Hiya all just wanted a little advice or support i suppose .. my mom had a stroke back in September it was quite a bad one she lost all of her right side and its taken her speech and swallow .. she hasn’t really reacted to the medication to shrink the clot on her brain but has slowly improved pyshically and mentally.. she has started to speak slightly and is aware of her surroundings etc .. im a bit lost if im honest as much as I love my dad im an only child and have 4 children of my own and he is like having 3 kids on top of mine .. mom’s been put in a rehabilitation home this was literally a few days ago she seems alot more relaxed and happier than she was at the hospital .. im just curious will they still continue to keep trying to get her back up and moving etc ..shes improved well with her diet and was able to swallow pretty normal food when I went up on Sunday.. think I just need to get it all off my chest as im terrified she won’t get better
Hi. The brain has amazing capacity to recover from stroke by creating new pathways for messages from the brain to get through. Unfortunately it does take time and a lot of hard work. I suggest you get a copy of a book called Had a stroke? What now? by Tom Balchin. It’ll help understand what’s happened and what to expect.
@Kmw I am a stroke survivor, Stroke is like a, lottery you do not know what is going to happen next. I would not falsely inform you that everything ill be ok, as that would be wrong. Take each day as it comes. Good luck 
Hi @Kmw and welcome to the community. Sorry to hear of your mum’s stroke. It must have been a shock for you all. It is good to hear that your mum is making some progress at this early stage and that should give you hope for more improvements. In my experience if someone is progressing they tend to keep working with them. Age does sometimes play a part in the care they continue to receive. It is a long road and has to be worked at but if she is up for the fight then it is all possible. You do need to try & look after yourself too. Is there someone else who would help at times with your dad? Even if that’s just for a couple if hours now and again. Neighbours, friends perhaps.
Wishing you all the best
Ann
Hi @Kmw
Welcome to the community, I’m sorry to hear about your mums stroke and the difficulties you are going through. It’s a lot to take in when something like this happens, we always say the stroke happens to the family as well as the stroke survivor. Please do make sure you’re taking care of yourself during this difficult time too.
You may find our Stroke Support Helpline:0303 3033 100 useful during this period as they’ll be able to give you more information on what to expect and what should be happening for your mum. I hope you’ll also find this community helpful, there is a wealth of knowledge here not just from stroke survivors but also from their family members/carers too.
If you need anything whilst you’re using the Online Community, please don’t hesitate to tag me using the @ symbol and my username.
Anna
Hi @Kmw and welcome to the community.
Having read your post, it seems to me your Mum is doing really well. Of course these things can be relative and sometimes it’s hard to know exactly how things might be. All the things you have said about your Mum leads me to believe she is in a very good place and I say this as a carer for someone who six years ago, perhaps started in a similar place to your Mum. My Mum’s progress was much slower than your Mum’s but again we might be comparing apples and oranges.
All I will say for now, is my Mum is still going strong and continues to improve and I am sure with the right support and encouragement your Mum has the potential to do the same. There are many variables and things can change, sometimes they can come out of the blue and so it is always best to remain alert and act as soon as possible.
As a carer, I can perhaps understand how you might be feeling and with the added responsibility of your own children and your Dad what you are doing is no mean feat. As @Mrs5K has suggested, you should try to get help. Please do not try to do this on your own. Not sure if your children can help or you have other relatives and friends. But there may be paid help available and depending on your Mum’s circumstances, she may qualify for financial assistance. Hopefully, someone has already spoken to you about this, but if not, please look it up. There is much information available here, the Stroke Association are very good, as well as Age UK etc.
Also, as has been mentioned by others, the level of care and support varies significantly, some of it is predefined e.g. “x” weeks of support for xyz, but also it is dependent on how well a patient responds. So if they try something and they feel they are not getting the response they would like to see to carry on, they will stop. If this happens, I would advise you to follow-up and see if it can be kick-started as it is important and once stopped it is difficult to get it reinstated. You can, if you can afford it, get private paid help e.g. physiotherapy etc.
Also, please make sure your Mum has a good Care Plan that should have been agreed when she was discharged from hospital and which should be reviewed periodically and/or when there are significant changes.
If you require any further help, this forum is always happy to help. If you require any specifics from a Carer perspective, I shall be happy to share my experiences with you. I have pretty much documented key milestones, incidents etc already on this forum and you can read them in your own time if you so wish.
I am glad you have got things off your chest and take it from me, there is need to be terrified. This is life - in life things happen 
Wishing you and your Mum and your Dad all the best as you travel on this path.
Namaste|
Hi and sorry to hear about your mum but glad she seems to be in a good place in terms of feeling like she is making good progress. It seems just now you need help with 4 kids and a dad who is probably in shock with all this but like a lot of us doesn’t really know how to feel or think. But you need support for you and your kids before you can help mum or dad,maybe getting support for dad to take the strain off him and you is the start if the rehab unit could open communication with him to set his mind at ease and inform him of what is happening or what to expect. If he’s like my dad knows what cookers and washing machines are but not how to use them maybe local adult team can get him support as most likely mum will need support too on her return.
When my dad had his stroke we were okay 3 sisters and three brothers all told, the grandchildren were young so carried on as if nothing had happened my dad actually responded well to this probably aided his recovery at the time.
But take time out for you, tell your kids grandma is a wee bit different just now, dad if supported should hopefully understand and cope better. Wishing you all the very best of luck and that your mum continues her recovery journey to the maximum for her.
Jbob - this is excellent advice
I am sure @Kmw will find this very helpful.
Thank you all for all your kind words and support I will definitely seek some help for myself and dad and I will get in touch and see what help is available.. its hard when your not sure what to do or who can help etc. I am glad my mom has moved from hospital to rehab as thats its self is a milestone and I know they will continue to keep trying to get her on the mend
Again thank you so much for all your advice its very much appreciated no matter how big or small
Kat x