Clinical ethnography of lacunar stroke: implications for acute care.

A longitudinal, clinical ethnography formed the basis of this study. Thirteen stroke survivors, all with lacunar infarcts of the internal capsule of the brain, participated. Survivors were interviewed within 72 hours of the infarct and during acute and rehabilitation phases of recovery. Each was followed for six months, providing a total of 120 interviews. The survivors experienced a paralyzed self secondary to bodily immobility, the shock of the stroke onset and fear of not knowing what might happen next. The terrifying loss of control over bodily movements led to an experiential breakdown. This article chronicles the shock of sudden immobility which left the individuals suspended in a passive, objectified body.