My new normal

So at least I am just as consistent with my blog writing as I always was with my journal/diary keeping when I was a kid...

It has been a while, and it has been a ride.

But, as it is with the rest of my life, it is with the blog. It is time to get back to the world, to accept and embrace my "new normal" as transient as it may be. The past 4 months have been brutal, confusing, maddening, and in the grand scheme of things...totally unfair. I mean, seriously, who has a stroke at 37? According to the MRI, not many like mine make it out, so I have a ton to be thankful for. But really, a mid-brain hemorrage...for no apparent reason...awesome. (Enter sarcasm...)

But now, recovery has come to a point very close to where I was before the stroke, at least physically. My vision will never be the same, but I can now get my eyes (and brain) to work well enough together to do most of the things I did before. I can drive a little, run errands, watch my kids play sports and activities, clean, and participate in the everyday humdrum of my life without dealing with the world spinning like I'm on a Tilt-O-Whirl. Always hated that ride.

As my daughter Danielle points out... "You can do laundry!" Believe it or not, that was one of my first big accomplishments! It was one of the first things I did when I became able to not have to nap after every awake period, and when I could get my eyes to focus for more than a few moments. I sat on the floor and scanned for, found, folded, and stacked clean clothes for my family. It was awesome! Sounds silly, I know, but talk about taking the small things for granted! Never in my life have I been more aware of how much about my body and mind I took for granted, than after the stroke. For instance, catching a ball, or other small projectile coming my direction, not pretty to watch. Much like watching a drunk, I can SEE it coming just not great at gauging exactly where it is.

Bigger objects, no problem. Well, much prettier to watch anyway.

Writing about this whole experience is a work in progress. I plan to work backwards a little, focusing on the now, but I will start from the beginning...eventually.

Until next time...