in a lot of things ... but now I can't, because now ... now I get dizzy and I start falling

face down, I can't I'm not stable, I don't feel self-secured."

 The participants who experienced post-stroke bodily changes often developed

unpredictable episodes of imbalance, instability, and dizziness. These changes were often

related to hemiplegia, paralysis, and other post-stroke bodily changes and were reflected

in their discussions of insecurity in mobility and subsequent falls and fear of falling.

A pervasive fear of the unpredictable

 Participants often described a pervasive sense of fear of falling. Some specifically

talked about being afraid of a fall in the future. When the interviewer asked "What are

your greatest concerns about your body now?" a participant stated "Fear of falling ... I

think that's most concern of everybody is falls." Others commented that "My greatest

concern, that I don't fall, that I don't have another stroke" and "That is my fear, well, that

I could fall. That is what, what they look for, that I don't fall. Because in order to get up

afterwards is hell." Another stated "I fear a little that my legs ... that my legs don't fail

me" and a different man said "One feels afraid of falling and even dying because I can

get hit by something. I fell and almost hit my head, and thank God, I hit my butt instead."

 Some participants avoided the use the words 'afraid' or 'fearful' in relation to falls.

Instead, individuals often talked about having a concern about falls, balance, or safety.

One standard interview question asked participants about their concerns post-stroke,

many discussed issues related to balance, stability, dizziness, falls, safety, and walking.

Some stated, "Trouble with balance, but I'm not about to fall" or "The only thing that

concerns me is the balance, sometimes I lose my balance a little bit but that's about it,

nothing else."