20211027 : Expectations & timeline

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When I moved from the ICU to the HDU ward, everyone who visited me used to tell me the same thing - some variation of "everything will become ok, it'll just take some time".

I had pretty much taken it for granted that everything will become ok and I will walk out of the hospital. The one and only thing eating me up was "how long?".

No matter what, nobody would say that to me and I had no way to ask...

I still assumed something in "months" scale.

The first time I heard anything about a timeline was after I had come back home and one of my speech therapist saying that it would take another 6-8 months to remove the trachiostomy tube (it was not said to me - I just happened to overhear it).

I was heartbroken. This was already 6 months after the stroke. It was unthinkable to be like that for another 6 months.

Turns out - she was being very optimistic with her prediction. It was 21 months before it came off.

After I have extensively consulted with Dr. Google, I have also realised that my 1st assumption is also far from correct.

For a long time I have been very bitter for nobody telling me the reality. For not setting the correct expectations of quantum of recovery or of the timeline.

But then, I also think, what would someone say. We are in miracle territory anyway.

Is setting the practical expectation going to weaken the resolve or setting unrealistic expectations make the mind stronger and aggressive.

I wonder what's the right thing to do... 


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