It was a normal October evening, a little after half-past eight, my wife Vierka went to bed, her husband was still watching TV and doing his beloved sudoku. „Around nine, you came for pajamas and said you were going to wash up,“ says Vierka, who, fortunately, didn't fall asleep immediately. After a while, she heard shouts, rushed to the bathroom, where she found Jan unresponsive in the bathtub, who just kept repeating „pull me out.“ Events took a rapid turn. A neighbor helped, the ambulance arrived within minutes, and surgery followed.
„My husband had a stroke, but during the surgery he started to choke. Simply put, everything that could go wrong, did.“ The doctors were cautious in their statements, as Ján had been in critical condition in the ICU for over three months. „It was the hardest time for all of us; we woke up every morning with fear...“
Concerns for the husband, father, and grandfather were immense. After being transferred to the ICU, however, brighter days began to dawn. „The most important thing for us was that he survived and is alive.“ The adult children delved into studying the diagnosis, looking for any and all ways to help Ján. Rehabilitation is the alpha and omega in the first year after a stroke. When he finally arrived home, helpless, he almost immediately began with home physiotherapy. „We live in Púchov and looked for rehabilitation facilities in our area. We took him to one, but they returned him, saying he first had to be able to sit up on his own. It was a big disappointment.“ But Janko progressed at home, and a miracle truly happened. He was able to sit up in his wheelchair. He also completed a 21-day stay at a facility covered by insurance. „We were disappointed; I was busy non-stop, and there was very little exercise. Then our daughters found Adeli. This is our second time here, and we won't go anywhere else now. There's no reason to. My husband and I" It's working at full speed. It's progressing, at its own pace, but moving forward.“
Vierka claims that at Adeli, she can primarily relax mentally and gain energy for subsequent home care. This year, she and her husband are celebrating their 43rd wedding anniversary. They have three children and 5 grandchildren together, for whom Janko was the best grandfather in the world. He taught them to skate and ride bikes, and he planned trips. „We always had fun during our stays. I believe we will get as close to that state as possible.“
Janko's long-term memory remains, but his short-term memory occasionally poses problems. Everything depends on his current mood; there are days when he's better, but also days when he withdraws and doesn't want anything or anyone. A stroke changes a person. Physically and in terms of personality, we're still at home waiting for the moment when he'll be cheerful and happy to have his children around him. „He can't fully enjoy himself yet; he realizes he's different, that he can't give as much as he used to. Even though we emphasize that we're glad he's with us, no matter what happens.“
However, Janko can now move from place to place with the help of a four-point cane and with assistance from another person. The left side of his body is functional, but the right side needs work. He really wants to learn to write again. But during therapies, he can also joke around, slyly commenting on the „hard work“ he's doing excellently. More than anything, he longs to walk. To be independent. Especially for his beloved family. He appreciates all the help he receives. He worked practically his whole life at the Púchov tire factory; his employer hasn't forgotten him and contributed to his stay at ADELI as well. However, he will need several more [stays/treatments] to get as close as possible to his goal. Peter and Janko are also asking for contributions for rehabilitation, which are yielding positive results.
