Dick Connery, 81, underwent surgery in 2019, and his son Tim Connery took over as his main caregiver. Tim settled in for a while, did errands, and entertained his father. Tim, 57, awoke one day about 3 weeks following Dick’s operation, feeling befuddled being out of sorts. Despite this, he went regarding his day as usual, including getting in the car.
After Back Surgery, A Son Assists His Father, And Then The Father Assists His Son After A Stroke
He became increasingly dizzy and passed out behind the wheel. His vehicle swerved off the path and flew through the air. That’s when he awoke, as shown by an increase in his heart rate recorded by his tracking watch. Other motorists came to a halt and dialled 911. It’s hazy still, but he recalls remembering his legs weren’t working properly. The ambulance was called within minutes.
Tim was admitted to the same center where his father had gone following back surgery before he was able to recover. A pair of nurses mistook Tim for his dad because Tim and Dick both had beards at the time. Although they’d always been together, this was the first time they’d spent so much time together in years.
It allowed them to reflect on Tim’s mother’s death the previous year. The two soon established a new rhythm, exchanging jokes and sharing time at a local pub. They had a new perspective on each other. Tim described him as “outgoing, amusing, and highly intelligent.”
Tim followed his physician’s advice and began exercising as often as he could to restore control. He quickly increased his daily mileage to 6 – 8 miles. Other facets of his rehabilitation have become more challenging. His visual field, for example, is still yet to recover completely.
He continued to see a lady standing on his left-hand side as he was first released from the hospital. He also has difficulty finding the correct expression, has directions mixed up, and does the exact opposite of what he’s trying to say.
“In the greater scheme of life, my deficits are minor in comparison to what might have occurred,” Tim said. “However, they remind me of the tragic day I should have died, and I’m still processing it.”
Tim finally got back on his bike. Dick was in good enough shape to accompany him. Tim recalls the sensation of cold air on his skin, which he was just not certain he’d ever had again. Tim now drives up to 50 miles while visiting his new home state of Maine, which he moved to from Albany, N.Y., to be nearer to his girlfriend.
Tim became involved with the American Heart Association, the Maine Bicycling Coalition, and CycleNation, eventually joining a trip to raise money for World Stroke Day.
I wanted to spread the news about some of the statistics I discovered during my rehab,” Tim said. “Many of my peers thought I was a low-risk individual and cannot imagine what had happened to me.” About the fact that Tim’s transfer means less time with his father, they value the time they have together. Or perhaps it’s due to them.