Stroke Survivors, Caregivers Get Support On Their Journey

By Rick Shideler

Two years ago, my wife of 40 years walked into our local PetSmart to take her Yorkie pups for their annual exam when she suddenly felt disoriented and dropped them to the floor.

Then, she fell to the floor.

Store personnel helped her up and called me to let me know my wife was feeling ill. I asked to speak with her and, as soon as she uttered her first sentence, I knew she was having a stroke. Having just completed CPR and stroke awareness training at the American Red Cross, I recognized her slurred speech and disoriented answers as stroke symptoms. So I immediately asked the store to call 911.

The local ER, a level 1 critical care trauma center, immediately did an MRI on her head and discovered a massive bleed in the right lobe of her brain. After stabilizing her, they moved her to ICU and she quickly became non-responsive. Communication with doctors was difficult to non-existent due to COVID-19 protocols.

On Day Three of her stroke recovery, her doctors told me that my bride had a massive hemorrhagic stroke and the outlook was guarded.

After several days, my wife became more alert. But she had no left side strength, had significant short-term memory loss, suffered with thinking of words, and struggled with significant choking and coughing.

Thanks to the incredible therapists, and after nearly three months in the hospital, she was finally well enough and sent home to begin her long road of recovery.

Her outpatient therapists were outstanding but, because of COVID-19 protocols, support groups were on hiatus and not meeting. This made it difficult for my wife and I as we felt alone in our stroke journey. Facebook and other social media sites helped some, but face-to-face conversations with other stroke survivors and caregivers were lacking.

We found many great podcasts and reads, learning how other survivors have not allowed their strokes to steal their identity.

But we needed to talk with others on a stroke journey. After we didn’t find any local groups meeting, we formed our own. Now, we meet once a month in the local rehab hospital gym and have more than 50 members who were also desperately seeking support.

Stroke, stroke recovery, and managing medical, insurance, and governmental support programs alone is difficult. But our support group has been a treasure of information and helped us navigate the intricacies of support and care.

Stroke is hard. Stroke recovery is harder still. Caring for a stroke survivor, or anyone with a brain injury, is incredibly difficult for the caregiver. Thankfully, a lot of help is available, including from the American Stroke Association, books, Facebook groups and support groups. And every doctor, therapist, and nurse we encountered were so helpful.

Every year, on her stroke-aversary, my wife and I visit the hospital that saved her life. We hug everyone who helped us. And thank them. Again. And again. We have formed great friends with my wife’s care team. In many ways, they’re also our family.

HEALTH CARE DISCLAIMER: This site and its services do not constitute the practice of medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment, including your specific medical needs. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care professional immediately. If you are in the United States and experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or call for emergency medical help immediately.

For more information on this health topic, visit stroke.org.

Would you like help dealing with heart or stroke conditions -- either yours or someone else’s? Join us in the AHA’s Support Network! We are an online community of patients, survivors and caregivers where you can share your experience while getting encouragement, hope and informational resources from others who have been there. Membership is free and the benefits can be priceless. Register today.