Awful Things Doctors and Therapists Actually Said to Stroke Survivors - OT Reacts 

3 years post stroke. Im crying hearing what stroke victims deal with. I miss my old self, but grateful for little victories.This channel is so wonderful!!!!

If a therapist told me "This is your new life, you'll never get better than this" I would file a complaint with the hospital and attempt to get that person removed. I would also file a complaint with state certification authorities to have their license to practice removed. Speaking as a stroke and cancer survivor, I believe it to be a criminal act to kill the hopes of a patient by such actions!

I had a stroke just over a year ago, and I feel lucky every day, which I would never have felt before. Be kind to yourself and celebrate small gains. I smile to myself every time I tye my laces .😊

The most difficult thing I went through ... The doctors all had something negative to say before l left the hospital. I will never forget the horrible experience. They really have 0 empathy. Thank you so very much for talking about this. It is so very sad. ❤❤

Yep my family was told to put me in a nursing home because I am going to be bedridden vegetable. I'm going to be 13 years post strokes in December.

Luckily! No one ever told me such stupid things. This is my 3rd year after a malignant brain tumour surgery which made my left side paralyzed & lost my balance completely ,Now I am recovering more faster than ever. So don't think about any particular timeline of 6 months, 1Year etc. Keep believing and continue your exercises.

When I had mine last year (‘23), they told me “after a year you should have everything back”. LIES! I’m just over a year and still not 100%.

I had a doctor tell me that I would never get better. I was hospitalized again and told him what he had said before. Thankfully he apologized. I appreciate your videos and all the positive things that you do and say to us Warriors/Survivors as we're on our journey. I am 3 years post stroke and my vision and balance has been affected i can't give up!

One of my overseeing doctors while at the rehab hospital shamed me for asking for help with lovenux injections from one of my family members when I was to be sent home. Those injections hurt and I didn't have good strength in one hand to steadily hold a needle or pinch the fat to inject it, I had only asked my mom to help me with it since she was the only one okay with doing it (and since I couldn't really physically do it myself at the time). He shamed me for asking for her help and said I shouldn't rely on others for help. He also mansplained on why the needles were important and what would happen if I didn't do them. I was barely 2 weeks out from my stroke and was left feeling ashamed and upset. Needless to say I left a nasty review on him after I was discharged, no stroke patient should feel ashamed to ask for help, especially during the first few weeks and months into recovery.

My sis in-law right now is in rehab after 2 strokes on June 11. I know she has a long recovery and I visit her everyday giving her words of encouragement as does all family members. The staff are all kind & encourage her not to give up. I watch your video's so I can learn & help her when she gets back home. Thanks so much for these wonderful video's.

A lot of people I meet in my journey, get mixed signals. Glad for your inspirational advice.

I experienced so much frustration! I had to turn it off! Back to standing up, leaning on the table!

S told 18 MONTHS!! But i had been left in bed, to REST, with my skull off, for much longer than that!! SO SAD!! Zthe physiatrist at the 3rd rhab i went to looked at me on my second day and said, its been over 18 months? You wont get any better!! GET comfortable in this body. SINCE he was in charge of dirrcting my therapyhere, i had to drive it mpre myself..asking for things i could do myself, in my room, to hrlp build strength. 8 YEARS later..i am still improving.

I am one year post stroke. Every stroke is different in different people. The results will be different for everyone, so I don’t believe the docs and therapist should put people in boxes and label them. Wrong! My fellow “strokes” put your father in God and ask him to walk you thru your recovery. He will give you the answers you need and you will go on to help others.❤

Thank you for posting these videos ❤️ Doctor after doctor keep telling my boyfriend’s family that my boyfriend won’t get better because it’s been more than 6 months (we are at 8 months now) and I have to constantly fight to convince his family that no, progress is slow but never stops. The docs reduced his therapy sessions to the bare minimum, and we can’t visit him for more than 20 minutes a day because he’s still stuck in a hospital and they still have strict COVID visitation rules. It’s so exhausting 🥹 Your videos give me hope ❤

I laughed at the "Why would you want to do that?" for the pants while standing up. I'm 2 years out from my hemorrhagic stroke and still can't do that. Pre-stroke, I would always put my pants on standing up.

After my stroke in December 2022 the OTs weren't pleased that my top goal for my upper limb was to plait my waist length hair again. To be fair, they did keep it on the list but made me put more boring (from my point of view) and more achievable (from their point of view) goals such as using my affected hand to anchor objects higher up the list. Guess who can plait her hair now?

My California therapist said, Your stroke is over, you have the scars left behind. You have to learn to adapt😮but how🤷🏽‍♀️ well I relocated back to Vegas and have a new medical team❤ tfs

As an advocate for a dear friend who suffered a massive stroke about 6 months ago, I find your posts very helpful. She has right side paralysis and aphasia, which are very frustrating to her, and she cries when she can't communicate clearly. It's hard to deal with the insurance/benefits providers to get her therapy and a good placement near her son, and to try to help my friend stay positive. Your videos give me positive things to tell her. Thanks very much.

The biggest problem the time it takes to get disability to be able to go back into therapy. I rember telling my therapy center I would work with an occupational therapist again after she told me I over thought an assignment she gave me

3 to 6 months was what I was told but I was determined to keep going after stroke and not worry about time. 8 years in still making progress.

I was sent away mute with all my appointments and medication canceled 😢 The therapist did hand movements (mocking ASL) and said do you understand that. Nothing was done and one believed me, when I finally could communicate again.

My Occupational therapy told me it was all in my head

I've had a stroke since last year and I have been able to walk in just a week and I have been working on my fingers ever since I had no improvement

Love this format. Please do more videos like this. It helps to know that you are not alone when being treated so poorly by medical "professionals". Have hemiparesis of right arm and leg. Dr said I could go to physical therapy but I would have to drive there. Then put in the notes that I declined PT. Don't plan on ever seeing this Dr or his ilk ever again. Getting better ever day.

Create small wins for your day and accomplish those wins and take them as they go. Even just standing holding a win

I’m grateful for your videos! It’s been three years since I had two strokes in one day. My strokes affected my right side. I was able to walk shortly after. I couldn’t talk but now I’m talking well. I’m always working on my speech. My problem is that I’ve lost movement in my right arm. It was just hanging down. My arm started to move about a month and a half after my stroke. My problem is I’ll couldn’t feel anything in my right arm. Especially my right hand. And I’m a righty. I can grip but I have to see what I’m grabbing because I have no feeling in my right hand. My coordination is a bit off as well. It took at least six months to be able to feel hot and cold. Now I feel hot and cold easily, thank God. I’m pretty lucky I’m alive in the first place. By just looking at me nobody can tell that I had a stroke. Just like a lot of people, the doctors cant tell me if I’ll ever get the feeling back in my right hand. I stopped going to therapy about 10 months ago. They told me they can’t help with the feeling it’s all in my brain. My question to you is, did you ever hear about someone getting feeling back after a couple of years, well in my case after three years? Also at times my hand is killing me. They say it’s neuropathy. But Gabapentin Is not helping. My thinking is at least I’m feeling something rather than feeling nothing at all. I would really appreciate any knowledge that you can pass on to me. Thank you so much, God bless you! ✌💙

I had a stroke and a seizure, I don't remember what went on the first 3 weeks in the hospital.

Great presentation!! One needs to advocate for themselves. (Period)

I got Covid whilst in hospital following my stroke.......as did the physios and some of the nurses/staff. So, physiotherapy stopped for a while and, I was quarantined in a seperate room with a big red spot on the door under which the notice ' Covid restricted access' was written. Therefore, for even my basic needs food, water, toilet etc staff had to don full PPE. Obviously most of them were reluctant to so, consequently I got ignored for most of the day. Even to the point my requests for water were delayed. The irony being I had a sink/tap less than 2meteres from my bed which I was too paralized/spastified to reach. Anyway survived the stroke and Covid and after many weeks (12) I was deemed well enough to go home. Unforetunately again, due to Covid, my therapy/re-hab was practically non-existant. On a lighter note after the lockdowns/restrictions whatever ended, my first visit to my original neurologist/prognosis specialist. His words upon my entrance to his office were 'Wow! I'm surprised to see you walking so soon', (albeit with a cane). 3 yrs down the line, can walk somewhat ungainly, unaided however, I suffer dreadfully from chronic pain and unbearable fatigue so my jaunts tend not to be far/prolonged.

Thanks a lot for such a positive video. My mom is a stroke survivor and I am always finding ways to help her and to encourage her to feel better.

More of these please, and thank you.

I am 6.5 yrs post brain bleed stroke and I still get recovery as long as I keep up daily PT, OT, and cognitive therapy on my own at home

I was lucky I was untouched by the virus at all. My issues left by themselves at once stage I had lovely hand writing, then I remembered I don't and have my usual messy style of writing returned again. But I can write and do lots of things. I'm improvements all the time. Keep positive and steer clear of negative energy.

Doctor I've told me that because of my weight want to be able to walk perfectly butts to my understanding I'm doing much better without a therapy help

excellent explanations as always

I'm glad you mentioned that you can get back your lost functions. I have been diagnosed with MSA-C which has a lot of common points with a stroke. I keep pushing. My bleed happened back in 1994.

I asked my doctor how long I would have to be on lisinopril, amlodipine, atorvastatin, metoprolol, and bayer aspirin, and he just bluntly said "FOREVER" without any talk about diet! That was unbelievable to me, so needless to say I will be changing from Kaiser to Bluecross/Blueshield in November!

THANK YOU FOR THIS!!

One doc told me I was go have another one n it's nothing they can do but the others said I was make a full recovery.i end up firing them all

Most therapist and Drs don't know Shit all they care about is getting as many patients in and out as they can it's like church put your money in the pot and don't ask any questions, whatever you believe is what it's going to be so believe the best , you and you alone hold the power

Thank you for your encouragement.

This video was very helpful. I used to think I wasn't given all the resources I needed, including encouragement. Now I realize I received great care and advice! I couldn't have gotten this far if I hadn't received the attention I got! Holy moly some bad advice were given!

Give yourself time and create daily routines wash, rinse and repeat. I say keep going going going going going. Keep up our routine and stay on it everyday. Whether you're tired or not keep going eventually does get better. Take me three and a half almost 4 years now and I've every year. I see major improvements every year

I love your positivity

i had a brain hemmorahge in 1999 and lost the ability to eat.In 2001 I was told Ud NEVER eat or drink again, Our creator ;proved them wrong, b y 2014 i started EATING/ DRINKINg again. So I laugh when I hear the word NEVER

hello i recently had a stroke 9 months ago im curious to know that iwill yomy hand and fingers completely returned back to normal like writing on a paper on tying shoe laces and buttoning shirts and jeans , plz tell , i want to pursue medical college

Hi i too have gotleft side paralyzed in 2015 since I am alone n homeless i couldn't get proper treatment i have improved walking but no improvement in my hand n frankly speaking it's my fault i dint do any excercise of my hand it's been 8 years n now when I am doing m some hand n fingers stretching I feel the pain in my hand and head also is this normal when i got the stroke I was in such a bad condition that even the doctor told y is he alive it was better dead than to be in this condition but by god's grace today I am walking now working on my hand that it starts functioning

I told a therapist I wanted to work on my arm. She said she can make a recommendation to cut it off

I lost part of my vision and went to see an eye doctor who specialized in stroke cases. She told me: "I hope you have good insurance, your going to need it!". I never returned to her.

Love the new video

Thank you!

Thank you DR !!!!!!!!

how about a video for people whove had a mild stroke?

Can you address a right occipital lobe stroke that horribly effected my vision I’m 5 years post stroke no doctor has given me hope to see clearly again

My doctor told me I would have another stroke. I was also told that I would get my vision back and I did not.

“Welcome to the new you!” Is what I was told! My stroke was February of 2024

The worst advice my stroke doctor said was that he wanted me to receive the covid-19 vaccine while I was still recovering from my stroke in the hospital back in 2022. His only reasoning was that I was putting everyone else at risk in my hospital room. They gave me a covid-19 rapid test the night I arrived at the hospital. The test came back negative and I was in the hospital for just over a week. My stroke doctor had no idea as to why my stroke happened but he wanted me to get the covid-19 vaccine, which I didn't get. Also the hospital wouldn't allow another stroke patient's wife in to see him because she was not complying with the mask mandate. She was medically exempted from wearing the masks that hospitals use because she had cancer. She did have a full face mask

Thanks

Thanks!

Was told i was depressed and needed a shr8nk......

Not with than attitude told my physical therapist id right a bike along again she laughed conveyed that i would not ride now though

Thank you for the good video.

Thispt saw just told me it is what it is because its been a yer already but i can see improvement evryday

💖 Yeah, those are the kinds of things they told my dad 🙄

You made a huge difference

F the hospital stafff

Worst for mexeas being talked down to byvnurses and hopsitsl staff. As if I was s 3 year criminal

My it told me if I hadn’t gotten my hand back by now it’s not coming back she was right it’s been 6 years 😢😢😢😢😢

Be patient and h t ret snd make small winswnr go

❤❤❤❤❤

It takes a year ime amd nelief in yourself 😅😅😅😅

I was told my quadrantonopia will never improve, learn how to deal with it

had pt say well u could b doing all this work for nothing and well my other stroke guy, he's already better. and u better hurry up ...running out of time. then neurologist 4 mo after stroke how good you think you're gonna get good thing im stubborn

Greatvideoiihigyagrree three years forestill. Seeingimpprovements

Thanks!

Thanks

Thanks!

Thanks!