Hi all - my name is Olivia and my dad had a stroke last weekend, so I’m super grateful to have found this community as it all feels a bit scary and overwhelming at the moment.
Just a week after running the London marathon we noticed he was acting strange and unable to see things we were placing down in front of him. Fast forward a few days and we were told he had a stroke in the right back lobe caused by atrial fibrillation resulting in left side hemianopia. My dad is a driving instructor so it’s been a massive blow not only meaning he can’t drive but can’t work either. We know it’s unlikely he will drive again and may not regain his vision, but he is holding onto a hope that he will.
I just wondered how we can best support him? We’re taking him for walks and encouraging him to scan to the left, and doing this through visual scanning exercises too. He’s been so positive, but I know he’s finding it all a bit scary adjusting to this new normal, so I’d appreciate any advice.
@olivia760 Hi & welcome to the community. Sorry to hear of your dad’s stroke. It must be extra tough for him realising he may not be able to go back to his driving instructor job.
It is still extremely early day yet. His vision may well improve a lot from where it currently is. The visual scanning exercises should help with this. Haszhe been referred to Ophthalmology? If not it might be worth asking for a referral so they can go through everything with him.
I’ve put a link to the Stroke Association leaflet on vision changes & you may find some useful info in there.
find exercises for Hemianopia online
Otherwise just let him know you are there to offer support. If he can’t work then when he is ready he can claim unemployment benefits. There are several places which will help to let you know what he can claim.
Good luck
Janet
Thank you Ann, we have the stroke team visiting tomorrow and they said they will make the referral if it’s not been done already, so I’ll definitely chase that. Thank you so much for the info, I really appreciate it
Your Dad’s visual symptoms sound exactly like mine were after my stroke in 2020. I had left hemenopia too. I was under our local eye clinic for a few months and was fortunate that my eye righted itself. I was able then to go back to driving.
Mary
Welcome to the community, I’m sorry to hear of your dad’s stroke and that this has affected his eyesight.
I can see you’ve already been given some good advice and I hope the visit from the stroke team goes well. It’s always a good idea to write out all the things you’re not sure of and need answers too so that nothing gets forgotten.
It sounds like you dad has some great support from you which will be really helpful for his recovery. I hope you’ll find this community helpful, there is such a wealth of knowledge from the members here!
If you need anything whilst you’re using the Online Community, please don’t hesitate to tag me using the @ symbol and my username.
I am pleased you have found this community and I am sure you will be able to get the support, advice and information you are looking for from the members who have been down this road and then some
I note you have had some information already and I will let you digest that. Please do not hesitate to come back and ask if you need anything else.
there are other posts that cover this topic that may also be useful.
