The Practical Challenges of a Stroke

I try to make the effects of this stroke minimal on my life, and as a result minimal on the lives of others. Doing so is, in fact, good for me in the acceptance of it. My "bible," if you will, is a book called My Stroke of Insight.

It is by an incredible neurosurgeon named Jill Bolton Taylor, who had a stroke herself and has MORE than survived. She has thrived and has spoken publicly many times about her experience.

It was given to me, I think (one of the effects of a stroke is for it to leave you with a lousy memory) by my lovely mom, who has since died. Amazingly, without a car, she would come and visit me in hospital far away from where she lived.

Here's a few vids, but a warning, they are lengthy. Still, for a complete understanding, I recommend watching them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTrJqmKoveU

This is long, more than an hour. I could not watch it all. My little brain gets too tired. Absorbing things of detail and consequence is very difficult. I can fall asleep, for example.

The fact it is an interview by Oprah Winfrey, who likes to hear herself talk, is also a big problem for me. Still, it is incredibly interesting when Ms. Bolte Taylor talks and recounts every second of her experience.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9Phy9C5Ees

My own experience is not nearly so interesting. I am divorced. I had my kids over at my place as part of a custody arrangement with my ex-wife. I was playing with my son,  between kitchen chairs on the floor.

I was about 160 pounds (about 5'10") and in very good visible physical shape, but I smoked, drank, and had a bad diet.

 Still, compared to many men my age who are grossly overweight, due to what doctors later said was a hereditary condition, I had a stroke.

When I collapsed, it was like fainting, I imagine. I say that because to my knowledge, I had never before fainted.

My daughter, who was then training to be a nurse (she is now a nurse) called emergency. I was in a coma. I stayed in hospital about 4 months. I obviously eventually came out of the coma.

The right side of my body is now semi-paralysed. I can walk, but very slowly. I cannot drive. My handwriting is very bad. My memory is very bad. By semi-paralysed, I mean I can feel it, but not normally.

It is like being frozen for a dental filling.

I still can perform regular bodily functions without aid.

There IS no doubt I cannot perform some of them AS WELL or as quickly. I can perform them. Life is like I'm in slow-motion, like I'm a snail, and everyone else is moving fast.

Mentally, thankfully, there appears to be little obvious effect. I'm the same arse I always was!