Rose :

your post reminds me of my beginning days of therapy. I am now close to 10 years on this post stroke journey & I can tell you walking has become second nature to me & have not to think about all things involved in it any more. I feel for me treadmill therapy has helped big time.

Asha

Hi Rose, I remember learning to walk with the pain in my left side and using a cane. It was hard, and I felt worse then a baby. See a baby was so happy to learn this new skill, me I would take, a few steps then fall into a chair With no smile on my face!. It took me about a year and an half to walk and feel like it was second nature to me. Keep it up Rose!

Yvonne

I too came home from my long hospital initial stay unable to walk on my own and in a WC! After more therapy I soon learned to walk with a cane. I never fell and was always very careful where I placed my left foot since it was paralyzed.

I never looked back and got my scooter shortly thereafter!! Hey, I thought I was King of the Road thin.

I also had to learn to walk again. Early at the rehab hospital a physical therapist asked me if I really wanted to walk again. I guess she was see how I was struggling. I was shocked by the question. It had never occurred to me that I might not walk again. Geesh. Anyway soon after being released from hospitals (4 months and 3 weeks after the stroke) my caregiver began taking me out in the wheelchair for a "walk" across the street on a university campus.. Soon I began practicing walking outside. I would get out of my wheelchair onto my walker. My caregiver followed with the wheelchair. I started with 10 steps the first day. Every day I added steps until I had so many it made sense to move to distance (laps on an oval walkway).

I now (weather permitting) take hour long walks on my own. It took a lot of persistence, but it does get easier. I am really glad I kept at it. Being able to walk increases your independence and what you can do.

One day on the university campus a priest came up (it is a catholic university) and told me how he had been watching from his office and had used me as an example in a homilly. Yikes. You never know.

Keep up the work! It is definitely worth it.

I also had to learn to walk again. Early at the rehab hospital a physical therapist asked me if I really wanted to walk again. I guess she was see how I was struggling. I was shocked by the question. It had never occurred to me that I might not walk again. Geesh. Anyway soon after being released from hospitals (4 months and 3 weeks after the stroke) my caregiver began taking me out in the wheelchair for a "walk" across the street on a university campus.. Soon I began practicing walking outside. I would get out of my wheelchair onto my walker. My caregiver followed with the wheelchair. I started with 10 steps the first day. Every day I added steps until I had so many it made sense to move to distance (laps on an oval walkway).I now (weather permitting) take hour long walks on my own. It took a lot of persistence, but it does get easier. I am really glad I kept at it. Being able to walk increases your independence and what you can do. One day on the university campus a priest came up (it is a catholic university) and told me how he had been watching from his office and had used me as an example in a homilly. Yikes. You never know.Keep up the work! It is definitely worth it.

Thank you for this very inspirational story of your walking progress! :-)