• A  blog is a personal journal of your daily life as a stroke survivor or stroke caregiver.  Surprisingly, countless members have called it therapeautic to write down their thoughts and to vent their frustrations.  You can make it private, just for your eyes or public and share your personal thoughts with your friends.  Why not try it, create your blog and start writing and see if it helps you.  

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  • swilkinson

    Living on angel time.

    By swilkinson

    I went to see the neurosurgeon on Tuesday. I was interviewed by a young Asian associate doctor and sent for a 3D MRI and angiogram, a brand new way of showing  the blood supply within the brain. The results were given to me by the associate and then I saw the specialist. It appears the aneurysm is larger and deeper than previously thought but at my age they are not going to operate as it would mean a full brain surgery. Coiling, one method of dealing with an aneurysm, is not an option. I think I
    • 12 comments
    • 2,541 views
My Journey Within

Sometimes Things In The World have No Reasoning

I think about myself today and see me just a different me. I see the people around me different. I see the world and what I am in it as different. Different than before. I forget sometimes just how blessed I am to be breathing and having this day to write my thoughts. I went to family event Saturday, my Great Aunt Elaine's 90th Birthday. I didn't know a lot of people there. I do know my Aunt Sherry and she came but just for a little bit I din't really get to hug her or talk to her. I watched fro
HostTracy

HostTracy

4
My Journey Within

I Keep Going Back and Forth in Here LOL

I find myself switching from going through my stories, setbacks, and triumphs with the now. Maybe I should do bloggong a different way to make it more cohesive. Just a thought. It's been a tough couple of days and i sure miss my Labor day vaca right about now. I'm getting to that middle of the fence post feeling again. You know fall one way and you start flying again or fall the other right onto your butt. I have been getting bouts of nervous anxiety and problems myself and my immediate family a
HostTracy

HostTracy

2
Punch1021's Blog

The New Normal

It's been some time since I have posted. I kept telling myself to do so because it's therapeutic to write what's going on. I can't bring myself to write in my diary so why not blog here. The past few months have been a blur and now I am settling back into my new normal. Whatever that may be. Nothing feels the same any more. Everything seems so different and at times I feel out of place. Before my brother passed away I knew I had to have surgery, but I couldn't set a date. I needed someone to
Punch1021

Punch1021

4
Sue's Sentiments

Seeing life from a different angle

I have just got past another difficult milepost, Ray's birthday. Funny how now I am a widow all of those special days cause me to be teary and mindful once again of our loss. I know it is almost four years since Ray died now but in some ways it still seems as if it is recent. There is some healing in time, it is much less painful to recall his passing now but still I miss him. I miss the person I was married to for 44 years, I miss the young man he was when we were courting, the middle aged man
swilkinson

swilkinson

3
When your soul dies

Thinking Back

When I was in the hospital either someone told me I was paralyzed or I overheard it in conversation. I don't know which. I wasn't upset or afraid. i just thought "Now what?" . It wasn't until many days later that reality struck and I began to understand the consequences of paralysis. Then it became a real part of my life. Hmmm. was I in denial or shock? i think it was denial. i argued with a doc that yes I could walk. i insisted I could. i then found out that I couldn't even stand up much les
Pearls

Pearls

2
fking's Blog

I'm Back Taking Therapy Twice A Week!

Well I have been here before you all where I drive myself to the facility spend an hour there trying to get all the help I can to walk better sooner and be able to use my left side some at least.... It's an up hill climb but if I can gain a little bit more in what I'm able to do for myself then I will be OK.....   I realize I'm now 75 and 12 years out from the day I suffered the stroke so perhaps not a lot more can be accomplished in my body and that's OK if I can still do what I'm able to do
fking

fking

4
My Journey Within

St-St-Stuttering is the Pits

When I started stuttering at that very moment it's like a switch had been turned on or off. It was so difficult to get out what I was saying. I would just get stuck usually bad on the first syllable. My husband, he is a bit clever, came up with a way to sorta get me through what I needed to say sometimes. I would get stuck on I. I-I-I- and then he would say dun nuh duh nuh duh nuh (Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne (Black Sabbath) - I've always been a big fan. So it became sorta of a game. Each time
HostTracy

HostTracy

4
fking's Blog

Seems Like I been On Site Here For Many, Many Years!!!!!

I feel so, so old these days when I see the new members join us and most of them are doing pretty good where as I still feel I'm still recovering from the one stroke that got me here 12 years ago...... I start to think when will I be able to do things again as I once could do years ago since age is not on my side at 75 years old now.... I felt the same way after I got back from Vietnam and out of the hospital realizing my life was going to be a bit different and I would life a bit longer......
fking

fking

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My Journey Within

I'm Going to Have a Labor day Weekend Getaway!!!!! YAY!!!!

I am so excited to say that I am going to the river with my mom, step dad, sister and her new husband. We are staying at the lake house and I am so excited just to get out into some fresh air and quiet. Hubby and daughter have to work. I have never been able to go on the kinds of small getaways because I worked like a mad wo man. We get to get out on the river in my sister's pontoon boat and a bit of tanning for me! YAY!!!!! I'm just so excited I had to share.
HostTracy

HostTracy

5
My Journey Within

Everything Was Feeling Routine Until...

As I went along my weeks of therapy I didn't even miss occupational therapy. It honestly was just my anxiety...change. I worked harder in Physical Therapy and got my daily walking up to 25 minutes per day (doesn't seem like a lot but for me it was a milestone) I was balancing better than ever, doing the challenge courses all set up so much better. I was feeling good. That is when Barbie told me we were going down to one day per week instead of two. Again, there goes my anxiety when I should feel
HostTracy

HostTracy

0
scottm's Blog

And the band plays on

Just a quick update.   Check my email yesterday to find a new one from the study coordinator. Seems a new doctor has been setup here because the previous one moved to Iowa. This new doctor according to his resume is a professor of neurology and a section chief for the vascular neurology department. He has certainly published a number of papers on strokes so it will be interesting to see what he is like in person. The pain on my right side continues to escalate slowly, it is beginning to approa
scottm

scottm

2
spacie1's Blog

When All Else Fails

Trying to stay positive these days is a work in progress. It's not easy to be upbeat and cheerful these past few months, and some days I feel like a real clown. You know the old song, "the tears of a clown when no one's around." That's me! But I'm trying my best not to let it ruin my day or upset our lives. I've had more than one person tell me I should be on an anti-depressant, but I avoid medications like the plague. Everything has numerous side affects, so forget that. I don't even take Tylen
srademacher

srademacher

4
SassyBetsy's Blog

Daycations

I had a wonderful summer despite this hanging on summer virus that prohibs me from getting the RFA. I made a bucket list for summer that included some restaurants, some clothes, some destinations, and I spent quality time with people sharing these things. One thing is I had a make over and maintained it determined that despite how I feel, I will glam. I am inspired by the people here in the residence who dress, partiipate in grooming activities and get involved with life. I now have visitors wh
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

2
SassyBetsy's Blog

Witness Abuse

A few days per week, we play Bingo and sit at the same seats ususally. So we had just finished a game and we were waiting to collect our prizes. The staff was going through the shift change and the talking was loud in the common room next to the nurse's station. But I never mind because the air is coolest in this room and I ususally bring a scarf or wrap for when the air conditioning is too enthusiastic.One of the CNAs said, "I just want to fix her hair!" and she was looking at an Afrian America
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

1
SassyBetsy's Blog

Updating Me

I missed my radiofrequency ablation appointmenton August 1st because I have been ill for all this time. I was told it is a virus back in early July. I took 2 rounds of Z pak, cough syrup, an inhaler, logenzes, steamy showers on shower days, and whatever other thing I could do such as order from a local ethnic restaurant because I cannot get chicken soup from our kitchen in the nursing home. I hope to get some canned foods to keep in a drawer. So this virus and any bacteria seem to either be lin
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

1
fking's Blog

My Stroke & The Years Since That Noon Day

Well you all it's been to me 12 years since the stroke came calling my name and right today I'm glad to still be here healing as best I can by the grace of God and my lovely wife looking after me as best she has over all those years.... So now let me tell you in my opinion that a stroke is no joke as it can hit you hard and take away many of your functions you once had and could do by yourself with no help needed by anyone.....   It's hard on me with one side paralyzed and the use of only one
fking

fking

3
My Journey Within

Feeling the Speed Bumps...

The first time I really knew my emotions were completely not momentarily fried was the day my OT said "Ok Tracy this is our last day together.". She took me out into the hall where numbers had been taped at different heights and out of order. I had to walk down the hall and name the numbers without moving my head. I also had to go down straight headed and pint to the numbers she asked me to. When we were all finished she proceeded to scold me. "Tracy looks like there was a bit of cheating you we
HostTracy

HostTracy

2
My Journey Within

I'm Going to Get Stronger! I Am going to Get Better...

For quite a few months I engaged in therapy every week: Occupational, Physical and Speech therapy. In occupational therapy she was frustrated I think. We didn't work on a whole lot. She seemed very absent. Physical therapy was really helping me. Simple exercises for most people without a stroke but challenging and helpful to me. My balance issues were pretty bad, I sometimes couldn't feel where I was in space, and just walking with my legs together was ridiculous. Where I had my stroke, the cere
HostTracy

HostTracy

5
fking's Blog

Blog Time Again It's Been 10 Days Already!!! I Need Physical Training And Hands On!!!!!

Well this will be a short blog today and I'm about ready to start going to Therapy where I can feel the benefits of using the different machines and having a person to work with me to improve my walking ability which has gone way down....... The lady I have now coming to my house have two little kids in school and she comes in and leaves early to help me for less than an hour.... I think I will get more using the machines at the facility with instructors and work every part of my body that way.
fking

fking

5