A national boxer in his youth, Prakasham Thangaveloo’s journey of recovery embodies hope for fellow stroke survivors. His positivity so inspired his occupational therapist at Singapore General Hospital that she nominated him for the Inspirational Patient Award.
It all began in August 2022 when I was at the office gym early in the morning preparing to start my usual workout routine. Suddenly, the right side of my body felt numb, all the way from my leg to my shoulder. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor, struggling to even utter a word. Thankfully my colleague happened to be there and called for an ambulance.
The severe stroke I suffered brought an abrupt halt to my busy life. I lost mobility in my right side and was unable to speak. Simple everyday tasks like dressing, showering and movement became daunting challenges. I felt overwhelmed with uncertainty.
The path to recovery was difficult, but I was determined to be disciplined and regain my speech and movement. I had daily therapy sessions where I worked tirelessly to regain my mobility and speech. It was a challenging period filled with frustration and despair. I cried every day for a few months, realising that there were many things even a child could do that were now so challenging to me, but I never gave up.
Even at my lowest point, I counted my blessings that I was given a second chance at life. I tried to turn despair into determination, committing to daily therapy sessions. I would read the subtitles on the television screen aloud for one to two hours a day to train my speech. It took two weeks but my speech soon returned. Over a month later, I could move my arms and legs.
During this time, my wife tirelessly cared for me and tolerated my mood swings when I was in rehabilitation. Thanks to her, I had a healthy diet that boosted my recovery. For my daily physiotherapy sessions, there was always someone, be it a family member, friend or colleague, who would ferry me to the hospital and back. With their support, I felt even more motivated to get better.
I challenged myself to achieve milestones that initially seemed unattainable. Every seemingly small milestone, from being able to shower to taking the public transport independently, marked an important personal victory to me.
As I gradually regained independence, I also modified my fitness routine, prioritised rest and embraced a healthier lifestyle.
In the spirit of paying it forward, I am committed to helping fellow stroke survivors navigate their recovery. Whether through motivational talks or volunteering at physiotherapy sessions, I encourage patients to focus on progress rather than dwell on limitations, to accept the new norm and re-engage in pre-stroke activities.
I have my close friends to thank for encouraging me to participate in the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2023. With an end goal in mind, I trained diligently and the completion of the 10km walk just a year after my stroke felt like a tangible sign of my recovery.
Through it all, there are positive outcomes from the stroke I had. It made me more resilient as a person and forced me to re-prioritise my life. I am now more mindful about my diet and spend quality time with my family. I train in the gym using adaptive equipment, and my long-term goal is to return to my former interest, boxing.
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