The Long Road Ahead

3 Ideas From Me:

• Idea 1: Engage in Regular Therapy:
  • Participate actively in your prescribed rehabilitation program, which may include physical, occupational, and speech therapy. Practice exercises and skills regularly, even outside of formal therapy sessions. To quote the wise Mark Twain, “The secret of making progress is to get started.” This is especially important for young stroke survivors and those recovering from a haemorrhagic stroke, as the brain has an amazing capacity to heal and adapt, especially with consistent effort.
• Idea 2: Dont finish your story before you start
  • When I had my stroke, I sat in the hospital and tried to grapple with my life and the way i wanted it to be. I sat in my hospital room after physio and got to listen to people turn down physiotherapy i thought this was F*cking crazy why wouldn’t you want to get better? to get to where you were before the stroke not everyone is lucky to have the chance for physio or even to live and hear you are turning that down is crazy. I thought about it there, and then I would try my best to get better and to an area where I’m comfortable in my life now, am I done? No!, and I never will be, but at least I can try and live up to that image of myself I have.
• Idea 3: Advocate for Change:
  • If you are reading this and want to make the world a better place and raise awareness, get involved in your local council meetings or charities that help you and your “Clique.” Nothing will ever change unless you advocate for that change. To quote a good friend (Socrates!), “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”

2 Recovery Tips:

• Tip 1: Rest Rest Rest 
  • Many stroke survivors experience post-stroke fatigue. Proper rest can help manage this fatigue and improve overall energy levels for rehabilitation activities. Recently went through this were a 5 day period of stress and next to no sleep, and at the end of it, it finally hit me and have paid for that by going through this week with low energy and weakness in my affected side. But I know I need to rest up and get back to fighting form
• Tip 2: journal, track, measure how far you come:
  • Journaling can be a valuable tool for stroke recovery as it promotes neuroplasticity, facilitates emotional processing, and provides a means of tracking progress, ultimately contributing to improved cognitive function, stress reduction, and overall well-being. I tend to journal for everything, and as anyone can tell you, I have a pen and journals everywhere; it also helps me to keep track of things in all aspects of my life and has made me more productive and effective as a person.

Jayme Kelly’s Story

Jayme Kelly, a 31-year-old nurse, experienced a stroke while sleeping. Despite initially being unable to walk or speak properly, she embarked on an intensive recovery journey:

• Attended speech therapy three times a week
• Joined a book club with other stroke survivors
• Participated in music therapy twice a week
• Through her dedication to rehabilitation, Jayme has made significant progress in her speaking, reading, and writing abilities. While not fully recovered, she continues to improve daily and has become an advocate for stroke awareness among younger women.

You can watch and read more about Jayme by clicking the links below:

1. Stroke survivor, Jayme Kelly, shares her story of survival and recovery
2. https://www.goredforwomen.org/en/about-heart-disease-in-women/real-women/jayme-kelly