greta,

i'm sure your stroke seems much longer than just one year. so many of us really do understand your feelings. while we cannot go back and change what happened, we need to accept what happened and move forward. you should be angry at what stroke has done to your life. stroke not only affected you, it's affected everyone around you. stroke HAS taken away so much, but you have only two choices - keep on being yourself or become someone else.

as stroke survivors, we cannot give up. we have to fight back. whether or not you can move an arm is not what defines you. you are fortunate that you have your marbles, because that is what defines you.

things have changed, but you have not. the person is whole; the body is a facilitator. if healing and recovery seems slow, it is still progress. on the good days, be sure to remember that --- and on the bad days, get pis*ed off and fight. you have a lot of people here in your corner!

Greta,

There are times when I reference to my pre-stroke days in terms of a lifetime ago. And it was a different life then. Yes, it does stink most days and it's not a bowl of cherries trying to accomplish tasks one-handed. But...I., like you, was provided another chance at life. It's up to us what we do with the chance we've been given. No one can force-feed us determination and positive attitude tonic but we can be there for each other...sit on the occasional pity-pot...flush it when done...and prepare for the next hurdle.

It does get easier with time - honest. (((hugs)))