Heidi (born in 1988)

After a brutal murder attempt on September 30, 2022, with a shot directly to the head, acute treatment for left hemiplegia at the Bundeswehr Central Hospital in Koblenz. Starting in November 2022, early rehabilitation at BDH Clinic Braunfels Ward 7. Starting from scratch, unable to speak or even sit up! 

January 2023
Implantation of an artificial skull cap (cranioplasty)
Following phase B rehabilitation at BDH Clinic Braunfejs Station3.2 months of wasted life! 

May 2023
Removal of the artificial skull cap, as a severe infection had developed underneath it! 

June to August 2023
Phase C Reha Medical Park Bad Camberg

Followed by ongoing outpatient occupational therapy and physical therapy

July to August 2024
Rehabilitation at the Westerwald Clinic in Waldbreitbach

Since then, outpatient occupational therapy and physical therapy, as well as intensive personal training

Andy (born in 1977)

On June 15, 2020, my life was about to change fundamentally. That this change would turn out differently than expected or hoped for was something I would not have dared to imagine in my worst dreams that morning. After the death of my beloved mother, I took a long break, which was supposed to come to a positive end that day, as I had been invited to a promising job interview.

My day began with my morning toilet, followed by a hearty breakfast and finally some housework. So as not to go to the interview unprepared, I researched relevant facts and figures about the company that could/should become my future employer online. My anticipation for the upcoming interview was indescribable. I felt well prepared, but at that point, I had no idea that the sword of Damocles was already hanging over my head.

My nervousness grew by the minute, and I explained this inner turmoil to myself with the job interview that lay ahead; so it was completely normal and by no means cause for concern. 

But I was proven wrong.

Somehow, I had the feeling that the left side of my face was "tingling" a little more than usual, but I didn't want to pay any further attention to this feeling. I usually sleep on my left side, so I attributed this feeling to poor circulation, and I was also sleep deprived.

I still had time for a cigarette before leaving for my appointment, and before I went out onto the terrace to smoke, I heard an inner voice saying, "...take your cell phone with you..." and I followed that inner voice.

At that moment, I was completely unaware that I had saved my life by following my inner voice, because shortly afterwards my left leg gave way and I was lying on the terrace floor, unable to get up.

Quick-witted, I immediately dialed 112 and called for help. I even managed to inform my neighbor that he should open the front door for the paramedics and allow them access to my apartment on the third floor. He had a spare key to my apartment, just in case. What I still remember is that the emergency doctor was standing next to me—I can still see his first aid kit—and then my memory goes blank.

I have no memory whatsoever of my two-week stay in hospital; I have no recollection of either the stroke unit or the intensive care unit. It was only in the rehabilitation clinic that I awoke from my comatose state and came to my senses.

I had no idea which way was up or down—let alone where I was and what all the strangers around me wanted from me.

At that point, I couldn't even sit on the edge of the bed by myself without falling over—I felt like I was drunk. I remember a senior physician coming up to me and asking me what my goal was. I replied, "Independence and autonomy." Even back then, I wanted to achieve a goal that was essential to me, namely to live on my own again and be able to take care of myself. NO ONE should have to take care of my personal hygiene, cook for me, or clean up after me. Living in a nursing home was and is an absolute no-go for me.

After six months of rehabilitation involving physical therapy, occupational therapy, neuropsychology, and assisted living, I was finally able to leave the clinic and start my new life.

I was temporarily accommodated in the WBZ Reinach nursing home because my old apartment was no longer habitable for me, if only because it was on the third floor. So, in my absence, my apartment and all my furnishings were cleared out by my so-called guardian—without my knowledge. Yes, cleared out, and all my household goods were disposed of at the same time.

The promises of residential training and my own apartment provided by the nursing home, as well as support for independence, were not kept by the home management. (Thanks for nothing, WBZ Reinach.) Instead, I was treated like a small child or someone in need of intensive care, and thanks to the construction noise in the new building, I couldn't really relax. I don't know which experience was worse, the brain hemorrhage or what felt like a horror to me at WBZ Reinach.

Dear Dad
May God bless you—now I know what it's like to have to live in a nursing home. Please forgive me for wanting to relieve Mom at the time and agreeing, for that reason and that reason alone, that you should go to a nursing home. Now I know what it's like to vegetate in a nursing home.

Now I was standing there, with no prospects, no possessions, and no place to live, after having worked so hard in rehab to regain my independence. And now this? Was that it, and had all the effort been for nothing? My mental state was at rock bottom. Give up? Me? NEVER!

So I looked for an apartment with an extra-large terrace for my plants and herbs, as well as my grill. I found one, and as an added bonus, it even had a hobby room.

Finally—finally, I am allowed or able to live on my own again and take care of myself—neither disabled nor restricted (I don't like those terms), just living alone and independently.

NO—I am not demanding, I "only" have special needs in and around everyday life; no more, no less.

Today, I live independently again and, above all, I live on my own without assistance. I can take care of my household completely without outside help, and for that I am more than grateful. Ultimately, it is precisely this feeling that gives me the power and energy I need.

Walking is still difficult for me over long distances (I use a 3-point cane for this), but with the right amount of patience and routine, this will improve over time.

My life with only one fully functional hand takes some getting used to and is difficult—no question—but it's no less worth living and, above all, it's not impossible. I still pursue my hobbies (graffiti, PC gaming, and programming to keep my mind sharp). I see my hobbies more as a challenge and less as occupational therapy.

When I moved into my new apartment, my supervisor/advisor at the time asked me who would assemble the furniture that had been delivered. I replied confidently that before asking for help, I would first try to do it myself. He laughed suspiciously and said he doubted that I could do it. And that was exactly what motivated me—I'LL SHOW YOU!!!

Admittedly, I had to rethink things, organize myself differently, and be more patient than before, and the latter is not one of my strengths. But I managed it, and I'm proud of that. It was balm for my soul.

It doesn't hurt my pride at all to ask for help, but not without first trying it myself or looking for possible solutions.

I suffered a brain hemorrhage due to excessively high blood pressurethat was treated incorrectly. Today, my blood pressure is optimally controlled at 120/80, just like in the textbook.

Until my stroke, I had given far too little or no thought to the subject of "cerebral hemorrhage" and " hemiparesis." I only did so in my new apartment, because only those who know their "enemy" can defeat them—guerrilla warfare tactics!

Today, I can cook and eat whatever I like, whenever I like, and I take care of my vital signs and medication as well as my entire household. To balance things out, I've taken up my hobbies again. I'm passionate about computer games and programming my own tools and recipe databases. For example, I manage my vital signs and medications in a web front-end that I developed myself. Of course, if I run low on medication, the system automatically reorders it from the pharmacy.

Thanks to a large community on Facebook, WhatsApp, etc., we are strong together! Maintaining these contacts is just as important to me as my other social contacts and this "vitalibera" project, which aims to encourage and support other affected individuals and their families as best as possible. 

My life is different—no question—but that doesn't make it any less beautiful.

Ralf (born in 1963)

Until February 8, 2023 (Wednesday), my world was still fine, until the blow hit me at around 10 a.m. I was sitting at the dining table, drinking my coffee and tapping away on my smartphone. I was reading an article and accidentally read a passage aloud. I realized that I couldn't pronounce the words anymore because they were just gibberish. At that moment, I subconsciously knew that I was having a stroke. Today, I don't know why I thought it was a stroke. The fact is that I had the presence of mind to grab my smartphone and contact my husband via WhatsApp with the word HELP. It only took a few minutes for him to respond, and I tried to explain to him in a slurred voice what had happened. From that moment on, the machinery started running, i.e., a neighbor suddenly started banging on our door until I opened it for her. Yes, I could still walk, and suddenly I was able to speak clearly again. She called 911 and simply said, "Emergency TIA, please come immediately!" Ten minutes later, the firefighters arrived (my husband arrived at the same time), checked my vital signs, and helped me down the stairs from the second floor.

With blue lights flashing and sirens blaring, I was taken to the hospital. They were already expecting me and took me in. After the CT scans, it was clear that I had had a right-sided ischemic stroke. I was immediately taken to the stroke unit and given a clot-busting drug. I spent four nights in the stroke unit, and the first signs of impairment appeared on the very first night: I could no longer feel the entire left side of my body and could not control my limbs. I also noticed that I could not see anything with my left eye, but this slowly improved. On Sunday morning, I was transferred to the neurology ward and received excellent care from the nursing staff, therapists, and the attending physician. After about 10 days, I was discharged from the hospital and waited for approval from the AHB, which had already been initiated by the hospital's social services department. After 7 weeks of waiting, approval finally came for a rehabilitation clinic that I, or rather we, had applied for ourselves. To keep my story from getting too long, I'll keep it brief from here on out.

After seven weeks of intensive rehabilitation, I went home and started my new life. I organized my therapy sessions, structured my daily routine, and visited my sewing studio on my first day at home. Unfinished sewing projects were waiting for me there, and my goal, which I had already articulated during rehabilitation, was to be able to sew again despite my disabilities. Today, almost 2 1/2 years later, I am doing well. I only need help to a limited extent and do everything else independently. I sew, I do crafts, I drive again, I leave the house on my own, and I'm on the go! I didn't give up and live my life as if nothing had happened. It was very important for me to accept the stroke, but not its physical consequences. I have simply come to terms with them, and things are getting better week by week 💪.

Giving up is not an option for me, and that's exactly why I'm back in the thick of life today.

In addition to my professional activities, I pursue my hobby, even though my left hand is only partially functional due to spasticity. As is well known, necessity is the mother of invention, and in certain situations I make use of my spasticity.

My life has regained meaning and I have my depression under control again. Life can still be worth living even with impairments, if you accept yourself and your circumstances. Finally, I would like to mention that I have removed all toxic people from my circle of friends, acquaintances, and family, and that was a good thing!!!

Markus (born in 1988)

Over 22 years ago, at the age of 15.5, I suffered a very severe traumatic brain injury and was actually more dead than alive! Following one of the many operations, I contracted a hospital-acquired infection in an implanted Medus shuntand almost died a second time from encephalitis.  I was initially hospitalized for exactly 364 days in excellent rehabilitation clinics and one of the world's best hospitals for neurosurgical procedures, which fortunately was only about 20 minutes away from my parents' house. Without this care, I probably would not have survived, as various doctors in other large, renowned clinics confirmed, calling me a miracle. 

Since the accident, I have been undergoing almost all of the therapies on offer. I have a lot of experience with occupational therapy, physiotherapy, Feldenkrais, and hippotherapy, and a few years ago, together with my parents, I also completed training as a biotherapist according to the method of Zdenko Doimancic in Slovenia and Croatia.

Professionally, after several assessments for the opposing insurance company, I was classified as permanently disabled and subsequently received a lifetime settlement/pain and suffering payment from the insurance company, which I invested very wisely. I then started my own small property management company and worked for several years as much as I could.

I was also able to get my driver's license after intensive training. Now, for over five years, I've only been working from home, on vacation, or in therapy! In my free time, I swim almost every day or go for walks and enjoy photography.

Unfortunately, the only thing missing is the right partner by my side!

Only together are we strong!

Tell us your story in the forum!