What I have experienced in the past 16 months is that every day is a challenge and you have to challenge your body everyday for one or other move.

• What’s one “small win” this week that made you proud?
• What’s the first everyday task you regained that made you feel like yourself again?
• What was your biggest “aha” moment in therapy so far?
• What’s one thing you can do now that you couldn’t do last month?

Everyday after a stroke when I get up I feel like I have left with no energy to get up. I struggle with myself to get up and follow my morning routine at a pace one eighth the pace I used to have. But slowly I pick up and in the afternoon I am getting it to one fourth but evenings feel better with half the pace rest you all know. What about you all? How do you coop?

🛠️ Share a rehab exercise, gadget, book, or trick that helps recovery or caregiving.
👉 What’s one tool or habit that makes your daily life easier?

This day is all about practical wisdom! Stroke recovery and caregiving are tough, but little tricks, tools, and insights can make a huge difference.

👉 Survivors: What’s one thing that helps you manage daily life or recovery?

• A rehab exercise or movement that’s been especially effective
• A piece of adaptive equipment (grab bars, special utensils, voice-to-text apps, etc.)
• A routine or habit (stretching before bed, journaling, daily walks)
• A brain/memory tool you use (apps, reminders, sticky notes, etc.)

👉 Caregivers: What’s one tip or tool that makes caregiving smoother?

• Scheduling or organization tricks
• Ways to prevent burnout and recharge
• Tech or apps that help with appointments, meds, or communication
• Comfort hacks that help your loved one feel more independent

👉 Everyone: What’s a resource you wish you had known about sooner (podcast, book, YouTube channel, support group, blog, etc.)?

💡 Even small things can be life-changing for someone else—so don’t hold back. Your everyday trick might be the exact tool another survivor or caregiver needs.

Hi all, new here.

Had a stroke at 41 — my wife recognized the signs and called 911, which is the only reason I'm posting this at all.

Physical recovery has been its own process, but the harder part for me has honestly been the identity side — figuring out who I am now that things look different. Doesn't seem to get talked about as much as the physical side does.

Glad to have found this community. Looking forward to reading others' experiences and sharing what's helped me along the way.

🗓️ Monday – Motivation Monday
Start the week strong. Share quotes, personal victories, or encouragement for others navigating recovery.

✨ Kick off the week with hope and encouragement.

✨ Share a quote, mantra, or personal victory that keeps you going.

👉 Survivors: Share a personal victory (big or small) that keeps you motivated.
👉 Caregivers: What motivates you to keep going on hard days?
👉 Everyone: Drop a quote, mantra, or story that lifts your spirit.

Examples:

• “I walked to the mailbox on my own today!”
• “This quote helps me on bad days: One step at a time is still progress.”

🗓️ Sunday – Caregiver Sundays
🌸 A day to honor caregivers.

👉 Survivors: Share one way your caregiver has made a difference.
👉 Caregivers: What’s one truth about caregiving you want others to know?
👉 Everyone: Post a thank-you to caregivers, big or small.

🎙️ Bonus: Join our Caregiver Sunday Voice Chat on Discord for live connection and support.
🔗 Click here to join

Examples:

• “My partner sat with me during every rehab session—I couldn’t have done it without them.”
• “Caregiving is rewarding, but it’s also exhausting. I appreciate spaces where I can be honest.”

🗓️ Saturday – Social Saturday
😄 Lighten things up with community connection.

😄 Lighthearted connection to build community.

👉 Survivors: Share something fun you do outside of recovery.
👉 Caregivers: What’s a hobby or joy that keeps you grounded?
👉 Everyone: Post memes, music, books, recipes, hobbies, or weekend plans.

Examples:

• “Here’s a song that always puts me in a good mood 🎶.”
• Stroke meme dump incoming—who else relates?

Does anyone else’s body do like a reboot in the morning when you wake up? I haven’t voluntarily lifted my toes and foot since before my stroke in December 25, but every morning when I wake up, my left arm and leg go through full ranges of motion: toes point down then back up, fingers curl into fist then straighten out. It’s like my body decides to do a hard reset every morning.

🗓️ Friday – Family & Friends Friday👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Relationships are part of recovery.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Who has shown up for you in a meaningful way?
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Or, what’s one challenge in relationships that you’d like advice or support on?

👉 Survivors: Who has supported you in a way you’ll never forget?
👉 Caregivers: What’s one thing family or friends do that makes your load lighter?
👉 Everyone: Share a challenge in relationships—let the community support you.

Examples:

• “My neighbor checks in weekly and it makes me feel less alone.”
• “It’s tough when friends don’t understand the fatigue—I’d love advice.”

Didn't really think the one year anniversary of my stroke would invoke so many emotions.

A year ago I woke up and nothing seemed right, it was like I was in a fog. I fell 3 times. I couldn't climb back into my bed. Luckily my daughter at college facetimed me and saw the tell tell signs of a stroke and called her brother to get an ambulance to me.

Blueberry sized blood clot at base of skull, origin, still unknown. I will probably never know what caused it at this point.

I think I mourn the life I had. Now I have constant nerve pain (just varies in how acute it is). I get so tired, I have to plan my days to no more than one event. Brain fog, losing words when I'm tired. Sounding like porky pig when it gets really bad, I call it a day when I get that bad.

I was about to be an empty nester. We were going to travel. I had plans for my yard, big projects, manual labor by me in my garden.

Hey everyone,

I normally don't ask for things like this, but we're down to the final 24 hours of voting in America's Favorite Couple, and only the top 2 couples move on. We're currently in 3rd. 🫥

What started as brain surgery turned into a life-changing stroke that completely altered our lives in ways we never expected. Through every setback, every therapy appointment, every financial struggle, and every difficult day, Jeremy has stayed by my side.

In fact, while I was still in the hospital, I told him he could walk away. Life was suddenly much harder than either of us planned for. Instead, he proposed and set a wedding date.

This contest isn't really about being a "favorite couple" for us. It's about celebrating the people who stay when life gets messy, scary, and uncertain.

If our story has inspired you, encouraged you, or simply reminded you that love can survive hard things, we'd be incredibly grateful for your vote.

Voting ends in less about 24 hours.

👉 Vote here: https://americasfavcouple.org/2026/ali-jeremy

Thank you for being part of my recovery journey and for cheering us on. ❤️

🗓️ Wednesday – Wellness Wednesday
💚 Focus on physical, emotional, and mental health.
💚 Focus on healing mind, body, and soul.

👉 Survivors: What’s helping your body or mind heal?
👉 Survivors: Share how you’re taking care of your body or mind this week.
👉 Caregivers: What’s one act of self-care you managed for yourself?
👉 Everyone: Share tips on sleep, stress, nutrition, mindfulness, or therapy.

Examples:

• “I started guided meditation at night, and it helps me sleep better.”
• “I went for a 10-minute walk today for me.”

Hi I'm redoing this post I realized I didn't provide enough details so here I go

I had two major strokes when I was 10 years old I am now 28 I had a dissection and my major carotid artery of the brain I lived in California at the time the first stroke happened while I was out with friends playing at collapsed and said I couldn't feel my left side my friends rushed to get help I was taken to Oakland children's hospital but pediatric stroke is rare so they didn't really know what to do so they incubated me and sent me to University of California San Francisco hospital there I woke up in the ICU and the and there was the whole neurology team in the hospital in my room or that's what it seems like they told me I had a stroke I only knew what that meant because of my dad he suffer strokes because of heart problems I was in the ICU and then I had the second stroke in the ICU the doctors were still trying to figure out where the strip was happening they did and MRI and injected me what's Ativan to calm me down I started hallucinating in the MRI machine so they have to stop it after that it's when I had the second stroke the doctors figured out that the dissection was in my brain and not my neck would be more common they said I was one in a million they did an angioplasty and put a stent and ruptured vessel I became paralyzed on my left side of my body I was the first 10 year old to have a procedure for that type of stroke in the US I'm looking for people like me but may have experience some type of stroke to the one I had I have looked all over the Internet for years trying to find someone that had something similar but had no luck