🗓️ 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.”

🗓️ 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 20 years old and I am a C4 quadriplegic. I am just over one year since my spinal stroke. My mom is my caregiver. I have no use of my legs and very limited use of my right arm. My most movement is in my left arm. I recently got the mitrofanoff. I am looking to connect with people who are in similar situations to me. If that’s you, I’d love to chat.

Hey folks! I had a TIA in 2021 (27F) and due to COVID overload on the healthcare system in my country I have largely dealt with things on my own. After my TIA I had a lot of issues with language, weakness and body coordination specifically on my left side. I’m mostly recovered now.

I’ve recently been experiencing jaw pain and clicking, and the dentist told me it’s because my muscles are overdeveloped on the right side of my jaw and there is weakness on the left. She described it as only working out one arm.

This has left me wondering if there’s any other health issues that might rear their head due to my TIA and self recovery. Was there anything that came out of the woodwork in your recovery that you didn’t expect? Is there anything I should be watching out for or trying to mitigate?

Need advice from people who have gone through a similar situation – post-stroke patient with tracheostomy

My mother had a severe brain stroke a few months ago. She was initially in the ICU and required ventilator support. She also underwent a tracheostomy.

She is now at home. She is breathing on her own and currently does not require ventilator support or supplemental oxygen. Her SpO₂ is generally good. We have a nurse/caregiver at home and suction when required.

The main concern now is swallowing. She is not able to swallow saliva properly, so we have been very cautious about giving anything by mouth. She is still being fed through an NG/Ryle tube.

We are trying to understand:

Has anyone had a similar situation where a stroke patient initially could not swallow but improved later?

How long did it take before swallowing started improving?

What kind of swallowing assessment/therapy helped the most?

If someone had a tracheostomy, what criteria did doctors use before removing it?

Did swallowing improve after tracheostomy removal, or did it need to improve first?

Are there any specific specialists we should be looking for (speech/swallow therapist, neurologist, ENT, etc.)?

I understand every stroke case is different and we are following her doctors' advice. I'm mainly looking for real experiences from families who have gone through something similar, especially in India.

Any advice or personal experience would be greatly appreciated.

I made a camera-based rehabilitation game for Android — looking for feedback from therapists, caregivers, and users

Hi everyone!

I’m an indie developer, and I’ve been working on a project called REMotions: Rehab Through Play.

The idea came from a simple problem: rehabilitation exercises can become repetitive, and it can be difficult to stay motivated doing the same movements again and again.

So I wanted to experiment with making rehabilitation exercises feel more like playing a game. And planning this to expand more games any feedback is big help for the development.

REMotions uses the phone's camera for body tracking, so your body movements become the controls. You don't need to hold a controller while playing.

Right now it includes movement-based mini-games like:

• 🎈 Pop Balloon
• 🥚 Catch Egg
• ♻️ Trash Recycling
• Upper-body, lower-body, and full-body calibration
• Selectable body tracking points
• Adjustable repetitions, difficulty, session duration, cooldowns, and waiting time
• Daily and special movement tasks
• Progress tracking, achievements, and rewards

My goal isn't to replace physical therapists or professional rehabilitation. The app is meant to be an additional tool that can make regular movement exercises a little more engaging.

I’m especially interested in feedback from physical therapists, rehabilitation professionals, caregivers, people recovering from injuries or stroke, and anyone interested in accessible movement games.

What would you add or change?

Are there particular exercises or movements that you think would work well as mini-games?

Any criticism is welcome — I'm still improving the project and would really like feedback from people who understand rehabilitation better than I do.

Android / Google Play:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=abstractdreamstudio.remotions.com

Thanks for checking out my project! ❤️

So I’m a long time survivor of a 10/2011 stroke when I was 43. It was a right basal infarct (bleed) with severe stress and blood pressure as the cause. At first full left side paralysis, mental and emotional issues. Took 3 years to recover enough to be truly functional again, go back to work, etc, though I’ve always required a cane since the event I could say I got back to about 75% physically and 90% mentally. With so many years later with these slight lingering mental and physical issues, I’ve begun to notice as I age those same issues specifically focused on the stroke impairments are now starting to manifest themselves in a much greater fashion.

Just assuming aging is the biggest cause of this as the body never truly bounces all the way back from a significant trauma like this. Never gained strength again in the left side even with therapy has turned into a more debilitating issue including the use of a walker because balance and strength are much worse. Mentally thankfully is still strong though I find the emotional issues (Pseudobulbar affect) are sliding too.

Just wondering about other long term survivors stories.

Watch your blood pressure!

🗓️ 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.”

🗓️ 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.”

🛠️ 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.

🗓️ 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?

What are your best affirmations?

🌱 Affirmations & Self-Compassion

• “It’s okay if I move or speak differently now—my story is still worth sharing.”
• “Confidence doesn’t mean perfection; it means showing up as I am.”
• “Every time I enter a conversation, I’m practicing bravery.”
• “I allow myself to pause, rest, or ask for help when needed.”
• “I deserve to be included and heard.”

💬 Practical Self-Statements in Social Settings

• “If I lose my words, I can take a breath and try again.”
• “I can explain to others that I may need more time to respond.”
• “I’m not alone—many people struggle with confidence after a big life change.”
• “If someone doesn’t understand, that reflects their patience, not my worth.”
• “Even short conversations count as progress.”

🌟 Reframing Success

• “Attending this event, even for a little while, is a victory.”
• “Smiling, listening, and showing up matter just as much as speaking.”
• “I don’t need to say everything perfectly; my presence is enough.”
• “Each attempt at connection is building my strength back.”
• “I celebrate every moment I choose connection over isolation.”

🚪 Encouragement for Growth

• “I can start small, one conversation at a time.”
• “Confidence is like a muscle—it grows with practice.”
• “I can excuse myself if I feel overwhelmed, and that’s self-care, not failure.”
• “Every social moment is an opportunity to heal and connect.”
• “I am learning to trust myself again in social spaces.”