I've been meaning to do another blog entry since Christmas...I can't believe it is already April 1. My plans of visiting the strokeNet board more frequently have been in vain altho' I have looked around on occasion; I'm just not active. Since we are getting ready to leave on a vacation, what better time to get my "house" in order!

Things have been busy but not really hectic as hectic goes. We have had something going every month, including relatives visiting from out of state 3 different times which usually upsets the apple cart. I have still been doing 3 days of some type of therapy a week and a face-to-face stroke group 1x/month. I don't see the improvements I used to and have gotten discouraged more often. I guess my endurance is better (I still nap more days than not) and I am able to do more around the house. Usually by the weekend I am exhausted and can't do much of anything. My left leg still isn't taking signals from my brain. But who am I to complain; I can hobble around with a cane or walker and I can drive which is really a biggy. Coming from a gal who not quite 2 years ago was in a coma, completely paralyzed and it was iffy if I would live, I know God has given me a miracle. It helps me to help others which I can with my pool therapy just being an example of working hard to improve and keeping as good of an attitude as I can muster up for that day. I silently pass that same message to my work-out club and to others who have know the "old" me and the "new" me. Of course, as we know, others who haven't stroked don't realize the emotional scars we carry.

I'm trying to move slower after falling several times in the house (due to not taking my time), including a week ago when I ended up with a doozy of a black eye, now almost healed. I have been fortunate none of my falls ended up at the hospital...just scared the heck out of me. I can get up by myself now if there is something to hang on to.

I am also now trying acupuncture. It has helped my back pain but not my leg "yet"? I've had 3 sessions and will keep trying. One thing I love is how serene it makes me feel lying there with calm Chinese music and I cannot feel the needles.

Tomorrow (April 2) we leave on a much needed vacation. Last year we went to our favorite resort on St. Lucia (a small island in the west indies of the Caribbean) but the plane ride of 12 hours was way too much for me. So I didn't think we could return. A few months after being home, I pondered on the HOW we could go. So we are flying into Miami and spending a couple days (we can see friends there) and then flying NON-STOP and only 3 hours to St.

Lucia. I mailed our income tax returns yesterday (YEH for me, as I am the number person in the family and I am always the one who gathers all the info for our accountant; I am amazed and grateful my brain still is able to do that). I finally am compleley packed. I seemed to have obsessed more over packing this year...don't know why except for last year I was on more pain medication and lorazapam than I am now.

That's all folks for this blog. We have to get up early which I hate. No fretting; pretty soon I can sleep in every day if I want and not feel guilty!! No laptop, so no temptations to play games and such. Adios. :cheer: