Rebirth after Stroke

29 Oct marks #worldstrokeday, and it has been exactly 492 days since my best friend and life partner suffered a stroke caused by a basilar artery dissection.?

A perfectly healthy person who watches over his diet and exercises daily, nothing could have prepared us for that day.?

The days that followed became uncontrollable, deeply rooted in hope and around prayers and trust in the medical care for him. The doctors performed an emergency procedure to remove his clot and seal the tear and he was in the ICU and rehab hospital for more than a month.?

His rehabilitation was a humbling experience, as he relearned how to swallow without choking, speak simple vowels, walk one step at a time, write his name and the alphabet, and relearn simple coordination for his daily needs, which we often take for granted. Just before his discharge from the hospital, we were informed by all the therapists that he may never run, cycle, drive or do any of the active activities he once enjoyed. We were devastated but did not give up hope.

After his discharge from the hospital, we started walking short distances around our estate. Within two weeks, we expanded the radius and explored several parks in Singapore, and on one of these occasions, he began jogging, which progressed to his daily jogging ritual today.?

Our road bikes are parked indoors, a reminder of the weekly bike rides we used to do pre-stroke. As he continued to build strength and confidence, this made him less fearful of falling.?

On one occasion, just before dinner, he decided to try cycling on our younger son’s rusty BMX to test his balance on the bicycle, and with that, he progressed to the mountain bike, and today he is riding his favorite road bike again.?

His speech took more than six months to get to its best clarity, and today he can sing.?

He practiced driving again after five months and found the familiarity of his car- we both shed tears of joy after his initial trial. His final hurdle was to adjust back to work which he tried two days a week for four months and decided that work could wait as he rediscovered his passion for photography and learning new knowledge. Today, he is 80% of his former self and he has beaten all odds, and I would give him 110% for his effort and discipline in making the miraculous progress.?

His first review with the neurologist three months after his discharge was a tearful session- as the doc said he was the first patient he encountered with such a stroke and could still walk without aid into his consult room since most of them were either bedridden or wheelchair-bound. His other neurologist reaffirmed he has had a miraculous recovery.

As his primary caregiver, I have come to learn that it is essential to live completely today- do the things we enjoy as nothing can prepare us for tomorrow - and what they need most are our #encouragement and #presence -show them the #care and #compassion they deserve, make time for them and treat them #special as they are carrying the pain and suffering of their failed health. The need for reaffirmation and love - could be as simple as gifting a packet of their favorite snack or spending #time with them on walks or a drive would go a long way in encouraging them to fight their inner battle to carry on and persevere. Be present and be there for them. Show them tangible care and concern- not just words- that they matter and their life has a purpose. Listen to their stories and celebrate small wins since it’s never an easy journey.

We are both currently on our #careerbreak, to spend as much time together. We are re-discovering the joy of living a simpler lifestyle while learning new things in our respective pursuits. I will eventually get back to regular work and look forward to finding meaningful work again. Watch this space!?