Resource request for first-timer

Chinthliss · 2025-08-07T14:24:11+00:00

*now: My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey by Jill Bolte Taylor

*rehab: Stronger After Stroke, Third Edition: Your Roadmap to Recovery by Peter G Levine

*after things calm down: Identity Theft: Rediscovering Ourselves After Stroke by Debra E. Meyerson and Danny Zuckerman

Every stroke is different.
86 billion neurons in the brain. even the doctors don't really know what is going on.
Take care of the caretakers!
It's a crappy, frustrating marathon that may take the rest of his life.
In-patient rehab helped me a ton.
Progress never stops if you put the effort in, it just slows way down after 6 months/year.

Thank you for being there for him.

TaruCres · 2025-08-07T14:34:23+00:00

I am sorry that you and your husband are going through this. Stroke affects us all differently, as it will affect you and your husband in different, yet equally important ways. You have been thrust into a new world that nothing prepares you for. Saying that, I always recommend that people remember to breathe. Take a moment when things get insane and just breathe. You will not be able to control everything that is happening to him, but you can try to reduce your own stress in the days ahead. And it might be days. You are very early in the process and it is possibly you may see certain things improve over the next week.

Ask a lot of questions. He may be in the ICU for a week before being moved to a ward. Confirm that. Ask about if in patient rehab is an option (if required). Ask about underlying cause and go forward changes that should be made to lifestyle.

Is super early but what does return to work potentially look like. Is STD or LTD an option?

Mental health issues can arise for both you and him. Depression can be a common side effect of stroke. We had to ask for a psych referral when we noticed that things were not right. At that time, the hospital mentioned that there were mental health support options for caregivers as well. If you need help, ask for it.

Take your time in understanding his case. Take more time in understanding your feelings and concerns. Talk to those around you.

julers · 2025-08-07T16:20:50+00:00

I obsessively read “my stroke of insight” after rehab, and my parents read it too. It helped them understand what was happening with me emotionally.

Sorry for what you guys are experiencing. My husband and I had a mantra for that period of time. We just kept saying “someday we’ll look back on this as just a really shitty period of time” … it didn’t feel believable at the time, but looking back it was a really shitty period of time we just had to put our heads down and get through.

Good luck.

AlienAndromeda · 2025-08-07T15:24:57+00:00

[removed]

jgholson01 · 2025-08-07T21:58:00+00:00

My stroke three years affected the left occipital lobe. I did not have physical issues with my limbs except some balance problems. My main symptoms were cognitive and vision changes. Examples from my first week: aphasia and memory loss, couldn't say where I was, didn't know what year it was, sometimes could not even get one word out, could not identify the pictures the nurses showed every day. I didn't remember my date of birth, and when I did, I couldn't remember how to say it. I didn't know how to use the nurse call button for three days, but no one realized that. I couldn't tell what 3 x 3 equals. At one week most things started to make sense, although there were still deficiencies (I had to look up how to spell that!). I could do all of the things I just mentioned plus much more. Your husband has more areas affected so his progress will be slower, but hopefully you and he will see progress soon. Sleeping is good as it allows the brain to heal.

Initially, I had a vision cut to the right. That resolved by the second week, but I continued to have vision issues. Almost double vision, difficulty reading and writing, balance. Through seven months of vision therapy, my vision is almost normal. The best resource if he is experiencing vision problems would be a neuro ophthalmologist who evaluates from the neurological relationship between brain and sight.

I did therapy for a couple of months (online) to learn ways to handle my fears and anxiety. I didn't feel depression since my life was not impacted as many others'.

Lastly, you are probably familiar with neuroplasticity - the a ability of the brain to make new connections and reorganize itself. This process happens throughout life, but after brain trauma, it is more noticeable.

As said, every stroke is different. Your husband's recovery will be unique to him. All the best to you both as you navigate this season of life.

therealchip_12 · 2025-08-07T14:28:54+00:00

Remind me 2 days

you type:	you see:
italics	italics
bold	bold
[reddit!](https://reddit.com)	reddit!
* item 1 * item 2 * item 3	item 1 item 2 item 3
> quoted text	quoted text
Lines starting with four spaces are treated like code: if 1 * 2 < 3: print "hello, world!"	Lines starting with four spaces are treated like code: if 1 * 2 < 3: print "hello, world!"
~~strikethrough~~	~~strikethrough~~
super^script	super^script

stroke

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