This is Stroke Warrior Siva’s Journey, in his words….
My life before stroke
Prior to the stroke, I was an Administration and Facilities Management professional for over 29 years across various industries both in India and the Middle East. For more on this, you can refer my linked in profile. I led a fairly active lifestyle. I quit smoking in 2011 after two stents were placed in me. I was a weekend weightlifter. Friends were ’aplenty ‘prior to the stroke. My family consists of my wife and two children. One boy and one girl.
When stroke happened….
The stroke hit me in my sleep during the early hours of September 24, 2014. In fact, on the evening of Sept. 23, 2014, I was lifting my weights with ease. There were no warning signs that we knew of at that time. You can read of my stroke recovery here.
As we did not know before of any warning signs, my family could not realize what was happening to me. There is no prior history of stroke in my family. However, a family history of diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol is there.
Stay in hospital
We approached Apollo Hospital which was just 2.5 Kms away at about 05:00 hrs. After the OPD examination, they rushed me to ICU and started the Tissue Plasminogen Activator (tPA) treatment on the word from the neurosurgeon. I was diagnosed with left hemiplegia and I was in hospital (ICU and ward) for a total of about 12 days.
I was discharged on Oct. 05, 2014 and was just happy to get back home. Other than that, I was wondering what to do with my life. I certainly did not want to be a rotting vegetable. Also, I wanted my legs fast so I could be mobile independently. Hence, work on that started with right earnest.
Therapies I did/ am doing….
I tried allopathy, experimented with homeopathy, tried acupuncture and then moved on to Ayurveda and Sujok which, to my mind, gave me the sensation in my nerves and skin. Movement in my left shoulder and elbow had a bit of improvement but till date, I live without active/independent movement in my left extremities like wrist, fingers of the hand and ankle and toes of the foot. I have learnt to adapt and accept my situation.
Presently, I have stopped consulting all kinds of doctors. I have taken control my life again. I never took any psychological counseling, and relied only on self-help.
Present status….
Like I said, I have learnt to adapt and accept that I cannot take on the stresses of a regular job like before, so, I have changed my lifestyle totally. I listen to my body now more. I eat and sleep when it commands me. I work at my own pace. I have become a writer/author; a coach and a motivator of sorts. Only true friends remain. It is now quality over quantity. I also do some management consultancy work for part of the time, for people very close to me. It is usually on a probono basis.
I find myself in good spirits most of the time. But, I do get mood swings now and then. However, they are short-lived. I have got back to my passion of cooking. With only my right side fully functional, I can prepare a South Indian full meal for 4 people provided the cutting and chopping is done by someone else.
I have been able to move around unassisted since November 2014. I have traveled by air to Bangalore couple of times with my wife ( pre-covid, of course). My social life is as active as can be, given the present pandemic circumstances. Professionally, I have learned to re-invent and adapt myself.
My outlook on life now….
I feel the stroke has made me appreciate life more and not to take everything for granted. It has made me realize that I am capable of much more than I thought was possible by me. The quote: “We don’t know how strong we are until being strong is the only choice we have” is so true.
The future…
It is upto me in which direction I want to steer my life and I will become more successful than ever before. At this point in time, the lesser said, the better. I have truckload of ideas in my head. All in good time.
The positive side of stroke…
I have always looked on the bright side of life so the stroke only enhanced it. I love challenges. I love the naysayers as they motivate me to prove them wrong. I love it when people underestimate me.
What I wish I knew…
Yes, in retrospect, I certainly wish I had known about the warning signs then as I know now. But then, what is meant to happen, will happen. Like they say, there is a time and place for everything. Everything happens for a reason.
Role of family in recovery..
Love, understanding and support from family is crucial for recovery.
What personality traits help towards recovery…
If you want to recover fairly quickly, a positive frame of mind and belief in oneself are of top most importance in my mind. Recovery is slow and the pace varies from person to person. One rule fits all does not apply in strokes.
About Stroke Support Networks..
I found this group ( stroke support india) in January 2020 but I enrolled more to be able to help others than for myself. However, I have learnt a few things from the group members.
About caregivers…
I have immense respect for them. They have to put their personal lives on the back burner to take care of their loved one affected with a stroke especially the initial few months. But if the stroke survivor understands this and learns to become as independent as possible, it reduces the stress on the caregivers.
Some unique challenges I faced…
Helping out in drying the washed laundry was a challenge initially. Now have mastered that too with just my good side.
Some tips in closing…
- Believe in yourself, Be strong (mentally and physically).
- Never ever give up. Stay focused on your recovery and life.
- Try everything, no matter how silly it sounds. Keep an open mind.
So this is Siva’s journey so far. He has written a book that brings out the adventurous and imaginative streak in him. It is in the fiction category, titled Major Rudraksha. You can find it on Amazon by clicking here. Currently, he is working on a sequel to this.
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