Hi,
I’m sorry to hear about your stroke and your ongoing mobility issues.
The stroke recovery journey is different for everyone. There are a number of factors that can affect the rate and extent of your recovery such as the type and severity of the stroke, whether or not you have access to rehabilitation services, your level of motivation and your environment and support networks.
You can still make improvements and continue to recover years after your stroke. Research now indicates the brain has the ability to change through the development of new pathways - this ability is called neuroplasticity. Keeping active and challenging the body and brain is extremely important for neuroplasticity to occur. The concept of neuroplasticity means that with rehabilitation, practice and repetition, the brain can re-wire and build new pathways for re-learning a skill. Only a decade or so ago, it was thought that once the brain was damaged it was impossible to relearn or make significant changes. The discovery of neuroplasticity has changed all of that and there is now much more hope for stroke survivors and those with brain injury to continue their rehabilitation and practice.
I would recommend that you have a look at some of the inspiration stories of stroke recovery here on enableme.
You may want to speak to your neurologist and/or physiotherapist about how you can optimise your recovery. We are also available to talk on StrokeLine (1800 787 653).
Best wishes,
Alana Saunders
Speech Pathologist for StrokeLine
Their are many things to try and improve arm and hand function including Constraint Induced movement Therapy,robotic ,electrical stimulation ,visual imagery training you should consult an Occupational therapist with expertise in Arm Hand rehab to teach you how to maximise your recovery.