• 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
    • 2,595 views
achandra's Blog

tidbits of my life

I am pretty much go with flow personality, & had never known some of the other good qualities about me which I was not sure of before,   & now learning about me every day & always think damn my husband is so lucky to be married to me 😄 maybe I should also tell him that. Anyways what's new with my life recently our kido had severe allergic reaction to soy protein powder he had which he had after his exercise. usally at home he takes whey protein, since he was at college & didn't h
HostAsha

HostAsha

1
Ksmith's Blog

I knew I smelled something

So when things started to look okay, working isn’t a fact I’m looking forward for but it is a must, and I was able to get back on track, the reality of my nose finally made sense. Let me explain: I often said I smelled ‘cigarette smoke’ every time my air conditioner turned on. I said smoke because I couldn’t make a comparison to anything else.  I bought cleaning supplies to clean my air conditioner unit with my father. I had to wait until a cool day and now is the time. We opened the closet
ksmith

ksmith

7
My Journey Within

Update on Life

Things are finally calming down after my brother's death. Still no full answers yet from autopsy but hopefully not too long now. Tomorrow his daughter gives birth to his 3rd grandchild (a boy). It may freshen some raw feelings but all in all it will be a really wonderful day. My dad is actually doing really great during his radiation and chemotherapy...no sickness or really bad side effects. He is just over half way through. I'm so glad he's doing well.   Me...I am finally calming a bi
HostTracy

HostTracy

7
SassyBetsy's Blog

Connecting to Others

So I want to make friends here again. I find people to play cards with to there are many personalities, many stages of dementia, mental illness. On the day a psychologist arrives, they wheel them in. I think to myself, this puts all ill folks together but a cna told me that different areas get the crazy ones because it would be too hard to care for 12 of them,so they spread it out. ok so that is why. But I went out of my room, shared my coloring stuff, cards,chinese food.And these folks wer
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

11
ruthwilliam's Blog

Our next step - Hospice

Well, I finally made the decision to talk to hospice.  William has been declining.  He sleeps alot and eats very little.  He has alot of confusion and sees people that are not there.    The hospice agency was great.  They have suggested that I get a hospital bed and set it up in the living room.  I will be getting rid of the couch and recliner.   They provide all of his meds, bed liners, vinyl gloves, wipes, lots of things.   I will get a nurse once a week and CNA 3 times a week to bathe Wi
ruthwilliam

ruthwilliam

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nancyl's Blog

Crazy Lady seeks advice

Ok - input appreciated- especially those who have followed me for years - literally !. Its taken a long time for me to settle down and into my "stroke widow" role. I was pretty young when it happened to Dan and I had ambitions of my own- all flushed when Dan stroked. So after the 4 years of caring for Dan ended with me in the mental institution and him in a nursing home - I am debating bringing him home. Why - Im doing virtually all his cares and still paying the bill for his care. Im finding, I
nancyl

nancyl

9
My Journey Within

An update and a heavy heart...

So much has happened I don't know where to begin.   My brother was buried yesterday and it was the hardest thing for my family that I can remember. I will tell you that man was he loved...by so many. The visitation and funeral were full...family, friends, business acquaintances, co-workers, and a multitude of others. All of whom grieved heavily for my brother. Everyone so kind to everyone in our family and sharing their memories and offering to be there for whatever we needed. I feel s
HostTracy

HostTracy

6
Sue's Sentiments

Trying not to hold onto resentment

Just plodding along, hoping for better days. I have a head cold so feeling down and this is another of those times when I want to scream: "Where is the person who is supposed to take care of me?". It is hard not to feel resentment after looking after Ray for so many years. I seem to have few days like this in winter every year. Yes, it is hard to be on my own when I am feeling sad and shaky but there are no money back guarantees in life and I have to remember that. I can please myself when I go
swilkinson

swilkinson

6
Ksmith's Blog

fast no more

Yesterday I finally had my ablation on my heart to stop the rapid heart beat. I wasn't nervous for my cousin, who is a cardiac nurse and also had this done, walked me through everything. It didn't hit me that I remember them adding the adrenalin to make my heart race so they could find out where the 'road block' was. Basically,  you have two tracks that the electrical currents  in your heart go around that keep your heart function.  So Imagine you have two tracks above each other but the one wit
ksmith

ksmith

6
SassyBetsy's Blog

Another Blog

I spent 5 days in hospital for cellulitis in my good left leg brought on by lymphedema and other swelling stuff.  They do not have oxymorphone in hospital so I took oxycontin. It did not work as well plus they did not wake me up around the clock for my meds even though the doc told the nurses. I suffered. But I got treatment. Then released to thehome. Only to find they discontinued all meds after 3 day absence. So think this would be easy to get its all back again? They did not order my meds and
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

3
My Journey Within

Feeling Cra Cra praying for Thursday to come

Lemme just get all the emotions out at once. I've been pretty terrible lately. It is definitely time to see my shrink. Thank the Lord its Thursday. Let me go through my new range of crazy. I'm depressed, my anxiety gets so high I feel like I will burst, panic attacks almost daily, seeing things, hearing things, scared because I don't know if I am seeing things or hearing things, sense of utter doom Bad Bad Bad, the crickets made me have a panic attack, I keep hearing thunder rumbles but feel to
HostTracy

HostTracy

7
Ksmith's Blog

a hunting we will go....

Yesterday was both an exciting day and frightening for I submitted my first job resume in almost 10 years. My doctor hasn’t entirely allowed me to work a part-time schedule but I’m looking for just that. I see him on the 20th if this month and will talk it over with him. The reason being is, to no surprise for many survivors, I can’t play my bills.. I mean I can but it will only leave me with under $100 for the month, and that’s not including food or property taxes & car insurance.   I have
ksmith

ksmith

7
Precarious Perch

overcoming pride

Since my stroke, I have been living as a guest in my niece's home.  Her daughter, my sis, also lives here, in the finished basement of an older tri-level home in a very small Indiana town.   Honestly, life here suits me fine.  I have everything I need, even though I need help with a few things.  I do feel that I am capable, both physically and mentally, to live on my own, in my own place, and sometimes I do feel some slight guilt at my imposition on the niece and her family, but she di
beingnobody

beingnobody

5
Sue's Sentiments

Stroke Group Morning Tea and ongoing health concerns

Once a year the Stroke Club I belong to gets together with four other clubs and we have morning tea with a guest speaker. Today instead we had a group survey as a charity fund has given a donation so that the Sydney based group can supply two coordinators to help the other groups extend their services. It is a great idea and addresses the problem of resource poor clubs going out of business for lack of new members. Our club is a flagship club as we have a lot of people sent to us by medical prof
swilkinson

swilkinson

2
achandra's Blog

I know my problems are nothing compared to what others are going through

I do have love hate relationship with my husband, in some things he is angel &  I love him for his behavior & in some cases he will act so indifferently that you wonder does he really likes to be with you or not. like I say he is great dad & husband in taking care of his responsibilities, you feel relaxed because you know he will make sure things gets done. but ask him anything I would like to do like go on some fancy vacation or going to restaurant, he will be least interested &
HostAsha

HostAsha

4
My Journey Within

Tomorrow is Going to be Crazy/Unknown

Tomorrow my dad gets his first dose of radiation for his lung cancer. We are all just in a weird wondering mood. My dad is in good spirits which I am so glad. The very next day he gets his first dose of chemotherapy. I pray it is kind to him or at the very least that he is able to be ok with it physically. I know if the chemo is too much that he can just raise a white flag and the Oncologist is really supportive of this. Just praying for whatever he goes through.   Tomorrow I go to my
HostTracy

HostTracy

7
Precarious Perch

Lamentations tumbling dice...

So many things in this squirrel cage mind...   My three year anniversary of completion of radiation and chemo for throat cancer approaches..YAY!!, I guess, but not sincerely feeling it.   I turned 62 a few days ago.  I was worried about that one.  Both my eldest sister and oldest friend passed last year, each within weeks of, but short, their 62nd birthday's.  I had envisioned some omen there, but here I am yet.   So my Oncology appointment, along with a ENT appoint
beingnobody

beingnobody

5
SassyBetsy's Blog

Playing Double Solitaire

My son gets me cards regularly to share with another lady who plays solitaire 27/7. She is 93 And hard of hearing. No words needed. When we get together to play we go for 2 full hours until the next meal. She is a serious player. I get distracted chatting with others sometimes. And others come begging to be dealt in a hand of Rumy. That is what they play with her when I am not around....and I have not been in a while....And my son had my tote bag with cards for safe keeping the last couple of we
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

2
Sue's Sentiments

Looking forward to warmer days

I am surviving winter, in five or six weeks Spring will be here. This has been a cold winter but today was mild and most people seemed to appreciate the day, even saw some out in short sleeves. I am in my busy week, hospital visit today, birthday morning tea tomorrow, church women's meeting on Friday I still like to be busy just not too busy.   I have started a new course called " Better Heath - Self Management" It is a free  course, a government health initiative to tell us to meditat
swilkinson

swilkinson

1
My Journey Within

Update on my Dad

I have found out some more info about my dad and his cancer diagnosis. He has non small cell adenocarcinoma, it is extremely near to his esophagus and because of that inoperable. He will be starting radiation treatments on the 30th of this month. They will be lower dose than usual but for a longer time so as not to injure his esophagus. They did find 2 lymph nodes that are near and seem to be somewhat enlarged but they scanned him last week and there is no cancer metastasis. So it is still in st
HostTracy

HostTracy

5
Ksmith's Blog

Nice to Knit ya..

On Mondays, for the time being, I go either to my Aunts house or other members home and knit. I learned how to knit from my grandmother but learning after stroke is basically learning all over again. I enjoy it. I enjoy the company of the group. They are very understanding of my speech and having my Aunt there helps a bunch. She has been knitting for a billion years and with in 3 weeks ( she says she really didn't have time for this.. yeah right) she knit my little cousin a sweater jacket.  A SW
ksmith

ksmith

4
achandra's Blog

even when you are broken open realizing not everything is broken is so important

Sunday is my super soul Day, I get AHAs by dozen &  it is fun to see my whole journey getting validated by so many others who have walked on similar path of suffering I had been through when I felt such a huge loss of my dream of how things should be shattering into pieces, but realizing in midst of all that suffering not everything was broken, even though I was all broken open. I am so blessed to be married to such a great guy along with my sister reminding me to notice those positives when
HostAsha

HostAsha

1
Gizmo, Gadget Guy

Alaska trip complete

We have completed our Alaska and Canada trip about a week ago. I have attached a few pics of the trip (I think). It was everything we had hoped for and more. We left Tennessee May 4th and got back in mid July. From TN we went to Iowa for some minor repairs to the motorhome at the factory and then on to the corn palace in Mitchell, SD. Neat place. Then on to Devils Tower, Wyoming. From there on to Banff. Alberta, Canada. Mum loved every minute of it she was like a machine gun firing out questions
GeorgeLesley

GeorgeLesley

3