Last post Fri, May 30 2008 1:08 AM by tejaswoman. 38 replies.
My name is John.I had a stroke in March of 2005 at the age of 48. I am very fortunate and try to focus on what I can do rather than my limitations. My main trouble is with reading and retention. For 22 years I worked on Wall street ;which I enjoyed tremendously. I recently started part-time in a supermarket. It is nice to get out of the house and have a purpose. Allow me to share 1 of my favorite sayings" It's always to soon to quit'. Thank you.
Hi John,
Nice to meet you I'm Shelley. Thanks for stopping by and introducing yourself. Sorry to hear about your stroke, you have a great attitude about looking at the positive things you can do. I think its great your finding enjoyment in getting out, like you said Wall Street, or a Supermarket, it's something, and it is so important to stay active, not just for your body but mentally. This is a great place full of some of the best people I've ever met, always willing to take time to talk with you and help you out. I haven't been here very long and it's addictive after a while. You feel validated when you find someone who truly understands and can relate to you and is not just giving you the line of " I understand" and their BS.
I'm sure I'll see you around. Take Care.
Can I ever relate to this statement: You feel validated when you find someone who truly understands and can relate to you and is not just giving you the line of " I understand" and their BS.
I wish I had a dime for every able-bodied person who's told me something like, "I understand what you're going through; when I broke my arm, I had to do physical therapy, so I know all about it!" or "When I broke my toe, I couldn't walk right for a whole month, and it was *awful!*
I'm not saying that able-bodied people never suffer pain or go through hard times, because they do, but please don't insist, "I understand; I've gone through the same thing!" unless you *have.*
Welcome to Disaboom! You have found a GREAT community that you will be able to relate to. My best to you!
Dave
John, I'm glad you found us!
I haven't been here long, myself.I had a massive stroke at the rather unlikely age of 36(looong story), and had been used to being very active. I was fortunate to retain my speech/language functions, but I find it more difficult to concentrate than before my stroke.
It was a tremendous blessing when I was asked to be webmanager for my church's web site.That helped me to feel that I can still contribute, that God is not "through" with me.
You may spoil the supermarket for any other employee! I'll bet they rarely get someone of your caliber.
I am 48 and had a strpoke in 2006 which left my left side paralyzed but I can now move myleft arm,hand,& leg but I can't flrex my left foot;
I stil have my speech,memory and cognition( I have an MBA from Wharton);
I have accepted my stroke and have stopped looking for THE MAGIC BULLET in stroke Rehab- there isn't one!;
It will just take time;
I have come to accept that I can still do al the things i used to do but now I have to do them differently
My full time job right now is to get strong and healthy
Be well,
George
Welcome to disaboom! I've had somewhere around 20 strokes and I know what it's like to go from being very active to something... else. I used to be a runner, had a very active life. Now, I'm just excited when I don't have to go back to bed when I get home from teaching. It's certainly quite a thing, isn't it?
Glad you found us!
Liesl
"I believe everything out of the common. The only thing to distrust is the normal."John Buchan
I certainly agree with you, George; there is no "magic bullet;" it does just take time. That's hard to deal with, I know.This may not be true of every stroke patient, but I find that I have progress "plateaus," during which it seems like I'm never going to get a bit better,But I also have "spurts," when I'm suddenly able to do something I hadn't been able to do before.For example, about six months after my stroke, my physical therapist was having me "walk" along holding on to a parallel bar. I put the word walk in quotes, because up until this day, someone else had to move my left leg *for* me. This particular day, I just had a *feeling* that I could take a step with my left leg. So, I told my therapist, "Let me see if I can take a step with my left leg." She agreed, I tried my until-now-unresponsive left leg, and it went STEP, and everyone in the room went berserk. Now when I walk, I hardly think about taking a step with my left leg; it's become "automatic."Similarly, just a couple of years ago, I was lying in bed one night and thought, "I'll bet I can wiggle my left hip."Now I can swivel with the best of them! ;)All that to say: It can be excruciatingly slow going, but you just never know when good things are just around the corner!
Dear johnnyg472. My hat is off to you for your courage. So happy you had the courage to get out into the
world again and go on with your life the best you can. Thank you for sharing your favorite saying,"Its
always to soon to quit." What an inspiration you are. New member today. SandyB
I agree with SandyB.I have to admire someone who has the moxie to keep on plugging after being dealt a harsh blow.It would be so much easier to just give up and say "I can't" to everything, rather than make the effort to find things you *can* do, and give them your best.I like to say, "I'm giving it all I've got left," which is unintentionally kind of humorous since it's the left side of my body that's affected, so everything I've got left is on the left side of my brain.
Hi john my dad had a stroke on feb 13, 2008 my family never thought this will never happen to us but when i read your story
I gain hope with love and support you will make it threw my heart gose out to your family you sound like a strong man like
my father he is a very strong man to he's going threw rehabilitation for the next 3 weeks and then he will get weekend passes
i just hpoe my dad comes back strong like you did
p.s my name is chiquita
thank you for hope
ShellGVchick, Is the pic near your nane you, I look at it and I see the face of an angel. I wishes you well and I've enjoyed your posts Tony
Hi John, I am glad to hear the positive side of things. One thing to remember, give yourself time and patience to heal. It may get frustrating but you have a purpose and that is a part of your design. My mother had a stroke 3 years ago..same time Coretta Scott King did, and she is a survivor but it left her very weak. She is slowly recovering as blindness kicked in and she isnt able to move anymore..but she is fighting it everyday!!! So Godspeed my friend!
