Stroke: The Devastating Effects of a Cerebral Hemorrhage

After a grim prognosis, a very tough sixty-year old takes her life back and proves to her doctors that the brain can recover.

One January morning while Toshiko, age 63 was eating lunch, she felt her right hand become numb.  Five minutes later she had the same sensation in her right cheek. Ten minutes later, she could not move.

Toshiko was having a cerebral hemorrhage. She was taken to the emergency room by ambulance.

At the hospital she could not move independently any more. Her right hand and fingers were rigid. At this time, she was lying in bed.  She could use a wheelchair by moving her feet and she move herself from a wheelchair onto a chair by turning at a 90 degree angle. She could not speak well. She was easily confused when she did speak. She often said something different from what she wanted to say.

They told her daughters she might never even be able to hold a cup of tea again.

The doctors who evaluated her her did not offer a good prognosis. They said that she would never be able to walk independently again or to take care of herself. They told her daughters she might never even be able to hold a cup of tea again. However, in the hospital they did get her up and began walking her along parallel bars.

They immediately saw changes in her tactile sensation.

Three weeks later, two of Toshiko’s daughters attended the What To Do About Your Brain-Injured Child course. They actually began tactile stimulation during the week of the course while their mother was still in the hospital and they immediately saw changes in her tactile sensation. She was discharged from the hospital one month after having the stroke.

When Toshiko came home, her girls cheerfully put aside their own lives and left no stone unturned to provide the proper and effective stimulation and opportunity from the moment she woke up until she went to bed.

Their beautiful house was transformed into an environment for their mother to crawl and to creep.

Based upon what they learned in the course, they designed and began a home treatment program for their mother. This program was centered on a substantial physical program. Their beautiful Japanese house was transformed into the ideal environment for their mother to crawl and to creep on the floor.

They also began safe and appropriate vestibular stimulation. They knew this was important to prepare their mother for independent walking in the future. As she grew stronger and had better coordination and balance, they added walking to her program. They did all of this based on what they learned in the course – their mother still had not had her first appointment at The Institutes.

Less than 4 months after having the stroke, Toshiko was walking independently

Results of their dedication and hard work were not long coming. Sensation returned to the soles of her feet.  She started to regain sensation in her right hand. Less than 4 months after having the stroke Toshiko was walking 500 meters independently and doing a 30-minute walk in the park daily. She felt much safer to walk by herself. She was actually able to stand up independently from the middle of the floor.  She was able to bath and use the bathroom completely by herself.  And, most important of all, she was much happier.

She was able with the help of her daughters to attend the Parents Lecture Series II given by The Institutes in Tokyo just six months after her stroke.

A year and nine months after the stroke Toshiko and her daughters made the trip from Japan to Philadelphia for her first appointment.

After a careful history was taken of everything that had happened leading up to the stroke Toshiko had a full neurological evaluation and medical examination. This information was carefully studied and a program was designed to insure that she would be healthy and able to do the physical program. An intellectual program was outlined as well so that she would be able to continue to pursue her intellectual interests and stay well informed about the world as she pursued her physical program.

Her speech was very poor after the stroke – now it is normal.

Today she can walk 30 minutes non-stop. She is able to walk 1 km in 27 minutes which she does in order to go to closest supermarket from her house. She was able to see her friends again and enjoy their company. Her speech which was very poor after the stroke is now is normal. She can type using one finger on the computer. Two years after the stroke she was able to attend The What to Do About Your brain-injured Child course given in Kobe, Japan. She attended all lectures and asked questions about her program in the frequent question sessions.

Toshiko was a tremendous inspiration to each and every parent and to the staff. 

The Course participants were astonished knowing her history to see her lead the way at the practicum in the course showing them how to crawl and creep and ending by standing up in the middle of the room without any help from anyone. She was a tremendous inspiration to each and every parent and to the staff.  This past July she traveled from Fukushima to Tokyo to continue her education and attend the Parent Lecture Series given by The Institutes. This was a long trip by train and her daughter made the trip with her but when she arrived in Tokyo she stayed in the Hotel alone.

Toshiko is not finished her journey she still wants to improve her walking so she is faster and more stable. But today she is in charge of herself. Her daughters are her assistants now.

Toshiko and her daughters have demonstrated that the family really is the answer.

Toshiko and her daughters did not accept the grim prognosis that she would spend the rest of her life in a wheel chair, unable to speak, and unable to use her hands. Instead, they took effective action to provide the brain with stimulation and opportunity. They have demonstrated that the family really is the answer. Love coupled with a good program can restore a person to a wonderful and vibrant life.

Well done, Toshiko, and well done to your tough and dedicated girls. We salute you.

 

 


 

Get More Help