First, I start off by saying I'm so thankful God has allowed me to see 7 years of recovery since my almost fatal stroke 15 January 2004! No one knows what a stroke can do to the mind, the family, the people you must face for many things including trying to return to work or get employment after a stroke. Let's face facts; we still need income to care for our families, house, car and things we worked to have to live a comfortable life.

No one knows better than any person who has to make provisions to just live life after a stroke. The care giver often has to take over working, paying the bills, providing loving care and in many cases raise the kids, get them back and forth to school and school activities they are involved with! It takes money to survive our life styles already established and in many cases now has to be modified to make ends meet. Hence, my saying, "If you can't make both ends meat, make one fish!"

Fishing around for answers, solutions and ways to keep our families together is still another concern we can't pass up. Normally when we are released from the hospital after the stroke, our share of the hospital bills are overwhelming so much that already we are in a deep hole and trust me it gets worse from that point and we are just beginning in this new life of having to do without many things we considered necessary!

I only wish I had all or some of the answers for families with a survivor in the house. In my case I was so glad to have my church family to help us pass the real tough times of paying the mortgage several months, lending helping hands and comfort at such a horrible time in your life. Most survivors lose their employments and it's downhill from there. First we try to get checks started from various places but that doesn't work out in many cases.

Either we are over the income limits or didn't pay into the system or not old enough to get the benefits. At that point it seems no one is willing to listen nor help. I was very glad to have God in my plans, it seem when He's in the plan things come together slowly but surely. I'm an older member here by age and time on the message board, so I say getting closer with God is the way to go. We are not promised to be on this earth forever nor even pass 70 years.

I was raised up in church by a caring mother but like most kids we feel we were made to go to church and had no say so in not going. But at some point in your adult life it feels good to turn to God. It seem like things began to fall into place and your help for any matter is at hand. Life goes on and on whether we do or not so enjoy life as a survivor and care giver, it could be worse than we feel it really is right now.

Well gang, we are losing our inspirational and Humor Forum, I'm told, so if you don't see me on the message board, don't figure I'm gone, I'm around maybe doing blogs more often to get some of the stuff to laugh at in my heart to keep from crying in my soup! Laughter is a way of life for me to keep from crying or letting myself get depressed needing medications. Laughter is medication in my mind. Hopefully I can blog about it without stepping on any toes! We shall see! :big_grin:

My prayers are for all of you daily in hopes we all can live a better life as care givers, survivors and family members. Let us not forget our members who has lost survivors since joining our support group. We still love you and very glad you are still a big part of the support body. If you are a new member or old member and young or older in age, we welcome you to join the group for support any way we can. We offer suggestions to you all from our own experiences, not medically, many of us are not doctors. There are many nurses here, some are still working in hospitals and doctor offices.

So, until my next blog, I remain the guy with a smile and love for each of you in support in the journey to recovery after stroke. Log in often especially after you've made a post to see the answers and comments you may have asked us to offer, it doesn't take us long to type with one finger! :happydance: