Aussie Ken

Finally things are starting to come good, the numbness is finally going from my affected right hand side, and my balance is getting better, since i don't seam to walking lopsided any more and i'm bring my right leg through easier. I will be glad when i can walk and stand up by myself and return the wheelchair. I had two flat tyres this week and it took 4 days before the hospital maintence guy to come to fix it. i'm really looking forward to returning it to the hospital. the other reason i'm looking forward to getting out of the chair is that on weekends i go to watch the kids soccor matches and it's hard work going over rough ground they need to produce a 4 wheel drive model for the rough ground.

Still waiting to hear how my niece is going but thank you for your comments. I think the word cancer instantly in stalls fear and conjures you the worst fears. It's like the word stroke i thought it was an old persons illness, it was not until i can onto this site, i was amazed at the ages of the victims, and that no 2 strokes or recovery is the same. I'm still confused as to what caused my stroke, was it the medication they gave me at the hospital to clear the blockage at the bottom of the heart or was i experiencing a minor stroke the day beforeafter the walk, all i can remember is that i was doing soccer training when i developed a massive throbing headarch and then six weeks later i came too from a coma. the day before the collapse i had gone for a walk at lunch time and when i got back to the office i felt light headed but didn't thing anything of it. I had been doing gym work at least 2-3 times a week with no side effects. Since then for the last 2 years i had numbness down my entire right side. Over the past 3 weeks i am finally getting more feeling in my affected side. the thing i would love to no was is was it the heart problem or the drugs the doctors they gave me in hospital. i guess i will never know, but staying positive i will get better and defeat this set back.

I just received an email from my elder brother, his eldest daughter who is 27 has just been diagnosed with a Thyroid cancer, she goes into hospital next week, so fingers crossed the will be able to get on top of this. this time last year we were over the moon for her as she just had her first baby. she is such i careing mother and its just not fair. So Leanne my prayers are with you and your family and i know you will fight this with all your might.

:Clap-Hands: what a great weekend here in Sydney very brisk mornings and warming sunshine as we are in Autumn (fall), but we could do with some rain. On Saturday night we went to a Lions Club fundraiser fo a local Primary (junior) school we raised over $1500.00 dollars, then on Sunday i first when to watch my daughters soccer team, unfortunately the lost but they tried hard. then when that was finished we when to watch my sons soccer game they won and remained undefeated. Although the stroke has put a dampner on a lot of my activities, hopes and desirers it has made me more determined to get better.

After a couple of sad days i've picked myself up, dusted myself and getting on with my life. I had a few silly upsets and a couple of why me? days, but i'm ready and rearing to go again. i know that i've been doing it a bit hard but then i think about my wife and children and how hard it must be for them as well. i don't feel sorry for myself and must now keep on improving and win this battle only a positve attitude will make me win and get back to my old life, i'm blessed that i can still attend Lions meetings and i have plenty of time put together a monthly newsletter (bulletin) plus learning how to do powerpoint presentations. my one handed typing is getting better. so all i can say now is that by mantaining a positve attitude we will all get over out disabilities etc.

Hi Sue It's great when we get a good report from the doctor, glad everything is going well. Ken

Tanks Anne, i'm feeling a lot better now, it was a coulpe of upsetting comments but that is all behind me now and must move on.

Well i'm back on track, i was having a real bad day. As a member of a Lions club i'm currently getting a Bulletin ready for a meeting and function. My involvement with Lions has been good therpy although i can't be as active at the moment like helping out at a BBQ or other activities it gives me an interest. Renewing former interests is very important in the healing process. once i can move around without assistance i will get back to my railway modelling and take up lawn bowls again. :chat:

Thanks Kim i'm feeling a lot better now, i think it was one of those down days, my main aim now is to get on top of the stroke and prove all the so called experts wrong. i still can't get a reasonable explaination as to wot went wrong, i will keep fighting an win cheers Ken

Boy it's hard to stay positive, like most of us some days i go to bed and hope this the last time, but then when i wake up all the positive thoughts kick in and renew my determination to beat the demons and prove the so called experts wrong and return back to a almost normal life and not let little things upset me.

Hi Sue, i can relate to what you are going throgh, and the frustration Ray feels by not being able to help you, there is so much i want to do but i've been locked into this broken body. It's hard to stay positive and keep on track. many a time i just wish i could go to sleep permenately, but as they say life was not ment to be easy, but why this hard. cheers Ken

Well, i had a visit to the cardiologist last Friday, the news was all good. it is pumping a way like a little trojan so from a little hiccup, my reaction to the drugs was almost fatal I still can't get a suitable answer as to what went wrong. But i have gritted my teeth and vowed to prove the O/T and some of the doctors wrong and to walk unassisted and gain my independance back. i'm sick and tied of relying on my wife to support me when walking and who knows i may return to the work force. one day

It's so quiet today, the kids have been at Dragonskin with there venturer scouts group west of Sydney over the Blue Mtns, at least the days have been sunny about 26deg c, but the nights drop down -2deg c, even in sydney the nights are getting cool. i will go outside shortly and enjoy the sunshine and warmth. The thing i hate more then anything at the moment is not being able to walk around the garden an do the chores, but i will get there. after taking nearly 2 years to settle down after the stroke i'm now more content in my own mind. so don't give up at least we are breathing.

Hopefully things are starting to move again, i'm getting more and more feeling in my face and leg, all the hard work is playing off wished it occured 2 years ago but it has given me plenty of time to relact on the past and were i'm heading in the future. also Happy easter everybody

:cheer: Well my visit to the rehab doctor was quite good, because of the movement and flexibility i'm getting back in my right leg and foot he hopes my balance and flexability in my foot and leg will return. i can feel the stiffness is going. so if i keep doing my home programme and determination to walk again and get back to an active life i will get there. So if you are feeling frustrated the thing are not happening don't give up just treat it as hiccup and keep trying.

Tomorrow i have visit to the rehab doctor, i will be asking what my next couse of action should be. Just before my term finished with the physio he mentioned about Botox injections but i'm a bit hesident about this precedure and what long term effects if any be. i would rather try massage or accupuncture or similar alternative therapies. Today i could feel the calf stretch during my home physio exercises, also when i have been walking i can feel the achillies tendon and calf muscle working. as i haven't been able to feel these muscles and tendons flexing and stretching for so long i hope it's a sign that body is finally repairing itself and things are starting to happen.

Part 2 The next 6 months was like going through an emotional minefield, I would be happy and carefree but then the slightest thing would upset me, I just couldn

. Hi Sue, we don't have a meeting this week because our club hosted the region youth of the year night the other week, we meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month. the first being a Board meeting then a dinner meeting on the 4th. our next dinner meeting will fall on Anzac day i think it will be transferred to the first saturday in May as we have our Larkin of the Year night, i started it about 3 years ago as a fun raiser for the Scouts i was associated with. WE get about 4-5 neighbering clubs to select a club larikin or tail twister and put them through a similar format as the youth of the year, but we give each larikin an objuect IE a roll of toilet paper, a batter etc and they have to talk about the item for 2 minutes, then later on tjhey have to talk about any subuect of there choise. During the night each larikin has a campain manager and they canvas the audiance for bribes, the more bribes the more chance of winning. we also run auctions and raffles during the night. we have selected a local primary school this year. the winning club gets to host the contest next year. so if would like to know more i think we have a powerpoint presentation we could send to you, it's great way of getting clubs togther for a social night. cheers Ken

Well the weekend is here the childern start there soccer comps this weekend so will be busy tomorrow, my daughter is in a all aged ladies comp and my son is in under 16's, so will be busy for the next 5 months. no Lions meetings this week so will be quiet on this front. It's interests like this that keeps you going. i'm thankful that i had plenty of interests to keep me going.

This is my first blog so bear with me until i lean my way around this part of the site. I had my stroke on the 17 March 2004 which has affected my r/h side, i must have been going through a mid-life crises as i had decided to play soccer again, i had been doing plenty of gym work, walking, etc, my diabetes was well under control and my 1/2 yearly blood tests were perfect, so were did it all go wrong, all i had was a shocking headache which i developed during training, i remember saying to my mate that i have a headache and that i would stop and rest. that was the last i remember, i came too 6 weeks later, apparently i had a small blockage at the bottom of my heart and then i had a major reaction to the drug. i've gone through all the emotional tramur of the stroke and i'm strating to come to terms with things. I was hard on my childern but things are working out. I'm more determined now to get better. My long term memory is back but the short time is making progress. my speech is ok except the volume is still soft, i must remember to slow the brain before the words. I've found that being involved with Lions has been great, the are a good group of people. Work was also great and i miss them, most of the people lived in other areas of Sydney, but there is always email. I find my body is changing daily, a lot of the tingling is going from r/h leg and i'm forcing my right arm to do more, the stiff is going away. i just wish i could walk without assistance. but the day will come. :happydance: