Life after a stroke

[Paul Laycock1]

I had two strokes a few years ago. I would like to know how other people have coped.

My storey, two strokes then a hip replacement operation. Finding it hard to get around and mostly confined to the house. I'm not looking for medical advice just wondering how you get around and cope. I can't drive anymore so rely on other people to take me out as required.

[soistalker]

My neighbor was a three pack a day smoker, who cut down to two packs a day. He told me he had been smoking  for 30 years. At 54, he had a stroke. It was pretty bad. He couldn't talk for weeks  He had a physical therapist come several times a week.

Now he is back to two packs a day.

What have you done to change your lifestyle to make it healthier?

[Formaleins]

Cannot be easy for you, especially having to rely on people to get you around, hopefully you have some good friends you can trust.

I have been struck down with a long term health issue here and it certainly isn't fun.

 

I can still drive most days, depending on the severity of that days problem and any medication I have to take, but it is extremely frustrating when you cannot do what you did before.

 

The main problem I find is with the heat and the illness, it is often easier to sit and do nothing rather than make the effort, which of course makes things gradually harder as time goes by.

 

Luckily I have a young son who relies on me for a lot of things, it is often this that keeps me going here rather than just end up vegetating in bed with a fan.

 

I must admit, a stroke is pretty worrying ( I have been warned about it due to my blood pressure - for which I take meds. - My medical problems are more chronic pain related but at times force me to have to spend days at a time in hospital).

 

Not sure where you are living but for me one of my biggest fears is getting to a hospital in time and getting someone to help me get there, it can take 2 hours or more when traffic is bad and when I get the really bad pains, I would often gladly just drink a bottle of morphine.

 

Last couple of times I was completely stuck as those I was relying on ended up debating which method was the best to get me to the hospital, which as usual involved a family member who no doubt expected to be paid rather than simply get a song taew or a taxi or even an ambulance.

[1FinickyOne]

Sorry for your problems - I am ok, but a good friend of mine had a stroke that left him with a flippy leg and some sticks for walking.. I know the mental part of the disability upsets him as much as the physical, feeling that he is pee-can, a cripple and feeling that people won't like him because of it... and that part is sad.

 

He copes by keeping busy. His daughter is a doctor and he works, helping out, in the late afternoon and eve at her clinic. He goes for massage. He teaches English to kids. He is continually working to improve his English language skills. And, oh yeah, he drinks. 

 

So, best I can learn from him is to keep busy, though I know he suffers both physical and mental discomfort. 

[OmarZaid]

You might this helpful ... I did after a very damaging introduction to Multiple Sclerosis 21 months ago ... doing rather well now  thanks to the sun 

  https://zaidpub.com/2017/06/23/how-sunlight-can-save-your-life-part-1/

[zaZa9]

Hmmm... Ive been told that cancer rates are very low in Thailand.

But the Thais I know constantly avoid the sun and the beach...

[samsensam]

1 hour ago, kenk24 said:

Sorry for your problems - I am ok, but a good friend of mine had a stroke that left him with a flippy leg and some sticks for walking.. I know the mental part of the disability upsets him as much as the physical, feeling that he is pee-can, a cripple and feeling that people won't like him because of it... and that part is sad.

 

He copes by keeping busy. His daughter is a doctor and he works, helping out, in the late afternoon and eve at her clinic. He goes for massage. He teaches English to kids. He is continually working to improve his English language skills. And, oh yeah, he drinks. 

 

So, best I can learn from him is to keep busy, though I know he suffers both physical and mental discomfort. 

 

indeed, sadly, the thais attitude to disability leaves much to be desired; look at how the bts and bma had to be cajoled for years to install lifts at bts stations that should have been there from the start and how the vendors block pavements making them impassable for many disabled people

 

one of my well educated and world travelling thai friends told me disabled people were people who had done bad things in a previous life, if that's the mindset of an educated person you can imagine the uneducated thinking

Edited October 3, 2017 by samsensam
spelling

[1FinickyOne]

4 hours ago, zaZa9 said:

Hmmm... Ive been told that cancer rates are very low in Thailand.

But the Thais I know constantly avoid the sun and the beach...

They don't want to be in the sun because their skin turns darker... they prefer white skin. 

 

I don't know any figures, but it seems that cancer is quite often the cause of death here in and around my village... 

[AlexRich]

I have a relative who suffered from a mini-stroke last year ... no lasting physical injuries but does complain of tiredness at times.

 

Solution was to exercise regularly (walking) and change the diet to a more healthy regime ... as this person does not smoke or drink I believe that diet was at the heart of the problem. The condition can lead people to becoming depressed ... not surprisingly ... so a positive attitude coupled with a determination to get through it is necessary.

 

So keep active and keep your brain active coupled with a healthy diet ... and all the very best of luck.

[cmrichsw]

Have had triple bypass surgery and 2 heart attacks. Both knees replaced and both eyes cataract surgery, all done in Thailand.  I am very active swimming 6 days a week and exercise ie weights etc. + walking daily. I will be 73 this year.

 

Never felt better in my life - Keep moving

[Paul Laycock1]

Thanks for all the replies, I turn 62 this weekend. I'm vegetarian and have been since a very young age. I'm not overweight, cook all my own food, live down stairs in my house and have weights, exercise bicycle and parallel bars for walking.

As for walking outside the house forget it. My sister in law takes me shopping every 7 to 10 day's and that is probably the most exercise I now get, holding onto the shopping cart. I use a frame for indoor walking and a tripod when out shopping to get to a store trolley/cart. I could ramble on but again thanks for the replies.

[Lucky mike]

I had a stroke several years ago with some minor effect on my left leg, soon after I had a knee replacement on same leg.  I have changed my lifestyle and lost weight and try to exercise on a regular basis.  I believe "use it or lose it ". I try to help people when I can there are many worse off than you, be a giver not a taker. Try to get out as much as you can, good for mind and body.  Be thankful every morning it is not a dress rehearsal !

[lopburi3]

7 hours ago, kenk24 said:

They don't want to be in the sun because their skin turns darker... they prefer white skin. 

 

I don't know any figures, but it seems that cancer is quite often the cause of death here in and around my village... 

Indeed cancer is a serious issue here - skin cancer is low among Thai both due to desire to not darken and that Asian skin is not as likely to develop such cancer.  But this really has nothing to do with the OP.

[seancbk]

3 hours ago, Paul Laycock1 said:

Thanks for all the replies, I turn 62 this weekend. I'm vegetarian and have been since a very young age. I'm not overweight, cook all my own food, live down stairs in my house and have weights, exercise bicycle and parallel bars for walking.

As for walking outside the house forget it. My sister in law takes me shopping every 7 to 10 day's and that is probably the most exercise I now get, holding onto the shopping cart. I use a frame for indoor walking and a tripod when out shopping to get to a store trolley/cart. I could ramble on but again thanks for the replies.

 

Let me be the first to wish you a happy birthday for this coming weekend.   

[Krataiboy]

15 hours ago, zaZa9 said:

Hmmm... Ive been told that cancer rates are very low in Thailand.

But the Thais I know constantly avoid the sun and the beach...

 

Yeah, but. . . 

 

Thatys nothing to do with melanoma and everything to do with the absurdity of wishing to be white.

[OmarZaid]

21 hours ago, zaZa9 said:

Hmmm... Ive been told that cancer rates are very low in Thailand.

But the Thais I know constantly avoid the sun and the beach...

They do that because they do not want darker skin . . . not because of any cancer threat

[Gandtee]

On 10/3/2017 at 9:44 PM, samsensam said:

 

indeed, sadly, the thais attitude to disability leaves much to be desired; look at how the bts and bma had to be cajoled for years to install lifts at bts stations that should have been there from the start and how the vendors block pavements making them impassable for many disabled people

 

one of my well educated and world travelling thai friends told me disabled people were people who had done bad things in a previous life, if that's the mindset of an educated person you can imagine the uneducated thinking

My friend's father lay in a comatose state for seventeen years. The friend said he must have done bad things in his previous life. Maybe that would be the reason why they didn't pull the plug. I hope not.

[taiwanatoa]

My neighbor was a three pack a day smoker, who cut down to two packs a day. He told me he had been smoking  for 30 years. At 54, he had a stroke. It was pretty bad. He couldn't talk for weeks  He had a physical therapist come several times a week.
Now he is back to two packs a day.
What have you done to change your lifestyle to make it healthier?

He has had 2 strokes. Why are you asking him what he has done to change?!


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[Scott]

Royal reference removed.

[Paul Laycock1]

I personally have done little in the way of change. Been a vegitarian from an early age, 62 years old now. Did have a physiotherapist visit me three times weekly from our local hospital but after objections from my mother in law, wife and just about anyone else who wanted to weigh in she decided to end the sessions.

 

After suffering my stroke I purchased a exercise bike/machine, parallel bars and some 1kg weights. Can't drive anymore, tend my garden or shop without the help of my wife's sister (wife lives and works in Bangkok).

 

Day to day I use a walking frame and when shopping a tripod until I get a cart.

 

Just a after thought I also needed hip replacement surgery after a fall, good life ain't it.