There's a saying in spanish that goes something like "When it's your time, it is even if you get out of the way, and when it isn't your time, it isn't even if you get in the way". It sounds way better in Spanish.
My dad had a stroke, actually, 2 strokes 2 months ago. The clinic where he was taken treated him for "food poisoning" and discharged him. Two days later my sister took him to a hospital 4 hours away, since there's no Medical Specialists where they live.
They diagnosed the strokes, his throat was so swollen from the muscle contractions, that he couldn't swallow anything, even his own saliva for 3 days. He was stabilized and started dysphagia therapy immediately. He couldn't walk either, he'd get up and fall.
The stroke happened in the cerebellum, the part in charge of our balance and coordination. So... on the bright side, he didn't have brain damage. You hear the worst things about strokes, my dad was so lucky.
He went back to live with my sister, not able to walk, feeling dizzy, unable to swallow normal foods. Within a week he was already eating mostly everything. He is super stubborn, and from day one did not want help to move from one place to another, so he crawled. From the bedroom to the bathroom, to still feel independent.
I arrived 3 weeks later and he crawled to the window to see me arrive. When I went to his room he was sitting, trying to look the best he could. It was heartbreaking for me. To see someone you've always seen strong, in charge, protective. Sitting, skinny, tired...
The therapist said he'd have a full recovery and just had to do some exercises at home, three times a day. He hadn't done anything when I first got here and so I had a mission. Hyped on acroyoga I started spotting him, motivating him with every little step, and giving him balancing tips. Fully confident that his cerebellum would find new parts to do the job the dead ones did.
I failed to record the first couple days, when just standing without touching the walker was a struggle.
It's been 5 weeks, and he is now walking with a cane, he went back to live on his own and he's back at work playing piano. 2 months after the event! Is that even heard of? I don't know about miracles but, I'm amazed, and proud and so very grateful.
It's a very emotional time for me. After being away from family for so long, it's not easy to be back and try to figure out daily interactions no one is used to. From jokes that don't translate, to social norms, personalities and life styles I can't honestly type a story where everything was love and progress. We had a lot of arguments, we also laughed a lot while doing the therapies. We learned things about each other that we didn't like and we talked about the profound love we feel for each other. We didn't talk to each other a couple days, and on others we made plans together for the future and remembered many things we have lived together. My car broke down and I had to stay way more than 2 weeks, I lost my job, I felt uncertainty and support and great possibilities filled my head.
This is life. Pleasant and unpleasant, that is the experience.
I made this video of the progress of his recovery....
