Strokus: A Journey Through Stroke and Recovery

By Sharon Watt

Strokus is a word that I created during my time in the rehab unit of the hospital. I define it as the inability to focus because of a stroke. Distractions are amplified and you get sucked into them easily. I would say."squirrel" to my therapists when I got distracted by something (taken from the Disney movie, "UP") It was a joke at first, but quickly caught on as a way for me (and the therapists) to know when I was distracted by a person or activity taking place nearby.I still hear the "squirrel" reference in my head every time I am in the car with my mom. As she points out all of the things on the side of the road, I hear it and realize how distracted she and so many other people are in the world everyday... even people that didn't suffer from a stroke. There're are so many squirrels... recognizing them is a key to becoming more self-aware (which is key during stroke recovery).The word, strokus has now evolved for me and is about the focus needed to recover from a stroke. It's all about visualizing goals and focusing on one task at a time. Master one goal or task then move on to the next task or goal.Setting goals after a stroke can give both you and your therapists something to work toward. Some will be set by the therapists' regular protocol and others, you will need to set for yourself.My biggest goals were: -Walking-Putting a ponytail in my hair-Smiling-Living independently-Driving-Going back to workSome of these goals, I have accomplished and some, I have not, but continue to work on.Hopefully, this book will help you understand strokes from the patient's perspective and it will help you find some hope and humor along the way.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1094842990
• ISBN13: 9781094842998
• Release Date: May 2019
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 94 Pages
• Weight: 0.33 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"