Texas Veteran conquers rehabilitation after stroke

Army Veteran Tim Fanning is waging a journey after experiencing a right-sided stroke just 30 days ago. After initial treatment at a community healthcare facility, Fanning was transferred to Dallas VA for specialized rehabilitation.

The journey through illness to health can be rigorous and requires a dedicated balance of strength, resilience and hope.

A stroke happens when the blood flow to an area in the brain is cut off. It's the fifth leading cause of death in men. Brain cells lacking the oxygen and glucose needed to survive die and permanent brain damage or death can occur if symptoms are not addressed early.

Rehabilitation doesn't reverse the effects of a stroke but timely application can restore as much independence as possible by improving physical, mental and emotional functions. Therapy and rehabilitation focus on restoring movement, speech, strength and daily living activities such as eating and dressing.

A daily rehabilitation routine is both rigorous and challenging, and it needs to be for patients like Fanning to recover and regain their daily routine and lives. "Every single day is very busy but also very good. The rehabilitation is pushing me to new limits," he shared.

Working closely with occupational therapist Jessica Menth, Fanning is making considerable strides because of his sheer will and perseverance.

Fanning is pictured at the top of this story with Menth.

"He's meeting significant milestones like doing push-ups, which is a testament to his physical improvement and dedication to the rehabilitation program. He definitely has a relentless pursuit of progress that is defining his therapy experience," Menth said.

"You have to keep going and expect more of yourself," said Fanning.

For some patients, rehabilitation can take months, even years, depending on the severity of symptoms and resilience of the patient. Each month in recovery brings more hurdles for a patient to meet and overcome. But Fanning is taking each day, each challenge as it comes with gusto and grit. "I want to get better and I will conquer anything they throw at me on my journey to getting back to being me."

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