EnableMe | enableme - stroke recovery and support

Thrill Seekers and Fellow Time Travellers, in recent days I have read several articles about the concept of plateauing and the impact that it can have/has had on Stroke Survivors.

This term I have noticed evokes a great deal of response from Stroke Survivors so much that I thought I would devote an epistle to this topic.

Plateauing is generally broached to stroke survivors in the following words “That's about as far as you will go in your rehab” OR “This is about as good as it gets for you”

In my situation, I was informed brusquely by a doctor [standing Zeus like at the end of my bed - ‘Brian, it's highly unlikely that you'll ever walk again!’

Depending on the circumstances that this subject was broached, to some survivors it could be a signal to run up the white flag of surrender in terms of their rehab journey.

For me it made me quite angry and caused me to strive even harder on my road to recovery – a journey that I had only just commenced.

The assumption that someone can look into their so-called clinical crystal ball and utter such ill-chosen words quite frankly makes me shake my head in bewilderment!

The long walk out of the Forest.

I know of a stroke survivor who was a wardie of mine, whose wife was told [ in the survivor’s presence] “that’s the best outcome we can hope for” The survivor hearing these words literally gave up on the spot and when he was discharged went home and vegetated.

Now 66 years of age, (7 years post stroke) he is slowly getting back into the rehab mindset!

Why has it taken so long? He went to, (at his wife’s urging), a physio who spent two sessions with him and together they worked out a plan to restart his rehab odyssey. He has even given it a name “The long walk out of the Forest”.

As has been my habit I have written a blog titled” A Long and Winding Road” which talks about my rehab journey, the roadblocks, the ups and downs, and the time it took me to reach various rehab waypoints (rehab goals) in my journey,

You will notice, if you read my blog that it does not happen overnight- It takes time, lots of time.

Hence the trend to offer the term “plateau” when, I surmise as it often happens, it seems that the stroke survivor has become frustrated/dissatisfied with his/her’s perceived lack of progress.

In layman’s terms, I was told by my attending clinicians that the brain must rewire itself after a stroke [I am no medico, so I make no apology for my use of everyday terms]and this takes time in the case of Stroke- this phenomenon is called Neuroplasticity.

The Brain That Changes.

I was privileged to participate with 2 other Stroke Survivors in a Webinar The Brain that Changes which talks about this process, during which the term “plateau” was discussed. The host and moderator was Dr. Simone Dorsch, a noted Stroke Educator [Senior Lecturer. Australian Catholic University\} and a Director of StrokeEd, a leading Australian Stroke Collaborative.

Dr. Dorsch regularly conducts workshops in U.K., Asia, and South America and is highly regarded as a leading researcher/educator in the Stroke World. You may find the online webinar of interest.

So finally, as to whether or not I have plateaued, that is somebody else’s opinion to make.

Despite whatever their opinion I will continue to undertake my rehab routines that are now well and truly integrated into my life and lifestyle, for as long as it is possible.

I realized that I will not be 100% the person I was pre-stroke, but I maintain that if I keep doing what I'm doing I'll become the best I can be.

That Thrill Seekers and Fellow Time Travellers is the best objective that we can all aspire to as stroke survivors.

My Twitter Posting on this subject

Here is my Twitter posting titled"Plateauing - A Term used in Haste...

Brian A Beh A Stroke Survivor.

Great blog. I am the wife of a stroke survivor, and I know exactly what you are talking about. I too heard such extreme negative talk over my husband's bed while he was in the first 48 hours post stroke and still not awake. He wasn't awake, but by God he was aware. He could hear me, he knew I was there, he answered me by squeezing my hand, so at the first word of negative talk over the bed the medico's were very briskly moved out into the corridor. I was not having any of that negative chatter where he could hear it. Yes his stroke was a double whammy, yes he should not have survived either the stroke or the horrendous amount of time it took before he was found and finally made it to hospital, but he did survive, and he is walking, and talking. Yes he is different, but the same, hard to explain, but he is back swimming (with one arm as one is being extremely stubborn), and he comes with me occasionally and hits a pretty good golf stroke! Plateau, as good as it gets, don't expect too much, to heck with that we say. Onwards and upwards. Its the only way to go. Thank you for you story.

A great comment- I read and re read your story.

Keep it up and lets stay in touch

I will send you some blogs-My Hotmail is brian.beh@hotmail.com please send me your

Brian

I had a stroke 2.5 years ago and was told I was going to be a vegetable and would have to go Sydney for rehab at age 53 my brother saw we grasp gurney with my good right hand and saw me mouth F$&k you.

Was walking next day had a brain stem stroke that was not treated for 4 hours then while in hospitals had second stroke. But you do plateau after a while it is always not the size of the dog, it is the mongrel in him

I like that saying Manny - " not the size of the dog, it is the mongrel in him."

Mindset is bloody important.