Strokes come on suddenly, usually with little or no warning signs. Life situation changes swiftly and can often involve major consequences.

A stroke affects everyone including the one who suffers it, the family and close friends or even an employer.

The damage inflicted by strokes depend on where in the brain the stroke occurs, its severity and how quickly treatment stabilizes the brain. The accompanying medical and psychosocial deviations of stroke survivor are significantly influencing their long-term functioning and quality of life.

A Brain Assault: Every second count when seeking treatment for a stroke. Oxygen lack to your brain is an assault that seriously alters brain health.This may arise from a blood clot, a burst artery or other harmful brain issue. In any case, when deprived of oxygen, brain cells begin dying within minutes.

Early treatment usually involves attempting to control bleeding, brain swelling or high blood pressure. A clot-busting drug is highly effective at dissolving clots and minimizing long-term brain damage. But, to curb brain damage, the drug must be used within 3 to 4.5 hours

Post-Attack Symptoms:

• Typical problems include numbness and/or weakness in the arms or legs.There likely is impediment walking, vision changes, trouble swallowing and speech comprehension problems.
• Other linked symptoms are dizziness, muscle spasticity, muscle atrophy, trouble with urination, fatigue. sleeping problems and pain

It's not uncommon to see the immediate psychological impacts such as confusion, shock, helplessness, anger, depression and even grief or guilt

Stroke Outcomes:

• Many of us know of post-stroke sufferers who are affected by communication difficulties of aphasia having difficulty speaking and /or understanding words.
• In addition, because of a weakness of the face, lips, tongue and larynx, there may be dysarthria speech that is slurred or unintelligible.Speaking, writing, reading and gesturing or listening can become arduous or unmanageable tasks.

Ultimately, strokes vary widely in their severity and outcome. And a stroke can rob you of your sense of self-worth while putting limits on both physical or mental abilities.

Rehab Plans: Depending upon how the stroke affected you, you may need help with a rehab plan designed specifically for you.

• Major aspects of a plan include working to improve impairment problems with speech, communications, language as well as issues to do with swallowing.
• As well, it's sometimes necessary to deal with or make corrections to vision changes.
• Physical balance problems can be a major concern so tweaking the ability to walk and adjust to mobility issues is an essential intervention.
• You may feel frustrated that you can't do what or as you would like.

Likewise, a rehab plan must include psychological treatment if the stroke has caused depression, anxiety, apathy or any other emotional troubles. Strokes may also result in behavioural changes or a survivor may take on behaviours that are out of place or confusing to family members.

Appropriately handling personality changes or dealing with behavioural changes and emotional distress is necessary to rebuild better emotional functioning. Efforts should be expended to remedy intellectual capacity, to help improve cognitive deficits, memory and problem-solving ability

Notably, any post stroke  plan should include working with the family to bring together appropriate services, to support the family and avert social isolation.

Keep in mind that the reality of a stroke and the effects of its aftermath is not something that any person or family is ready and waiting to tackle.