[Host] After a stroke, your brain needs time to heal and that can make your recovery feel slow.
But it's important to not lose hope and to remember that the things you do to help yourself really make a difference.
[Julia] "I used to think I was a patient person.
But a stroke gives new meaning to the word 'patient.' Patience, strength, and help from my rehab team means that now I can put my shoes on, get dressed, and cook with one hand.
At first, I was really mad about what I couldn't do.
I felt a lot better after I learned how to cook with one hand.
I didn't have to wait to do something I've always loved.
I could find new ways to do it."
[Ray] "Don't let yourself think you won't get better.
In those first few months, I needed inspiration so I read stories online.
My favorite was about a guy who went from having a hard time walking to finishing a 5K run.
I wanted a big goal like that, and my daughter said she'd help me.
I've gone from using a cane to doing a few laps at a track.
I'm slow, but my daughter and I are signed up for a local charity walk.
The idea of the feeling of walking across that finish line keeps me going."
[Isabel] "Rehab isn't just about appointments.
It's about everything you do to recover.
When I started feeling less tired, I looked for ways to do more.
And I found a speech therapist to help with the way I talked.
I really wanted people to be able to understand me.
With the help of the therapist, things got better.
I got to practice in a safe place and l got to feel like I was doing everything I could to get better."
[Host] Stroke recovery is different for everyone.
What gives you hope and inspires you is not the same as what gives someone else hope and inspiration.
But learning to find new ways to do things or setting a new goal or connecting to a new resource Those are things that may help.
What do you think Do you have any ideas about what could keep you moving forward?
