Shortly before my husband retired, he told me how he hoped to fill his long-awaited free time: play more golf, visit the kids often, travel, hike out west, and so much more. True to his dreams, he spent the first seven months doing all of that. We were so busy with fun and fitness that his other goals, like learning to play guitar, were put on hold.
Then came the stroke, whacking his dominant right side like a golf club to the left portion of his skull. He couldn't sit up, walk, swallow or read, and it took great effort to get his slurred words from his brain to his mouth. His physical activity went from pre-stroke athletic spunk to now, two years later, most likely to lose a 5-K race to a glacier (his words, not mine).
It was hard to be positive initially, but we tried.
What I realized was the importance of tapping into creativity and imagination to come up with solutions. If you say, "I've tried everything and nothing helps," you've turned off your ability to brainstorm new ideas. On the other hand, it's far more productive to say, "Even though I don't have a solution now, I know there's one out there if I keep searching."
One of our greatest treasures through the recovery process has been our daughter, a physical therapist who has worked with many stroke survivors. She told us about an amazing rehab center in Jacksonville (Florida) called Brooks Rehab. Despite their location three hours from our home, their offerings gave us hope and excitement. I was inspired to look for other possibilities similar to theirs.
A favorite program at Brooks is their Neuro Recovery Center (NRC). It's a gym equipped with state-of-the-art rehabilitative equipment, plus friendly therapy assistants and interns to help you on the machinery. Because of the distance, though, we only went once a week for about eight weeks. Still, it was a bargain at $100 a month for unlimited use six days a week. Great equipment aside, it was also nice to feel "normal" among people dealing with similar challenges.
Our other favorite at Brooks, one that got us rolling on ideas for outdoor fun, is their adaptive sports program. Being on their emailing list means being able to sign up to participate for FREE in adaptive recreation activities like surfing, archery, skeet-shooting (eeks!), bowling, horseback riding, kayaking and more. Their biggest life-changer for us, though, was recumbent triking.
It only took one ride on an adapted trike to bring back my husband's smile. As other disabled people have told us, there's an instantaneous sensation of being strong and mobile, paired with a sudden craving to shatter a piggy bank and buy one. My husband's trike has been adapted to have all controls (shifting & brakes) on the left side for his one good hand. For those who can't walk or pedal at all, there are hand-powered adaptations. Some even have motors that kick in when you need a little nudge.
Despite not needing adaptations myself, I was lured by the seat comfort (and no shoulder or neck pain!) and the chance to ride side-by-side with my husband on casual rides along paved, level Rail Trails in beautiful areas not far from us. (Search "Wheelchair Accessible Trails" on Traillink.org)
Although we transport our trikes in the back of a pickup truck, recumbent trikes have various levels of foldability and transport options (and prices). If you want the greatest inspiration of all, check out the amazing accomplishments of stroke survivor, Dan Zimmerman, on his organization's website called SpokesFightingStrokes.org . He, like Brooks Rehab, has adaptive trikes you can ride for free with a group.
We spoke to Dan and other Arizona riders on a vacation there last year. They sent us to Ajo Bikes in Tucson, where the kind owner set up trikes for my husband to try out even though he knew we couldn't buy one locally. Ultimately, we purchased ours at the awesome Lakeshore Bicycles in Jacksonville, well worth the drive because they, like Ajo Bikes, are very skilled at adapting their trikes for special needs. (For those who don't have a skilled trike-adapter locally, Utah Trikes customizes and ships cross-country.)
Once the door opened to adaptive recreation, the opportunities suddenly sprang forth, just like my husband the instant he gets on his trike. We discovered, and continue to discover, new ways to enjoy the camaraderie of similarly challenged people and their significant others or caregivers. The exercise is healing for all of us, and a great workout without feeling like drudgery. Best of all, it restored shared fun in our marriage, and for me there was no PTSD of being the least agile one in my elementary school gym class and most-likely to single-handedly lose a softball game. All abilities are welcome at adaptive recreation activities, and that includes us "able-bodied" companions as well.
Another activity you might consider is adaptive golf, great for those who miss the game or just want to learn. There are free lessons in various locations around the country, with many new ones coming on board regularly. They're often led by disabled veterans and physical or occupational therapy volunteers. Check out the US Adaptive Golf Alliance or do an online search for "Adaptive Golf + (your state or town)." If there's nothing local, you can volunteer to set up a program yourself with their guidance.
While you're on the computer, you might also want to search for accessible equipment available at your favorite local, state or national park. One cool invention is the track chair, which is gaining popularity as a way for disabled people to accompany their ambulatory friends on rugged hiking day trips. To take a peek, click on the Colorado Parks & Wildlife website, which has one of those chairs for visitors.
There are also organizations that loan out, often for free, adaptive equipment that other people have donated. You can search online for "Free rentals of Accessible Equipment in (State or City)."
Now that I've worn you out imagining all this activity, maybe you'd prefer to just sit back and get inspired by other people's successes. You can order Challenge Magazine, a FREE, hold-in-your-hand publication from Disabled Sports USA , which happens to be a great website about adapting to all kinds of limitations.
Finally, at least until I find more opportunities, I would suggest looking for the adaptive recreation programs in your own state or local area. You can find a comprehensive list of disabled sports organizations in the US by state by clicking here .
In closing, I invite you to post any other services or programs in the "Comments" section below that you think might appeal to others. Meanwhile, happy hunting as you search for the doorway to a world of ABILITY and FUN that you'll gladly add to your new, soon-to-be-improved life.
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