STROKE: the Road to Recovery : A Guide for Survivors and Families

If you, or someone you love, has had a stroke, you’ve probably already discovered that it’s extremely hard to get a simple, straightforward explanation of what happened and what you can do about it. Much of what you’ll hear from your doctors is cloaked in nearly incomprehensible medical jargon. This book, written by a stroke victim and his neurologist, explains the causes, diagnosis and treatment of stroke in plain language. You’ll learn about:

• Common Causes & Effects of Stroke • Getting Immediate Help • Rehabilitation Hospitals & Outpatient Care • Home Health Care Agencies • The Role of Physical, Occupational, Speech 
& Psychological Therapists • Choosing the Proper Assistive Devices • The Role of the Caregiver

Also included is a helpful guide to stroke terminology, plus an extensive list of online resources.

As Professor Emeritus of Special Education at the College of William & Mary in Virginia, Dr. F. Douglas Prillaman had a thorough understanding of physical, mental and socio-emotional handicaps. However, no amount of formal training could have prepared him for the life-changing experience of suffering a major stroke which left him partially paralyzed, brain damaged and permanently disabled.

This book, written with his son, Tom Willett, and noted neurologist, Dr. S. James Shafer, offers a first-person account of surviving and recovering from a stroke, accompanied by expert medical commentary from a leader in the field. Of special interest are the insights and tips for caregivers offered by Dr. Prillaman’s wife, Eleanor.

About the Authors

Dr. F. Douglas Prillaman, Ed. D., was Professor Emeritus of Special Education at The College of William & Mary in Virginia. He held the Ed.D. from George Washington University, the M.Ed. from William & Mary, and is the principal author of this volume as well as Diagnostic Prescriptive Teaching.

Tom Willett, Dr. Prillaman’s son, is a former Vice President of Marketing at Sony Entertainment, and the author Van Gogh to Go: Excerpts from the Letters of Vincent van Gogh on Art, Work and Spirituality, plus more than fifty articles appearing in arts and entertainment magazines.

Dr. S. James Shafer, M.D., Dr. Prillaman’s neurologist, is the principal Founder of Vero Neurology. He is Medical Director of the Indian River Medical Center Stroke Center as well as Medical Director of the MS Center of Vero Beach. Dr. Shafer completed his undergraduate work at the University of Florida. He went on to complete medical school and internship at the University of Miami in Florida.

Eleanor W. Prillaman, M. Ed., Dr. Prillaman’s wife, holds the B.A. in Sociology from Woman’s College of The University of North Carolina and the Masters in Early Childhood Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. She taught at the elementary and junior high school levels, and worked in school social work.

Dr. F. Douglas Prillaman, Ed. D., was Professor Emeritus of Special Education at The College of William & Mary in Virginia. He held the Ed.D. from George Washington University, the M.Ed. from William & Mary, and is the principal author of STROKE: The Road to Recovery, as well as Diagnostic Prescriptive Teaching.

Dr. Prillaman had a thorough understanding of physical, mental and socio-emotional handicaps. However, no amount of formal training could have prepared him for the life-changing experience of suffering a major stroke which left him partially paralyzed, brain damaged and permanently disabled.

STROKE, written with noted neurologist, Dr. S. James Shafer, M.D., his son, Tom Willett, and his wife, Eleanor Prillaman, M.Ed., recounts Dr. Prillaman's story during 9 years of stroke recovery and gives a simple, straightforward explanation of the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of stroke.

Included is Understanding Stroke: A Guide to Medical Terminology, and an extensive list of online resources for stroke patients and their families.