Care Partner Dilemma - The medical answer to most questions - wait and see!

Care Partners and Caregivers, for months, I would ask every heath professional that cared for Rick, “What can I expect?” “What will he recover?” “Will he be the same as before the stroke” The answer 100% of the time was…

“You just have to wait and see what returns. The brain is a funny organ, everyone responds differently.”

This was very difficult to hear. What I wanted was “ He will be ready for discharge in a day - good as new” Unrealistic but what I wanted. The brain recovers much differently then say a broken bone. Although there are general recovery expectations based on location and severity, it ultimately is different for every stroke survivor. So how do you survive reading those dreaded words - WAIT AND SEE ?

Educate yourself on what is the normal expectation and then discuss with your health care provider how this relates to your loved one. I found an excellent article “Stroke Recovery Timeline” by Preeti Raghavan, M.D. from John Hopkins University.

She wrote…

A stroke is an emergency situation, and the faster you receive treatment the better. But what happens in the days, weeks and months after a stroke? Johns Hopkins stroke rehabilitation specialist Preeti Raghavan, M.D., explains that “at times, the process can be slow and uncertain, and different people recover in a range of ways.”

Although recovery looks different for everyone, it can be helpful to get a sense of the stroke recovery timeline so you know what to expect after you or a loved one experiences a stroke.

To read the full article:

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/stroke/stroke-recovery-timeline

You are not alone - together we can find the answers you need. Please check out my services pages, I think you will find additional support one on one.

Stroke and the Spouse Mission

To lovingly guide and improve the lives of Care Partners and Caregivers through education, support and resources