Bob's 2 Year Stroke Anniversary
Entry posted by SandyCaregiver
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I've been having major problems with staying online. When Bob's 2 year anniversary rolled around, I didn't really blog here about it, because this seems to be the place that I have the most problems posting something when my connection is acting up. Not to mention the house flood from stopped up main drain) We did have a low key day, just glad to sit and rest after the flood commotion, but very aware of our blessings. Here's my catch-up here for others to read how we are doing after 2 years of recovery:
Feb 29, 2012 - Bob had a massive stroke, which left him totally without function on his right side, some affect on his left side, 65% vision loss, eating/swallowing difficulties, severe aphasia, cognitive loss in sequencing (correct order of steps to accomplish any task), trouble following commands, and many other stroke related problems. Today is not a leap year, so it is Mar 1, that is his 2 year *SURVIVAL* anniversary! Stroke recovery is amazingly s-s-s-l-l-l-o-o-o-o-w-w-w. We thank God for every tiny step, that returned a seemingly small, but incredible wonder to his life. Today we celebrate his accomplishments! Left side recovered quickly. Eating much improved. He can walk a small distance, like from room to another room, with balance assistance. It doesn't sound like much, unless you can't do it! Then when you can, it is so much to have back! He has been thru massive physical and speech therapy, both out and at home with me. He has struggled and persevered and is beginning to be able to read, again. One doesn't realize the way the brain can actually get in the way when trying to read after a stroke. For one, it was nearly impossible for his eye to follow the same line across. The other problem was the brain would pick up on a word and want to insert that same word into every sentence. The last of the brain interference would be that it would read a few words and would want to hurry and complete the sentence with words that seemed like they would fit, but were not written there! The brain wants to help and rushes in to put in the likely next word! I attribute his latest gain to our house flood, which left us at odds with our usual habits, forcing him to do something else longer! (try to read on his own, not just his therapy)
It is a trial for sure, to have been a man who traveled around the world, teaching 6 sigma & lean manufacturing and creating Power Pt presentations in much detail - when he would fly to a country, people from other nearby countries would fly where he was, to hear HIM speak(!)... and then finds he can't use a computer, nor work the remote control we've had for 15 years, nor even express himself. I thank God for the PT therapists at Fairfield rehab who were so friendly and cheerful. They helped us to have a good attitude, rather than fall into despair, and that attitude is still with us and keeps us working.
There were 4 paths our lives could have taken that day, only one would leave him alive:
1. We had never moved to Oxford, so he would have been killed driving home from work on Old Oxford Rd, going 55 miles an hour.
2. I would have been ready to go when he pulled in the drive, to go work on the old house, and we'd both been in the accident driving there.
3. I would have already left to go to work on the old house, and so he would have been home alone when he stroked.
4. I wasn't ready. He drove home, and sat on the couch with the dog for 2 minutes, while I ran into the bathroom and pulled my hair back. When I ran back out, he had stroked.
So, it was number 4. The small 2 minute time slot between when he got out of the car from driving home, and before we left again, in which he was not driving, was when he had the stroke. We are both alive because number 4 was the path that we were on that day. I thank God for my husband and that he is with me. I can't imagine not having him here. He is the love of my life and I thank God for this 2 year anniversary of surviving the odds 
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