I know I am very lucky to be married to the great guy who has amazing inner strength to remain calm in the middle of storm. I am really glad that it was me who suffered stroke & he needed to be strong for me. just yesterday found out something new from him about my stroke survivor journey. I was telling him stories I read here where doctors won't give hope of recovery to patient or their family. I was telling him I was so lucky to have great doctors who never took away that hope from me. he was like you were shielded by us in your hospital stay cause doctors never gave any hopes of great recovery to my family members, I guess that's the reason mom was crying all the time while she was there & I hated her for that. but my family chose not to believe doctors & pass that information to me, I am so greatful for that, in the begining my family always told me I will be normal again. My hubby told me he had dream of me doing dance just like old times with him & ofcourse I believed him. I guess thats the difference between east & west where in east patient is shielded from all medical information so that he can have hope & able to live life to fullest in coming months & years. where as in west patient is made aware of its prognosis however dire & sad it is & take away that last bit of hope from him so that patient gives up & don't fight for his life. looking at my journey I feel what my family did for me was the best thing cause at that time in my life just having my old life back was the only thing I wanted, I was not ready for my new life & new normal. It took time, but slowly I accepted my post stroke life. I have realized my life post stroke is just different not good or bad, its just different. and being different does not mean I am not happy as before, actually I feel I am more happy &being able to stay in present & enjoy my life with things I deeply cared about. I care about my family & close friends & I am lucky to be still surrounded by them & enjoying & appreciating my time with them. had they told me my bleak prognosis would I have had strength to fight on at that time, I don't think so, I m glad they kept my hope alive at the time to hang on to realize later on that my different new normal is still great & more meaningful than ever before even after 20 years of marriage I learn something new about him & love him all the more for that.

Asha