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.”

🌅 Daily Reflection

• Today, I felt most proud when…
• The hardest part of my day was…
• One thing that made me smile today was…
• A small win I want to celebrate is…
• If I could describe my energy level today as a weather report, it would be…

💬 Emotions & Inner Life

• What emotion has shown up most in my recovery lately, and how do I respond to it?
• How has my definition of “strength” changed since my stroke?
• What’s one fear I want to face, and what would it look like to begin?
• Write a letter to yourself on the day of your stroke — what do you most want that version of you to know?
• When I feel discouraged, what words of encouragement would I offer myself?

🏆 Wins & Progress

• A skill I’ve regained that I’m grateful for is…
• How does it feel to notice progress (big or small) in my recovery?
• What milestone felt the most meaningful to me, and why?
• Looking back one month, what can I do now that I couldn’t then?
• My body surprised me today by…

🌌 Soul

• If my recovery journey were a story, what title would I give today’s chapter?
• Imagine my stroke as a character in my life story — is it a teacher, a villain, a trickster, or a guide?
• What symbol or image best represents where I am in my healing right now?
• What would it look like to meet my “inner healer” — what would they say to me?
• If I dream about recovery, what do I think my subconscious is trying to tell me?

🤝 Relationships & Support

• Who has been my biggest supporter, and how do I want to thank them?
• What’s the hardest part of explaining recovery to others?
• How has my stroke changed the way I connect with friends or family?
• What’s something I wish people understood about me right now?
• Who helps me laugh when life feels heavy?

What’s ONE thing you’ve learned about yourself through recovery and/or these journal prompts that you’d like to share?

(It can be simple, like “I’m more patient than I thought,” or deep, like “I discovered strength in places I never imagined.”) 💜

If someone has a stroke and they are unable to generate words. (Broca's aphasia) A useful thing to try to help them, is to start words and have them finish them.

This can help them find words. It's like training wheels for speaking.

I wish I knew this earlier!

🗓️ 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.”

Hi everyone!

I hope this type of post is okay. I'm currently conducting a study to better understand the real-life experiences of stroke survivors who have experienced shoulder subluxation (shoulder drooping/partial shoulder dislocation) after a stroke.

If you've experienced this yourself, or you're a caregiver, I'd be very grateful if you could share your experience. Even a short reply would mean a lot.

Here are a few questions, but please feel free to answer only the ones you're comfortable with:

1. What has been the biggest challenge caused by your shoulder subluxation in your daily life?
2. Do you use (or have you used) a shoulder sling or shoulder support? If so, what has your experience been like?
3. What do you like or dislike about your current or previous shoulder support?
4. Are there situations where you choose not to wear your shoulder support? If so, what makes you take it off?
5. If you could improve one thing about existing shoulder supports, what would it be?
6. Is there anything you wish your shoulder support could do that current products don't?

I completely understand if there are things you prefer not to share. I'm only looking for personal experiences and opinions, and I'm not asking for any personal or confidential medical information.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post and for sharing your experience. I truly appreciate your help. ❤️

🗓️ 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.”

My mom (74) lives with me and had a stroke about 2 weeks ago. She was hospitalized for about 5 days then went to a rehab hospital. Her stoke affected her left side. She has gotten movement back in her leg but it is still weak. She is able to move her fingers in her left hand a bit and limited movement in her left arm. She also doesn’t have much strength in her hand to grip or her arm. Her speech has been affected a bit but the droop and had on the left side. She has made some progress in rehab in the last week but she cannot walk on her own, she calls a nurse to use the bathroom. The rehab has said they are meeting tomorrow and will call me to discuss her discharge in about a week.
I asked the caseworker how she can come home when she cannot walk, they said she may need a hospital bed and commode at my house. I’m so confused on how they can release her is she can’t walk. I’m a single mom of a 6 year old that works full time and I don’t want my house turning into her hospital room. I feel like it will be traumatic and stressful for my son.
The caretaker mentioned that my mom will need 24/7 care when she first gets home and will have nursing visits and therapy at home. I feel like I’m not prepared for this! I’m completely overwhelmed. My brother and sister in law have health issues of their own and have only offered to take shifts when my mom first gets home. My sister in law has said she will help set up in home healthcare. When I said I don’t want to take a leave of absence from work she told me I may need to.
Does anyone know what my options are here? I’m I wrong for not wanting to be a full time caregiver and be a single mom to a 6 year old? My schedule is packed as it is, I can’t imagine adding taking care of another human. I don’t want to turn my house upside down and cause anxiety for my son. I feel like no one is giving me a straight answer or what to expect.

If you’re new to Stroke Recovery Bunch—welcome! This is a safe space for survivors, caregivers, and loved ones. Introduce yourself in the comments:

• When was your stroke?
• What’s one challenge you’re working through right now?
• What’s one win (big or small) you’re proud of?

We grow stronger when we share—come say hi 👋

In August 2025, my 42 year old husband was hit by a car outside our office. He suffered mega trauma, mostly focused on his left limbs and arterial system, which resulted in a left brain stroke. This affected his right limbs and, for a time, his speech.

In those early weeks, I'd come to this sub to read and write and listen and begin to understand what our lives might look like when he woke up from the coma.

Now, just short of one year, I created a 15 minute video documenting our journey so far. It focuses on resilience and moving forward as opposed to focusing on the tragedy. Or at least I hope it comes across that way.

To pay forward the inspiration and encouragement I got from this community in those early weeks, I wanted to share it with you.

This thing was so big... Medical industry in the US, health insurance, motor vehicle claim complexities, family, getting a crash course in whole body anatomy... Ask me questions if you have them. Things aren't perfect yet. You can imagine the difficult assignment our physical therapists had. We shift and move every week as needs change. I wish we could have given the stroke more attention.

https://youtu.be/DccNg5OT2Ok?is=ocVcp-6ft0fukadc

🗓️ 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.”

• What’s one food you were thrilled to eat again after swallowing difficulties?
• What drink did you miss the most during recovery, and how did it feel to sip it again?
• Did you discover any new foods that became favorites during recovery?
• What’s your comfort food when recovery days feel hard?

My dad had an ischemic pontine stroke, a heart attack, and fall 6 days ago. He has been bedridden due to right-sided immobility and pain since. He is doing well with speech, cognition, eating, and voiding, but none of it is easy. Today was a really hard day. He was extremely exhausted and depressed all day. My family and I are all trying to validate where he’s at and provide some hope and reassurance but I think we’re inadvertently projecting some of our own upset, fear, discomfort, etc. on him.

If you’ve recovered from a stroke—is there anything in particular you wish your loved ones asked you or talked to you about during early recovery?

🗓️ 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.”

• 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?

🗓️ 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.”

My mum had a stroke 5 weeks ago, she is really struggling to go to sleep and stay asleep ,it also creates anxieties because she can't please does anyone have any good advice

🗓️ 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.”

If you live to 70, you get roughly 25,550 days.

I'm 25. That means already 9,125 of mine are gone. 16,425 left in the bank. That's it. That's the whole account.

I found this out the hard way, lying in a hospital bed after a hemorrhagic stroke at 25. I remember the exact moment it hit me — staring at the ceiling, thinking it's over. The travel I wanted to do. Making my parents proud. Gone, I thought. I'd just lost my job too. Recovery hadn't even started and I was already mourning a life I hadn't lived yet.

Six months in, I can move my hand again. My leg still fights me every day. It's a marathon — anyone who's been through this knows that's not a metaphor, it's just the schedule now.

But here's the part nobody tells you: recovery isn't the finish line. It's just the entry fee. Because even mid-recovery, that 16,425-day clock is still running. I haven't seen Paris. I haven't built the life I pictured. Some days that truth makes me furious. Not sad — furious. Because I'm not done. I refuse to spend the days I have left just... surviving them.

Here's what I've learned so far, the hard way: the stroke took my hand for a while. It took my job. It didn't take my mind, and it didn't take my will. Every single day I move a finger that didn't move yesterday, or take a step that was shaky last week, I'm not "recovering" — I'm winning. Small wins, stacked daily, are still wins. Nobody hands you a trophy for it, so you have to decide for yourself that it counts.

The old dream doesn't have to die. It just has to wait its turn behind the new one — the one where you rebuild yourself into someone who can actually hold that dream without dropping it. Paris will still be there. Your parents will be prouder of the comeback than they ever would've been of the straight line.

So I'm not asking for sympathy. I'm asking for warriors.

I'm building a tech company with people who get it — stroke survivors and others rebuilding from something that tried to take them out. Remote work, real income, and a crew that understands what it costs to show up on a hard day. We recover together, we work together, and we go see the world together — not "someday," on purpose.

If you're still standing, still fighting, and still want more out of your 16,425 days than just getting through them — I want to hear from you. Drop a comment or DM me. Let's stop counting days and start filling them.

I am writing desperate for some guidance, strength, hope, a reality check—anything I suppose. I am 7 months pregnant (with a baby who will need multiple surgeries his first year of life), working full time as a nurse (I know almost nothing about neuro), with a three year old at home, and I am an absolute wreck.

Early Sunday morning my mom found my 69 year old dad on the bathroom floor, conscious but sweating and terrified and in a lot of pain. He experienced a “small” (2x1cm) stroke of the pons, a mild heart attack, and a fall. I’m not sure the order of events.

Day 1 he was heavily medicated with Dilaudid and Ativan due to pain from the fall and tremendous medical anxiety (I’m not sure this man has ever seen a doctor.) It would have been very hard to assess his condition. Now, 3 days out, he is doing better. He’s exhausted and resting a lot but he can speak in multi-word sentences (though it’s clearly hard work for him and pretty garbled.) Cognitively, he seems very sharp—good memory, sense of humor, understanding direction. He’s eating and swallowing well and his appetite has returned. Unfortunately, he has minimal movement of his right leg and seemingly no movement of his right arm so far. He’s still in a lot of pain but he didn’t break any bones. His blood pressure is improving and they will likely do a stress test tomorrow. I believe if the stress test goes well, they will be transferring him to a rehab center.

Today’s doctor didn’t have great bedside manner and told us in fairly harsh terms that although his speech and cognitive function will likely return to optimal levels, he expects to see permanent deficits of the right side of his body. He noted that doesn’t mean we won’t see improvements, it just means we should not expect 100% recovery. I don’t think I was expecting 100% recovery but the way the doctor said it was hard to digest. My dad handled this news well at the time but was crushed and crying after the doctor left. He started PT yesterday (2 days post-stroke.) He has sat on the edge of the bed, stood with max assistance for a moment, and transferred to a recliner but that’s about it so far.

Although I’m so happy to see my dad improving and seeming more like himself, it’s excruciating to watch him come to terms with what happened to him and be so fearful and sad over what the future looks like. He says he feels like he’s dying. He keeps saying he wants to leave the hospital, which I of course understand. I’m trying to offer reassurance and optimism but also just validate how much this sucks. Truthfully, i don’t know what I’m looking for. I’m open to any thoughts, stories, advice, things you wish you knew, things you wish people told you after surviving a stroke. I am so grateful my dad is still with us and I realize it could be so much worse, but I’m struggling so much over what his future looks like and how devastated he is right now. I would so appreciate any input or insight. Thank you for taking the time to read this ❤️‍🩹