exercise, run, and mow the lawn but my reading and writing is very hard and difficult. Believe it or not I am able to type my words pretty well but I have a hard time reading what I have written.

This story I have written myself which is okay but as I said its hard to read what I wrote. 3 years ago I could not do this at all. Having aphasia sucks but it is what it is and I have gotten use to it.

When I think about my life one year ago, two years ago, two and a half years ago or more and how much I have changed I will never give up on my recovery. Even though some people do give up.

I believe that I and others will always get better!!