EnableMe | enableme - stroke recovery and support

After a phone call this morning in regards to an upcoming medical appointment, I went through my paperwork and found the discharge report that I was given after having my stroke. While the appointment is not stroke-related, I wanted to take the report so that the specialist has all the background when considering a treatment plan. Being a person who likes to be well-informed, I began to research the stroke I had.

According to the discharge notes I had an "ICA occlusion and posterior circulation stroke". It also said I had an "acute infarct" and it had affected my thalamus. It was also interesting that the tests that were performed could not locate the blockage.

I can't find information about this type of stroke that I can understand, so I've asked a question on Enableme in regards to this. I have been researching the effects of stroke on the thalamus and it really does explain some things about me, like the sensory issues I have sometimes and getting things mixed up. It was also interesting that the thalamus is associated with the sleep/wake thing, I had so much trouble sleeping after my stroke, both in the hospital and at home. I remember being told off by the nurses on night duty because I couldn't sleep in the hospital. I don't know why they treated me that way, I was in the stroke ward and I would have expected them to be aware of the issues. On release from hospital I continued to have issues with sleep, in the end my GP prescribed antidepressants to deal with both my low mood and sleeplessness. A lot of things are making sense to me now.

I'm hoping to find some simple information about my type of stroke, I know people ask me questions and I want to be able to answer as best I can. It's interesting that the stroke affected my left brain, where science and maths skills are located, so trying to understand what I read is doubly challenging!

And the journey to knowledge continues!

Hi Kat,

Great work in keeping all your paperwork and educating yourself. I too find knowledge and education gives me a sense of ownership over all that I went through and can look ahead with clearer focus.

I was like a thirsty sponge needing information that I could work with.

I am sorry some of your moments in your early rehab were not the best.

Sue :-)

Hi Kat,
I too am constanly educating myself about stroke and I find what people share here on Enable Me so informative. I find that I feel more in control of my situation the more that I learn. I was never admitted to hospital etc so I really felt like I started from behind in terms of what had happened.
Toni

Sleeping problems have followed my stroke too. I was fairly well versed in sleeplessness, for many years my habit was to give in to it and make a cup of tea in the early hours and sit with my computer. I wrote two books during this time.

Nowadays the problem is more serious because I need my sleep for recovery and have designed all sorts of tricks to improve it. Rising in the early hours is not acceptable any more, I am completely stuffed the day after.

Deigh