On Christmas eve of 2018, my entire family was happily celebrating the holiday. The holidays had become a sort of mini family reunion because our relatives from the United States had come over to spend their holiday vacation here.
It was a merry week indeed. I never saw my 60-year-old mum so happy being reunited with her brother and sister again after a decade. However, the joy was quickly replaced with shock and sadness when my mum suffered a stroke two weeks later.
We were thankful that she survived; she's way too young to be taken away from us. However, half of her body, the left side, suffered paralysis. We thought she would never leave her wheelchair after that. But our hope started to build up when we visited a physiotherapy clinic in Singapore.
Here's how a physiotherapy and osteopathic centre in Singapore builds our hopes up. Here is my mum's rehabilitation journey.
The First Two Weeks
My mum stayed at the hospital for a week to recover from her stroke. Within that period, we discovered that the left side of her body had been paralysed.
The stroke had impacted her cognitively. Although her memory was still sharp, she had trouble speaking. She could talk, but more of a slur. She also had a slight difficulty swallowing.
Within the weeks of our stay in the hospital, our doctor gave us a careful assessment and evaluation of my mum's condition. And based on his evaluation, he referred us to a physiotherapist in Singapore who will guide us through the rehabilitation programme.
The First Three Months After Stroke
After my mum's discharge, we went to the physiotherapy and osteopathic centre where my sister had her post natal care in Singapore for my mum's rehabilitation.
The physiotherapist made a custom rehabilitation plan that meets the needs of my mum. As much as I can remember, it consisted of speech therapy and motor skills training.
The first month was the most intensive part of my mum's rehabilitation session in the physiotherapy clinic in Singapore. We had inpatient and outpatient programmes arranged for my mum to ensure her progress.
We saw massive improvement from my mom in the first three months of her recovery. Before, she couldn't hold anything with her hand. But after three weeks into therapy, she was able to grasp and hold an empty water bottle and twist the cap using her strongest arm.
Her speech was no longer a slur. She could form short sentences a bit clearer.
Four to Six Months After Stroke
When my mum finished the first part of her rehabilitation programme in the first three months in the osteopathic centre in Singapore, we decided to continue the next course at home.
Six months into the therapy, my mum could speak much more clearly. She was able to form longer sentences as well. Her swallowing has improved, too.
Her greatest feat during this period was standing. But of course, with assistance. But at least she could support her hips and be on her feet with the help of a crane or a walking assistance device.
She couldn't walk yet, but she could move her left foot in an attempt to make a tiny step.
Apart from having our physiotherapist in Singapore at home, we also had a primary care doctor who regularly visited her during the rehabilitation period.
Her primary care doctor helped manage and treat her other ailments, like flu and the common cold, that could impact her post-stroke condition.
One Year After Stroke
According to our physiotherapy clinic in Singapore, full recovery may take more than a year. My mum may even regain her normal speaking ability two to three years after her stroke.
According to our therapist, recovery generally slows down as time goes by, but it doesn't mean my mum's condition will not improve. A year after my mum's stroke, she could walk slowly with her small steps and walking assistance device.
She could also stand on her own without assistance, but rather, slower than normal. It was already a feat, according to our physiotherapist in Singapore. Some stroke survivors even take a year and a half to develop this skill.
My mum's primary care doctor also reminded us of the possibility of ailments that could arise and affect my mum's condition, such as chronic stroke disease.
Conclusion
My mum continued her rehabilitation for two years. She is extremely better now, although she might have to use her walking assistance device permanently. But at least, she never has to be in her wheelchair forever.
The smile was back on her face. My aunt and uncle visit her yearly-- every Christmas.
I would like to thank Edge Healthcare for guiding and assisting us all throughout the rehabilitation of my mum. They provided us with the best physiotherapist in Singapore. I would forever be grateful for Edge Healthcare.
And I also give credit to my mum, who is very positive, persistent, and patient in getting better.
