• 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
Ethyl17's Blog

Looking forward to some warm weather

Been meaning to blog for a while now, just finding the time, as we all understand.   But as Bruce enters his eighth year of stroke, an interesting change in his recovery. His cognitive status is so much improved. I waited months before I mentioned it to our Doctors because I thought I was misreading or seeing improvement where there was none. Then my sister mentioned it, so I knew Bruce was continuing to improve.   My Psychologist did another Psych-Neuro and sure enough!   He is reading no
Ethyl17

Ethyl17

4
Jayallen's Blog amazing days

30 month anniversary. 2.5 years

2.5 years ago today a dramatic and traumatic Health crisis stop the journey I was on and started me on a path of a New Journey a new normal the path of the new Journey has not always been smooth there have beenroad blocks, detours and bumps along the way. This morning sharing a cup of coffee soaking up the early morning sun I contemplate the beauty of life and how blessed I really have to be here to experience this. Often Words fail me when I try to describe the intense Jubilation I feel t
Jayallen

Jayallen

2
SassyBetsy's Blog

Mothers Day

Mothers Day used to be magical. Homemade cards and pictures,bead necklaces I wore later to work,and hugs galore. Later on, tickets,dinners,texts. Glorious time changed pages. Mothering often disrespected forgotten. Heart lined with velvet faded and worn still beating out love no matter what.Alone. No one needing a hand to hold. A job well done. Proud weeping. Better way as I drift to mist. I can walk off stage now unnoticed. This next Act is all for me.
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

4
Punch1021's Blog

Still in Sweater's in May

It's May and I am still cold. Something about this month where the weather goes backwards here. One year I remember we had to beg for the heat to be turned back on in our building because it was so cold. I am still wearing a sweater and my winter coat. I know it's not me and my health issues because other people are doing the same. I cannot wait for Summer. I was hot one day and I loved it. Just hope the warmer weather stays a little bit longer this year. I feel like I have been in a jac
Punch1021

Punch1021

0
Jayallen's Blog amazing days

Memory slip leads to monor anxiety attack and a solution

I was on the bus thinking about the different [laces I wanted to try to get done this afternoon it all the sudden, I realized had forgotten where I was going. after 20 seconds I remembered it was Tuesday and I needed a transfer to go to the hospital for work. Now on my solution moving forward.I have a written itinerary for the day primarily the sequence of places to go, I cross them off as I get to the destination. My memory slip, may be a function of my stroke or just part of the aging pr
Jayallen

Jayallen

2
fking's Blog

No more Colonoscopies

Well my doctor said I didn't need to have any more done everything looks good not even in 2023 which is what he first said to I guess my body has no more polyps or what ever they are called so that's good news for now I was glad to hear that news.... I took my other ones I had done at another hospital a few years back plus what they had on file at the VA so hopefully my body is cleared.....   My wife was all smiles so I suppose I will be living with her a little while longer if nothing else po
fking

fking

5
Jayallen's Blog amazing days

Back on stage literally and metaphorically

As I continue my journey I was challenged okay may be prodded to get "back on stage." I love theater, I has always been a part of my life, except the past 2.5 years. This last weekend I was involved with the Stage production with our local Community Theatre Group which I've been a part of for the last 32 years. I was very apprehensive with my memory issues about going back on stage. A discussion with my councilor a few months ago she said to me I promised I would never tell you what to do b
Jayallen

Jayallen

0
williamharris' Blog

LColonoscopy tomorrow

I am signed in as William. I cannot sign in as Ruth. I am the caregiver to my husband William , who had his stroke in Dec. 2008. It is hard to believe that so much time has gone by. Well, I am still taking care of myself. Getting that colonoscopy done. I can remember the 1st one when I turned 50. I think that I had one 5 years later. But I am not sure. I am now 62. So I decided to have another one done. Particularly since me job maybe ending. The company that I work has lost their contr
williamharris

williamharris

5
Mitch's Blog

Being a parent is often a pain in the butt

Jules and I have just returned from Melbourne and are settling down in front of a blazing fire while it rains cats and dogs. The trip down to see the children - for Mother's Day yesterday, Sunday May 8 - was not a great success.   We got down to Melbourne on the Saturday, and Mia asked me if I could take the two grandkids, Jack and Gus, to the shopping mall, help them buy a card each for she and Jules, and try to instill in them the need for respect and understanding. It all harks back to he
Mitch04

Mitch04

2
Sue's Sentiments

smoky days

'Then I smile and say: "When a lovely flame dies, smoke gets in your eyes"' (written by American composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Otto Harbach ) applies to my life and the atmosphere as there is a lot of controlled burning being done right now with autumn waning and winter on the way. The controlled burning means a lot of smoke hazard. It is in response I think to the slow build up of fuel (leaves, fallen trees etc) lying on our forest floors. The big blaze in Canada right now is a reminder of
swilkinson

swilkinson

2
fking's Blog

The VA Appointments I Got Coming Up

Well it's not new news but I got to go to the VA for tomorrow and the next few days to get things done to my scooter lift in my vehicle which is install a new lift since this one is twelve years old and very used over that time.... Then to see my VA doctors and a bit more stuff has to get done on this trip....   The 25th of this month is my eye appointment and then I'm good for another year except for the Dental appointments later this year and at that time I sorta start all over again but at
fking

fking

7
Carol's Blog

A Trip to the Mall

Yesterday I went to the mall. This is the first such trip for us since I had the stroke last summer. We live one and a half hours from the closest mall and that is a good thing until we actually need something at the mall. It was a rainy day, I wanted to avoid some less than exciting chores at home, and I needed to try to find some orthotics for a new pair of very sensible post-stroke shoes. So off we went. The first debate was the route to be taken. New Hampshire does not have good east-west ro
CarolR

CarolR

5
Mitch's Blog

Apologies everyone.......

It has been ages since I last blogged, and to tell the truth I haven't had the heart to write anything. But two regulars in here both emailed me today and urged me to make another entry.   The last time I blogged - if I recall correctly - my delusional son in law had left my daughter and her two young sons 2 weeks after the family had moved into another home, which had a whopping mortgage. It transpired about 10 days ago that he had taken up with his equally delusional 37 yo girl friend (who
Mitch04

Mitch04

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aanaruk's Blog

A Major Change!

Hello Anybody who happens to see this!   Well, it has happened. About five and a half months ago on Friday the 13th (of November 2015) I left work for the last time, I turned 66 in October so eligible for 100% social security.   After a massive hemorrhagic stroke in May 2005 it was miraculous I was able to work this long. The last year was great with four trips to the UK, one to Sweden and one to Australia. I'll miss the travel, but from now on travel is with the two of us. We're going
aanaruk

aanaruk

2
Ksmith's Blog

ummmmm....

Well today officially starts the first day of the sale of beach tags for the summer beach season. Good thing my father is the beach director but no deals or sales.. oh well at least I'm starting not to be so self conscious because I started to listen to my parents again as they fill in my 'lost gaps' of memory. Pretty scary stuff from their perspective. As with most everything I hear about my past sounds like a movie or story I would find in a library. So I went to a small business expo in So
ksmith

ksmith

2
Strokewife's Blog

Love to Laugh

When moving forward in to each day as a caregiver to a stroke survivor there are moments that are simply excruciating. It can be the late night awakening to assist him to the bathroom when I have had little to no sleep, a strong arm hold when he is leaning toward a potential fall, or remaining calm during his uncontrolled emotional outburst due to stroke. There are moments when I feel like the rug has been pulled out from under me and I don’t have the energy to get up. As a caregiver to my hu
Strokewife

Strokewife

2
SassyBetsy's Blog

Living Is Like Making A Collage

If you put every picture straight then its kinda boring, you can try to plan it out but you end up making it up as you go,mistakes blend in eventually,it always feels like it needs more and is never finished, it fits together like it was all designed to, some mistakes look better than the plan.   I make collage on a poster board with my next door neighbor. I saw her sitting by window alone, so I kept inviting her to bingo. Eventually she said yes. She aLways goes now. When I wanted to be her r
SassyBetsy

SassyBetsy

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Jayallen's Blog amazing days

Humbled beyond words

I've been volunteering at the hospital for just over a year now my title is patient Ambassador which is really a quality assurance day talking with the patients making sure everything's okay and make sure they understand I can't fix anything but I get it directed to the right people recently one of the nurses introduced me to a stroke survivor is the stroke and bassador and when I introduce myself I let them know that I am a stroke survivor that definitely opens the door to a lot of discussions
Jayallen

Jayallen

1
Sue's Sentiments

The benefits of being part of a support site

Just talking on chat with Host Sally about how we need older people in our lives to guide us, to be the guides, counselors, encouragers, earth mothers, wise women and agony aunts. We also need strong men who have wisdom, the answers grown out of experience, the time to sit and help us work out a solution. In other words we need each other. We need to get out of our generational group and take heed of what others see. I find this in the church too and in the other organisations I belong to. I
swilkinson

swilkinson

8
fking's Blog

Well It's On To More Healing Of My Body

I'm dealing with a lot on my plate and have been for some time now but healing my body is my main goal so I can attend church again and many more things I just haven't been quite able to accomplish on my own.... My wife is such a wonderful caregiver and holding down a full time job too at the bank.....   She quit her job for two years when I first had the stroke and I got better and went to work for three years at Walmart as a greeter using my scooter as all life was good for both of us.... It
fking

fking

4
Strokewife's Blog

Care Giving turned Care Living

Caregiving turned Careliving   In the beginning, when my husband was laying in a hospital bed not showing signs of coherency I would sit holding his hand and talk to him as if nothing was out of the ordinary. It didn’t matter if he heard me or not I just believed the sound of my voice comforted him. There were many days in the beginning when he would be talking a lot of scattered things. It seemed he was dreaming, hallucinating or telling stories that only made sense to him. I contributed
Strokewife

Strokewife

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Sue's Sentiments

Little bits of happiness

Life goes on, heading to winter, after a few sunny days a cloudy day yesterday and again today. It was our market day today at church and although it was wet and we didn't have a lot of stallholders I think it was a profitable day. I always enjoy the market as it is a good way to spend four or five hours and with plenty of people to talk to . Sometimes I even see folk from my past and enjoy a catch up. We have a woman who brings vegetables straight from the farm she and her husband run and t
swilkinson

swilkinson

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