THE impact stroke has on survivors is nothing short of life-changing.
In spite of this, stroke survivors continue to show strong determination in readjusting to reality and in seeking to be rehabilitated as well as reintegrated into society.
Self-employed Soong Fatt Mun, 83, has always had a good heart, volunteering his help to various individuals in need, particularly at a home for the disabled.
He would also conduct regular Tai Chi classes at his hometown in Batu Gajah, in which his neighbours would learn from him for free each morning.
Soong: Seen here showing a picture of him teaching Tai Chi before he suffered a stroke. But all that changed in the blink of an eye.
Soong and his wife were in Kuala Lumpur to visit their children and grandchildren one day in 2002 when he suffered a stroke.
“I was hospitalised for about a month and throughout that time, I could not move about much. My life was turned upside down.
“Then one day, my children took me to Nasam (National Stroke Association of Malaysia) in Petaling Jaya,” he recalled.
Soong underwent regular exercises at the centre and as time passed, managed to regain his mobility.
“Unfortunately, when I moved back to Batu Gajah, there was no such centres available yet.
“And so, for the next four months, I did not do much exercise,” he said.
Soong eventually joined the Nasam centre in Ipoh and attended exercise classes regularly.
Living alone with his wife in Batu Gajah, Soong had to make daily trips by taxi to the centre located off Jalan Pasir Puteh.
“The taxi driver who picks me up from my house charges me RM35 to take me to the centre at 9am and then come back for me later at noon,” Soong said, adding that he visited the centre three times a week.
“To others it may seem troublesome travelling by taxi and forking out the fare, but to me it is well worth the money and trouble just so I can get better,” he said.
Soong, who has since graduated from being wheeled around in a wheelchair to moving about on his own with a walking stick, said it was important for stroke survivors not to give up.
“They should not blame themselves for what has happened, neither should they stay home alone.
“Come to the centre where you can find friends to chat and laugh with, and who will encourage you to be happy,” he said, explaining that one could easily become depressed and feel lonely when alone, which in turn causes their condition to deteriorate.
Kadariah Mohd Dahan, 65, a retired family planning nurse who suffered a stroke two years ago, counted on her strong willpower to get back on track.
In 2009, Kadariah was busy operating her restaurant alone, following her husband’s death, when she suddenly felt dizzy and almost passed out.
“I had been really busy and stressed, so much so that one day, I felt totally weak.
“I was admitted to the hospital and it was then that I discovered I had suffered a stroke.
“It was really depressing and demoralising at first. I had to wear adult diapers, my children had to take care of me and I could only walk a little,” she related.
The tragedy made it difficult for her family, as her eldest son was already undergoing kidney dialysis.
“After i suffered the stroke, there was an additional person they had to care for.
The good days: An old picture shows Soong (centre) feeding the disabled before he suffered a stroke. “I cried at times but then I realised that there were others in this world suffering far worse than I and still continued to live,” she said.
Living near Perak Nasam might have made it convenient for Kadariah but she emphasised that at times, it was just easier to give up.
“It is easier to feel frustrated and give up when you’re tired and not making much progress.
“It is sometimes painful to push yourself to exercise and disheartening when you seem unable to, but I’ve learned to think positively and to push myself further with a good support network of friends and family,” she said.
Perak Nasam senior rehabilitation therapist Irene Teng said when stroke survivors and their carers come to the centre, they first establish a realistic and common goal.
“Some survivors may want to be independent immediately, but it is best to take it one step at a time by first completing the basics such as walking and sitting, before moving on.
“This encourages them to go further when they have achieved the basics while the support from peers at Nasam helps, too,” she said.
She added that survivors were constantly pushed to do more than allowed to stop in their comfort zone.
“A qualified therapist is required to know when to encourage them and when to push them further to ensure better recovery,” she said.
Teng said carers must also be patient with the survivors and encourage them even at home.
“Many stroke survivors feel that the future is bleak but in reality, there is still life after stroke,” she said, adding that survivors must adjust their mindset to face the challenges ahead.
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