Aquatic Bodywork after a stroke

[Laura Srygley]

One of my regular clients had a stroke 2 weeks ago. He is a fairly active woodworker and guitar player in his mid fifties. His wife called me about a week after his stroke and wanted to get him in for a session asap. She was hoping it would be good for him in conjunction with the other rehab he would be doing, which hadn't started yet. When he came in he was walking with a cane, as his whole left side was not functioning as well as before. He was having problems with his balance and peripheral vision. It wasn't a massive stroke, so otherwise he seemed ok, just a little more frail than before. He told me all about how the stroke happened, and how it's affected his various activities, and that he was really looking forward to the session. I've seen him for about 3 years. He always enjoys the sessions, and usually talks about how relaxing it is, or how he likes various stretches etc, afterward. This session seemed very different for him. Right after he opened his eyes he said, "It is so wonderful that you are doing this, what a gift. That was the closest thing to magic I have ever experienced." Then he told me that he had just been in Italy with his wife, and that he had visited the cathedrals with the domed ceilings and paintings of angels floating around in blue skies. He talked about how those painters must have been deeply connected to something spiritually, and wondered whether they were doing anything like watsu back then, because he felt just like one of those angels during the session. It was interesting to me how the stroke seemed to have left him in a different state of receptivity. It reminded me of the video with Jill Bolte Taylor, the brain researcher who experienced a stroke. We also talked about how good it will be for him to have regular sessions because it lets his brain rest. He just couldn't get over how much he loved it, and told his wife he wanted to come every day. Unfortunately he's all scheduled up with doctors and PT, so can only come once a week :).

[Sulis (Sara Firman)]

Another wonderful description from you Laura! Working with people who have had a near-death experience and those who are facing a life-threatening diagnosis is powerful. Perhaps we can gather some other examples like yours. This seems especially potent since you are saying I think that your client's experience and his way of articulating it have changed compared to his (many) previous sessions with you.