From hospital 3 (link: timeline) I had a core team of rehab professionals physio and Ot.

S1 my primary physio who did the absolute basics in hospital, up to my first steps (post link here please) and hydro when I was home, and my first set of stairs, I really grew to like her, as she did home visits too for a while she was home more than my kids, sadly she left to go travelling about month 6.

S2 an in hospital physio who did the very first sitting when my core was too weak, lovely young woman who didn’t complain when I fully toppled on her, left to go to an oil state for the money and sun (I can’t blame her) about month 4.

S3 an in hospital OT a similar age to me, great humour and sunny disposition, we could clash but not often and when we did she understood why but was still hugely encouraging, like s1 spent significant time doing home sessions too. Was part of the bigger discharge (discharge post link please).

While discharge doesn’t,and shouldn’t, be the end of everything the transition to community was poor and still not fully worked.

Community OT D1 I met once and was full of “with every other stroke patient I’ve done X” and ignored me to look at his laptop the only rude health professional I met, my second encounter was a phone call where he essentially accused me of lying to try and cover his errors.

My original OTs did a re referral to OT L1 who turned out to be delightful, a little older but with a wealth of experience and ring binders, natch, helped me give work a serious consideration.

Physio A1 found through the robotic clinic motion rehab (link: page to links) the first younger man I’d really encountered as a therapist. Him being a little bit attractive might have swayed my opinion somewhat but he was the first to really want to know the biggest picture: what was life pre stroke? How was it now? What were my bigger priorities? Session one he displayed so much interest and knowledge I left excited for my next session.

Session 2 he really challenged my poor upper limb getting great reactions and was genuinely excited by it, his eyes lit up and I loved having someone so excited. quick progress and care make me happy. He quickly followed up with a back and forth email chain that allowed me to demonstrate: I was listening to him and working, I had learnt about stroke rehab and could help push some treatment and also show my humour which he’d not particularly seen yet .

If it were a closer clinic and less expensive I’d go weekly, I wish I’d had access to A1 since day 1