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a yank at my boot straps!

ksaul

Entry posted by ksaul

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well, it was a quiet christmas here in safety harbor but i really enjoyed reading about everyone's holiday hustle and bustle. it was great hearing about the snow some people were having, the joy donna and her daughter experienced as they celebrated with family, kimmie's happiness at having both of her sons and pets home to celebrate, bonnie's unceasing energy(bill's unceasing appetite), phyliss' mixed holiday review and on and on. so many people at strokenet - many i have yet to know have touched my life this past year. i found joy in a member's recovery progress, felt the tentative reaching out a newbie and wondered at the love and support of caregivers. i found chat to be the coolest thing and only wish i could remember who is who! the virtual christmas party was my holiday event and i loved the sense of creativity and humor the party goers brought to the bash.

that said, i am glad to say good-bye to 2007. i have been in a funk lately and posted a few weeks ago regarding how crappy i felt and generally did a huge whine. the support i got from everyone was reassuring and i knew i was not alone. tonight,before i started to write this blog, i read the message board posts, other blogs and realized i needed to find my bootstraps and give them a big yank upwards! part of my recent depression is once i passed the two year stroke mark i began to realize this stroke thing is not going away! stroke is here to stay and i need to get a grip. i can list the issues that keep me down - fatigue, pain,lack of mobility, useless parts on my left side, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH! sometimes i have been so angry because i took such good care of myself pre-stroke - and other times i have been overwhelmed with sadness as i see my husband try to hide his anger at the situation. i can go around and around yet always return to the fact i had a stroke. so, for me 2008 is about acceptance and getting to know the new kathy. the key, for me, is to learn to take life as it comes - live in the moment and to laugh whenever i get the chance. of course i won't do it perfectly - i'm just human!

i wish you all a blessed new year! kathy

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dstraugh

Dear Kathy,

 

I wish you the best for 2008 as well. Ya know...I've tugged so hard at my boot straps sometimes that they could probably fit over my ears by now. There are days when acceptance all but vanishes and we sit on our pity pots. But the important thing is that we get up off the pitty pot (sometimes needing a grab bar) and keep plugging ahead.

 

Stroke is brutal and should be declared a cuss word, ya know? But we're survivors - nuttin's gonna keep us down.

 

This site is the best and so are all the members!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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bstockman

Hi Kathy. Yes I think the 2 year mark.. mae me realize that No this $#@*& thing is not going to go away. I love cooking for family (and Bill...lol) my energy seems boundless, but I have spent the last 3 days... exhausted .. doing a few things..but mainly sitting on my butt.

 

I still miss... multi-tasking and I hate the fatigue. I keep reminding myself it could have so much worse, and count my blessings.. seeing and enjoying the grandchildren, my animals, etc.

 

Life is NOT as it was.. but it is Good and I am here. We are Survivors, and human, and we will miss things, but finding reasons to smile and be happy and thankful for is also part of accepting and survival.

 

Like Donna said.. we all "humans" have a pity pot.. just remember to flush when you are done..LOL

 

One of my dad's sayings.." I felt sorry I had no shoes, until I saw a man with no feet."

 

Wishing you Happiness, Joy and Much Love in 2008.

 

 

 

 

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workngrl50

Great message, Kathy. And great comments. I'm always amazed and inspired when I see people facing difficulties with such courage.

 

Life is good. Reading this makes me want to yell, "Go Team!"

 

Have a wonderful New Year.

 

Lorri

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HostAsha

Kathy:

 

after reading Donna's, Bonnie's comments I don't need to say anymore, just wanted to tell you, I can understand how you feel, but we are survivors and not going to get bogged down by difficulties in life. we will rather makes best out of each day with all we got.

 

lots f hugs, and best wishes for new year

Asha

 

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HostAsha

Kathy:

 

just remembered some wise comment I got during my acceptance journey, all this stroke became bearable once I accepted that newAsha is still oldAsha with added more good qualities in it. stroke did not change you, just your outer appearance but in there you are still there, still lot to offer to the world. so here wishing you new year where you fall in love with newyou.

 

Asha

 

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