In Japanese, there is a word called 金継ぎ, KINTSUGI, which refers to the art of repairing chipped, cracked, or worn cups, glasses, plates, and bowls. The broken pieces are joined with lacquer and decorated with gold to make them beautiful once again. For this reason, Kintsugi may also be described as “the beauty of scars.”
Looking back at my own experience, becoming ill with stroke was also like a “scar of life.” Our bodies can be compared to glass. Illness may sometimes leave cracks or chips that need to be joined, repaired, restored, and rebuilt. Although the glass may never return to exactly the same form as before, it can still become functional again. It can become the Kintsugi of our own lives.
The word 金, “Kin,” means gold, while 継ぎ, “Tsugi” or “Sugi,” means to join or reconnect. By coincidence, the rehabilitation center where I came to recover is also called KIN, which may also represent gold, as gold is the signature color of this center.
Undergoing rehabilitation here helped my body recover much faster. One important area was nutrition. I needed to completely change my eating habits. Previously, I ate a lot of rice and did not enjoy eating vegetables. I began eating less rice and more vegetables and fruit. In addition to helping me lose weight, this also reduced the amount of excess carbohydrates and sugar that could accumulate in the body as fat and contribute to higher cholesterol. In other words, I recovered and lost weight at the same time.
Another area of recovery involved repairing and strengthening the muscles that had weakened or deteriorated because of the condition. KIN provides physical therapy services, and the physical therapists offer guidance while helping the brain relearn how to control the muscles. This includes the arms, legs, large muscle groups, and fine motor muscles. The goal is to relearn how to use them and eventually return to everyday life. Although the body may not recover to exactly 100% of its previous condition, being able to regain a certain level of independence can reduce the need to rely heavily on others.
I can honestly say that I feel extremely fortunate to have made the right decision by choosing to stay at a rehabilitation center with staff available 24 hours a day. I did not need to worry about meals or become exhausted from traveling to physical therapy appointments. The atmosphere felt like living at home or in a private condominium, with clearly arranged personal spaces. Recreational activities were also organized so that patients could dine together and participate in small activities for enjoyment and companionship, helping them feel less lonely during rehabilitation.
Even within misfortune, there can still be good fortune. Illness may be an unfortunate event in life, but this experience can also become a lesson or a reminder for friends and others to take better care of their health. It may also encourage someone by showing that illness is a natural part of life and that treatment and rehabilitation are possible, provided that the patient has motivation and receives the right support to improve.
A rehabilitation center is another option for patient care, particularly for stroke patients who require not only daily assistance but also physical therapy. Everything can be provided in one place, reducing exhaustion for both the patient and the family. It may be better to place the care in the hands of professionals, because another fall could cause serious consequences.
This true experience was shared by Bee, who experienced a stroke in December 2019. By February 2020, she was able to return home, walk, and resume her normal daily life.
KIN – Rehabilitation & Homecare
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