The last two days were my first days in over a month that I wandered out for anything other than doctor appointments. Yesterday, I visited with friends for a late Thanksgiving get together. There were about 20 people, and it was great to get out of the house and be with friends, even if just for a few hours. I even drove myself (have a left footed accelerator fitted in the car as my right side is affected), mainly due to the fact that if I became tired, I could leave. I would not have to bother someone there to take me home, or have to wait until they wanted to leave.

Anyway, I found I wanted to remove myself from the the ruckus several times through the evening. It was more than my brain could handle. I found it easier to have one on one conversations when I could find them. This is the first time I ever had this issue, post-stroke. I will attribute it to my Central Pain Syndrome, of which I was recently diagnosed with.

Today, I really wanted to get to church. I haven't been to church, again, in over a month, and being a pretty devoted Christian, it has been hard not going. My church has been very good to me, facilitating people to come to my apartment to help me. The church even paid some of my bills.

Friends came to pick me up at 8:30am, and we went to church together. I really needed to have my wheelchair for church, and since I can't get the chair into my car by myself, it is easier to ride with friends. My church is what is sometimes called a Megachurch. It is a large property, and I knew I wouldn't make it with just my walker. There would be too many miles to walk and I would have been exhausted.

I went to my Sunday School class and enjoyed it. After class we got a short break, and then off to the Sunday Church Service. Service is in an auditorium, and being so large in size, the sound is large in size too. Again, I nearly couldn't handle the volume from the Worship Band. I almost wheeled myself out. It never used to bother me, but today it was overwhelming. I liked the choice of music, but it was just too loud, and my brain was in sensory overload. I managed to get through it, and through the rest of the service. I have decided to get some earplugs before I go next time; hopefully it will help with the volume and my brain.

Getting out the past couple of days has been great, but I now know I have some new limitations. What a learning process stroke rehab is. Just when I thought I figured it out, a new wrinkle occurs. It does make life interesting though. As the old cliche says; "Never a dull moment."