>mild stroke and will be out of work for six months or more. I thought mild meant that I would recover in a couple of weeks.

- I have quoted a part from your post, and look at it carefully. This could be part of the stroke problem, you may not realize yet. If you would be out of work 6 months or MORE, how could you have recovered in a couple of weeks? Because if you recovered in a couple of weeks, why would you be out of work 6 months or longer? Don't let the word 'mild' fool you. It only means that you didn't have a massive stroke, not that you will be back the way you was in a few weeks. I also hate it when hubby's neurologist would exchange greetings with him and say he had 'mild aphasia'. Yea, but if he'd asked him to make a sentence with the word cat in it, (or any other word) he'd have seen the baffled look on his face on trying to make ANY sentence of his own. Thankfully, he is improving on that, after 2 years.

I think the important thing is, that stroke survivors need to pay attention to see for themselves if they are missing things being said, and they need to realize they will have exhaustion and brain fog. I've read a lot of accounts of people who rushed back to work, and were ready to collapse from exhaustion and inability to concentrate. Once they started working, it was very difficult to convince the disability people that they could not work, since they were doing it(badly). So, don't pressure yourself to get right back to work, you may get there and realize it is too much, and have painted yourself into a corner.

You haven't mentioned any other stroke related symptoms you are left with? If you seem pretty normal, spend this time seeing how you manage to function with everyday chores and stress. You might want to keep a log about how long you sleep and if you nap, and how long naps are. If you find you are having trouble with details you need to remember. Maybe a list of things you did that day and how your energy/concentration was affected. These things would help your doctor decide if you can work or not.

Welcome to the board, much you can learn here!

Hmm... I do agree a stroke is by no means mild. Panic attacks I have had a few. Can it be managed.... Yes. Can your family be managed yes. You still are trying to heal. it takes at least six months. I went back to work after three days in the hospital. Not a hero, just stupid. know the fog feeling. hang in there it does get better.And you will be able to manage your family. It is like a roller coaster but you never can seem to get off the ride.Soon you will have more control.

Terry

Welcome to the Blog Community. Thank you for detailing some of what has been happening in your life. I agree "mild" is a misnomer, all strokes affect you in some ways and fogginess and fatigue are felt right across the stroke spectrum.

My late husband Ray's first stroke was described as "mild" and he did take six months of rehabilitation, particularly trade related as he was a carpenter, to get back to work. I was happy he achieved that but our lives changed permanently as he managed a day's work but then would come home and collapse exhausted from the effort. But he did get stronger as time went by.

Give yourself a chance to heal, rest, recuperate, exercise, eat good food and see if medication or meditation will fix some of your current problems. You will get a lot of good support and advice here. Read it all and decide what applies to your situation.

Look forward to your next blog.

(((hugs))) from Sue.

stroke- mild, moderate or severe ----- it affects something and no one can tell for how long or exactly what . and then it can change because of other issues - stress ( teenagers right)- illness ( the tiniest bug can fatigue you beyond) now the stroke has dominoed out and affected not just you but your kids ( obviously) my bethany has went through "issues" similar ( she is 17 now - 14 at the time of stroke) and then the stroke mushrooms out - it ( the stroke) has managed to affect your relationships with professionals , peers and extended family... maybe a re-evaluation is in order , and different plans need to be made regaurding your career for the moment .. It is still early in the stroke game -, but a brain injury is unpredictable to say the least.... nancyl

Tempii,

Many of the qualifier such as "mild" are there for the medical staff and insurance companies. In the case of "mild stroke" it can just mean that regardless how severe your deficits are, the doctors predict a better chance of recovery---key word being "predict" not guarantee. In the meantime you endure the same frustration, pain and limitations as anyone else.

For this reason I don't bother to tell anyone anything anymore except "I had a stroke" because they often hear what they want that comforts them and spout off junk they think comforts me--but often does anything but, so they unintentionally minimize what you're going through.

I share your irritation though and amuse myself by fantasizing stomping their foot and reminding them how good that's going to feel when it stops hurting!

In my mind all strokes are bad and not mild unless you have no disabilities. When the blood is cut off from any part of the body for even a short time that is Serious to me and not mild.

Bruce's stroke was defined as "dense" but if you sat down and spoke with him - long term and short term memory intact, can write, does has trouble finding the correct words but there are major disabilities.

An aside here: just recently, after almost five year, Bruce can finally get into a car by himself, from the WC. I still have to lift his affected leg, but just the fact that he actually thought of it and then worked it through is amazing.

You have to allow yourself time, as best you can and support to the family. If finances allow, apply for the short term disability - see what your contract allows and just take it. Re-eval. I agree with Sandy - don't let anyone box you into a corner.

Hugs and prayers. Debbie

Tempii,

You're absolutely right there's absolutely right, there's nothing mild about having your brain damaged by a lack of oxygen in any way.

Unfortunately they measure us all the same and we're not. To say we're cognitively in tact doesn't take in to account that some of us were much higher level before and may not be able to function at that level effectively again. When I was in cognitive rehab they couldn't figure out what to do with me because the basic stuff was not challenging enough so they gave me LSAT practice testing materials to do. When I complained that it was just busy work and pointless, one of the therapists came up with that it might help me to plan for and teach the class since I was a teacher. When the director got wind of it, she flagged it because I wasn't a therapist so it was illegal. At that point I was discharged from therapy because it was determined I didn't need cognitive remediation and there was nothing they could do for me.

Like you I knew there still a fog there and something wasn't right, so I thought I'll put myself to the test and look for what they're not. I taught a few of my classes with what I know like the back of my hand and this is what I learned. What I could not do was continue to steer the focus of the class when questions were thrown at me. That required me to think quick, take their question incorporate it, and remain on point. I teach Lit so if I wasn't strong enough up there to multitask and lead the discussion, we'd be talking about pop news in no time.

I do fine as long as I can sit and concentrate on one thing , thinking on your feet is way different and that I just can't do anymore.

It's all still very new, it does get better.

(((((hugs))))

Maria

thanks for your support