Arvind CV, a 27 year old young man had a sudden stroke in November 2019 while working as an Operations Manager for a company in Qatar. He had no history of hypertension or any other health issues leading to this. His life naturally turned upside down. Arvind here talks of his path to recovery and what helped him attain it.
Please tell us a bit about your condition. What were the early symptoms?
Firstly, let me put a disclaimer out there that I had no idea about what a stroke was, nor did I have any idea about High Blood pressure which was recorded by the EMS staff at the time of my stroke. At this time, I was based in Qatar, working as an Operations Manager in an international retail company But I remember that for at least 2 weeks prior to the incident, I had severe head aches. To stem what I thought was a normal headache, I started taking paracetamol. But the headache didn’t stop. Though I had frequent headaches I went on my regular jogs with my colleagues. Even after my running sessions, the headaches refused to go. So , I applied Menthol oil on my fore head and went to sleep as usual. The day before my stroke, I wasn't able to sleep with the terrible pain. So I stayed up late talking to my family and friends.
Next day I remember waking up from bed, sitting on the edge of the bed trying to stand-up. But I kept falling back. I realized I couldn't stand without support.
Luckily, two of my room mates were in the kitchen close by and I shouted out for help to take me to the rest room. After splashing my face with lots of water I felt a little bit better but the weakness was still there. I put my entire body weight on my room mates to keep my balance. There was definitely something wrong and they made me sit on the nearby bed. As soon as I sat down, I lay down immediately. I felt the headache again. And dizziness also kicked in this time. My colleagues asked me what was happening and they were going to call the apartment in-charge. I tried to stop them not realizing the seriousness of the situation.
But when I tried talking, one of them noticed the slur in my speech and also my lips drooping at the corner. He was sure that this was due to blood pressure and called out for help immediately. The incharge also confirmed this and immediately called the EMS number.The emergency vehicle arrived within 5 minutes and the staff did the regular vitals and tests to confirm my condition.
They took me to a fully equipped stroke hospital immediately and had a Bed in emergency room ready as there wasn't any time to waste, acting fast in this situation will help the patient to get less damage to the brain. Meanwhile, my family had been informed by my friend. They flew in immediately and they have supported me since then, keeping me motivated and happy as much as they could, hiding their grief. I had a good rapport with the hospital staff and doctors and received great care and attention from them which helped boost my recovery. Since it was a Qatari Government hospital (QRI) I was given the best of facilities and treatment to help me get back to an independent lifestyle. The training and the developmental therapies that I received helped me through the beginning stages of recovery.
I was advised by my doctor to fly back to India as soon as I was stable. I was glad that everything went as planned and smoothly without any complications. And being at home wasn’t hard as it was the initial stages of lockdown of the 2020 pandemic.
As soon as I got back to India I was referred to the best neurologist in my city (Coimbatore) and as days went on I found a good physiotherapist also who provided daily in-home therapy which helped me to make faster progress on my recovery and I personally believe he was ‘god-sent’ at the right point of my recovery. Slowly my plateau of recovery started getting better.
But this stroke caused Hemiplegia (one side paralysis) which is still a huge hindrance to my daily living. It is still in the recovery process. My upper limbs are yet to get fully functional. I'm able to walk around. But I have challenges on lifting objects and driving too. I'm still waiting for movements in my fingers to be revived. Otherwise all other areas are recovered.
Please describe your experience of managing your condition?
Though it was initially difficult to manage my activities. With proper guidance and support from my therapist and family I managed my daily activities.Family support was the best motivation for me to come back to my normal routine.
What were some of the challenges you faced?
Everything I did was initially challenging. But I was persistent and after repeated trials, I managed to relearn every action again. I am still trying to perfect myself to go back to how I used to be before the stroke.
How did you manage to keep yourself motivated?
The only thing that brought me this far is family support. Without love, care and support from them, I would not have reached this far.
How did you manage your work life? What about leave from work, etc?
I looked out for work opportunities which would allow me to work from home to keep me occupied. Additionally, I continued with my gardening and cooking hobbies as a part of my functional activities.
Have you had to make changes to your lifestyle because of your condition?
I incorporated certain changes in my lifestyle which I felt would help me recover faster. I turned vegetarian, started sleeping early and also started getting more involved with community work and temples. I also took up regular meditations with Art of living. I also started supporting non profit organizations and organized food campaigns for underprivileged communities.
Has it been difficult emotionally to cope with your condition?
The fact that I lost all my friends and also had to put an end to outdoor activities got me thinking and used to make me anxious and eager to recover quickly. But I had to accept the reality, and this acceptance made things slightly better for me.
Did you try any complementary medicine/treatment?
I pursued almost all the complementary treatments available in my city to support and boost my recovery process and it even worked out well for me. I improved from a completely bed-ridden state to regaining most of my movements. And currently I am able to cook at home with minimum support, gardening as a functional activity. I am totally independent in my daily activities, thanks to the repeated therapies and treatments, which I put a lot of emphasis on.
My Never Back Down attitude and constant encouragement from my parents and brother helped boost my spirit and brought me this far.
To boost my recovery, I took up alternative treatments (Ayurvedic, Homeopathic,Warma, Acupressure, Accupunture, Pranic Healing). It seems a lot but every single one of these helped in its own way to give the necessary boost.
How did you handle the financial requirements?
Financial support is equally important for a patient's recovery as it reduces considerable stress. I had a wonderful team in Qatar to look after me. Not only did they arrange transportation for my parents when they flew in initially, but a lot of people put in their effort to get my bills approved by the Head office.
All my bills were settled through my Insurance and the company I worked for. My company was very supportive from the beginning till my discharge, thanks to our efficient HR. They also showed no hesitation in completely bearing all the remaining expenses, and assured me that they will hire me back once my recovery was complete.They also made regular visits to check on my well-being.
How has your family supported you? What is your advice to people who have gone through a similar condition?
Now I feel happy in helping people with their set backs in life. Like supporting my friend for developing his business, engaging in social activities , starting a community for blood collection, sharing ideas with people and providing words of encouragement for people who reach out to me during their hard times.
This Stroke incident transformed me to the person I am today and I am enjoying this new side of me. It helped me assess who I am as a person, things to improve on and how to manage the challenges in life with confidence and a positive mindset, by spreading positive energy to people around me. I am also trying to connect with people globally, to learn more and get more ideas and connections. I feel keeping a positive spirit goes a long way in helping the recovery process. Most of all, family support is absolutely essential for any recovery process.
