ksmith

Sarah, I'm so sorry. Sometimes, looking from the outside, everything seems good but I am sorry that he, and others, feel like they may be alone in their thoughts but they aren't. We may not understand or think what troubles them is as painful as they feel but I wish some people don't down play to them. Sometimes folks see it is an "easy way out" but we have no idea. My heart goes out

I think it's very special to have someone like Carmen who , even after his passing, would do that. And triple digits temps?????????? That's nuts. People always say ' but it's dry heat' yeah but when I open my oven, that's dry heat to and holy sweat beads...... that's HOT. I think that you didn't forget about it.. really. It was just a fact of everyday life and yes with all of this pandemic , i can understand with all of that , the days just bled into one another. I hope your travels are safe and everything is correct

I'm a fan of CBD . I use the vape pen but not on a regular basis. The thing that people don't like/understand CBD oil is you don't feel the euphoria you would normally expect to feel to know it is working, The thing about CBD , or at least mine, is it just happens. Most people complain that it doesn't work when it's just they don't realize it. Again, this maybe just my brand.

Yes congratulations for putting you pants on standing. That always seems to be a challenge for many, including me :)

Firstly, happy early birthday. I think the idea of a hug mat for anyone who is in need of a hug is a great idea. As I was reading on, our summer is just beginning but with life in my state are S-l-o-w-l-y returning to normal I can say I'm not ready to come out of my 'hole'. They , the powers that be, are opening things up but with tourism comes sick.. and in my little town , it has blossomed again. Yes, splitting families apart is a hard pill to swallow for sure but hopefully, you'll all be able to visit once again and have a mild winter.. I watch a safari live from Wild Earth from South Africa and they are bundled in their hats, mitts and heavy coats and that makes me think of you ,,,weather wise 🙂

You both can have your own journey, and no one is more attuned, he is your yin to your yang, The hardest things in life , for me to always remember , is to know we can't change what we have no control over. My mother is one who wants more in hopes she will be happy and my father is finds happiness in everything. You can't take it with you and , I feel, you miss out on life when you focus on getting things and not enjoying. Nothing is permanent 💓

you made me smile :)

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 was the Mt Dew that was keeping me in balance for an ADD/ADHD brain runs , let's say, with a low battery life. You need a good charge of electrical function to have a "normal" functioning brain and the caffeine was the substitute for new batteries. But , we all know that caffeine doesn't last long. So we drink more right? At that time I had a condition called SVT or , in the way I understood it, your heart has a flap, much like your throat for breathing and drinking water. When you drink, the flap closes so no fluid gets in. Well your heart has that so the electrical currents circulate all throughout your heart. Well my flap remained closed so the current would get stuck and cause my heart rate to jump from 88bpm to 250bpm when I exerted myself. So that wasn't pleasant so I didn't drink a lot of caffeine. It's fixed now but if I drink to much caffeine around the time I take my ADD meds, I go into a extra hyper mood. BAD. ((side note: when I was talking to a guy on the phone for the first time ( a while ago) I did just that and it wasn't good)) I typically get home around 8a ish, and i try to go straight to bed. Must shower and feed cats.. OK so now around 9a.. I fall into a deep sleep till about 1pm. Not nearly enough sleep. See before my stroke, staying up is a breeze.. But now, I must stick to my bedtime ritual of finally hitting the hay around 5-6a on my days off. So I work one overnight and one 3-11. So you say that's crazy to keep that time when you don't have to work. And to that I say ...you're right . But as with everything we must do after a stroke, we must practice for a while to get back into the swing of things.. Me it's conditioning my sleep schedule . Before working, I would spend weeks to months doing the same things to better relearn on simple task like walking . There was a thought to this but I've lost it.. so there is a sample of life in my brain. I circle then lose my point.. As I normally say.... There ya go.. you're welcome

I'm so glad you were there to send him off and with a grand tribute

It is scary because , as Asha said, we aren't in control. We are often out of self control when we get sick but this is another type of animal for we can't see it and sometimes it is ' flu like' and others it's knock out cold. We never thought that getting sick could be as dangerous, or at least I did. We can only take precautions and not become neurotic. I know I have reevaluated my daily practices but staying away from others is the best course of action. Until I have to go back to work, granted two days only, and be around people. 🙂

You picked the best songs for your feelings.. loved reading this

I understand Jay. I'm in self-quarantine for we, my mother and I , stayed at my sisters on my Florida trip and she called us on Thursday , when we were coming back early from the surge in Florida, to tell us she was in the hospital and had to be tested. IF that comes back positive, I was around my grandson, son and his fiance and family. UGH We still think it's allergies or a regular flu 🤞 It is wise to stay put.

that sounds so fun and also finding fellow Stroke Recovery members must have been an added bonus. Yes, doing things on your own is some thing that is perfectly fine for us to do but not doing that for sometime can make that feel foreign for sure. Listening to piano playing is one of my favorite things to do as well. I applaud you on your adventures!!!!!

what a lovely photo

The first part of your blog, i was nodding my head for I can understand that. Those garden beds are beautiful. My parents have similar style bedding. You are truly doing AMAZING .

I am so amazed how creativity tend to help us when we get knocked down. They look like Hallmark brand. ACE!!!

I had to look at that twice and had a good laugh. 😁 Witty

your description brought your garden to life. It made me remember my favorite childhood book "The Secret Garden". I can see why you enjoy going to your secret place for it sounds lovely. I think that your service on Sunday should be about your garden. A reminder of a place, wherever it may be, to go when things are tough to be reminded that you are loved for you were given the garden in your thoughts. I'm glad that your daughter and family are coming for a stay and give Craig an 'atta-boy' for giving a grand speech.

that is a marvelous idea!!!

Sarah, I'm so sorry. As Sue said, you are a champion . Much love

Thank you very much. I seem to be doing very well. I learned I have a follow up appointment in a couple weeks and I forgot about it. Knock on wood that should last me for a while. Apparently these come normally with everybody especially in women with childbirth. And they can build over time. Everybody is meant to have some of mine just wanted to say hello to the world before anybody else ha

No they didn't , with my jaw.. I must seek out my own doctor. And my boyfriend was very happy to see me. He meowed like he was so happy and was attached to my side all night and slept on my pillow, above my head, and rested his head on my face... AWWWWWWW I was loved!!!!