In order to understand the recovery and rehabilitation after a stroke, it is important to understand what has happened to the body when someone has a stroke. A stroke, or "brain attack", occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery or when a blood vessel breaks, interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain. When either of these events happen, brain cells begin to die and brain damage occurs. This includes muscle and nerve damage. Depending on which area of the brain is affect