swilkinson

This morning Ray and I went to the Stroke Support group we belong to and I gave my caregivers

Time to feed some positives into my blog. So here are some good things about my life. Trev came over yesterday and steam cleaned the carpets. He is busy with his new little family so I don

Yes, it is the "what you can do" that counts. We all have regrets, even without a stroke so concentrate on what you can do and build on that. Congratulations on the way you have built on your strengths. Sue.

Nice things do happen, Trev came over today and got the stains out of the carpet for me from the last few "accidents" so all clean and sweet smelling again. I saw Mum today and she has had another seizure on Sunday afternoon so it looks like there is a pattern now. But she is fine really so I am appreciative of the nursing home staff for keeping her happy for me. They are trialling her on an anti-seizure medication to see how she goes. Sue.

Ruth, get out of the house more, find a support group that will accept that you have to bring him along or find a Daycare centre where you can just drop him off for the time you are at the group. You need support. I've read elsewhere that sometimes smaller nursing homes will contract to take people who are nursing home level on a daily basis. I don't know if you could find one of those but it is worth asking around and finding out if they do a daily rate. I know where my Mum was has offered to do that on a casual basis if I have to deal with mum going into hospital again. Last time I had to go for three hours a day for three weeks to feed her and still take Ray as I had no minder. I was reading your blog and thinking of a wise reply when Ray did his stumbling out of a dark room to go to the bathroom act but of course it was already too late. So I put my thoughts for you on hold and now they are all gone. So I guess all I can say is we have to learn to cope hour by hour, day by day. This is the rest of our lives and we have to treasure what we can. (((Hugs))) from a fellow sufferer....Sue.

Ray is not in hospital, the ambos wanted to take him but he was on his feet and I said no. No services in the hospital over the weekend anyway as we all know. He has been up most of the day and is now sleeping again. Apart from a sore shoulder and bruising on his back and hip he is fine. Didn't get much sleep after 5am but I am okay so far. I always wonder TIA or "just a fall"? The ambos wanted to take him because of his prior history. He will be fine, probabley...who knows? Sue.

It is 3am, A thud, a groan Shine the light He is gone Down on the floor Groaning A pungent smell Reason for rising In the dark Without the light Crying out Not again Make the call Which service? Ambulance please Man down On his back Gazing at the ceiling Pressures and pulses He seems okay Previous damage He's had strokes Can he get up? Turn on the shower ma

I hate to even think about it but the summer school holidays finish on Friday and it is time to go back to all the organisations to which we belong to start a new year again. This means the annual general meeting season is upon us with all the usual

Heartiest congratulations Leah. You are truly blessed, by your family, your littliest member included. Keep on blogging, we enjoy sharing your journey and your life. (((Hugs))) from Sue.

I had a dying swan episode this morning. The morning was already going badly as Ray had had another

Brice, those of us who are publishing our blogs are mostly following the pattern, draft, find (in 2006), publish to publish our blogs. I hope it all works out soon as I know some people can lose patience if things don't work straight away. Thank you for all you do here. Sue.

January 13th is our daughter

Where do you get your inspiration? I think this is a good question. It has been something I have wondered at all my life. I know where I get my inspiration, it is from the people around me. It is as if there is a vast pool of

Erin, a lot of children have to grow up with the realities of life. Not everyone can cushion their children and so we do raise a few stronger, nicer, more thoughtful indidividuals instead of pampered pets. Ask the children of the War years, the children of the Depression and those whose families are split or torn away by accident, trauma and war and they will tell you it is okay. Life happens. Our youngest was 15 when he saw the hospital situation, put off football training because his father had doctor's appointments etc. He is our most thoughtful and loveable son, still our mainstay in lots of ways. Children need to face some realities in order to become good citizens. Yours just did it younger than most. Sue.

I am sitting here listening to the fireworks, I can

Dear Jan, loving prayers coming your way as you go through this grieving period. I have known the same pain having to let go of a beloved pet. (((Hugs))) from Sue.

5.30pm on Christmas Day, Ray is asleep and I have the house to myself again. The family have all gone and it is so peaceful. We started lunch late, as it was almost 1pm by time everyone arrived. Steve did one pick-up this morning from a nursing home. That meant the whole family arrived late as of course they waited for him to arrive home and change. The mums insisted that the presents get opened first. It all went well, presents appropriate to size and age, no eye rolling or rude remarks. I get a subscription to a magazine I asked for and Trev gets

Wendie, nice to catch up with you in chat today. I think going home for a while is sensible if you can then go back to help out when he needs to get used to being home again. We all seem to get caught between minding grandkids, husbands/spouses and parents in our '60's. No wonder they call us the sandwich generation. Hope your Dad makes a full recovery. Keep yourself warm. (((Hugs))) from Sue.

I always feel so sorry for the third wife, the first wife gets the years of high energy and vigor, the second wife gets the middle income years and ends up with the money and the third wife gets the pain and suffering and learns the true meaning of:

George I am glad you and Lesley are going to be back together again. Though how she can bear to leave the lovely summer weather in New Zealand for your ice and snow I truly do not understand....maybe she loves you eh? I am also glad your shoulder is much better. I had a frozen shoulder once, or actually pulled muscles from moving furniture on my own when I should have waited for some help, so I know how much that affects your carrying capacity. That you do carry your canoe and gear to the lake amazes me. Enjoy your quiet times, when Lesley comed home the "honey do" list will keep you busy again...lol. Sue.

I think you just have to go with what your gut says you need to do Sherri. I think you have done amazingly well and the 'flattened emotion' my just be a slowed down reaction as you say, and not a lack of fire. My friends told me today I "looked tired and run down" which probably means I need to color my hair and maybe get a new lipstick...lol. (((Hugs))) from Sue.

I spent a few days last week trying to find out what the complaint mechanism process was for putting in an official complaint against my care provider for not sending someone last Friday. In the end I decided it was just too much trouble at this time of the year and I just haven

Asha did a post ages ago about whether something is a disaster or just a minor irritation. We

Wesley, not everyone is going to get back what they lost. It is a sad fact that for some the damage was wider and deeper, more mobility lost, most not able to be regained with any amount of effort. Some , like my Ray, have had multiple strokes. With Ray the gains made by lots of exercise etc were really good after the 1999 strokes, remarkable really, but the next stroke in 2001 knocked him back a lot and his fitness was lower and even with exercise the gains smaller and the 2005 stroke was the capper, little regained, out of balance, more mental and cognitive problems etc. I guess the answer is to take nothing for granted. You have made great strides toward regaining what you had lost. Bravo! But for some that was not possible. So enjoy the life you have and retain compassion for those to whom returning to work etc was never an option. Sue.