Sunday Column
Pete Braley
I think I’ve mentioned before that I’m in a Facebook group for stroke survivors. I find it very interesting and if nothing else, it shows that you’re not alone in some of the what you’re dealing with. It’s very eye-opening at times when you see how others have been affected and yes, I have counted my blessings many times when I see what others have to go through.
It’s called the Stroke Recovery Support Group if you need it or want to tell a loved one about it.
One thread I read recently was about Stroke Fatigue or, as some call it, Neuro Fatigue. That’s been a common complaint with other survivors I’ve met.
Me: “So how are you doing? Feeling better? Moving around?”
Them: “Yeah except for the fatigue! It’s just so frustrating!”
The Stroke Recovery Support Group discussed it this week and while we don’t have any cures we all agreed on one thing … it sucks! Some have had it for going on seven years which, as a 5-year survivor I was SO happy to hear.
The easiest way for me to explain it is that you’re brain has had an injury and it needs to rest. Often. Sometimes out of the blue.
How much rest? Nobody knows.
Why can’t it rest at night like the rest of me? Nobody knows.
It’s been going on for 5, 6 or 7 years! Isn’t that enough? Apparently not.
Some people in the Facebook group also mentioned how frustrating it is because their family or significant other can’t seem to understand it. They think they’re lazy. Fortunately I don’t have that problem as my wife, Priscilla, is an excellent companion through this journey.
I’m writing about this today because I’m going through it right now. I had trouble getting to sleep last night and when I finally got up today I just had no energy. I was hoping to get dressed and join Priscilla for a walk with the dog… but then I put my socks on and that pretty much wiped me out! So we adjust.
I came across a blog online while working on this today.
It stated “Many people with neurological fatigue feel misunderstood and isolated because they appear ‘normal’ to their family, friends and work colleagues.” Very true.
Here are some things I took away from this blog:
- Fatigue is often made worse by lack of exercise and low mood.
- Take note of what triggers your fatigue – is it physical tasks? Or perhaps being in busy environments, or concentrating on one thing for a long time. A good idea is to keep a diary for a week or two to see if there are any patterns to your fatigue..
- When resting, note that rest means doing nothing at all. This could mean taking a nap or just relaxing. Watching television or reading complex material is often stimulating to the brain and not restful.
Hmmmm. I had trouble sleeping last night after reading for an hour. A mystery that had many things to figure out. I didn’t want to stop because I was almost finished so I kept going. Maybe??
So again, your trusty blogger doesn’t have the answer for you but maybe it will just help to know that you’re not alone. And if you’re a caregiver or just a friend of someone who deals with this, I hope this helped you understand us a bit more.
Check out other Sunday Columns by clicking here.
Leave a Reply