ksmith

Let me introduce myself again. My name is Kelli and I had my stroke 15 years ago from a chiropractor adjustment gone wonky. I'm now 49 and in a few weeks, my twin sister will be 50 and I'll be 40 hahahaha. I am the Stroke Support Coordinator here and have been for the past 15 years. I took a step back and work on my mental health. I was in a bad place ( nothing like unliving myself) for ,as many of you are dealing with, I was 34 and shortly before my divorce and now living on my own I accrued credit card debt. Single and living off SSDI and bills , I got a Home Equity Loan and paid off my debit........great BUT......... The job I was at, let me go but not for job performance but a new policy change required a physical demand that is needed to continue to work there and my neurologist and The Arc ( after 5 years) decided that I can't do it and I don't blame them. I don't want to put myself in harms way. So added stress there. My parents have been great and I have a savings but I'm in a quandary for if I take money from my savings ans I have to pay taxes on that so ugh. I'm still with my guy and I'm happy. He's younger so i have to remember that I've lived and learned . I'm in a quandary . I'm 49 and he's 38 1/2 lol (my oldest son is 30 ) but he gets me and understands my stroke issues and now had met my friend 'Peri" ( Peri menopause) yikes. We don't live together and I'm OK with that now. I'm working with DVR ( Department of Vocational Rehabilitation) to `find a job for people with health issues connect with a job that knows you have a challenges and to allow me to only gross ( payroll) I had the meeting with them and waiting for the call back. I'm pretty guaranteed a spot so I'm excited to have money again for my food, because of my dietary allergies ( Milk, wheat, soy) basically makes my food choice small. cooking for myself is for sure a solution. except it's EXPENSIVE. I've been trying to help out with the new memberships so I'm behind the scenes. I send my gratitude to all and wish all a great spring ( for our friends down under; Happy Fall * below is a silly picture from New Years*

I do struggle with sleeping. I now have to take a prescription for sleep

So April normally is my favorite month for it’s my birthday month. I had two outpatient procedures done, in as many days, that kept me down and out. Good new is the biopsies came back negative for new growths. So plus.. then on the 21st, my parents and I went to North Carolina to surprise my twin sister for an early birthday. On the 26, she turned 48 and I turned 30…..for the 18th time. lol. We returned on the 24 and on the 25 I went back to work. I had a migraine on the trip back ( Sunday) but I was looking at my tablet for about 9 hours and allergies. Felt good Monday and Tuesday , with the exception of diarrhea that night but I get that way when I eat foods I’m not supposed to eat and the duration of the trip, I could barely eat. Let me explain- Went to Crackle Barrel for breakfast and out of the ENTIRE menu due to my food allergies ( gluten,soy and dairy) I was able to eat a side salad with a side of bacon. So the whole time there, I ate salads. I mean they are good for you but geesh.It is what it is. So when I came home I went crazy and ate food again.I normally get Oak allergies and I had the right on schedule….spring Thursday morning I got a phone call from my supervisor that my co worked tested positive with Covid. So I took my the home test kit, given by the CDC , and before the 15 mins were up..POSITIVE. Took another one and same. So my supervisor said that day 0 was Monday. So she assumes I got it from her or me to her but, no one really can be sure. On the12th, I had a Covid test for my procedure( negative) and she had to take her test ( for work this past Saturday) and she was negative. I take all the precautions, mask, washing hands,etc..and still. It happens ,I know but I’m not returning to work this Sunday for I don’t know when I was infected or exposed. I work in a group home and even through I am vaccinated and a booster, I’m not going to chance it. The CDC says 2-4 days before symptoms is when day 0 should be. I have no idea what symptoms would be my 0? Am I being a little to worried? No. I tested positive on Thursday and that’s when I started experiencing symptoms. One can’t assume that my headache was Covid when I have vision problems anyway. Yes, I have allergies but who’s to know. My vertigo is really bad due to me nose and ears clogged. I’m exhausted. I still have my smell and taste. Some people can function when not feeling well but I am not one of those people. I have so many things damaged in my brain that a change in the weather effects me.I have a telemedicine appointment on Monday with my doctor but I’m sorry if my supervisor has to work all the time. I’m sorry that 6 individuals, in another program, tested positive. Thankfully my parents and my sister were negative. My guy came over Tuesday and the Wednesday to….today I mean we’re quarantine together for he was here and didn’t want to be around his family with out knowing. He’s not vaccinated. I’m just glad that it’s not as bad as so have had. Am I wrong for not wanting to work sick? I mean, before my stroke, working while not feeling well was doable but now, not so much and it’s hard to try to explain that to “ non-stroke “ people. My supervisor has to cover the shifts that my coworker and I are missing. I’m not going to come back because you don’t want to work as much. Yes working a lot does suck but……..

The entire email system is all wonky. Sending, receiving, registration. All we see on this end is register still has to verify the email… I would re-send it and was unaware it wasn't going through or coming through. Steve had all of this running like a sailboat and normally took care of all of this, so I don't have the access that he had. Missy, his wife, can find some, but she and I have no way to find how he did it. We are trying our best, and thank you all for understanding.

Hi all.. Kelli here. I am aware that a lot of new members and some old have been complaining about the time in which someone gets back to them. I have emailed Missy in the past and she and I are both aware that the Microsoft outlook email address that is associated with the Strokenetwork with getting back to new registers to validate have not been being sent. As to why, I’m not sure but Missy will find out. And all of the emails that I was sending out were being sent back and I was unaware of that. i’ve been doing my best to try to figure out how Steve ran this website. But he opted to care of everything himself. So because of that, Missy and I have no idea about how to fix certain things

I apologize for that. We are aware of an issue with our email system. We have had a work order with our IT department. Again, I'm truly sorry

wow. Your story is surely a positive story, I'm so happy that you came to the site to inspire others

please join me in welcoming ChatSueC. As most of you already have had the pleasure of chatting with her, if you haven't, she brings compassion and understanding of stroke and will listen and assist you with any questions you may have. She has been a stroke survivor since 2018.

Absolutely, being the best you can be is often better said than done. And you're right, not as fun. I was just talking about this the other day that I'm supposed to be dairy, soy and gluten-free. Most times it's easy, but I REALLY love pizza and some pasta then i say I want to live my best life so Carpe Diem, but then I suffer from the pain. grr

Bonnie was a true tour de force. A gentle soul who was a pillar in the community. Well said and yes she was, I'm glad she was able to be with her husband, xxoxx

Pam, yes and yes. Mine is caused in my cerebellum and also from my Nystagmus (eye bouncing). I have to wear a patch, or I had a special contact made to wear, in that eye, that basically blocks out my sight. I can see out of my eye but if I do without a patch or contact, one side of my vision 'jumps'. Not only that, but I have that issue in both eyes, but worse in my right eye. The motion sickness is horrible. I was put on some, but because mine was in my brain, that medicine only made me feel sicker. I keep you in my thought and heart always. I hope you find the help you deserve.

school bell

Sometimes just watching an uplifting video that is meant to be joyful, it is an I cry. Also, the way you wrote that emotional post was very well done. very poetic

fantastic!!!!!

Check it out now. Here is just a screen shot

I didn't change Friday name. There wasn't enough room to add that so all it says is Survivor chat.. The hope, like Denny made it, when they click on it, it'll say... sorry

To make finding the correct chats, I changed the name of the chat... kinda. All I did was take out the day in the name to just afternoon and evening for they are on the day so no need to specify that. I also changed Tuesday evening chat to Caregiver chat to make that more evident. Please let me know if that makes it easier or not and I can change it back. Thanks x

Home decor

I'm so sorry for Dan's gastro issues and glad he is on the mend. Comparing strokes amongst others who had better outcomes is only human and we all do it but towards the end you said, "I really shouldn't complain - we have had many great things happen in the decade since Dans stroke. Many advantages others don't have , and I am grateful" and that is it. 💓

Holiday Inn

of course. Thank you for sharing that with us and will send prayers and please share , next time you chat with his wife, or him, that he is in our hearts

( not 24 hrs but I have time) Team work

ON a non medicine note.. I was so glad to see you post. How have you been?