Physiotherapy post stroke

I've trawling through your site today and have read quite a lot re post stroke physio.

Can I add my pennyworth? I had a CVA in 1998 at the age of 50 - 3 months after early retirement!

If you are a carer, particularly, though this applies to physiotherapists too. Please do try to get through to the stroke survivor that physiotherapy is NOT
something which is done to the them, but it is a collaboration between the physio and the client/patient.

Also, can I say that mental attitude is important. Call the person a survivor rather tha a victim. Words matter, if you think of yourself as a victim, you become one. Bloodymindedness really helps!

One other thing. I left hospital with a very badly sub-luxed shoulder and a quite severely spastic left arm and hand. I was in hospital from 16 October 1998 until 23 December 1998. For 12 weeks I had home visits from the local intermediate care team, so I had phsio every week day, either at home or as an outpatient. I had outpatient physio until Easter of 2000 though by the last few months, the visits were 3 to 4 weeks apart and were about goal setting.

I'm pretty sure that if I had that same stroke today, I would not get the same level of physio support, nor would I have had the same time in hospital with the great neurophysiotherapists I continued to see as an outpatient for so long.

I celebrated my 12 post stroke anniversary on 16 October - champagne. The first time I did that, my husband said I don't want to celebrate you having you stroke! I told him that wasn't what it was about - I celebrate still being here, so champagne is fine for surviving. I also celebrate that he survived my stroke.