What do you do in a Day

[Guest alice344]

Gosh, I'll sound like pollyanna here, but I ran a resume writing business out of my house for five years (I think the stress of business owership is why I stroked, but that is another issue) and I never used to get my work done - not satisfying. Being home with no structure sucked.

 

I found that I need a schedule, a routine, even if it is when I do my therapy, when I make my husbands's lunch and when I take my medicine...I have yahoo as my email and they have a good calendar program that you can make public and share with friends...I also spend a good amount of time on email, sending jokes and staying visible to friends.

 

Email is a great time consumer and a great time waster...it is easy to do email because it is rewarding to be remembered by friend and as an extrovert, I love the interactions with the outside world...but remember, if you are doing email, you are in a VIRTUAL world...it is not nearly as rewarding as being out there in the world yourself.

 

I live near a bus line, thank heavens, and did the treadmill every day until I could walk a mile...I started a 1.9 and worked up to half a mile at 2.6 speed...this is enough for me to be able to cross streets in the time those damn stop lights give me and to walk to a bus stop/transfer between buses...Because I can now use the bus, a whole world opened up to me...I can independently go to:

Hospital therapy sesssions

I spent 2 hours doing OT, and speech therapy homework every day

I go to Tai Chi and QiGong Classses which have been great for my balance and peace of mind..most colleges and community center offers this - You can also find info on UTube on the short form yang style...there are stroke survivors in my class.

A friend donated a treadmill to me.

I joined a health club that was on the bus line...I also know that if I'm dying to get there, it is a $8.00 cab ride from home.

My caregiver /husband HATES to do errands so I agreed to take $80 a week to pay for cabs

Another friend gave me a keyboard...I'm trying to get my piano skills back...Music build nureological pathways and is HUGELY beneficial for stroke survivors and alzheimers patients as it challenges your sense of rhythm (big for my Ataxia), my finger strenth (OT therapist is happy) and I can sing better than I talk (prettty common, speech therapist will tell you), so my breathing is helped by singing

At home, I read books on meditation, positive thinking and have books on tape to listen to on the bus. it takes much longer to do bus commute so you need something to keep you occupied...wish i could read on the bus, but can't

I volunteer for political campaigns which is HUGELY satisfying...Washington state has I-1000, a death with dignity referendum, and the organizers were THRILLED to have someone with disabilities be in favor of it - I wave signs, seated on bridges that span Seattle Freeways, I stuff envelopes and help with mailers, and scan info into their database (inlieu of doing data entry)

I had a friend help me shop churches as I had no spiritual life prior to my stroke...I found a new thought church that has classes and have gotten to know a lot of new people who are willing to take me places

I go to lunch with friends - i told them I am free on Mondays and Fridays -

I go out of my way to think of way I can get involved and things I can do for other people to stay visible in their lives - If i help them, or something they care about, even send them a joke to make their day better - they are willing to help me.

 

My stroke was seven months ago...I had a cerebellar stroke. I was a former recruiter who now has ataxic dyarthria and vestibular issues that affect my mobility and ability to scan with my eyes (get dizzy/nauseous) The more I interact with the world, the stronger I get and the better chances I have of recovery.

 

I am not the answer or pretend to have them, but the best way to avoid depression (and my doctor said there is a HIGH rate of depression among stroke survivors) is to do for others, keep involved with my friends and always say thank you for what I do have, rather than thinking what I don't have.

 

I think a schedule is so critical...It has taken me several months to work out one where I can do my homework, my reading, pursue my interests and do in a way that I can still take naps and not have my body get mad at me...A good night sleep is CRITICAL.. If I find I am doing too much and can't sleep, I cut back.

 

So having too much to do has become more of a problem than having time on my hands, and if my doctor can tell me Tuesday why I Had this stroke and how I can avoid having a second one (I do fear increasing disability and death from stroke - someone said 3 in 10 stroke survivors have a second and much worse stroke in five years - that scares me), then I am happy being disabled...People are kinder to me than before and it is easy to outperform their expectations...people will do a lot for you if you smile, don't appear angry and make the first effort - and ask for what you need...most people are afraid of disability, want to help, but dont' know how...

 

Anyway, my tangent for today...hope it helps...I my first year, I'm happy being disabled if I can figure out a way to live more than five years - everytime I hear of a stroke survivor celebrating thier 5+ anniversary, my heart sings.

 

Also found a good book today - You Can't Afford the Luxury of a Negative THought - Jon Roger & Peter McWilliams

[stessie]

What a great post! I can tell you are definitely on the road to recovery. I, too, believe that having a schedule really aids in recovery. I was lost for the first six months after my stroke and getting back out into the world really helped. I know I am recovering as there are some days when I don't

think about strokes. At first I was consumed by it and read and researched non-stop.

 

Keep on doing what you are doing. I'm envious you can still wear heels!

 

My best.

 

Stessie

[gramma]

Most of my time is spent on the computer. I play a lot of games at pogo.com, it keeps me from getting bored and my mind sharp. My fiance says I am pretty smart because I can play the games as well I do, I have some that I have the disk for and I don't play as well as I used to. I am a tad slower. But it keeps me busy and my mind occupied so I guess it is ok. I share email with my children and just basically spend my time on the puter, not much time with the tv unless it is with the court shows, lol, they are somewhat entertaining. I also spend a lot of time with my animals. I have two cats and 4 ferrets. All are very spoiled!