Outsider

My 2 cents... Ever see a 34 year old man through a temper tanturum of a 2 year old?(Be nice ladies ) You should see me on my really bad days.. I get so frustrated when things aren't going as I know they should. The other day I was making my 2 year old a cup of chocolate milk and I dropped a whole gallon of milk I had just opened on the floor. I immediately felt my blood preassure going up then my 2 year old looks at me and says "Ah Ohhh daddy make mess!!!" he then proceeds to run through the house telling EVERYONE of my fodder I couldn't help but bust into laughter over his doing that Go easy sometimes we just gotta laugh at the dumb things that happen to us

Hey CB! Let me answer your question with a question. When a baby 1st starts to walk is she perfect the 1st time out? NO of course not. Repetition is the key to success. In our situation we are forced to re learn all we once took for granted as every day minimal tasks. Well NOT anymore.... Tell you what I did because I went through the EXACT same problems. What I did was take a medicine bottle ANY medicine bottle and while sitting around watching TV I would practice and practice opening that blasted thing. Over and over and OVER again. After about 6 weeks I was a pro again. Be patient, take whatever time you need to learn what you need to learn. You WILL get better in time. May not be in YOUR time but you WILL see improvements more so than if you do nothing and become toodependant upon others to do things you CAN learn to do for yourself.

I sometimes wish that even I could forget that stroke had entered my life. And YES I'm much different than I was pre stroke. My temper, once easily controlled now seems like it is always lurking around the corner waiting to strike at the 1st unsuspecting victem to come along which usually is one of my kids or my wife Who thinks that just because physically I no longer appear to have any limitations What she can't see is the mental aspect of it that I STILL deal with daily. I've started trying to use my pent up frustrations by channeling them through my daily excersises which are starting to get more intense these days (a GOOD thing I hope). All you can really do is try to avoid going "ballistic on others but when it happens be willing to say "I'm sorry" Best of luck to you Leah.... ~~~Outsider

UP and DOWN.... IN and OUT. God this ride sux rotten eggs from time to time and sure we're going to "pine" for who we were pre stroke, and that I think is normal. I look at it as if I really did die the day of my stroke and was reborn in a new but broken body. I still excersize everyday in some fashion and today it is helping me get through my own rough patch. Kids are really grating my nerves today but we'll get through it. Hang in there Kathy we're in the boat with you cheering you on. When the next rough spot comes you can turn to us.