Mom had a stroke. What should I expect in the months to come?

Strokes happen in different ares of the brain and the outcome will greatly depend on the location and severity of the stroke.

If she is now on blood thinners, expect more bruising, possibly nose bleeds, sometimes severe enough to warrant a trip the ER.

Dad has a massive stroke 5 years ago, He was not expected to survive, but he has done remarkable well. His stroke was near his brain stem. Initially he had no feeling on his right side, but with lots of therapy he got back to walking and doing his ADL's. He is 91 and does get tired. He sometimes uses the wrong word in talking, but it is not too common. He is getting frail now and as of this spring is no longer driving.

I am so sorry to hear about your husband! And now this...

My mom had a mystery type stroke when I was a kid, and a more recent brain bleed stroke this September. Everyone is different, in my experiences mom has started off very confused and over time improves back to a different sort of normal. This process can take some months but I have seen that any kind of therapy and exercise if these things are available, do help and might speed up the recovery process.

What’s so hard about strokes - in my case anyway - is it feels like saying goodbye to more parts of a person. Like dementia but on a fast track.

Huuuuge hug and I hope you find some peace

I’m sorry for the loss of your husband. And now having your mother full time, another huge life change, you’ve had a lot to adjust to. Please be gentle with yourself and take time with any decisions for a while. My mother had a series of strokes. Not to say your mother will have more, it may or may not ever happen again. But I know now that the strokes that she well recovered from physically still changed her. She lost interest in may favorite activities and became far less involved in life. I know now it was depression and it’s very common after a stroke. Look for signs your mom may need any type of therapy to overcome stroke damage, physical, occupational, and speech therapy are all possibilities. And watch for sadness and a lack of interest in life, she may need to be evaluated for depression. Encourage her to exercise and engage in mind enhancing activities and do them with her if she’s willing. I wish you both the best

Hi Banufriend,

I'm so very sorry about your husband's passing. Wishing you peace and sending you a hug through the internet.

My mom had a stroke in 2016. She did not have any physical deficits, but initially there was a lot of confusion, and aphasia. She did not know her last name.

By 4-6 months she was back to almost full functioning except for some mild aphasia. She was definitely back to her "old self".

Every person is different, and your mom's recovery will depend on where the damage to the brain occurred, and her overall health, but recovery is definitely possible.

My mom did eventually develop vascular dementia, but she has other vascular issues apart from the stroke.