In less than two months I will have been recovering for 8 months. I'm so glad I never gave up on getting better. It's been a long journey to say the least but knowing one day I would be better I just kept praying to God! Sure enough right from the beginning I have been blessed. The stroke happened at 11am while I was home alone. It started in my left hand, the first to go, then my elbow got numb. I stood up turned and fell tried standing again and fell again.

I passed out at that point and my wife got home found me on the floor called the medics who got me to the hospital about 7 hours after the stroke hit me. I had suffered a major Brain Bleed stroke. The first hospital determined it was a stroke and my skull would have to be removed. I was flown to the major hospital 25 miles away. By now I hear them talking about how close I am to death and I blanked out again! My wife tells me the next day that a decision was made by the head doctor not to remove the scull which was filled with blood but had stopped flowing from the busted vessel.

I ended up in ICU 5 days and I'm hearing my case is bad. I know I must have started praying to my God to save me now I want to live longer! I was a happy man knowing I was alive but many of my brain cells were dead. I was later moved to the rehab and recovery floor of the hospital and my sweet wife came by every day checking on my condition. She was told I was improving slightly but probably was going to be there for a long time. Well, I was there for five months before I was to get discharged in the care of my wife.

I was there long enough to see many survivors come in and go home long before I did. I began to wonder again if I would live very long. My wife assured me they told her I would live but may not walk again any time soon. I was sorta OK hearing that knowing I would live longer.

Finally I was discharged unable to walk but I could transfer from the chair to the car seat and back. I was in that chair for a year but learned to walk in out patient therapy and to climb the stairs. The VA gave me a hospital bed and I slept downstairs until I was able to climb stairs holding onto the hand rails. About that time my scooter arrived, I got my driving licenses back, and I was a happy camper again. I was a praying man, my wife was too! I had made it from disaster to life again!

Now I'm beginning to walk without the cane as my 8 years get closer and closer. I'm convinced if you don't give up we can make it with prayers and time. Strokes, heart attacks, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and tornadoes all take time, lots of time to rebuild! I now know recovery is very possible in due time it's not fast at all. We just have to be patient and wait. :big_grin: That's very hard to do by ourselves but it's a must do!

I have gained so much knowledge being here since 2005 looking, reading and learning about strokes and meds needed to stop the pains and other conditions associated with surviving a stroke. They all seem to be different for different people and the meds may stop pains for one person but not another. Over the years most meds have to be changed as our bodies adjust to all of them over time. Don't be afraid to talk with your doctors when you feel a change is needed. Don't sit there hurting when something can be done by you asking your doctor!

Fred!