… continued

Left side stroke

This stroke occurs on the left side of the brain and will affect the right side of the body.  Besides paralysis, the person will have trouble with their speech and language.  This is called aphasia.  Their parietal lobe has been affected by the stroke.  They may forget how to speak.

There are other neurological changes that occur.  Behavior is slower and they are more cautious even if they weren’t that way before the stroke.  Vision loss can occur as well, in the right eye.  The muscle strength is weakened on the right side.

Right side stroke

The left side of the body is affected.  There is paralysis and that tell-tale mouth drooping called dysarthria.  Behavior becomes erratic and quick even if they were not that way before the stroke.  There could be blindness in the left eye.

People with right side strokes may experience changes as a result of the occipital lobe being affected.  Their spatial recognition and perception will have deficits because of the stroke.

It can be disconcerting for you to see a loved after a stroke have occurred.  How permanent these effects are depends on the speed of intervention.  It may take a few weeks to a few months or more to see signs of recovery, but they will come.