• 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
    • 2,556 views
My Journey Within

Bad News Today

My Gynecologist sent me an email that tells me he has gone over my pathology results from the D&C with Hysteroscopy last week and they found Endometrial Hyperplasia WITH Atypia. His says this means Hysterectomy and that I will need to see a Gyn Oncologist. It means that the Endometrial Cells are morphing toward Cancer cells. It also means that I would have to get a Complete Hysterectomy with Pathology during and depending on results lymph nodes removed. I think I read 29% lead to Uterine Can
HostTracy

HostTracy

6
My Journey Within

Getting Ready for Fall

I've been trying to keep myself busy and my neighbor has a fall wreath that gave me inspiration to make my own. It only took about 3 hours and cost only about $18. I am pretty proud of it.
HostTracy

HostTracy

3
Sue's Sentiments

Thank you for coming to my party

A big Thank you to the "guests" who came to Caregiver Chat for my retirement party. I have been a Chat Host for eleven years and I am stepping down for many reasons. I am not leaving the site as I will still be the Blog Moderator. I will not be on chat as often but will call in from time to time. I am sure Host Sally will do her usual amazing job and all will be well. There will always be someone there to support you when you need it. To the many people who gave up an hour of the evening to be
swilkinson

swilkinson

3
Ksmith's Blog

YAY.. I AM NOT SLOW.. well kinda but not as bad

Well today I got the results from my neuropsychology and I was very pleased. I’ve learned that my recovery has been very good and strong in a lot of aspects I do have some difficulties in my frontal lobes in my executive function. It’s strange because when you hear what kind of stroke I had you would assume that it will only focus on one side of my brain when in fact it focused on many parts of my brain. My family doctor only sees the stroke happening on my left side of the brain but he forgets
ksmith

ksmith

7
AmbassadorLenny's Blog

well finally!!!! the boston red sox will get into the world series

well as you may rememberthat I have always been a very big baseball fan :Doh: and that my favorite team has always been the boston red sox :thumbs up: well I am very happy to say that the red sox has been doing a very good job of winning baseballyea!!!boston, and so as you know david Ortiz isretiring :crying: and a lot of fans is very sad to see him go :crying: so in my mind the gift for david retiring is a gift of the world series to go out with a bangjust wanted to blog to let you know that
lharrison

lharrison

3
My Journey Within

My Progress in Psychotherapy is Still an Ongoing Need...

For several weeks I looked forward to my appointments with my psychologist. He helped me find ways to challenge myself when it came to dealing with stressful things. He helped me see strength where I felt very weak. I began to use these thoughts in my everyday life and I was doing it. Standing my ground, speaking up, forgiving myself, learning that real expectations are not finite. I began to come out of my comfy shell a bit more. Visit family and seek stimulation...this is when I started garden
HostTracy

HostTracy

4
spacie1's Blog

Memorial Garden

I am working on putting in a memorial garden for our son, Dan. So far we've planted a few flowering shrubs and some potted flowers and I'm ordering a nice bench and a fountain to place out front. I'll need to have Kelly paint the brick on the front of the house as it is faded, but once that's done we can finish the project. We will try to have a little party to dedicate it to his memory sometime in October or November, depending on what date works best for family and friends. One of Dan's good f
srademacher

srademacher

5
My Journey Within

Progress became very slow...

After my stuttering incident, I noticed that I had slipped backwards quite a bit. My emotions were all over the place and I honestly stayed away from family and friends for quite a while. During the beginning of the stuttering I had postponed my therapy, PT and Speech. I know I definitely should have stayed in speech it probably would have helped but I felt so out of control every second of the day that I had huge anxiety from it. Everything that I had been working on slowly slipped backwards. M
HostTracy

HostTracy

7
When your soul dies

Exploring the Possibilities

Leave no stone unturned. There was a time when I was younger and without a physical disability. I always tried new things. Somewhere along the way I started to accept the status quo but if you don't try new things, you stay in the same old place. As long as you are alive you can move forward. You will not always succeed but failure is just another stepping stone to success. It is a learning experience. I have always been a perfectionist. If I couldn't give something my all out best and do it we
Pearls

Pearls

5
Jayallen's Blog amazing days

Laughter is the best medicine, at least for me

There is nothing funny abiut having-surviving a stroke, however there are humorous situations that arise and I must laugh at them or I would surely cry. The other day switching buses one driver I've gotten to know ealked by and i hear Hey you how are you.but I couldn't see eho it was. She walked up to me put her face directly in front of me. She said "can you sre me know? I assumed you couldn't see me " i daid yes but the best thing is I can laugh about. It was quite a sight the two r
Jayallen

Jayallen

4
Sue's Sentiments

Fairies, Aliens and Fantasy Creatures

I was sick all last week with a chest infection. It really took away my energy and I spent a lot of the time watching the Paralympics. Thank goodness this year's programming gave me a lot of options to watch so I saw a variety of sports. It certainly was inspiring to watch people who were struggling to just walk who were running, jumping, rowing, throwing the discus etc. I have to say I have great admiration for those who overcame great odds to be the best in their chosen sport. It certainly rai
swilkinson

swilkinson

4
scottm's Blog

Good news / bad news / confused...

I had the evaluation done today to determine my final status for the stem cell clinical trial. Bad news is I was excluded because I am too strong. They said they needed weaker subjects so they could show significant improvement. On the other hand that is good news and shows that my PT is working. When we got home I had an email from the trial doctor recommending that I look into a separate trial focused on improving my gait which they had noticed. It is run by a researcher in the same area so I'
scottm

scottm

7
scottm's Blog

Tomorrow is the day

Tomorrow at 10 AM I meet with the study doctor and his minion who has done all the pre-work to confirm I am a fit for the study. Tomorrow is blood tests mainly to confirm none of my major organs are failing, they aren't. Chest X-ray to confirm I have a heart, some people say I don't but my chest is full of wire ties used to put my sternum back together. Will those set off a metal detector at the airport? Then a full suite of movement tests, the ones we've all taken like pick up a marble, now a d
scottm

scottm

2
Jayallen's Blog amazing days

Please dont conplain to me

Sharing coffee with a felkiw survivor i was whining about the fact it took me over a month to read a book 180 pages , pre stroke it would've been 1 day. My friend said " please dont complain to me, Im still relearning to read, Id love to have what you have. No matter how frustrating it is. Lremember when you think you have it bad there is likely someone worse off. Keep fighting the good figgt. Jay
Jayallen

Jayallen

3
My Journey Within

Wish Me Luck...

I go in for a same day surgery to help with a female problem I am having. Not everyone wants to know about this so if you don't just stop now LOL. I have endometrial hyperplasia and it has caused for the past year and a half to bleed like I'm dying. I have only been not anemic once for 3 months in thta past year and a half. When I had the stroke my Hemoglobin was 7 and my hematocrit was 23 with 0 iron stores. Needless to say Iron pills do not help me so since about a month after the stroke I hav
HostTracy

HostTracy

6
williamharris' Blog

Lost crown on a back molar

This happened3 weeks ago. Our dentist was on vacation therefore the office could only put the crown back on with temporary glue. The temp job lasted three days. So we had it put on temporarily twice. Finally the dentist comes back and William refuses to go. I had to cancel the appointment. I reschedule for next week. The office wants me to buy temp glue at the pharmacy and replace the crown. But I doubt that William will let me. So I will just wait until Thurs and pray that William will go.
williamharris

williamharris

2
Jayallen's Blog amazing days

Hearing completed

Glad its over i felt it went good but what di i kbiw about SSA hearings.   Most importantly my lawyer with years of exp. And many many hearing thought it went very well now the next waiting gane begins
Jayallen

Jayallen

1
Jayallen's Blog amazing days

Welcome unrxpected encouragement

With my volunteer work i visit different floors i always check in at the nurse's station. I alway chat with tge nurse in charge. Thursday, the day before my SSA hearing i checked in as always the nurse asked if i was ok i wasnt my usual chipper self. I said i am fine but nervous about the hearing.   An hour later as i was leaving she was getting off the elevator as i was trying to get on she stopped gave me a big hug and dont wirry it will be fine. What a beautiful gesture from a fellow
Jayallen

Jayallen

2
Sue's Sentiments

Small woes of a sick widow

I have been sick for a week, only a chest infection and cough but enough to slow me down and keep me home. I thought of going to the doctor for antibiotics but usually only do that if it turns to bronchitis which fortunately it didn't do this time. Spent the first three days inside,trying to keep either cool or warm as it seemed to change hour by hour. I went out on the fourth day to a meeting, to an appointment and then did some shopping and that was really tiring. Going out was definitely not
swilkinson

swilkinson

7
My Journey Within

Where Is My Water Cooler...

For the past month I have anticipated the arrival of something new, something for some reason I have held onto like a child waiting for a present to arrive. It's actually my daughter's but she got it for all of us to use. A water cooler that has immediate cold or hot water come out of its spigot when you press a button. That means no more buying big packs of bottled water, if I want hot tea I can just push a button and the hot water will flow into my cup and all I need is a tea bag, oh and there
HostTracy

HostTracy

5
Jayallen's Blog amazing days

Happiness

Playing in the yard with my 8year old grabd daughter just being silly we decided to go in it was very cool so we snuggled on the sofa and she said i think we need a blanket. Oh what a joy. Later she stood gave me a
Jayallen

Jayallen

1
Gizmo, Gadget Guy

The Alfa is gone....

Yesterday I sold my 1991 Alfa Romeo Spider convertible I once posted pics of here. It just did not fit our new much travel lifestyle. Sitting here in the garage only used a few times a year made no sense, so I sold it. I really did not feel sorrow watching it go down the driveway for the last time. Our plans now include so much travel in our motor home that I will not have much time to miss it. Lesley threw a hissy fit at first when I put it on the market, but she has come around now realizing i
GeorgeLesley

GeorgeLesley

2