At least wait 'til after Christmas to attempt the hot tub. You should know by now that Christmas is a particularly dangerous time of year. I had my stroke on Christmas day. A friend of my hubby’s broke both her wrists just yesterday…in church would you believe:astonished: Think Christmas should come with hazard warnings 
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I think I agree. I’d only try it wx my husbands help x
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Derek,
I just saw your reply. Now being over a year since my stroke, I believe I may be among the lucky few who don’t experience spasticity. The only symptom that remains now is my balance it slightly jarred. It is enough to cause me to fail a heel-to-toe sobriety check. I go to physical therapy and do exercises, which hopefully will help improve my balance, but it’s tolerable if it’s my new normal. It is for sure way better than it was in the beginning. I’m just getting ready to return to Germany to try to pick up where life left off. The main difference is I no longer smoke or drink and I take daily medication. Thanks for the encouraging words.
Dustin
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Freeman76,
Well, I’ve hit a point where I’m wondering if I’ve reached the best point of recovery that I’m going to see.
My balance is still crumby but it’s not bad enough to cause me issues with walking. Infact, you maybe wouldn’t even know it was off if I didn’t mention it.
I hope all is well on your end.
Dustin
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Hi @free3853
Underdeniably the answer is no you have not reached some Acme.
It is a self-fulfilling prophecy of the medical professions that you reach a plateau. Because correctly described it becomes a source of hope rather than despondency .
Every plateau is the launch pad for gaining extending consolidating capability in one or more of strength, range, dexterity, gracefulness.
There are times when are boundaries appear not to be extended because they need the combination of neurological control with muscle and tendon length and strength etc and without all of the elements being brought up to a level together the improvement isn’t visible so we appear to be on a plateau with no progress but in truth there is progress in the enablers and it is only when the enablers are all aligned that we see progress in the capability
Do not stop striving until you are satisfied with the capability you have because more is always the reward for effort
2¢
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I doubt it is over although it may have slowed down. I tried to write back to you before and credited my failure to sort out my email account to my stroke; in fact I have always been tech illiterate. I found that something happen gradually and it is like going up the scale gradually then it stops then you go back. I am not sure whether I have stopped either or if developments are just down to the inevitable passage of time. You mentioned balance and here is a case in point. I did my exercises and things really did get better but then after a few weeks something spectacular happened. My balance had been OK, usable as it were, but it was always under control of my brain and I had to think about it then suddenly it was automatic again. Don’t misunderstand me, I still tottered feebly down the street but it was automatic tottering not tottering under the teeth clenched constant supervision of my brain. What do you think of that? The German philosopher whatisname had the concept of the ‘to hand’ and the ‘not to hand’ fir things that are more or less routine and things you are learning; it is like when you first drive a car you are doing everything deliberately and consciously getting exhausted and sweating like a pig, and when you drive properly you don’t know that you are doing anything. This makes perfect sense to me. I am learning still and I bet you are too. One day I hope to walk without tottering. And so will you.
I still cannot read properly though. This makes subtitled films hard work
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My apologies for such a late response.
I too experienced what you described when walking.
My overall condition has improved quite a bit since I last posted on here.
My balance is nearly normal, and I’ve made a 180 lifestyle change in that I don’t drink or smoke at all now.
Every morning I go through the paranoia of a stroke happening again, but throughout the day I realize the lifestyle changes I made, the consistency of taking my meds, working out 3 times a week and taking an assortment of supplements to reduce my lDl cholesterol.
I wish everyone well.
Dustin
Stepping onto a treadmill and knowing it would raise my heartrate was a little scary at first, but felt quite liberating walking out of the gym knowing I could survive a workout.
My balance isn’t normal, but it’s definitely better.
My cognitive function also improved a lot.
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I think to a degree, I still read as if I am dislexic. So sometimes I have to read something multiple times to comprehend it, but it’s not that irritating.