• 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
    • 2,498 views
achandra's Blog

fathers day 2020 special

as all of you aware of we have only one child & he has always been his dad's boy, love & bond between them is truly unconditional. mine is not as much, I love him but I also get mad at him when he does not listen  to me & argues back. Anyhow in this pandemic he had come & stayed with us few months when his college ws in lockdown, but summer came along & his paid internship  was starting & he was missing his friends so was itching to go back to college & left. while go
HostAsha

HostAsha

1
Kevin Rider

Medicare

Its kind of sad when the most interesting topic of my week was applying for Medicare. I was covered by Deb ACA before but as she approached her 65th we have to convert over. One of the affects of getting older is that our health insurance just doubled! That seems a little crazy and even more so from some one who was brought up with Universal healthcare. Meanwhile our Blue Cross insurance still has not settled my bills form my stroke.  'Reduce your stress.' they tell me at Mayo then had me a bill
KevRider

KevRider

2
I'm Back

Missed Anniversary

Here it is the middle of June already, and I just realized that Gary's stroke anniversary came and went on June 1 and I totally forgot about it - maybe because he passed away in February, we're still dealing with the Coronavirus, and so much more in the news.   June 1 would have been his 16th stroke anniversary........but he only survived 15 years and 8 months following that devastating brain stem stroke in 2004.    I'll bet his Doctors from back then would be shocked and amazed that he lived th
SarahR

SarahR

3
Sue's Sentiments

Venturing out again

I don't know about you but I am a bit scared about venturing out again. After 13 weeks my thoughts about being out in the community have changed so my question to anyone wanting me to go anywhere is : "Is it safe? And is it necessary?" Not that I am unwilling to go anywhere but I also want what I do to be for a purpose. I think before Covid-19 struck I just went out, anywhere, everywhere, filling in time, now I don't want to do that anymore.   I have actually grown used to being home a
swilkinson

swilkinson

3
achandra's Blog

why do we view change as bad

Its weekend so time to think deep thoughts. I was thinking about how we are all averse of changes in our life specially unplanned  or unexpected changes which shows up  in our life like illness,accidents or job-loss.  how all these changes rattles our boat & we get so unsettled, upset about it, without knowing future, we just hate all unwelcome change. I know I did it when I faced my stroke in my life. I thought my life was ruined & I will never find joy in living again.    I u
HostAsha

HostAsha

6
Kevin Rider

Emotional Containment

Little to note on the physical recovery this week. I haven't noticed any improvements but advancements are slight at this stage. On the other hand I have noticed a reduction in my ability to contain emotions across the full scale. This has been true since my stroke but seems to have been exacerbated by events around the Black Lives Matter protests. So I have been a bit down this week. I went looking for some comic relief  and found on Netflix 'Douglas' which was a show by an Australian comedian
KevRider

KevRider

2
My Journey Within

Fate...Sometimes It's Such a Small World

It's been quite a while friends...since I have blogged. It's been a tough 6 months and I have struggled with depression and increased anxiety. I am very hopeful...little by little I feel better and I keep busy. Recently, I had an issue with a charge from Microsoft so I called and spoke with a gentleman who transferred me to Payments and billing. I talked to a nice young man named David. He had a pleasant accent, maybe British. I set about explaining my issue...this can be difficult for me and th
HostTracy

HostTracy

11
Kevin Rider

Turmoil

I find the level of turmoil in the USA rather disturbing and it tends to affect my mood. So there's little I can do about that so I try and remember to enjoy each fay and that I almost left the planet. Things are growing rapidly now and we are already eating produce from the hoop house. Our first tomato was harvested this week , we ate it separate from any other food. The flavor was intense after a winter of shop bought ones. Many green ones will soon ripen and follow. Gardening still takes
KevRider

KevRider

5
achandra's Blog

today is very special day its my soumate my sarathi's birthday

I am so excited today is my soulmate's 60th birthday. We have been together for almost 30 years. we have spent 14 years o our pre-stroke life together &  16 years of post-stroke life together & still going strong. My hubby is very practical person  man of his words, if he said he will be there for our son's game or practice then I don't have to worry, I know he will be there. If he has to take me to my long list of doctors appts or fill in confusing paperwork, he will finish the job, &am
HostAsha

HostAsha

1
Sue's Sentiments

Hello on a cold winter day

It is the second day of winter, it is cold with a bitter wind, it is raining.I have enough of this already. I was planning on shopping today but can't see the logic of that. Life should be opening up for us now here in Australia, the numbers of people in hospital or locked down with the virus are very small, hardly any new cases, so we can go to cafes or to the BEACH (really? In this weather?) so we should be grateful. But because of the contrariness of life it is also the beginning of the snow
swilkinson

swilkinson

3
Kevin Rider

Warm

At 5500ft we can get freezes as late as May 28th. but it looks like we are clear now.  47F this morning and we will go to 80s lter in the day, Every thing is blooming and the nest built in our chicken coop is now home to newly hatched chics. My stamina seams to be increasing slightly as I get thru more in the day with less breaks. Some lovely sunny mornings which are prefect for long rides.  Recovery is small increments now and realizations. Like I went to mount the other morning and
KevRider

KevRider

4
achandra's Blog

whats the purpose of life

As you guys know hubby & I both have similar spiritual traits, though I feel he is ahead in his spiritual journey where I still have lot to learn, when kido was around lot of time discussion on our dinner table will be on lot of these spiritual topics, kido gets entertained by hubby & mine total different view points  about life& he will support me or hubby  based on who is winning the argument.   Our recent discussion recently made me see how right hubby is & with that
HostAsha

HostAsha

2
SassyBetsy's Blog

Happy Strokaversary

.GymSO THIS IS MY 6TH YEAR! I am blessed. I think. I am not much changed in the pandemic living in a nursing home. I see people every day so I'm not really isolated. So it's scary. But then again I am grateful for the help and Company. But they have us isolated from each other so I miss seeing my friends. But I see plenty of staff so I don't see how I am that much more protected because the staff are out in the world and my next door neighbor is not. So some of us have going into each other's ro
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

1
Kevin Rider

OK Bored Now

So the Governor's Stay Home Edict has now expired in Arizona but out covid-19 numbers are still steadily going up, so Deb an I are just staying home. We have a lot to be grateful for. 1. We are retired and so I don't have to work. 2 Our income is still pretty steady. 3 We don't have to go out much , perhaps once a week tp put trash in the dumpster and pick up mail parcels. 4 we are on a 40 acre, with 2 miles of track for riding the horses. 5 We have a hoop house to play
KevRider

KevRider

3
Sue's Sentiments

Is there a road ahead?

Hi everyone, how are you doing? I am trying to keep busy but I haven't got much to do now, except those fiddly jobs I don't really want to do. I do talk to a lot of people, by phone, on Messenger, even by Zoom now and everyone is struggling during this Pandemic. My friends are divided, some are just carrying on, we will get over this and come out stronger they say, some are frightened, they are alone and who will help me they ask. I have always tried to help people but I'm in self isolation so t
swilkinson

swilkinson

5
Kevin Rider

Critter nets

So the days slip into each other. I loose track of which is which. I couldn't tell you my regime any more I ride when the weather is good, work in the garden and walk on the treadmill it i'm not too tired. I haven't been here to the chat room for a while as it seems everyone does zoom at 1pm . Perhaps I 'll make it to day. There little improvement to note this week but the gardening pits me in more diverse movement and challenges my balance, which I think is a good thing. After my stroke I found
KevRider

KevRider

2
achandra's Blog

Happy Mothers Day 2020

Happy Mothers day to all mothers here. This Mothers day is most special mothers day for me its year 2020 when every one is quarantined & staying home & can't go anywhere. I asked our son to make mothers day video with song for his grandma, & his dad asked him to do for me too. He did amazing job & sent it to me on mothers day making this year so special. I realize my biggest accomplishment in life is our son  who by becoming doctor will make a difference in people's lives. today
HostAsha

HostAsha

1
Bill Daugherty

Mothers

A Very Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers here. Dads don't forget we would never have the title of father without them. You ladies should be running the world in my opinion.
Willis

Willis

5
Ksmith's Blog

ok .. i got this.. wait what.... Squirrel

I don't blog but as I sit here at 1:13a ( EST) my mind was thinking of how "easily" I was able to change my sleep pattern. I say easily with great skepticism. Why? Well I do have rough nights when I don't take my ADD medications.. ok so why can i do this? Coffee? Given. But I was always a night owl. Living on 2-3 hours of sleep ( mind you this was pre-stroke and pre ADD meds) and indulging a 'breakfast of champions" which consisted of a bag of Doritos and a can of Mt Dew. I later found out it wa
ksmith

ksmith

3
Kevin Rider

Back in the saddle

May day marking the advent of spring, brought temperature in the 80s this week, but with high winds. The mornings although still chilly at high 40s were sunny and not much wind, so its been a week of riding a lot. Some very long trots posting left muscles a bit fatigued but it was good to be riding out again.  The dog enjoys it too! Been working in the green house also where irrigation problems literally had me on my knees, as the electric are below ground. Working on my knees seemed
KevRider

KevRider

1
Kevin Rider

Asparagus & Irises

So very suddenly were approaching summer. Yesterday we were up in the 80's and this morning was the first day of the year that the heating didn't come on. Flowers and trees are blooming all over the place. Iris are adding color to the garden. We have so much asparagus that we are giving it away to neighbors( Well not directly, we leave it at the gate)  The warner weather keeps drawing me outside to ride and garden. OF course being me I tend to over do it so lifting a few heavier thins
KevRider

KevRider

2
This Blessed Life

My Cousin Jason

Not sure if you remember me letting you know about my cousin Jason, who had cancer?   He died. Very sad. He was only 51.   Wayne and I were very humbled to be invited to the funeral.  Only 10 people allowed at the moment, and JD thought enough of us to include us on his list.   It was a lovely funeral.  His wife Robyn and sister Kerry did a great job organising it in such trying circumstances.    I'll miss Jason so much, but glad he's no longer suffering. 
GreenQueen

GreenQueen

6
Kevin Rider

SALADS & ZOOM

Well last weeks record of 40mins at 3 mph was not exactly by intent. I walk watching cold West Wing episodes and loss track of time.  Paid or it with some soreness next day so I kicked back. I returned to exercise Thursday for 20 mins. I should have waited longer! I strained the same muscle and ended   up having to take 3 days to get out of pain. In fact I've decide to take the week off the treadmill. Even so the week wasn't all off as we cleaned out the chicken coop. We deep litter this so it o
KevRider

KevRider

3