My name Shawn. I am 56 years old and live in Port Orchard, Washington USA. I had a stroke on July 25, 2024. Though at that time, i was unaware it was a stroke. I was working in a grocery store. I went to ask a supervisor a question when i suddenly had severe dizziness. I ended up walking in a circle and struck a shelf of canned food items. I was immediatly sent to the break room to sit and hoping the dizziness would pass. I felt better after nearly 30 minutes, but another supervisor told me to take the rest of the day off. I did not argue. I only had 1 hour left of that days shift. When i felt better, i walked out to my car and drove home. Had i known at the time a stroke was happening, i would have called an ambulance. The following morning, i knew immediately that something was wrong when i could not easily get out of bed and was told that when walking, my left foot was dragging. I was then taken to the nearest hospital where i was diagnosed having had a stroke. I was in the hospital for 24 hours. During which, blood was drawn, X-rays, Cat scan and MRI took place. I was then transfered to a different hospital, one for Health and Rehabilitation where i was admitted and in their care for 2 weeks. I refuse to allow this stroke to control me. At first i was in a wheelchair, then to a walker and now i have to use a cane. I am hoping to not have to use the cane any longer by mid summer. Time will tell. My left side was affected by the stroke. My hope now is to educate others on what they can possibly observe before it is too late.
Hi @shawnw1 & welcome to the community. Your story isxa bit familiar to me as I too just suddenly started feeling dizzy & nauseous. I was at work at the time & told my colleagues I was going to work from home as I felt unwell & drove myself home. It took me 3 more days to get medical help as at 49 years old a stroke never crossed my mind.
Good to read how far you have come with your mobility & it sounds like you might just get rid of that cane by summer.
Best wishes
Ann
Hi @shawnw1
Welcome to the community, I’m sorry to hear about your stroke.
Great to hear your mobility has been getting better and setting yourself a target for not using the cane is great idea. Keep us posted on how this goes.
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 @shawnw1 ,
Welcome to the community and wishing you all the best with your recovery and recovery targets. It’s great that you have come on here and would like to share your experiences and help others.
This is so inspiring.
Well done and thank you.
Namaste:
I had mine at 3am in bed, 28 December 2023: my left side heamaplegic, I knew I was having a stroke after a pain in my frontal lobe, I put myself on the floor and tried to crawl to the loo, my phone was down stairs, I quickly found that was impossible, I must have dropped off to sleep as the next thing I knew it was 10am, I had tried banging on the wall with my good leg but my neighbour thought I was doing DIY as not long moved in.
. My son lives nearby, so I asked Alexa to phone him, to my relief she asked his phone or device, then he called the ambulance and a year on I have progressed to a stick, still trying to walk independently. I have a home help twice a day for 15mins to do bits I struggle with. All positive on here, a great resource to know and understand what we are going through.
Keep keeping on
Regards
Ann
HI @shawnw1 just want to welcome you to forum. Your input will alway be valued here, particularly to new members as it gives them so much hope. Your determination to improve and take back your life is inspiring. And at the rate you are going, I’ve no doubt you will be walking without that cane by summer:smile: I’m 4yrs post stroke, driving, walking completely hands free, even managing short runs around the gym now 
Onwards and upwards 
Lorraine
Belated Congratulations on the 1st Anniversary of your post stroke recovery 
Did you really think you could slip that one through unnoticed I found it a relief getting to that first anniversary. I knew by then I was on the right road to recovery:sweat_smile:
As a result of all the stories I’ve read on here, similar to yours, I now take my phone everywhere I go, even to bed with me…on the side table 
I was very fortunate to have my whole family around me when I had my stroke. But there are always times when we will be alone, so its wise to keep your phone handy now.
I wish you the very best for your second year 
Lorraine
I take my phone everywhere now. Started doing that after my stroke too. I don’t have an Alexa or similar device, no nearby neighbours & my hubby is deaf so no point me screaming for help. 
Thank you Emerald, you are a beacon of joy to us all, we do all have our own expectations of where we should be, want to be and try to hurry the process. Being honest, even my physios I can see are struggling as to where I am and ask me lots of questions. I couldn’t get up off the floor on my own yesterday, so that will be one of my goals going forward.
If anyone has any advice/tips for introducing my left hemiplegic arm back, I would love to hear from you as any excercise is passive.
Keep on everyone 
And congratulations on your recovery too 
Wrist weights, if you cant hold cans of milk like I did during lockdown😄
You can do bicep curls, arm raises etc. Copy what flight marshals do when guiding in planes and wrist weights would be earier for those actions than a can of milk
That’s basically what I was doing during lockdown. I had to improvise and use my imagination, listen closely to my body because I couldn’t communicate my needs.
You mentioned in another post that you were starting back at gym. Does it have weight training machines? If it does, any/all those machines that require use of your arms will be good 
Lorraine
I can’t offer any advice tips @Annie1 , but I am sending you positive energy via the ether 
Keep going - slow and steady does it. Be patient, listen to your body
That is so inspiring Lorraine @EmeraldEyes 
Yes I am now doing 30 mins a week with PT, I use leg extensions, leg press, bike, arm pull for good arm, left no use, I will increase my weights as I progress.
Sometimes it’s not about increasing your weights but increasing the number of reps you do 
You’ve got the walking nailed now, that will continue to progress naturally. Ok, it still needs some refinement, but are you neglecting your stroke arm just because it’s not doing much at all?
To me, that’s neglectful, lazy. But, I don’t know everything you actually do do for your stroke arm, so please be offended as that’s not my intention Whatever you do for the right, you have to do for the left otherwise you’re going to develop a muscular imbalance which can have knock on effects you’d rather avoid if you can.
Have you ever considered using the cable station at the gym for your stroke arm? It’s a very versatile station when you consider how much it can be manipulated to your needs.
If it was me, I’d be hooking my stroke hand, wrist or my elbow into one those handles and stepping back to pull my arm this way and that. And try to make the hand/arm out it instead, on using a light or no weight setting. Meanwhile, I’d be holding/using the other side in the correct manor for the brain to mirror.
Basically, whatever you do for the good arm, you should also do for stroke arm even if it’s just mimicry for now. It’s literally a mind game
That is a very versatile workout station for you to manipulate to your needs, and it’s likely you have one similar in your gym. Take advantage, play around with it, it’s great for push, pull, lift, lower, you just have to think outside the box a little.
Nothing is instant in stroke recovery, we all know that now. Progress comes in increments and you’ll get out what you put in. The more you put in the more you get out
Lorraine