Really? I Had A Stroke?

Really? I Had A Stroke?, the lives of four very different individuals are dramatically changed forever when each experiences a significant and unique stroke event. Each life hangs precariously, as close to recovery and life as to death. Who will recover and why? Are the consequences of one type of stroke more significant than for another? What are the effects of timely intervention? What kind of recovery and rehabilitation should stroke survivors strive for?

These questions and more are addressed in a series of engaging and dramatic tales told through the viewpoint of each individual. Dr. William Tippett, author of Building an Ageless Mind, uses the life of the fictional Detective Declan Myles to anchor these compelling stories of what happens when you have a stroke. Dr. Tippett takes us from the onset of a stroke through diagnosis and into rehabilitation.

The patients in these compelling stories are all exposed to a revolutionary stroke rehabilitation program. Though all four share the experience of being hospitalized for stroke, each story reveals a rich tapestry of differences that shaped the individual lives and their choices and experiences. Those differences affect each patient's recovery - and ultimately, their survival.

Dr. William Tippett's, Really? I Had A Stroke? uses the stories of four patients to outline a visionary post-stroke rehabilitation program that could provide better tools for recovery from a stroke or stroke-like event. Though the characters in these stories are fictional, the strokes they experience are real, and their stories describe what people can expect in terms of symptoms before, during and after a stroke. Dr. Tippett endeavors to show the typical consequences patients can expect based on the type of stroke they have had and on their personal characteristics, including their life choices and experiences.

Although Really? I Had A Stroke? describes a vision of what excellent stroke care and rehabilitation could look like in an ideal setting of unlimited resources, it is also intended to guide and inspire individuals to create the best possible recovery program and the most positive outcomes for all patients, given the limitations of our current resources.

This book is not meant to highlight shortcomings in the world of stroke care and rehabilitation. Rather, it aims to provide information about what patients, families and friends can expect as a result of various types of stroke and to reassure them that a stroke is not always the end of the world. Certain courses of action can be taken that improve recovery, and there are specific options and treatments that patients and their loved ones need to advocate for to improve the outcome of a stroke. Though the story centers on stroke and stroke-related recovery, many of the brain-training examples could be used in several situations in which the brain has experienced a significant injury or traumatic change.