I have started blogging several times but seemed to erase it. I don't want to offend those that was hit a lot harder by stroke then myself, but then I got to thinking. I had a stroke also, I suffer from good days and bad days like everyone else here so why should I feel guilty because I wasn't left with any visible deficients. Fixing the inside will fix the outside (in many cases), so I too have to fix the inside.

I found this article posted by our host Jean (I think), this is just a synopsis of the full article:

CERTAIN COPING STRATEGIES IMPACT RECOVERY FROM STROKE

A stroke can lead to feelings of frustration, anxiety, anger, apathy or depression. By avoiding the emotional and behavioral aspects of what they went through, Dr. Grattan says patients who disengage are not dealing with natural feelings of loss and are not allowing themselves to take steps that could improve their condition.

"We believe these findings are important to keep in mind as we work with patients early in the recovery process," according to Dr. Grattan.

"Two people with the same stroke-related disabilities can have very different outcomes. One person may return to work and social activities, while the other may end up on permanent disability. We believe pre-stroke personality and coping strategies play a major role in how well patients recover," she adds.

I found that to be true in my case alot of my personality pre-stroke are the same and that's good and bad, but I have returned to the old me. My coping strategies is a different story. I decided to write them down on paper so maybe I can pull out of myself what the problem was and that's where I got stuck. I learned I couldn't cope or didn't cope. I have no coping stratgies so I can't move forward. I have to learn that this is going to be who I am and I thought that would be easy. It's hard to admit that I need a little bit of help and I can't do everything. That's the not so good personality trait of the old me. Maybe this will help me move forward. I never thought that having a stroke would have such a major impact on my life if I had the ability of my arms and legs. My heart goes out to those who have suffered paralysis and then have to struggle with the emotional aspect of a stroke.

sgriffin