Dave William's Stroke Recovery

Monday September 24, 2001  This is a post-stroke recovery account for David Williams. My name is Pauline Williams and I am David’s wife and caregiver. David suffered a stroke on February 18th 2000 at 8.30 in Jacksonville Florida while driving our travel van on the Interstate 10.  He was fortunate to have received a CT scan and other tests which were done within 30 minutes of the stroke. After 6 hours he was transported to a larger hospital where he stayed 6 days. Subsequently, he was transported back to Toronto and then to Peterborough Hospital where he was treated for six months.  The specialist at Peterborough Hospital confirmed that David had a profound stroke on the right side of his brain which affected the left side of his body. He suggested that we put David in a long-term care facility. David had little balance, no bladder control, and limited bowel control at that time.  That was his medical condition before Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBO2T). David began receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy on January 21, 2001. HBO2T has certainly improved the quality of life for my husband and myself.  To date my husband has had about 20 treatments and his progress has been very positive. Even medical professionals are amazed at the degree of recovery.  After the first session in the oxygen chamber, David's began to stand without loosing his balance. By the third session, he had sufficient control over his bladder and sleep became uninterrupted and easier.  His memory began to show improvement and he became more sociable and interested in life around him to the extent that he even started watching programs on TV.  With balance restored to a degree, David began to walk again and during the summer, he took Disability Sailing at Jericho Beach. He walked to the sailboat with a four-footed cane and was helped into the boat.  His steps are slow but sure and he literally has to think himself to walk, but he can walk a good 40 feet at a stretch with his cane.  Earlier this week some movement returned to David's left hand as he is beginning to wiggle his ring finger.  Even his skin problems resulting from the drugs he has to take have healed after the starting the hyperbaric oxygen treatment. The color of his legs has returned to normal without any signs of swelling or fungal infection between his toes.  As his treatment sessions go on, we are confident that David will continue to recover his functions and we hope that other stroke patients will find HBO2T as helpful as we both have.  David has stopped his weekly sailing and is now attending weekly stroke meetings at the South Arm Stroke Club on Fridays.  More to come…  Pauline Williams