ksmith

Hi gang. As you all know, we host daily chats in the afternoon and three nights a week. ( Caregivers do their own thing 🙂 ) and we are in need for more hosts. A Chat host is the one that leads the chat group and can offer advice if needed. Those who have been a part of our chats, you see how they can be very helpful. Our Denny has been taking charge on many of them and it is tough on him. You may say; " It's only an hour a day". It is, but, e is having some health issues and can't commit to as many as he has been covering. I've had to return to work and that has taking a bite on my time for I work evenings on two of those chat nights. I cover on the days I'm home. Host Linda has been remarkable is what she has been doing and helping out. We are looking for more hosts. One (1) hour a day is not much to ask and is a blessing to those who come in need of help. Monday-Friday 3-4pm(est) and Monday, Wednesday, Friday 8-9pm (est) Thanks~ Kel

Oh my gosh. I thought similar thoughts and still do on most days. In the beginning, I often questioned myself for I thought I was 'broken'. Though I can't remember my early recovery, I can say I'm not. Cognitively, yes, I have challenges. But I refuse to define myself as that. The State, on the other hand does. Social Security. The truth is, we are. But that is just a word. Like, survivor. That's what we are. Sure, we can't do things as we once did but it's not something we did to ourselves. We've become injured. Or at least I have. It's a lot to consider for we see ourselves, or at least I did, as damaged goods. The groovy thing is, how I was in the early days, isn't anything like I am now. Your brain/body has a way to learn different way of doing things. And being different isn't a bad thing. What happened to you is a big event and something that takes a while to wrap your head around. You got this.. we'll have your back

pleasure to meet everyone. My heart goes out to you for I can not even begin to imagine how you felt waking up and not feeling your side but there are plenty of folks here that can share their initial feelings following their stroke. I was aware of mine and it's still scary. Mine was 2/24/09. We have chat groups available for all members Monday- Friday 3-4pm ( est) and Monday, Wednesday, Friday evenings at 8-9pm ( est) http://www.strokechat.net/ . Our chat schedules are also found in our Community tab at the top of the message board http://www.strokeboard.net/index.php?/calendar/1-chat-schedule/. On Tuesday evenings 8-9 pm (est) we have a chat for our caregivers and others who are introduced to stroke through others. No one goes through this alone for we all go through this together. x

I accidently deleted Tracy's post, the one I quoted, sorry . I meant to do only mine and I stepped in dog poo.. oops sorry

** Mic drop** 🎤

these are all good questions but, in hindsight, we can almost always look back and see things we could have done differently. We do what we think, at that moment, are the right choices. I believe at least.

you are not a dork... I'll agree with you as a social dork because I'm standing along with you there 😉

wow.. ( is it bad while reading this I hear Carole King ) you are very strong and wise. Bless

this is EXACTLY why I'm going back to my neuro ophthalmologist next Friday. I have nystagmus ( bouncing eye) in both eye but in my right one, it's worse. I've tried Prisms ( glasses) and surgery to no avail. Finally we've agreed to wear a special contact lens that blocks all sight from that eye so I may see one image. Having nystagmus, you can imagine that all my sight is always moving. I say all that for this: When I only use my left eye to see, it's like trying to look through glasses that aren't strong enough. Now if I look through my right eye, granted it's not stable, is perfect and crisp. From what I remember hearing along time ago was night blindness. But yet I see fine. I also have dry eyes, I was diagnosed and that can cause troubles. http://www.stroke.org/we-can-help/survivors/stroke-recovery/post-stroke-conditions/physical/vision , I fall in most of these for I tilt my head, from double vision, dry eye and so on. Sometimes, I hate to say it but 'It may be what it is" because we still don't know how the brain and eyes get damaged from a stroke. But I'm sure, like you, I'm not going to settle. So I'll wait for my eye doctor :) x~ Kel

OH MY GOODNESS... "SLOW DOWN" makes my head spin...

Every time I read your story I get so angry when I get to the part " sent home with a warning to call an ambulance if *anything* felt funny." I'm glad you're still here and I know it's not always the fault of the physicians BUT I wish more, which they are now, would realize that strokes come in all ages and ways.

Recovery can be a wild roller coaster. The hardest part , for some, can be the tiny improvements we can't see . We , for as long as we can remember, have been able to do something and see a change in ourselves. Our brain convinces us that we can do what we can't anymore but our body says NO because our nerve pathways are broken. Your brain is going to try to form new pathways so it's going to be working very hard and that is EXHAUSTING. So being fatigued is normal. I still get exhausted after a shower. I'm serious. I normally have to lay down after. Every person is different. I'm almost 10 years post and a day doesn't pass that my stroke doesn't hit me an makes me feel like POOP. Everyday will easier for you. whether it is physically or mentally or both. 💗

Hi Steve, I am so glad you have regained as much as you have and had been able to do so soon after your stroke. I, too, have dizziness so I can relate to your struggles, if any. I'm almost 10 years out and , like you, am very lucky to have recovered as I have. We all have regained, some more than others, but I think we all here are in agreement that attitude is a huge part of recovery and we all get that, in our own time. We all have that fire in our hearts to never give up . Quick about me: Had a stroke from a chiropractic adjustment. The movement of the adjustment dissected my artery causing a bleed to the left side of brain. Then clots, that form naturally, traveled to my brain stem. All that being said, after 6 1/2 hrs. of surgery , to remove the clots to avoid a cataclysmic stroke, a stent and a lot of therapy and all that jazz, looking at me you'd never know I had a stroke. BUT if you were to look inside of my head how life is, it's a different story. I have issues I deal with every day and that make life challenging but keeping a good attitude and wonderful support from this board, as well as elsewhere, I continue to amaze myself with how amazing life truly is.

Oh my. Your poor bum. Sadly, it happens more often then not. If I turn fast or move a certain way, yet, I always have issues so it might not be similar to your experience :

I'm happy you have 5 years under your belt, yet, understand the melancholic feel