Living, definitely!
Mine was an ‘everything changes’ experience. I found the road since 2004 to be magical and horrendous. The good parts are amazing. The bad parts were devastating. I find it impossible to explain to friends/families b/c if you haven’t been through it, you really do appreciate the stuff you used to take for granted. I see how much my friends and family complain about the ‘little challenges’ of life, realizing i was just as silly as they are. We all have good jobs, good lives, but tend to see what we want, not what we have. Such a gift to see the blessings of your life. I thank God that Ben started this site, I would have loved this community when I went through the rough times. Such a gift from Ben to make something wonderful from his own challenge. In rehab, I had a visit from someone who’d had an aneurysm in her 30’s, and it was VERY helpful. She had many challenges, but rebuilt a great life for herself. That’s hopeful. Like this site, sharing can be powerful. Waking up from a massive bleed is impossibly hard. For me, there are, in the big picture, minor challenges now, less challenges than many of you face. i was lucky enough to have a ‘remarkable recovery’, and i really try not to forget that. When it’s 3pm and my energy dives down, I’m cranky, but I grab some protein or coffee and make it through or rest when i can’t. But, I still don’t have my old energy, which was so strong and can’t quite bike or ski yet (bummer). But, I’m so close, those goals will come sometime, but not on my timetable, I’ve learned.
Good discussion topic! I had so many DOWN AND OUT times during my journey, that I am glad that I kept getting up and moving forward. People ask me how to did it, and I always think that my parents always worked hard, sacrificed and used humor to get through the toughest times. In my family, you work hard and never quit trying. I think we all have the strenth within us, just need to tap it and keep trying.
Not quite able to work FT, but incredibly close. That’ll come, hopefully. If not, I’ll handle it. i’ve handled much worse. But, I have much more energy than even two yrs ago. I’m much calmer now, and even finding that in my journey to become a tranquil person, my friends, family and even society are so out-of-control stressed over the small stuff, i’m sometimes even grateful for the anxiety. It forced me to learn to relax, deeply. My brain doesn’t like stress, so i’m forced into tranquility, but i kind of like it now. I’m also eating very healthy, no junk food, less sugar. I was healthy before, but in a fast food/delisort of way. Good choices, but everything was frozen or ordered. sodas, quick food.I like those changes a lot, wish I’d done it yrs ago. Since i was critical, not expected to live, it does change your perspective. It’s no fun to take medication, to cancel plans because you’re too tired, or to have more limits than before. But I fill my life with much more of what really matters to me, and less the trivial stuff. Rather spend the day hanging out with freinds than buying stuff at the mall. People matter, stuff is just stuff. I really embrace the concept that you can’t control what happens, you control how you react to it. I wish i’d learned that yrs ago too! If you’re in a hard time, try to remind yourself of anything you’re grateful for. It really does help to keep the spirits up!
looking forward to reading the postings, it’s such an interesting group of folks on the site, I find it very inspring to read the postings. So many similar, yet different journeys and perspectives.