• A  blog is a personal journal of your daily life as a stroke survivor or stroke caregiver.  Surprisingly, countless members have called it therapeautic to write down their thoughts and to vent their frustrations.  You can make it private, just for your eyes or public and share your personal thoughts with your friends.  Why not try it, create your blog and start writing and see if it helps you.  

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  • swilkinson

    Living on angel time.

    By swilkinson

    I went to see the neurosurgeon on Tuesday. I was interviewed by a young Asian associate doctor and sent for a 3D MRI and angiogram, a brand new way of showing  the blood supply within the brain. The results were given to me by the associate and then I saw the specialist. It appears the aneurysm is larger and deeper than previously thought but at my age they are not going to operate as it would mean a full brain surgery. Coiling, one method of dealing with an aneurysm, is not an option. I think I
    • 12 comments
    • 2,576 views
achandra's Blog

stepping out of comfort zone brings so much growth in life

I am the person who is afraid to make decisions for the fear of getting it wrong. Since I feel happy & my ego gets boosted when decision I made turned out to be beneficial for our family. So any big decisions when money is involved I put it on hubby, which is not good way of being strong independent woman. Its not that hubby doesn't make mistakes, he does too, but he never  makes it equate to him being failure. when hubby makes wrong decision, he has courage to stand behind that decision &am
HostAsha

HostAsha

3
Sue's Sentiments

Happy and sad time.

I just had a few days with my daughter and family, it was nice to catch up with the grandkids as I hadn't seen them since May. My grandson was busy studying as he starts his exams on Thursday.  These are the last of his Year Twelve exams and give him his final score important for future employment and access to University entry. He is very focussed but I could see an element of panic which is quite common at this time. My grandaughter is still three years away from that stressful time. She is a
swilkinson

swilkinson

4
SassyBetsy's Blog

She's like a Rainbow

I am with a roommate like my twin. We watch movies together , talk during a thunder storm the other night, and talk about how I got diagnosed with stroke pain.   I see her problems that are similar to mine,similar to CPS. But she calls it neuropathy. She is not diabetic. I asked how did you get neuropathy and she said after her stroke, but she never heard of stroke pain.   I
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

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My Journey Within

Feeling so Blah...Physically, Mentally, and Emotionally

Things have been a little different lately for all 3 of us here (my dad, my step mom, and me). Some good news is that my dad has finished his course of radiation and chemotherapy. It is now a waiting game...probably another 3 weeks until he has the all important PET scan to see if it did it's job. My dad worries...this waiting is hard for him. He tries to put a mask on but it falls off at times...he gets grumpy, angry about waiting, impatient, and well down right mean at times.  My stepmom
HostTracy

HostTracy

11
SassyBetsy's Blog

Love you forever,like you for always....

This is our book. I read it to both my kids,chanted those lines as long as I remember,meant them with every fiber and will always.   I recall when the kids became the adults caretaking their mother. It seems impossible the anger bitterness hurt that festered to a head.  Truly Once my daughter's pediatrician when she was a teen gave her acne med saying our closeness was evident so she trusted My daughter would confide problems that arose. Well we had typical stuff. My son
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

1
SassyBetsy's Blog

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

I am sad I not hear from my son He not text and say he understands the misunderstanding on my text or explain his emotional outburst I  was not expecting. I hurt and miss him dreadfully. Is he so mad he will cut off paying for my cell phone which not only gives me netflix but also enables me to schedule my medical appointments and transportation. Our phone jacks in room do not work and and I would need to use phone at nurses station. I appreciate he says to me that it is his turn. How
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

11
Ksmith's Blog

it finally happened..

So while I was driving at night, around 11:30p leaving work last night, I saw flashing red and blue lights in my rear view window.  As always I was very nervous because of  having a hard time seeing at night. So the black and white had EXTREMELY bright spotlight shining in my side mirror that pointed directly in my eyes. I already had a head ache and super tired. I just worked 3-11 after working all weekend.   The officer, or first officer of 4, yikes four, knocked on my driver side window and a
ksmith

ksmith

4
SassyBetsy's Blog

Through My Eyes

I was visited by Health Department regsrding a complaint I made againt a nurse for being an abusive bully insulting me and interfering with me getting to urgent care...where they called an ambulance to escort me to the ER and then I was admitted to the hospital.....so now that nurse still cares for me but cannot contact me so someone else brings my meds....... This was a complaint I made last year....so the HD said I got the name wrong...oops well lets recall who told me a wrong name around here
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

5
achandra's Blog

Sunday reserved for my spiritual awakening

I am woman with still work in progress. I keep on learning, forgetting & relearning my lessons. Some lessons my life experiences has taught me are hardest to learn & I still struggle with those from time to time. Though I am blessed in a way, that since I gravitate towards those kind of people who can share their spiritual wisdom & get me on right path any time I struggle,.I have been surrounded  by amazing set of people who put me back on right path. So that brings amazing joy in my
HostAsha

HostAsha

4
achandra's Blog

I feel so lucky to be married to nicest guy most of the days :)

I know I keep on saying this, but realizing something amazing about my hubby after 27 years of marriage is funny. That shows you how I am so  different  in understanding different love languages of people. ok back to my life. I recently realized something wonderful hubby used to do when I had just come in this country out of love, duty or fear for my safety, so I never paid attention to it & took it for granted.  Anyhow here is   story, after our marriage when I first came to this country, w
HostAsha

HostAsha

3
Sue's Sentiments

It was a hard month

Sometimes I take the hard decisions and accompany someone on the journey to death. It is something that I was trained to do as part of my Chaplaincy training. This time it was more difficult though as it was someone I knew well, the man I went out with for a while. Lyn and I broke up in November 2016 and four months later started a friendship that lasted till last Thursday when he died. He had twelve weeks in hospital and it was hard to see him slowly deteriorate and probably during the last two
swilkinson

swilkinson

6
SassyBetsy's Blog

CARDS MISSING

I play cards with a 96 yr old WWII vet who exercised women on base. She won a silver medal in diving at olympics. The local papers toot her praise. She is athlete and scholar with phD. She now is hard of hearing and losing sight but she is sharp. She plays cards always. Before meals....she plays Solitaire or plays Rummy with others. She counts cards and knows when one is missing at end od play. She could catch a cheater.  She taught me to play double solitaire. When we see eachoth
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

3
SassyBetsy's Blog

Being Taken Seriously

111I told my driving company do not send me a lift because I have vertigo. I guess when I topple off when I get dizzy they will take me seriously.   I fall asleep. Whenever. In public. While eating. So after passing out in my bathroom they need to watch over me.   They are saying it is the drugs making me sleepy. Plus I need more rest. SO I climb in bed and nap. But then I am lazy right? Cmon.   I need my pain med on time. Yes I am on SO much. I go a
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

1
My Journey Within

The Monster of Stroke...What I See After Battling One

I came here this morning to share something happening in front of me...it affects my stepmom and her ex-husband's family who she has remained close to. Life happens sometimes in a way so beyond what we can control. My stepmom's ex brother-in-law has been ill the past two months and having serious heart issues. Eventually he needed heart surgery and when he was in the middle of it a clot formed in the circulation machine that traveled to his brain and caused a massive stroke. 😔 It kills me knowin
HostTracy

HostTracy

3
My Journey Within

Noticing Something About Myself...Not Sure How I Feel About It

Has anyone said to you, "It's all about you.". I have had this statement said to me numerous times. Today I have been thinking...Do I make others feel this way? Am I egocentric? Do I lack empathy or maybe sympathy? You get the picture I'm sure. There are things I have noticed about myself since the stroke: I talk a lot about myself and the stroke or stroke effects left over. I get on my own nerves sometimes. There are certain things that I feel indifferent about. My stepmom hoards (cleanly but h
HostTracy

HostTracy

11
achandra's Blog

I love life with all its lessons which is making my life so much meaningful & fun

As you all know by now I enjoy & love my life including all lessons & blessings that come my way. Recently we reconnected with our spiritual group which I was active before while taking kido to his indian languge classes & vedic hinduisim classes where they were learning  about two epics Ramayana & Mahabharata of India. where one epic taught them about how to be noble human being so what we should strive to become by following God ramas footsteps,  & other epic taught them wh
HostAsha

HostAsha

3
ruthwilliam's Blog

It is Done.

William passed yesterday 9-18-18 at 1:06PM.  William had been in hospice for 1 month.   This has been the longest month of my life.  I am so relieved that the vigil is finally over.  Here it is 2:40AM and I am up.  I am so used to getting up and checking on William. I want to thank all of you for being there for me. I want to share that the stroke board has been a lifesaver for me since William's stroke 10 years ago. I would suggest that anyone who needs hospice utilize it.  I tho
ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

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SassyBetsy's Blog

PAM'S PAIN PRECEPTS

PAM'S PAIN PRECEPTS 1.  Never touch my leg. It burns next to the eternal yule log. I have been branded by the touch of others. But with permission all is well.   2.  I feel stabbed in my leg, calf or foot. I walk slow because it seems like butcher knife follows me stabbing me in mý calf.   3. Wake me for pain pills or  prepare for me to wail for for hours until the next dose.   4.  Sometimes I just need to color all night. My symptoms hurt.   5. 
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

5
ruthwilliam's Blog

A bed sore

It has been three weeks.   I cannot believe it!   A bed sore!   William has never had a bed sore.  But this just lying on the bed for 3 weeks has done it.  I have been changing the underpad often.  It is difficult to change by myself.  I have called hospice and informed them that I will need help twice a day to change and clean him.  They have agreed to do that.  It is 3:28AM .   I have been up since 2AM.  I got the kitchen all cleaned and cleaned the floor of the living room.  William is u
ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

4
ruthwilliam's Blog

The end is near.

This is a difficult time.  I thought that I was getting hospice involved early.  But, William declined rapidly.  My best guess is that William may pass today or very soon.  I was so afraid that I would get up and find William gone.  I kept getting up every hour.   I am not doing my ritual gym thing this morning.  I want to be close by.  He is calm and peaceful.  He is not agitated like he has been. I actually did go to the gym..  Just later. This will be a long and difficult vigil.  William
ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

5
Ksmith's Blog

Manic Monday

Well Monday I go back to work for the first time in 9 years. As we all know, living on Social Security and single, is very difficult. It is so expensive to live in New Jersey, or any where for that matter. Don't get my wrong, I'm thankful for what I do get but it's so tight. I know when I finish with orientation, two weeks 70 hrs., I'll go to part-time so I'll have down time. I've been trying to stay busy everyday to get adjusted to staying focused and that hasn't really gone as I  hoped. I'm go
ksmith

ksmith

5
Sue's Sentiments

Living on angel time.

I went to see the neurosurgeon on Tuesday. I was interviewed by a young Asian associate doctor and sent for a 3D MRI and angiogram, a brand new way of showing  the blood supply within the brain. The results were given to me by the associate and then I saw the specialist. It appears the aneurysm is larger and deeper than previously thought but at my age they are not going to operate as it would mean a full brain surgery. Coiling, one method of dealing with an aneurysm, is not an option. I think I
swilkinson

swilkinson

12
My Journey Within

Another Late Night With My Thoughts and Stuff

So here I am. It's 11:23pm and I'm fidgety, awake, and drowning in needless thought. I'm in a state of anxiety for what I feel is no reason. I can't sit or lay still. I am weirdly hungry like ravenous and I just want to eat again and again...but nothing satisfies me. I lay my head down on my pillow and then pick it up then lay it down again over and over trying to find a "comfortable" spot. So now I'm sitting up. LOL sorry if this is boring but I just need to get anxious movement and thought out
HostTracy

HostTracy

7