Back from the South Coast of NSW after visiting my sister for her birthday. It was great to see her face as she had no idea that i was coming and the fact that i hadn't emailed or rang her the suprise was incedible and very emotional. One of my older brothers also traveled down from sydney. it was also great to catch up with my nieces and nephews and see how much they have grown. I travelled well with well planned stops and breaks. The road vibration also privided stimulation to my leg and foot,
Next weekend i will be taking my first long road trip since having the stroke, we will be travelling south of Sydney to Shoalhaven Heads which is about 3 hours by road south of Sydney. It will be my older sisters 60th birthday so her daughter has organised a surprise birthday party for her. So we have checked out suitable places to stop that have disabled bathrooms and access. Unfortunately it will be just an overnight trip as my daughter still has her final HSC exam to go. but the break will do
The AFO is working, i'm finding that my foot drop is getting better, even when i don't use the AFO my foot is staying flat on the floor and not spring up like a well oiled spring, i'm even managing a few feet by myself without assistance, i just need to build up my self confidence and i will be away.
The weather in Sydney is all over the place at the moment. On monday i was back in jumpers and long trousers then today back in shorts and t-shirt, very warm day. but we need rain baddly the poor
Hi Guys
Well for the past week i have been trying an AFO, and it's been a success, i find i'm walking straighter, better balanced, and getting my affected leg through without scrapping the toes, my own GP could not understand why the hospital physio didn't get me one ages ago. I know that the hospital doctor had recommended one but it never eventuated, It has I still get drop foot went i don't use it but once it's on i find the drop foot does't happen. For safety my wife still walks behind me
What a horrible day we just had, the day started of fine beautiful blue sky, gentle breeze, then about 11.00am the wind came in from the west, a howling gale the temp was about 90deg F, we were at a soccer picnic for our sons soccer team. the picnic ground had a great shelter protecting us from the sun but because there area was across the road from open fields we coped the full force of the wind. I was hoping to do some walking practice as it was nice flat terrain but because the wind was so st
Oh what a beautiful day, it's enough to make you burst out in song, but the local cats and dogs may object.
Today it's a great 25 deg c, (i've fogotten the imperial scale maybe 70+ deg F) theres no wind. been to the garden centre this morning to get some soil mix and herbs, we have some potatoes in already. all the spring bulbs are flowing, rose buds getting fat and ready to burst out into flower, the lavenders, bottlebursh etc are not far from flowering. we also have a large gum tree in the b
Yipee :Clap-Hands: it's finally getting warmer here in Sydney. Although it's been a mild winter it's still gets quiet chilly, at least we don't get snow here.
Sons soccer team won their comp so he's happy, Daughters team came mid comp but she had fun and the ladies took good care of her. She is busy studying for her final high school exams.
My walking is getting better but i have it's moments. Foot drop is my main bug bear, one moment i'm walking well be next moment i'm walking loopsided. A
A bit overcast today in Sydney today, we have one child away at a Venturer scout camp hiking in the Blue Mountains and the other visiting a mate before he plays in a soccer semi final tomorrow, they were minor premiers.
My wife and i helped at a Lions club BBQ this morning, not that i can do much at the moment, but it gets me out for a while.
have a good week
Ken
Just thought i would report in and see whats happening, it's still very cold hear in Sydney and i see that quiet a lot of the States are experiencing record high temperatures, bushfires etc. Although it has been cold the drought continues,
On the recovery side of things most of the numbness i was experincing is almost gone, in the past few day the extreme coldness i was experincing in isolated parts of my lower leg is abating. the worst area was from the calf muscle to under the right heel.
Just been to the doctors and more good news, My blood pressure, Weight, and blood tests are all perfect, as i said my balance is getting better by the day and it won't be long before i'm walking solo, as i had to walk down the hallway by myself this moirning as our puppy was getting the way and being a pest, he just wanted to help. So it won't be long before i'm going solo.
When i woke this morning i felt great, i breezed though my arm and leg exercises, and while working down to the kitchen i was walking straight and wasn't leaning on the cane to much. Then when i was having my shower i could actually feel the water pressure against my affected leg. This feeling has been coming back in sections but today it was all over. Even my morning stand felt better although when i got off the wedge it took a couple of minutes before the foot went right down. I only wish that
Just after Easter this year my balance was getting better, the numbness down the right hand side almost disappeared, my walking really improved, i finally felt happy within myself and decided to get on with life. Touch wood my memory is really good and i've been reflecting on my lifes achievements, disappointments, and were to from hear. The mine thing at the moment is to be able to walk independantly without my wife needing to hold my hips just in case i fall bakwards. All though my formal phys
Well another weekend has just past, my daughters team lost 4-1 but she scored her first goal, so she is over the moon, she has been in playing for 7 years and loves every minute of it. She is in an All Aged ladies team and being the youngest all the ladies really look after her. She is so happy as all the girls in her old u16 team were boy happy and Kristine got sick of all the rubbish they talked about. She is not boy happy which is a blessing. My 16 yo son was at on a Venturer Scout campin the
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At long last i can finally feel my calf muscle whilst doing my daily stand using the wedge and also leaning forward in the sitting position with the affected leg elevated and leaning forward. Almost all the surface feeling in coming back down the right hand side.
With winter upon us in the Australia i find my affected leg and sometimes the hand are like blocks of ice even with the fire on a blanket over the knees of a night but the daytimes have been warm i sit out in the su
today whilst walking i was finally getting a bit of a pull in the achilles tendon and this after noon my heal went straight down when i was standing on the wedge and i was able to balance for about minute with out holding on. so all i can say is yipeeee
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This morning whist doing my daily stretch againt the wall using a wedge i could finally feel my calf muscle stretching on my right hand side i've had little twinges whist walking for the past few days and my heel is striking the ground first. So fingers crossed the foot drop my be coming good. even whilst doing my excercises my balance is better especially the step ups and step downs hopefully i will try a few laps up and down the hallway unassisted today. the more confident i get i will achieve
Finally things are starting to come good, the numbness is finally going from my affected right hand side, and my balance is getting better, since i don't seam to walking lopsided any more and i'm bring my right leg through easier. I will be glad when i can walk and stand up by myself and return the wheelchair. I had two flat tyres this week and it took 4 days before the hospital maintence guy to come to fix it. i'm really looking forward to returning it to the hospital. the other reason i'm look
Still waiting to hear how my niece is going but thank you for your comments. I think the word cancer instantly in stalls fear and conjures you the worst fears.
It's like the word stroke i thought it was an old persons illness, it was not until i can onto this site, i was amazed at the ages of the victims, and that no 2 strokes or recovery is the same.
I'm still confused as to what caused my stroke, was it the medication they gave me at the hospital to clear the blockage at the bottom of the
I just received an email from my elder brother, his eldest daughter who is 27 has just been diagnosed with a Thyroid cancer, she goes into hospital next week, so fingers crossed the will be able to get on top of this. this time last year we were over the moon for her as she just had her first baby. she is such i careing mother and its just not fair.
So Leanne my prayers are with you and your family and i know you will fight this with all your might.
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what a great weekend here in Sydney very brisk mornings and warming sunshine as we are in Autumn (fall), but we could do with some rain.
On Saturday night we went to a Lions Club fundraiser fo a local Primary (junior) school we raised over $1500.00 dollars,
then on Sunday i first when to watch my daughters soccer team, unfortunately the lost but they tried hard. then when that was finished we when to watch my sons soccer game they won and remained undefeated.
A
After a couple of sad days i've picked myself up, dusted myself and getting on with my life. I had a few silly upsets and a couple of why me? days, but i'm ready and rearing to go again. i know that i've been doing it a bit hard but then i think about my wife and children and how hard it must be for them as well. i don't feel sorry for myself and must now keep on improving and win this battle only a positve attitude will make me win and get back to my old life, i'm blessed that i can still atten
Well i'm back on track, i was having a real bad day.
As a member of a Lions club i'm currently getting a Bulletin ready for a meeting and function. My involvement with Lions has been good therpy although i can't be as active at the moment like helping out at a BBQ or other activities it gives me an interest. Renewing former interests is very important in the healing process. once i can move around without assistance i will get back to my railway modelling and take up lawn bowls again.
Boy it's hard to stay positive, like most of us some days i go to bed and hope this the last time, but then when i wake up all the positive thoughts kick in and renew my determination to beat the demons and prove the so called experts wrong and return back to a almost normal life and not let little things upset me.
Well, i had a visit to the cardiologist last Friday, the news was all good. it is pumping a way like a little trojan so from a little hiccup, my reaction to the drugs was almost fatal I still can't get a suitable answer as to what went wrong. But i have gritted my teeth and vowed to prove the O/T and some of the doctors wrong and to walk unassisted and gain my independance back. i'm sick and tied of relying on my wife to support me when walking and who knows i may return to the work force. one d
It's so quiet today, the kids have been at Dragonskin with there venturer scouts group west of Sydney over the Blue Mtns, at least the days have been sunny about 26deg c, but the nights drop down -2deg c, even in sydney the nights are getting cool. i will go outside shortly and enjoy the sunshine and warmth. The thing i hate more then anything at the moment is not being able to walk around the garden an do the chores, but i will get there. after taking nearly 2 years to settle down after the str
