The physical recovery from stroke is only part of the story. There must also be an emotional recovery: for all of the survivors of stroke – not only the one whose brain was injured. … I have found that those who survive a traumatic event, such as a stroke, must go through a grieving process that is sometimes very similar to dealing with the death or loss of a loved one. This grieving process includes: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance.
In my opinion, it is important to grieve the loss of life, as you once knew it. The stroke took away a lot, but you survived. It is o.k. to experience the process of grieving and to acknowledge that Acceptance is part of healing. To me, acceptance doesn’t mean giving up. It means being at peace with where you are at the time, while striving to be where you want to be. With the acceptance that life has changed, you will thrive. You will continue the journey through the highs, lows, and plateaus until life again is joyful and meaningful.
A lovely woman, C.M., once told me that her stroke had allowed her to have two lives: the one before her stroke and the one after. She said that she thought the one after her stroke was better because it was more loving, more accepting, and slower. She felt that in the second life she had been encouraged – not criticized; applauded for her accomplishments – not put-down for her failures. She accepted herself and she accepted her challenges. Because of that, she just kept trying to get a little bit better each year. And she did – just keep getting better, accomplishing more, and changing the lives of those around her. The stroke had not robbed her of life. It had given her a different one.
Dr. Anne Burleigh Jacobs 