luckygirl

Stroke Survivor - female
  • Posts

    78
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About luckygirl

  • Birthday 09/26/1963

Shared Information

  • Stroke Anniversary (first stroke)
    08-19-2011
  • Interests
    Tryin as hard as I can to survive being a survivor
  • How did you find us?
    Google Search

Registration Information

  • First Name
    dena
  • State
    ga

luckygirl's Achievements

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Member (3/10)

  1. Happy Anniversary luckygirl!

  2. Happy Anniversary luckygirl!

  3. Sue, I believe your son-in-law is spot on with his advice to you. Please try not to let your sister's criticisms get to you. You are the one that spent the most time with your dear Mum and you are the one that knows best what she would want. I am sure that both your Mum and your father are very proud of the decisions you are making and of the strength and grace you are demonstrating from their wonderful and everlasting place together alongside your dear Ray. I will be praying for you to have strength and peaceful sleep in the coming days. Dena
  4. luckygirl

    Wedding news

    Oh Debbie, I am so happy for you and Bruce. You both deserve to have some joy and happiness. That date is coming up really quickly but it sounds like you have everything planned and under control. I am so glad you are finally gonna be able to wear that wedding dress that has been hanging in your closet for so long. I can't wait to see the pictures. Congratulations!!!! Dena
  5. Sue, So sorry you have to suffer both of these losses in such a short time. Fred did a wonderful job expressing how we all feel. Please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers and I hope they will help to lift you up and give you strength. Dena
  6. Kim, Just as you are not alone here in dealing with stroke, you are not alone in dealing with a child with severe addiction. You should not be ashamed or embarrassed about it, but even though I knew that, I still was ashamed. I grew up with a mother with severe addiction issues, first with alcohol and then with pills. As my daughter grew up she saw how devastating my mother's addiction was for us for years, and then she ended up exactly the same way. I never understood it and probably never will. Their addiction was stronger even than their love for their children. I don't see how anything can be stronger than love for your child. Both my mother and my daughter were never able to overcome their addictions and they both died without accomplishing that. My mother did try several times and always relapsed but my daughter stayed in denial, trying to convince everyone she didn't have a problem, until the day she died. It is heartbreaking to watch what is happening and not be able to do anything about it. The fact is that it is HIM that has to want to overcome it and there is nothing anybody can do about that. You CAN choose whether you and your other son have to be a witness to it and live with it on a daily basis though. I by no means am in a position to give advice on this subject since obviously, whatever I did wasn't correct because they both ended in a tragic outcome. I just hope it helps you to know there is somebody that knows exactly what you are dealing with and how frustrating and heartbreaking it is. You and your family will be in my prayers. Dena
  7. Katrina, I know you had high hopes for the bioness and I am sure you are disappointed but please don't give up on it yet. Do everything the rep said; therapy, muscle relaxer, injections, and maybe all together that will make enough difference for the bioness to do the job it's supposed to do. Just because you didn't have the same result as the first time you tried it doesn't mean it isn't going to work. Just know there are many people here rooting for you and praying that you get the results you want so badly to get. Dena
  8. I also get very tired of it but honestly, going out on my own is WAY down on the list of things I am tired of. I would like to just be able to take a shower by myself, whenever I want one. I am very familiar with the feelings of bitterness and depression....and there is also anger and jealousy. I don't want friends to come visit me because when they leave, I have an overwhelming feeling of jealousy that they are able to go on about their lives while I stay stuck in this crippled and broken body. I was looking at pictures this morning of my prestroke self and realized that I barely even remember what it feels like to be truly happy and joyful, and that makes me even more bitter and depressed, but most of all sad. I don't know what I ever did to deserve this hell. I am not perfect but I also am not THAT bad of a person. I do think you should go out with your friends and do anything else that you enjoy to help you keep your sanity and your spirits up. If you lose your hope and optimism for life then poor Mike won't stand a chance. I know that is a heavy load to bear and a lot of pressure but believe me, we survivors would gladly take that on in exchange for the life we have been given to deal with.
  9. luckygirl

    A Gift

    Sounds like he is slowly but surely starting to come around with the exercise/stretching. I think what he did Sunday, especially if it required no prompting from you, was huge. That shows he is beginning to show some initiative. Good for him and good for you! Dena
  10. Yes I worked on one of those foam boards too. When you stand on it makes you work even harder to maintain your balance then when you go back to standing on the floor, your balance feels better than it did before. I am sure that will help him a lot. Sandy, if I didn't know better I would think you were a physical therapist. You seem to know exactly what he needs every time. He is so lucky to have you as his caregiver! Dena
  11. Sandy, overtoning of a muscle may very well be my problem. When I am sitting down and I get upset or angry or anxious about something, my leg sticks straight out. I have no control of this and the only way I can get my foot back to the floor is to calm down and relax. I know it is probably the muscles but it seems like it is my brain that isn't working like it should, or maybe a combination of both. That sounds like some good exercises he is doing with the walker. The one that really helped me get my balance back was to have someone push me, like they were trying to get me to fall over, while I tried to resist. You can start this out very gently and progress as he makes progress. Of course, if he isn't able to stand without holding on to the walker, he would have to master that first, letting go of the walker while you stand behind him with the gait belt on. I know you are doing a wonderful job of coming up with things for him to do already but just trying to give you some more ideas of things that worked well for me. Dena
  12. Any exercises he can perform with his legs will strengthen them and help with the walking, even if he is only doing small movements it works muscles. I am sure he is thrilled to be feeling better and wanting to do more. And I know each accomplishment will bring more pride and incentive to try more. I do hope he doesn't fall and get injured but am so glad he is doing better. I can say that in my case, the more I think and try to make my leg or foot do a certain movement, the more likely it is do do something completely different from what I am trying to do. It is very frustrating. Seems like it should be right the opposite. I have to try to relax and NOT think too much about it in order to make it do what I want it to do. I don't know if this is common in stroke victims or if it is just me. Just wanted to let you know that so if that happens to him you will know it is maybe because he is trying "too" hard.
  13. luckygirl

    Expectations vs. Hope

    Jamie, you most certainly do NOT sound like a lunatic....far from it. I also sometimes worry what people will think of my posts or that I am coming across as crazy. But then I remember that this site is for us to be able to say whatever we want and not worry about being judged by anybody. No matter what you say, there is always people out there reading it that are feeling the exact same way. Then there are other people who used to feel that way and have overcome it and give you advice and hope from their experiences. There is nobody here that has helped me to deal with my depression more than you have. As a matter of fact, I am not sure I would even still be here if it weren't for the understanding and advice you gave me. And I am sure there are many more people that would say the same thing about you. You are SO valuable to everyone here and I agree that you shouldn't listen to that inner voice telling you that you are a lunatic. It couldn't be MORE WRONG. I think you should keep on keeping on and not change a thing. Your posts are valuable and do make us think, and that is a good thing. You are one of the most intelligent people I know. Your statement about hope is proof of that. If we don't have hope then we really are in trouble and again, your statement couldn't be more true. Dena
  14. That is a really awesome story! I wish I could have that zit dream myself though. LOL
  15. luckygirl

    Where to begin?

    Debbie, maybe tell him the only way you will let him stay alone while on the zanaflex is if he lets the caregivers help him with stretching to work on that contracted muscle?? Maybe a little bribery will work. LOL It is great news that he is recognizing the need to practice portion control and is starting to do this himself and has already lost five pounds. That is super progress for him! I feel pretty silly trying to think of some advice to give from ME to YOU. You are usually the advice-giver. I think you have always been super with prioritizing and getting everything taken care of. I am sure that with some much needed rest that is exactly what you will do again. Good luck and don't wear yourself out!!! Dena