My mom’s stroke had a big effect on me, and besides marrying my wife, was one of the most pivotal points in the last 5 years. My mother did not go to college, though she could have and she sacrificed all she could for our small family. She would go without, just to see that I never wanted, sometimes working very long hours and not caring for herself because of it.
In 2013, my mother suffered a severe stroke which left her in a coma for about a month. After which, she spent 6 months in a facility recovering, but was still left unable to use her right arm, speak and full sentences or to walk without a brace.
Its interesting when something so horrible happens, it really makes people think about their own mortality and most of her friends disappeared because they could not handle the reminder. When mom came home, ordinary tasks were very difficult, as she was right-handed. To my surprise, she began to learn every task she could left handed, including writing.
The post-stroke pains that she gets are very severe, but luckily I have been able to naturally help her relieve most f them with OPC-3. He pain tears have stopped but the struggle goes deeper than that.
All sorts of weird tools that she has created to complete everyday tasks, lay around my house. Mom is probably more productive now than she has ever been. I look at her situation and I wonder how I would be in the same boat. Could I find that motivation within myself that she found? I’m really not sure. The tougher goal for her has been speech, as the part of her brain responsible for it was severely destroyed.
She sits at her table everyday working on her speech, and really has made a lot of strides. It must be difficult having to relearn everything that came so naturally, especially when the brain does not always cooperate. Though progress is extremely slow, she never stops, she never loses sight of her goal.
The point that I’m trying to make here, is that if he goal was just to speak full sentences again, then she probably would not make it. There is no higher goal or purpose attached to that. She has decided that she is going to do, what she put off so long ago and go to college. She has decided that she will do 4 years of school in 3, and right now, not speaking fully is in the way of that. Can you see how huge that goal is? She never loses her motivation, there may be days that she cries, but there is where real passion comes from.
Are your goals too small? Can you find the motivation within you? If a woman who was told will never speak again can work hard at that goal everyday, then you can shoot for the stars too.