• 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.  

Blogs

Featured Entries

  • 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
My Journey Within

I Want to Have Normal Reactions to Things

Part of my problems after stroke are psychiatric in nature. It really upsets me to be so strongly affected by every little thing. It is an emotional rollercoaster even without any physical stuff at a moment. As I said before I haven't been feeling well and have been really tired on top of post stroke fatigue that never went away. My dad woke me up screaming this morning around 6am that my cat had puked a lake on the floor and I had better get up and clean it up. I told him I would clean it but w
HostTracy

HostTracy

8
My Journey Within

I Dont Feel Good Today

For the last 2 nights I have fallen asleep around 7pm and woke up for about 30 minutes before going back to sleep. Each night sleeping 11 hours. I had a Dr. Appointment yesterday due to some chronic hoarseness I have been experiencing since January. She poked all around my larynx area (painful) and I showed her a lump I have on my neck (wasn't sure it was there but she says yes it is and the Dr. needs to know)(she is a voice therapist-part of my treatment). Anyways, I'm thinking great. Now we go
HostTracy

HostTracy

4
SassyBetsy's Blog

RFA tomorrow

I get it done thank heavens. I pray all goes well with sedation and spinal. I trust. I trust it will go like before. I hope there is not some student there that freaks out when I yell stop. It just comes out....I yelled get this done and it seems it took that guy forever but he was told by doc to continue numerous times. It is painful procedure. I take sedation in IV, they put airhose with tiny things in nostrils. All is well. I climb on table which is scary for me. I feel like I will fall
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

2
nancyl's Blog

family and funerals

Dan has had 2 uncles die in the past 1.5 months. Although he was close with them back in the day and up till the stroke would go home and hunt with them , they had not put any effort into coming to see him or reach out in any way. So when Jimmy died - I figured I wouldn't tell him, why- things good and bad like that create depression for Dan and by default depression in me as well . But one of Dans sisters decided to stop and see Dan at the home on her way home from Jimmys funeral and told Dan a
nancyl

nancyl

3
Dad's Journey (JeriB)

Final Entry

Well, it's been a long road to hoe, but Dad passed away on March 14, 2018.   While it was not a stroke that did Dad in, I'm sure the history of the stroke and diagnosed vascular dementia helped.  Per the death certificate, the doctors called it  "End Stage Dementia".   Lots happened since the last time I was on and even posted, but as a quick timeline...   Dad lived with me until April 2017....   April 2017 - Moved into Assisted Living   Septembe
JeriB

JeriB

3
Ksmith's Blog

Concert fun

So my parents invited me to see a concert of two bands that were big in their youths but I like as well. The Doobie Brothers & Steely Dan. I was worried it was going to be to over whelming. But then I remembered : 1. I was hanging with my parents ( who are very chill) 2. Most of the folks that were going  to be there would be , generally, over 60.  We arrived about two hours early for I had a doctors appointment before the concert so we decided to tailgate. Our tail gate entailed of hanging
ksmith

ksmith

2
My Journey Within

I'm Just Going to Think Positive

I also wanted to share with you all that my dad is going through some health issues right now. Some scary ones. He has already been diagnosed with COPD 2-3 years ago and a recent chest scan showed 2 suspicious spots on his lungs....one new and one that they had noted before but it has grown. Last week my Dad had a biopsy on the new one. He had to be put to sleep and it was done through endoscopy within his bronchial tubes. He is so blessed to have a negative biopsy and no cancer found in the fir
HostTracy

HostTracy

22
My Journey Within

Pure Excitement and Moving Forward

I just want to share with all of you that I received wonderful news in the mail yesterday. My disability hearing was scheduled!!!!!! The day is October the 25th!!!! Months before I expected. I spoke with my lawyer today and he had really good things to say. He said he was just thrilled at the judge I got. He is really fair, really has concern for others (empathy), is not swayed by age of the person trying for disability (my lawyer says that there are a lot of judges that really look over some be
HostTracy

HostTracy

2
I'm Back

New Girl in Family

Ever since we got back from our Colorado trip in June, Misha (our little schnoodle) has been missing her playmate who visited often while we were away.  The neighbor girl would bring her female shitzu mix over to play and Misha loved the company.   So, for Gary's birthday I decided I'd try to find a new lap dog for him since Misha prefers sitting on my lap and hanging out with me.   On Tuesday of this week we picked up a 6 month old chihuahua mix from a family who had too many dogs and were gett
SarahR

SarahR

3
achandra's Blog

Its always pleasure meeting my physiatrist

Usually every two years I go & meet physiatrist to fill up paper work & see if he has any good idea for us to try. After 14 years of visiting him, he has become friend to us so meeting him is always pleasure  & fun, he gives me hard time & reminds me  to wear my AFO as  I might not get lucky in my future falls, as according to him & hubby I am not getting any younger any more lol. They both know booboo I have accumulted so far So I better wear my AFO. It's always fun arguing
HostAsha

HostAsha

3
nancyl's Blog

scanning

Dan likes to be busy-- I found the perfect pastime, he is scanning things at my work. It is entertainment for him. He feels useful and it is needed. Problem ? What!?? Dan cause a problem? LOL  He wants to come everyday to my work.... Not practical. But I am doing my best to keep it regulated, in reference to my work. And he gets to leave the home 28 days out of 30, so he is not just wasting away in a nursing home- we will go to grandkid events or to my daughters house or cabin and visit. Da
nancyl

nancyl

3
Sue's Sentiments

In the middle of a nothing spell

It is the colder, darker part of winter. Rainy days have been and gone, now it is blue skies but bitter winds. This mix is  the setting for my usual dose of mid-winter blues. I haven't had any visitors for a while now, just a few phone calls, the ones I dislike are the ones telling me that another dear old soul from church is in hospital with a broken arm or hip or a bad dose of flu. I want to scream: " Give  me some good news." But good news is in short supply.   My daughter has been
swilkinson

swilkinson

4
Precarious Perch

wasted days ad wasted nights

Good intentions failed, or at least in transitory hiatus.   I had felt fairly confident in my situation immediately following my stroke and recovery.  I am still moderately functional, and with the lifestyle I led pre-stroke being essentially sedentary and reclusive I imagined a post stroke existence not remarkably different.   The mind that perceives is the mind that deceives.  Reality is setting in, with an attitude of vengeance.  The VA approved me for 8 physical therapy a
beingnobody

beingnobody

6
My Journey Within

Anxiety/Panic attacks are so exhausting

I've been visiting my sister since July 4 and I've really enjoyed it. Today is Saturday and I will be going home at some point today...it's about an hour away. My brother-in-law has 4 children and they are here every other week...this week. I really enjoy being around them but they all can be disrespectful and mouthy to their dad and my sister so I know at times things get a little rowdy. Today is a day that they all use to clean and work on projects. The girls (I keep them every other week) wer
HostTracy

HostTracy

9
Ksmith's Blog

abalation

heartI wish I could write more but my thoughts don't stay in my brain long enough lol   Well yesterday , July 2nd, I had my long awaited cardiac surgery consult.  I am waiting for the office  to call and schedule me for the same day surgery. They are going to do an ablation for my SVT ( fast heartbeat) :: from the start of my post, I had to leave and drop my son off at his house, stopped to see my ex father-in-law (I adore that man :) ) then to Target to get cat food::  I now have
ksmith

ksmith

6
I'm Back

Family Reunion Trip

As much as I dreaded the long drive back to Colorado, I knew I had to take Gary after his sisters planned a family reunion for the day after the 2 yr. anniversary since our son's death.   We also had not been back to Colorado since his memorial service so had not seen (in person) the headstone on his final resting place.   Carmen, Gary's current caregiver, went on the trip with us as I can no longer travel any distance by plane or car without help.  Gary has gotten more stubborn about doing his
SarahR

SarahR

2
SassyBetsy's Blog

New Gifts

ok, so the pain hits at 5pm on time like a train. spasms too. so they give me the world's tiniest pill with the world's largest pill. That is my oxycodone paired with my glucophage. simply because it is before dinner and the nurse already must visit me twice in an hour. twice a day even because an hour after oxycode comes the oxymorphone.  Can this be spaced out a bit. Well in between comes lyrica at 2 and 10pm. but the 10pm actually comes at 8 with my bedtime insulin because I am freakkin wirh
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

1
achandra's Blog

finding purpose in life

I struggled big time after my stroke thinking why did I survived my  stroke in such a bad shape, what's the purpose of my life, having young family at home gave me courage & strength to fight on, in my mind I always thought God wanted me to be around for our young son & hubby, my sister joked at that age of hubby it would have been difficult to find him new wife too lol, which used to crack me up till my college friend reminded me, he got dove so it wouldn't have been too difficult for h
HostAsha

HostAsha

2
My Journey Within

My Ups and then My Downs

I hate that I can leave a positive post one day and then am miserable and need to let it out (though it may be negative) the next day. My moods and emotions go from one extreme to the other even though I see my Psychiatrist every 2 months and am medicated with what has worked the best so far. I still can't control it at times. Ughhhh anger/frustration/depression/feeling alone/feeling like nobody...and I think to myself why do I let something so simple so nothing sometimes to affect me. It just d
HostTracy

HostTracy

10
My Journey Within

Neurologist Speaks at My Stroke Support Group

Tonight I went to a special stroke support meeting where a stroke trained Neurolgist was our guest speaker. Even after all I have read and been through it was really an enlightening experience. As I listened to some statistics it made me feel so sad inside. I truly wanted to cry for myself and the many many thousands that experience stroke each year. That doesn't even include the many many thousands who are just affected by someone they know or love having a stroke. Did you know that 795,000 Ame
HostTracy

HostTracy

3
SassyBetsy's Blog

Setting Aside The Doctors Orders

I am swelling so badly, my edema is not pitting but walking is painful,like on rocks on the bottom of my foot. I cried. I wear a circaid juxta support stocking thing,but it still swells. The cardiologist changed my diuretics from lasix to bumex and spironolactone.  And so then she said nothing can help me because too much diuretics can hurt kidneys. Yes I elevate,but sometimes I sit with legs down because I get up and down. Then I lie down elevating, which puts my leg to sleep,foot tingling. Onl
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

7
Precarious Perch

irony bite

Isn't it odd, in this time of technological marvel and information overload, that so much of the material we access online is so outdated?   Along with my recent stroke I am also a throat cancer survivor, approaching my 3 year remission anniversary on Sept 29.   I found that when I was first diagnosed and started researching my situation that the majority of the data online regarding  prognosis and such,.. You know, The ultimate question of "how long do I have?" was so outdat
beingnobody

beingnobody

4