Stroke Recovery is a Marathon, not a Sprint

On December 13, 2022, John Scott pulled into the Service Canada parking lot knowing that something was wrong.

People passing by assumed he was intoxicated. Thankfully a bystander called 9-1-1, recognizing that what was happening to John was a medical emergency.

John, still alone in his car, was experiencing signs of stroke. Paramedics arrived on scene and he was immediately taken to the Brantford General Hospital Emergency Department.

John was in the hospital for 22 days. During that time, he suffered seizures that put him back into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). His stroke was a result of bleeding in the brain - the second most common cause of stroke.

The physicians felt that potential causes of John’s stroke were related to his type 2 diabetes, smoking, and unhealthy habits of eating and drinking.

His wife Shelley took a few months off work to be by his side while John was in the hospital. Shelley reflects that “[her] mind was filled with questions about what our life was going to look like, how are we going to do this, how are we going to do that.”

Cindy Baldin, the RN that worked with John on the Integrated Stroke Unit, highlights that caregivers are also affected by stroke. “We like to think that a stroke happens just to the patient themselves, but obviously those surrounding them are affected as well. Not only do we need to be supportive to the patient, but also empathetic to loved ones, as their lives have also been turned upside down.”

“One day, Cindy reminded me that I needed to take a minute to take care of myself. I remember not wanting to leave at all, but even small things like going home to take a shower and get some sleep is important,” says Shelley.

John was fortunate to progress positively at a rapid rate. While in the hospital, he went from needing a wheelchair, to walking with a walker assisted by two people, then to walking with Shelley’s assistance.

Lynn Zammit, Physiotherapist for the Outpatient Neurological and Amputee Program, shares “stroke recovery is a marathon, it’s not a 60-yard dash. I think it can become challenging for a lot of people as they tend to notice significant improvement during the early days but then they realized rehabilitation can take months, sometimes years."

Once John was discharged from the hospital, he realized that this was only the beginning of his stroke recovery. In the following months, John attended stroke prevention education and outpatient physical and occupational therapy.

During stroke recovery ongoing support is crucial to assisting the patient’s emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical barriers that may be associated with overcoming a stroke.

When asked what advice she would give to others who may be assisting someone through stroke recovery, Shelley responded by saying “just remember how much their lives have changed. There are things they are going through emotionally, mentally, and physically, that will take time.”

Patients report feeling disoriented and disheartened after suffering from a stroke, so a supportive care team helps them feel supported through their rehabilitation journey.

Cindy agrees that the loss of independence and the loneliness it may bring can be really hard on a person. “Most people can’t do their independent living things that they were doing before. Moving forward, it’s about helping them get back to their base line, or the new goals they’d like to reach.”

Lynn adds “I think stronger communication between each of the components of the continuum of care will help to ensure we are all providing the same information and offering the same support. I think upholding a consistency between staff, patients and their loved ones will ultimately improve their experience.”

“Everybody tries to help you after you’ve suffered a stroke, but ultimately it is the patient who needs to navigate what works for them,” says John.

A few months have passed since his initial stroke, and John and Shelley’s hope for June Stroke Month is to increase education and awareness about stroke. “I think more education for the general public is really important because a lot of people may assume impairment of a different kind when really it was a medical emergency,” says Shelley.

If the public can recognize signs and symptoms of stroke and call emergency services right away this will lead to better outcomes for the patient.

In addition, John advises to “see a doctor, get a check-up every once in a while, maintain healthy lifestyle choices. Face up to it, own up to it. It’s your own health.”