I’ve left the hospital. On my way home, I stopped by my mother-in-law’s house. Stepping out of the familiar hospital room into a new space feels both strange and exciting. It’s truly wonderful to see all my family. My mom and dad, my mother-in-law, father-in-law, my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and my beloved children—just seeing these precious people in front of me warms my heart. When I was in the hospital, I was alone outside of visiting hours, but being surrounded by my bustling family makes me feel so much more at ease and comfortable. Simply being with and around people is a great comfort and joy for me.
One small change is that my hair is short. Since my stroke, I suppose my hair has remained short, as it was shaved for surgery and treatment. Throughout my time in the hospital, and in my memories of working and receiving treatment there, my hair was consistently short. Every time I look in the mirror, my unfamiliar short hair reminds me of my time in recovery. My mother-in-law and father-in-law also welcomed me warmly, and my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and children hovered around me, happy to see me. Being with family eases my tension, and a sense of relief washes over me, realizing I’m finally home.
These days, I find it interesting that people keep talking to me. They keep asking, “Do you remember this?”, “What was it like then?” I think I do remember. Perhaps due to cognitive distortion from the stroke, I confidently believe that I clearly have thoughts and memories in my head and that I’m fine. However, people constantly asking feels a bit strange and unusual. I assert strongly, “I remember.”
But as time passes, I slowly begin to realize. I thought I knew everything back then, but now, looking back, I understand that what I believed I remembered were actually things I couldn’t recall well. Through my family’s questions and conversations, I’m becoming aware of the gaps and distortions in my memory that I couldn’t recognize on my own. I used to believe I knew everything, but now I admit that wasn’t the case. This is the process of finally beginning to accept the impact that brain damage from the stroke has had on my memory and cognitive abilities. This realization is painful, but I know it’s the first step towards true recovery. Through this writing, I want to share the cognitive challenges stroke patients face and the process of overcoming them.
✅ Simple, Repetitive Word Practice – Speech Support (English)
- Water celery Water celery Water celery Water celery Water celery Water celery Water celery Water celery Water celery Water celery
- Hedgehog Hedgehog Hedgehog Hedgehog Hedgehog Hedgehog Hedgehog Hedgehog Hedgehog Hedgehog
- Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger
- Pencil Pencil Pencil Pencil Pencil Pencil Pencil Pencil Pencil Pencil
- Snail Snail Snail Snail Snail Snail Snail Snail Snail Snail
- Fingernail Fingernail Fingernail Fingernail Fingernail Fingernail Fingernail Fingernail Fingernail Fingernail
- Sun Sun Sun Sun Sun Sun Sun Sun Sun Sun
- Fire extinguisher Fire extinguisher Fire extinguisher Fire extinguisher Fire extinguisher Fire extinguisher Fire extinguisher Fire extinguisher Fire extinguisher Fire extinguisher
- Sheep Sheep Sheep Sheep Sheep Sheep Sheep Sheep Sheep Sheep
- Flour Flour Flour Flour Flour Flour Flour Flour Flour Flour
- Traffic light Traffic light Traffic light Traffic light Traffic light Traffic light Traffic light Traffic light Traffic light Traffic light
- Jajangmyeon Jajangmyeon Jajangmyeon Jajangmyeon Jajangmyeon Jajangmyeon Jajangmyeon Jajangmyeon Jajangmyeon Jajangmyeon
- Gimbap Gimbap Gimbap Gimbap Gimbap Gimbap Gimbap Gimbap Gimbap Gimbap
- Baby Baby Baby Baby Baby Baby Baby Baby Baby Baby
- Bicycle Bicycle Bicycle Bicycle Bicycle Bicycle Bicycle Bicycle Bicycle Bicycle