When a Loved One Has a Stroke, Everyone Hurts

Stories of stroke survivors and caregivers learning to live again

This picture is of family at Thanksgiving. Both my dad and daughter had suffered a stroke in the past year and our family had much to celebrate. Photo form author’s photo album.

Scanning through Facebook last week, I stopped abruptly on a post. A friend had suffered a stroke. My heart broke, and I was transported back to a time four years earlier when life revolved around hospitals and recovery. During that year, both my dad and daughter suffered severe strokes that changed their lives. On Thanksgiving, we had a lot to be thankful for as we gather together.

Though it is never easy to accept, when an elderly person has a stroke it is understood, at least in my case, because I had witnessed many elderly family and friends deal with this affliction. However, when a vibrant, healthy, young person had a stroke, I was bulldozed by emotions.

During the time Kari, my daughter, was in the hospital I recorded her experiences through stories. At the time, I wrote for my own comfort, to record the experiences, and to pass the hours as I sat by her bedside. When she came home, I shared many of these stories with others. Some have been shared with Facebook communities.

When the post informed me that a friend in her 30’s had a stroke, a flood of memories forced me to relive experiences from my not so distant past. It seems so unfair! Reading about my friend’s stroke, I…