• 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.  

Blogs

Featured Entries

  • 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
    • 2,513 views
Sue's Sentiments

Fear of falling

Some of you know that about four weeks ago I had a fall. I fell about five feet onto cement pavers, gashing my head, a wound requiring six stitches. Luckily it was on the opposite side on my head  to where I had the aneurysm clipped last July. In falling I also hit my right shin and my left shoulder both of which were giving me a lot of pain when I arrived in the hospital. So I had x-rays on shin and shoulder,  a CT of my brain to make sure I had not had a bleed and after all that was clear, the
swilkinson

swilkinson

5
achandra's Blog

only constant in life is change

life is all about changes only change is constant. I have noticed for my mental sanity, I thrive on having routine in life, &  keeps me centered & happy in life's journey. after my stroke & early retirement from the job I struggled for almost 9 months till I found my routine, which included my exercise, online support group, & reading good uplifting spiritual books helped me. I found truckload wealth of information in our hindu scripture book bhagvad-Geeta. It felt like God was a
HostAsha

HostAsha

2
SassyBetsy's Blog

STRENGTH TO SURVIVE

I am truly lucky to be both a stroke survivor and the Survivor of a major heart attack and I now have a heart full stance on the right and on the left pulmonary hypertension and lymphedema and and and and I realized that everyday I wake up it's a gift and that means so much now that I'm living in pandemic and I have thought so many times before that it would have been easier if I had not survived the stroke. But my children were angry and said couldn't I see if they were trying so hard to make m
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

3
Kevin Rider

Zoom & buiscuits ( cookies)

It seems zoom is becoming a regular thing in my life for all sorts of meetings the last one just before I wrote this with my in-laws in Saudi Arabia. There on total lock down except for shopping by appointment and of course no one argues with the King. The headiness has reduce to mild back ground now and I hardly notice it. I made a personal best on the treadmill on Monday at 40mins at 3 mph. I paid for that the following day with muscle soreness on my left leg sufficient to leave me limping aro
KevRider

KevRider

3
my new reality

the daY OF.... My LIFE CHANGE..

I grew up in  a beach town in New York city,only blocks from the ocean.It was the summer spot for many New yorkers, and my parents chose to make it their year round home. Rockaway was great for an active kid, who rode his trike and later a  bike n the 8 mile long boardwalk by the sea.Unfortunately bad Governing turned the peninsula into a refuge for low income housing dwellers and for the mentally Ill in half way houses,which scared off residents to leave for greener pastures. I left for co
alansd

alansd

5
my new reality

Never give up

My days are filled with new things to do, research into them and visits to either PT or OT where I get more things to try.Frustrated when I dont see the results, but motivated to keep searching and trying,I have much encouragement from my wife, which certainly helps. But its also a quest for  recovery.There is so much out there to seek and find.If only stem cells were further along, but this is not their time yet.Other things work however.I just need to keep at it.My daily stretching routine hel
alansd

alansd

1
Gizmo, Gadget Guy

Waiting it out

We are waiting things out like the rest of the world these days. Lots of small news nothing dramatic to report. We got our grand daughter back home to New Zealand finally. She was trapped for a few weeks in Northern Ireland. She was visiting family and stayed a bit too long and then for awhile could not get back to NZ. We finally got her a ticket on Qatar Airlines and she is back home now, but still in a mandatory 2 week isolation. The entire country of NZ is in a lockdown until the end of April
GeorgeLesley

GeorgeLesley

3
nancyl's Blog

BORED

Of course we all are bored. I don't have to much to do, outside of working my now half days and take care of Dan. We have our little routine, Dan THRIVES on routine - Me not so much. But I really can't complain , Ive had to redirect him a few times as to my expectations of his expectations. He like to move the bar. The compulsiveness.  But its been so many years I do recognize it for what it is. And for as much as I complained about his desire to frequent the casino - it sure beats sitting
nancyl

nancyl

3
Sue's Sentiments

Home alone

This is my Covid-19, so far so good,  update.   This is Autumn, daylight saving is over. We are going through a wet period. Okay we needed the rain, in our part of the country rain comes west to east or down the coast from the tropics, we seem to be having both. Our inland and coastal areas that suffered the bushfire damage need the rain so I can't complain about it. But it does eliminate sitting in the sun on the front verandah from my daily activities. The farmers need the rain to gr
swilkinson

swilkinson

7
Kevin Rider

Spring

So the use of the treadmill seems to be paying off. For most of the day I can walk around and no one would notice anything wrong and I don't have to focus on movements it starts to fall off a bit as I get tired and wobbly. Also the headiness is absent around only when I make more exaggerated movement. The weather has got warmer so spending some time in the garden and on horse back, but later in the day the wind blows me back inside.  We are now harvesting greens as above and had our f
KevRider

KevRider

2
I'm Back

Prepared for Isolation

I've had a lot of friends and family checking on me via phone since Gary passed away.....some are worried that being isolated from everyone with this Pandemic right now might be a bit much for me.   I've been telling them all "I was probably better prepared for this isolation than most."   I spent 15 yr. 8 months taking care of Gary at home after his massive brain stem stroke in 2004.  It wasn't easy traveling with him, and I usually only got out a couple hours a week when I had a caregiver to s
SarahR

SarahR

2
SassyBetsy's Blog

Time has stopped

We're all sort of leaving a type of Groundhog Day it seems to start with the news in the morning finding out how many more people we lost overnight all over the world even I've become much more aware that would happens on one side is going to happen on the other and that each of us is going to be affected. And each of us is getting our morning coffee at some time during the day but we are in different places. Frankly I'm sick to my stomach when I hear people whining in their mansions playing the
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

2
achandra's Blog

some days feel so alone in this world & realize ui have come to this workd alone & will leave alone too

ok maybe its PMS days, but some days even though I am surrounded by friends & family I still feel all alone in my life, & with this isolation I hate being couped up inside home, being survivor & all this horror stories of virus hubby does not feel me comfortable venturing outside, so I stay inside though today being frustrated with whole world I went out for walk & lo behold tripped on my pant leg & fell, luckily just t few bruises got up & started walking back home again
HostAsha

HostAsha

2
Kevin Rider

Water is Life

Sill in isolation so tending to use my treadmill as I cant get out, Walking has suddenly become more balanced, only limping slightly when tired. So Im trying to build up the leg muscles and my stamina which is still far from my old levels. My headiness has reduced some and seems to be associate with balance in new or unusual motion. For example I had to go down om my knees while checking tire pressure this weekend, not a usual position and the headiness was induced. One of the community wells in
KevRider

KevRider

3
Sue's Sentiments

Hello from home.

A month ago I was embarking on my cruise. I don't care what the world thinks of the Ruby Princess my heart goes out to the wonderful crew those who served us so well and cheerfully, courteously and compassionately. Thanks to the Captain who managed to get us into every scheduled port. And thanks to those passengers who helped my friend with dementia when she lost her way and asked them: "Have you seen Michael, have you seen Sue."   It was the passengers from the cruise after ours who c
swilkinson

swilkinson

3
Bill Daugherty

GUILTY

I feel bad that this is not more troubling to me. I hope of course it doesn't touch me or family and friend but it is more interesting to me than frightening right now. It's in Michigan and spreading now. I'm doing all the things my government is telling me to do or not do. Shelter in place? Yeah been pretty much doing that for 5 years. I've got that down. My brain bleed left my left side pretty much disabled. I have mobility but very little sensation. I can limp around and "leftie" is using his
Willis

Willis

58
My Journey Within

Fear Chaos Corona - 2020 (I bet I remember this forever)

What can I say... So far 2020 has been earth shaking. Let me warn you before reading: these are my thoughts, my experiences, my worries and where I find my mind these days. This is not meant to add to the fear and chaos or to bring a negative light toward anyone. My words come from me and if you are sensitive to hearing someone's honest, transparent and straightforward thoughts then this may not be for you.    I try to remember January. I don't remember what day I heard the news of a n
HostTracy

HostTracy

13
Kevin Rider

Weather Break

Finally a break in the weather ! After a hard winter here we seem to have entered spring. There's an ornamental pear tree that w use as a kid of indicator and its starting to bloom. Spring has high wind but they come later in the day. So there is a gap early morning where the sun is shining and temperature are above freezing so I got a few rides in. Seem the yoga and physio therapies have paid off! I am riding passably, doing best since my stoke. I still finding my posting trot rather bumpy as m
KevRider

KevRider

2
SassyBetsy's Blog

California is on lockdown

My daily AND Quarantine Routine... 7AM (Oh What a Beautiful Morning) toast and peanut butteragain 9AM (Acuna Mattatta..).watch lion king and nap  10AM...order Amazon goodies because as Jerry Herman advises  ("We Neeeeeed a Little Christmasmmright now") Noon ......Call friend (Hello Dolly) 1PM  cancel appointment(And I am Telling You I am Not Going) and engage in some therapeutic coloring 2PM...Little Anthony calls then..(And I think I,m Going Out Of My Head..)... the
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

7
nancyl's Blog

Here it goes

Due to the Corona virus - the nursing home had to close doors to visitors and no longer allow the residents to come and go. Dan had stabilized and done very well for the past 2 years. But the biggest reason for that, His time with me and him coming to my work and the large amount of socialization with our family. The new necessary mandates required the home to close their door to protect their residents for the greater good. I respect that 100%. But it left me with a decision to make . He is hom
nancyl

nancyl

4
Jayallen's Blog amazing days

isolation

With this pandemic, I'm doing  my part,  I'm staying home. I can no longer volunteer at the hospital, the local gyms are closed and the public libraries closed, all, until further notice.  I miss being out socializing with others.  I really miss volunteering. I miss my post stroke "new normal". I guess I need to create another "new Normal, with new daily and weekly routines.  I managed after my stroke in comparison this is a minor inconvenience. I can still share with all of
Jayallen

Jayallen

6
This Blessed Life

My Ivy

I have had the worst week EVER.   My precious Ivy is sick.  She started walking all wonky like she'd had a stroke.   At first we thought her back was broken.  Totally devo'd.    Took her to the vet the next day to discover she has a parasite that's affected her brain.    My little kindred spirit.    I decided to send her to heaven, but wanted a few days with her first.   Kind of a mistake.   Kind of.  After many many many tears, I decid
GreenQueen

GreenQueen

12
achandra's Blog

something you learn from your childrens friends

As you guys know I love to read books & blogs, they both are the reason which saved me from my dark thoughts & made me go AHA I get it now so many times in my post stroke journey. kido's friends are all in different fields, some have gone in pursuing degree in medical field, some in engineering field & some in journalism. All are doing well in their  chosen fields. One of his friend is in journalism & I have been reading her essays  for long time, make me amaze how this 20 plus s
HostAsha

HostAsha

5