• 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
Sue's Sentiments

Time to think some new thoughts

I am a born nurturer. I had thirteen years looking after my dear Ray before he died, I thought that was the end of my caregiving days but somehow I just go on caring for people, not in my home, not every day but as the need arises. I do this partly as the pastoral worker for my church and partly out in the community with the friends I have made in the dementia and stroke groups. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind doing it, but I do get tired, sometimes very tired. So a few days out in desert c
swilkinson

swilkinson

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spacie1's Blog

I am Not a Paid Caregiver

I take care of my stroke survivor husband... been his caregiver since his stroke in 2004. I do not want a job as a caregiver to others. Caregiving is exhausting, but I do it out of commitment and obligation. When I get a break from it and leave him with paid caregivers, I don't want to spend my time taking care of someone else............I need the breaks. That doesn't sink in to an elderly neighbor who knows that I care for my husband, and expects me to help her out since I am a caregiver.  
srademacher

srademacher

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Strokewife's Blog

The Tortoise and The Hare

One day a hare was bragging about how fast he could run. He bragged and bragged and even laughed at the tortoise; who was so slow. The tortoise stretched out his long neck and challenged the hare to a race, which, of course, made the hare laugh.   "My, my, what a joke!" thought the hare. "A race, indeed, a race. Oh! What fun! My, my! a race, of course, Mr. Tortoise, we shall race!" said the hare.   The forest animals met and mapped out the course. The race begun, and the hare, being such a
Strokewife

Strokewife

6
SandyCaregiver's Blog

Sickness, Grocery PkUP(!) and Fire

I will attempt to catch people up on what's been happening on our end. I had been having a really good roll on organizing last fall, until I got extremely sick on Sept 29, and stayed that way for 6 weeks. My progress stopped, and I was only able to do the minimum for Bob, and crash again.   I sat in front of my computer, wondering how I was going to be able to buy the groceries.. I could barely function! Then I saw this add on the side of the page about Walmart having grocery pic
SandyCaregiver

SandyCaregiver

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Jayallen's Blog amazing days

2016 goes out on a high note

Saturday is one of my typical days to do volunteer work so December 31st which was a Saturday I was here and there were no stroke survivors for me to meet with but one of the nurses asked me if I would talk to another gentleman turns out he survived two stroke 18 years ago but he was in the hospital receiving radiation therapy so we chatted for a little while and finally he says to me Jay I have to tell you I can tell by the tone of your voice just what a caring compassionate person you are I sa
Jayallen

Jayallen

2
achandra's Blog

things I am grateful for year 2016

I am so happy Blogs are back. So here is my first blog for year 2017, its copy of post I posted in forum when blog was not available & I needed to blog.   Usually I like to blog about my life every now & then & love the support I get in the form of comments which always encouraged me to post more positives of my life. When I first came to this site in Nov 2004. I was hugely depressed. I never thought I would find joy in living again, & could never feel I belong here. I felt I w
HostAsha

HostAsha

2
My Journey Within

Blogs are back and I am excited!

It's seems so long since blogs have been available and a big than you to Steve and team for being able to bring this great thing back online. Holidays are now passed and we are enjoying the beginning of our new year! My birthday was Dec 2nd and we decided my birthday and Christmas would be after the New Year because money was an issue this year. I am looking at 2 of my gifts which arrived this past week and I've been told no opening until they all get here. I am patient but I see them here on th
HostTracy

HostTracy

2
achandra's Blog

some days I feel I can conquer world & some days feel like idiot.

I was thinking about writing things to be grateful about for this year till yesterday. Today I feel so much at loss. can't do any work properly & feels like going in circle can't decide what I want to do in life & how to go about it. okay my life is still great, lot to be grateful about & I have no complaints there. I got amazing family & I am surrounded by most of the people who like me or pretend to. Anyways life goes on. I understand life could have been so much worse than wha
HostAsha

HostAsha

3
Strokewife's Blog

That's Amore: A Christmas Greeting

“When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie that’s amore…”   They wrapped themselves in light jackets, she also slipped on Uggs to warm her feet, and he nestled a blanket around his legs after settling into his wheelchair. With great exhilaration they made their way to the local restaurant just a few blocks away from home. The attraction was that it had a wrap around patio that overlooked a small lake. Mostly, ducks, turtles, and cattails thrived with in the aquifer but the serenity t
Strokewife

Strokewife

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My Journey Within

Twice In One Day!

It must be a full moon because believe it or not craziness happened again on my street. This time two girls were fighting and two guys were trying to break it up. One guy was standing between the passenger seat and the door of an SUV and the lady in the car hit the door and it closed on this guy. Then the lady in the SUV rammed into her car then they both backed up and ran into each other. I called 911 for a second time about totally different people and told them they better get back over here
HostTracy

HostTracy

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My Journey Within

Scary Neighborhood Moment

I hope I helped someone...this morning I heard a big bang or pop and it scared me it was really loud and close and sounded like a gun. Moments later there was a guy and a girl in the street and he was punching her in the face I called 911 and the police came 1 then 2 cars then 3 and 3 more undercover cars with cops who had protective vests on. It's been over and hour and 2 policemen are still there. It was scary! I don't live in the best neighborhood so I pleaded with the officer to please keep
HostTracy

HostTracy

2
susancm's Blog

Gratitude

Things I'm grateful for, there are many, change for me every day; the list is ever growing.   Gratitude for me can be as simple as being able to feel the sun on my face, or hearing a bird sing, to the warmth I feel when I get a hug. (At this moment it's the imitation snowflakes falling on the screen!)   An 'attitude of gratitude' is a wonderful thing to have.   Susan :wreath:
smarshall

smarshall

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My Journey Within

Being Thrifty at Christmas

Being thrifty at Christmas is one of those things that I don't enjoy. I don't spend an enormous amount by any means but maybe one gift and a card seems hard to me. I shouldn't complain...my Christmas check off list is coming along well, I get to see my mom and family this Saturday and just the whole atmosphere at my mom's is magical. All the grandkids get presents and all the adults get money (the same amount each year) which has made us all cry at one moment or another just out of need and feel
HostTracy

HostTracy

4
Gizmo, Gadget Guy

One phone call

My oh my how one phone call can change things. Last week I had an ultra sound of my liver. The local va has been watching a spot on my liver for almost two years now. This last six month check showed it has grown a bit. My doc called 4 hours after the test and said he wanted an mri to be sure. He does not feel it is serious but wants the mri to see exactly what is going on. It is scheduled for January 18th.   Soooo, all the travel plans due to start this week are out the window. The driving le
GeorgeLesley

GeorgeLesley

3
Sue's Sentiments

Memories from the past

As a caregiver for thirteen years I lost my personality. I became Sue, caregiver to Ray. I wore sensible shoes, practical outfits and had my hair cut short so I could just wash it and brush it and it dried by itself. Ray was the focus of my life. What Ray needed was routine, regular sleep patterns, more time at home, and because as he had stroke after stroke my workload increased and I spent my days waiting on Ray. I was an independent working woman when he stroked in 1999 and it was hard to adj
swilkinson

swilkinson

3
Jayallen's Blog amazing days

A new holiday tradition

I have always made peanut brittle. As Christmas presents. I use a multigenerational recipe. Three years ago i had my stroke the weekend i had planned to make it. Since then when i want to make my brittle i have to arrange for adult supervision . Last year my sister inlaw agreed. This year decided. It is a new tradition for us. We have fun. I am so blessed.
Jayallen

Jayallen

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My Journey Within

Update About my Christmas To Do List

I am so happy to say that I am halfway through my list. This list I made instead of a New Year's Resolution because I wanted to see it happen. New Year's Resolutions have not been keepers for me but this is a list I can mark off - 10 things. Five checked!!! Today we put up the wall tree and even decorated around the living room a bit. Yesterday I made a simple Holiday Wreath and have it hanging on my door! I also put garland and ribbon up outside! I got an apple scented candle and today we decor
HostTracy

HostTracy

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fking's Blog

Christmas Time Is Here And The New Year Right Behind

Well before we can all say Santa Claus Christmas will be upon us and a brand new year too, yea 2017 is ready to come on in our lives and homes.... The new car ideas will be running through our minds making us think do we want to get in big debt to have a brand new car or truck???? I guess it all depends on your income level and with that said I have to keep on driving my old 2003 Ford Explorer for a few more miles longer and it has over two hundred and nine thousand on it right now..... It runs
fking

fking

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My Journey Within

A Fellow Member got me to Thinking About Goals...Thank You Heather!

Goal setting and accomplishing is a very difficult task for me (It's a stroke thing from the cerebellum). I started out in Speech Therapy by writing my goals for each hour of the day. Pretty micromanaged but a necessary evil. I find myself having the same difficulties again. Thinking, writing notes, planning ahead which is great to do but for me going through my day can feel like a yo-yo. So I have decided to refocus on my daily goals. I haven't yet started speech again but I have a Dr. order th
HostTracy

HostTracy

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heather's Blog - Heather was here

A busy but satisfying weekend

After being reminded that I meant to try to get some more social contacts after a thread from Marcia (Newlease) reminded me. I got onto "meetup" last week and today I went to a creative craft afternoon. "Christmas card collage" It was held at an inner suburban cafe, 8 people I'd never met before sitting at a big table cutting and pasting and chatting just because. Some of the women were incredibly creative and I was much less impressed with my own efforts but I'll certainly do it again. The subj
heathber

heathber

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Ksmith's Blog

yikes

Well yesterday started out like any normal day except I was doing a little housework for I was getting ready to go to my son's to be with him for his dad ( my ex husband) and his new girlfriend were leaving the next day for a flight to catch a cruise. So running around and doing cleaning wasn't anything new. I work better rushed and have done so in cleaning even after the stroke. But since I'm kinda having all the things I can't have after my surgery: like soda and coffee, I'd had a cup in the
ksmith

ksmith

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