{"id":38440,"date":"2024-05-10T16:30:56","date_gmt":"2024-05-10T14:30:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ipsen.com\/us\/?p=38440"},"modified":"2024-05-13T23:19:46","modified_gmt":"2024-05-13T21:19:46","slug":"seven-years-out-the-road-to-recovery-from-a-stroke-like-episode","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ipsen.com\/us\/improving-lives\/seven-years-out-the-road-to-recovery-from-a-stroke-like-episode\/","title":{"rendered":"Seven Years Out: The road to recovery from a stroke-like episode"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Randy loves to read, enjoy the outdoors, and spend time with his family. He enjoys going to the gym and took up aquatic therapy to exercise and make new friends. He\u2019s come a long way since he experienced a car accident, which led to traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke-like symptoms as a result back in 2017. Recently, after seven years of outpatient physical rehabilitation, he has been discharged. I had the honor of speaking to him recently to hear how \u201cRandy 2.0,\u201d as he refers to himself, has transformed and how he is embracing his path forward.<\/em><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Randy\u2019s care journey<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n After the accident, Randy described waking up in the hospital like being in a foreign land. He didn\u2019t recognize where he was or who was around him. Those early weeks in the hospital focused on regaining an understanding of who he was, and where he was. Although he was in a strange place, Randy was thankful to have support from his mother and godmother, who visited him every single morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After months in the hospital, he was evaluated for discharge by his care team. Together, they decided to transfer him to a long-term residential rehab facility where he could continue to work on his recovery journey, starting with small victories. For example, at the rehab facility, Randy worked on his motor skills \u2013 starting with building up the strength to sit up on the side of his bed for 12 seconds at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Randy spent 19 months in the rehab facility before returning home. Once home, he continued to receive care and with his physical and occupational therapists, they developed a comprehensive strategy for him to continue making progress towards his goals. To accommodate his new mobility, his house required renovations to meet accessibility standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Impact of spasticity<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Throughout his recovery journey, Randy has faced many obstacles, from regaining his strength, to adjusting to new family dynamics. One challenge included muscle tightness which he experienced on his left side, and his neurologist identified it as spasticity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For Randy, spasticity impacts his arm, complicating daily tasks from opening a car door, to tying his shoes. Randy\u2019s occupational therapy team reminds him to \u201cjust use it\u201d \u2013 meaning using his left side for anything and everything from turning on a light to holding a toothbrush to improve mobility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To help regain movement and strength to his affected side, Randy followed a schedule of physical therapy to improve his spasticity in addition to receiving targeted injections to help loosen the affected muscles. And he can tell when it’s time for a session when his left side feels tighter and harder to move. But with work and focus, things that were once difficult to do, like putting on deodorant by himself, he\u2019s now able to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting back to what he loves<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In my conversations with Randy, he has taught me that while every day has been a challenge, a positive mindset is everything. For Randy, that means reminding himself that progress doesn\u2019t happen overnight \u2013 he focuses on the big picture, and how \u201cthe little moments\u201d add up to progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By listening to his story, I\u2019m also reminded about the importance of a strong care and support team that you can trust. Randy\u2019s support network has been key to coaching and motivating him through exercises to regain range of motion \u2013 allowing him to focus on the future and what he can and will be able to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I admire that Randy has goals to take a walk across a five-mile bridge near his home, and to mow his own lawn, in addition to continuing to advocate for his community. Randy has also discovered a passion for helping others going through a similar experience. One way he does this is through volunteering his time to tell his story to medical students, so they can better understand what the recovery journey entails. For Randy, he knows how much perseverance the road to recovery takes. Whatever the future holds for Randy, I am certain he will embrace it with his \u201cone day at a time\u201d attitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Randy was compensated for his time by Ipsen.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n \n Vice President, Franchise Head, Neuroscience Business Unit <\/p>\n \n Learn more <\/a> \n <\/button>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n Chris Watters <\/h3>\n