Hi Shekhar! Have you talked to your fathers doctor or therapist? They have the answers that you need. You can also join our stroke support group on Facebook to talk to other stroke survivors and get their opinion as well: https://www.facebook.com/groups/flintstrokesupportgroup/

People who don’t see me regularly always see they notice I’ve made progress, but I’m 8 years post now and I’m just done with this invalid stuff. (I’m 43 by the way) I’ve found a new therapy to treat trauma: TRE (http://traumaprevention.com). Bessel van der Kolk writes in his book “The body keeps the score” that there are 3 ways to treat trauma: 1. Top down by talking. 2. Pills. 3. Bottom up by working with the body. There is no one size fits all, you have to find out what works for you. I’ve talked and read a lot the last few years and intellectually I get it, but I don’t feel it, so I hope the body work is going to help me.

To give myself a goal, I gave every muscle a name, when I wanted it to move I spoke it’s name. In fact I never stopped speaking for the first month, and using a voice recorder made my speech improve. (positive feedback). I also got real angry, this allowed me to encourage the bits of damaged me to want to recover. This is an excellent recovery tool! ..use it, it really really works!

I am also a type 2 diabetic, been disabled for 50 years with a motor bike accident injuries. (3.5 yrs in plaster & crutches). I have had double pneumonia as a bonus. I suffer visual cortex damage, and have been diagnosed with MS ( I feel incorrectly). I am typing this with both hands using a high powered pair of glasses fitted with a x4 loupe to see letters.

So, my message is very simple and from the heart, every tiny movement and every tiny improvement will lead to your recovery process. You are still you, (albeit less confident by the sound of it.) you will always be you, seek out people who you don’t see regularly (grandchilren?) they will tell you the truthy about how you are progressing.

Me?, aged 69 in 6 days time, full of pain where I force myself to exercise, I will never give up. I suggest you look in the mirror and do the same please, otherwise your life will be harder than it needs to be. I am not religious, but I have great faith in myself. I hope you can have that too… Bill

Hang in there Tamara! You are not an ugly invalid, you are beautiful and deserve to know that!