Category Archives: stroke survivors

my stroke rehabilitation stroke survivors

Gallery of faces: Day by day…

Published by:

coffeeat the last stroke unit I met amazing guy.

Mr. Marek was one of these who  didn’t  keep their balance after a brain stroke, not speaking about   walking. We were seeing each other at mr. Krzytof’s physiotherapy daily. I was a witness of his successes which – i must admit – were spectacular.

We spoke a bit  during our rehabilitation. When I was telling him  that it’s worth to read aloud for yourself to practice speaking, he was saying that he is speaking to him self a lot. He had many plans before the stroke, including redecorating the kitchen. He had to discuss these things as he didn’t know whether   he has to do adjustments for disabled.

When, after stroke ward, but on a rehabilirtation unit he stopped talking to himself. He had many men around to practice speaking. Logical.

But I saw him ferom his first days in a hospital and I was like a fan of him. I watched closely and I saw man who is not complaining and day by day is getting better. I told him that. He was giving me the best smile ever.

And he left hospital just few days before me. I didn’t ask him about it, but somehow I think that adjustments for disabled will not be needed.

PS

This text doesnt show what a lovely person he was:)

 

my stroke stroke survivors Uncategorized

My huge success. Happy World Stroke Day!

Published by:

I was thinking about it a lot. I knew that for World Stroke Day (29.10). Maybe even video… But I’m so tired that I haven’t though about anything sensible.

Among others, creativity is not my strong side lately. So I decided do something else. To say proudly that I’m a journalist again and to tell you about some things around it event.

If you want to see my article, click here. 

I’m writing about it because of few things.

14924850775_a05bfebd73_oOf course I’m very proud but it’s not only about it. I wanted to say that wasn’t easy. Even process of writing itself was very tough and I even stopped rehabilitation (seriously!), I have constant headache and I’m stressed out of millions of reasons. Maybe my work is not unassisted enough, as my friend (the best editor ever) edited my text (she says that not much, but still..). Maybe the text is not good enough. Maybe I will not send next text on time. Maybe they will thank me for my help and I will lose internship. Maybe, maybe, maybe…

It’s just internship, they are not too demanding. But still I’m full of fear and doubts. But let’s go further.

I sent CV to the Foundation just before second stroke. When they contacted me lately I had millions of doubts.  But I wrote the text, noone read it, I was accepted without any help. it wasn’t easy for me, but I did it! But you know I’ve been working for it since 9th of May 2015, when I published my first note on m Polish stroke blog, www.lewaczka.pl.

I write daily. I write here, on my Polish site, I write private things just to exercise. I’ve never been so hard-working in my job I have to admit:) But it’s like 1,5 year or daily rehabilitation. It didn’t come over a day. And I wouldn’t be so determined if I didn’t know about my readers. When I get messages like this I’m over the moon.

meaning: thanks for another motivation for me. I've had my elliptical trainer for 2 years, but now I'm feeling bored with it. But from now on I'm starting training again:)

meaning: thanks for another motivation for me. I’ve had my elliptical trainer for 2 years, but now I’m feeling bored with it. But from now on I’m starting training again:)

Because I see it’s sensible. And after messages like his

i wish you fast

meaning: I wish you quick return to your home

it’s so moving for me that my eyes sometimes get wet. I can’t help it.

And when you share your stories or ask for help, i feel more than honored. And you know what – without your support, without support of my family and friends, this article wouldn’t have happened.

But ok – let’s add something bitter to this sweetness;) I’m fully aware that many people after strokes will not regain full functionality.  I’m somehow convinced that even me myself will not recover fully. I might look well, but this ‚might’ thing is nothing in comparison the ‚healthy’ i remember.

Some of us may struggle or regaining something really basic, I don’t know, like speaking or well balance while getting up. And I’m feeling guilty sometimes for talking so much about working out and faith while I stood up and moved my arms so quickly. But I see that good expectations management can bring plenty of good things to our lives. I always joke about my future literary Nobel prize, but I don’t expect it. It’s nice to dream though. It’s important to manage your goals and expectations well and always dream about bit better. The way is long and hard, and made of thousands of small steps. We go further with these baby steps, and feel this is slow. But when you look back on all the steps you’ve taken you see that road was super long. And the end is not even in sight. And when I think what I’ve achieved, it’s like a huge thing. Not only the article. Also being able to sit without any help. Walking by myself.

After second stroke (shame on it!) I feel rather depressed and full of doubts, but it’s temporary thing, not to be expressed loudly, cause I know that I’m not in a position to complain. In general there is some hope for me. And for all of us:)

Yeah. Now I’m sending all of you (all of us?) plenty of warm thoughts for a World Stroke Day. I wish all good, strokeless life, And if stroke is already here, I wish you no repetition:) And with these words I finish this exalted text and I’m going to Spanish conversation.

Un buen dia! have a nice (world stroke) day!

stroke survivors Uncategorized

at least not impossible

Published by:

raftingWe are having a coffe break and my new friend shows me a pic.

Few people in life vests and helmets are rafting in canoes, you know, such an impressive, extreme and impressive.

Nava (points to the pic): this is me, and this man behind is paralysed. And this is paralysed too.

Me (being in a state of mild shock): Extreme. So it’s possible.

Nava: Well, it’s not impossible.

Courtain. And that is a thing I’m going to remember.

 

my stroke spasticity stroke survivors Uncategorized

Stroke survivors panel – two days, million challenges

Published by:

in the times that hitchhiking seemed so easy... not so long ago;)

in the times that hitchhiking seemed so easy… not so long ago;)

Tomorrow I’m going for long anticipated trip.

I’m going to Frankfurt (am Main!) for the europe’s stroke survivors panel.

As I was telling everyone on my Polish blog… We re going to inaugurate there one project regarding spasticity. To tell the truth I have no idea how it is going to look exactly, but I really hope that main beneficiaries will be you, not the sponsor;p

I was recomended to the panel by Fundacja Udaru Mózgu (Polish Stroke Foundation). thanks to my first blog (click;p).

I’m not a member of any stroke association, including FUM, but they seem to like me there.

Of course my second stroke (yeah yeah, from 16th of August) became a huge threat to my participation. But i thought about everything very carefully and i decided  to go.

Of course I will be:

  1. very confused all the time
  2. tired like marathon runner on the 41st kilometer
  3. feeling nausea like 24h a day
  4. all the time stressed

but

  1. happy that i’d doing something work-like
  2. independent
  3. travelling:D
  4. in Frankfurt

Well then. Keep fingers crossed for me. And for whole project.

I will be back tommorow, so you will not miss me too much. Thanks for help! and hasta la vista (;

 

 

in my opinion stroke survivors Uncategorized

Thoughts on „My beautiful broken brain” (2016) by Sophie Robinson and Lotje Sodderland

Published by:

After seeimg this trailer I was delighted.

But when I saw that it’s available I was scared to watch it. I expected it could be a hard experience for me, stroke survivor myself, who finds it hard to discover beauty in her brand new brain.

Curiosity won. I watched it. With a cafe break in the middle because it was too emotional for me. Not because of the story, I knew what to expect after a stroke. Because of detailed insight of someone else’s stroke and all the emotions behind it. If you know, what I mean.

First time in my life I saw material that gave so close insight to the world of a stroke survivor. And it doesn’t matter that details of my experience were much different from Lotje’s. Principles stayed just the same.

If I’m faced to the question, „who am I?”, I’m someone who has huge amount of friends, very hard-working, travels all over the world, loves to read. What if all that evidence is removed? What does that make me?

says Lotje, 34-years old stroke survivor. It might seem even too philosophical, but actually most of stroke survivors have to deal with this question. And find their way of answering it. Movie is full of such questions and shows a way of finding answers. Even if it’s not always explicit.

For me one of the most important aspects of movie was filmmaking itself. I have a deep feeling that recording everything was not only a way to remember things for Lotje. It was helping her to understand what’s going on and put this brand new experience into an understandable structure. To tell the truth, my blog (first, Polish version) did the same thing for me. I was starting it with different goals, the more conscious way of experiencing myself came as a bonus. Which now is one of the most important things in my life.

All of it – story, the heroin, visuals, montage, edition looks brilliant and makes a great documentary. Really good one, modern and touching. I could easily imagine it nominated to Oscar prize, not only because it is „my” theme.

stroke

leaf

 

It’s as beautiful as Lotje’s brain. Thanks for that.

P.S.

The movie is available on Netflix!:)))

in my opinion my stroke stroke survivors Uncategorized

Have you ever wondered how your stroke looked like?

Published by:

Maybe you looked exactly like this poor man?

The ‚funny video of a drunk policeman’ went of course viral. Now we know he suffered from a stroke. 

I fell on the floor. I was mumbling and my friends couldn’t understand a single word of mine. I kept trying to stand up but it didn’t work. I didn’t know what was happening and I wansn’t cooperating with my friends. 

Now I imagine that if my stroke happened few hours later, my friend might have thought „oh noooo, she got drunk and I have trouble now!” and then help me to get to the couch. Without calling 911 (or 112). And in the morning I could be dead.

How lucky I am that in the moment of stroke I wasn’t in the metro. I really am. Life of this policeman was destroyed twice. It could be any of us.

police, metro, brain stroke

I’m not saying that we should help every drunkenhead on our way, but one of my biggest wishes is to raise awareness of a stroke problem. Please know that obvious doesn’t have to be obvious. And also that paying attention to things around can save someone’s life.