I was just poking around the site as I do occasionally, and I read Toni Yeomans’s Blog and it inspired me to write a few things down that I hope will help some other people.
I’ll start with my recovery. I’ve been seeing a neurologist who has helped with many of my lagging symptoms (first sleeplessness and now fatigue). We treated these with lifestyle changes and drugs. I’ve been scoring myself against the Stroke Recovery scorecard at Stroke.org (http://www.stroke.org/site/DocServer/card.pdf?docID=901).
I also have some pain killers for what I consider “skull pain” - not to be confused with headaches, which I occasionally get, but the medication knocks me out so I don’t like taking them. That pretty much covers my major symptoms. I’m tired of Doctors. They’ve seen enough of me for a while.
I still have some minor symptoms that I have just learned to live with. I still have minor fogginess, and I seem to have left-side neglect, where I occasionally drop things I am holding in my left hand. I still have trouble typing with my left hand, but it is getting better. I also have trouble concentrating sometimes, but I catch myself and re-focus - huh, what was I saying?
Improvements. Physically, I am in better shape now than before my attack. I’ve been on Atkins for a few months now, and I started running again. I’ve also decided to “re-invent” myself at work. I am a VP at a major Defense Contractor, and was a business manager. We recently reorganized, and I find myself back in a low-level program management position. That’s OK - I’m glad I still have my job, but it is not a challenge. I’ve been here for 15 years and I decided that I want my company to send me to CyberDefense (i.e. hacker) training, so I can re-focus my career into something I can get excited about again. Oddly enough, I am also going to take up Turkey Hunting. I’ve always wanted to learn how, and it gives me an excuse to spend more time with my cousin, who is going to teach me.
Other than that - things are pretty normal. Thanks for the support everyone.
Interesting blog post, and I’ll check out the scorecard link. I get the stroke smart magazine, it’s given me many good ideas. I used to live in DC, worked for the gov’t as an IT program analyst for EPA. I managed Web/Internet, but got to head up some InfoSec management for a bit too. I liked it quite a bit, so I hope you do to. I thought it was really interesting, always challenging/changing. I bet it’s even more so. That was back in 1998 though.
Glad that things are going well, quite the blessing! Be well!
So happy for you, James!
Can you please share what you are doing to combat the fatigue?
Thanks for sharing the stroke scorecard. I’d never seen that before. I’ll have to share that with my neuro next time I see him. Sounds like you are doing quite well for yourself. Congratulations.
Cindy Phillips, You asked what I’m doing to combat my fatigue. I’ve started taking a medication called Nuvigil, which gets me through the day, but doesn’t give me energy like I thought it would. I also focused on getting more sleep each night, as well as exercising (running). I think the running also helped me get my balance back. During the day, I take Vivarin (I know - more pills), but I don’t recommend the Vivarin. I’m currently looking for an alternative non-caffeine “energy pill.” My goal is to ditch the drugs completely within 6 months. I’m just trying to get my life back. I hope this helps!!
Trish,
Per the Stroke scorecard at STROKE.org, http://www.stroke.org/site/DocServer/card.pdf?docID=901 , I found that it helped me take charge of my own recovery (i.e. what is normal, etc.). I was getting frustrated going to a neurologist every month and not knowing what was going on. My attack occurred without warning, so I never had the chance to talk to the Doctors and nurses during my ordeal. My neurologist is good, but just not what I would call the chatty type. I decided to educate myself and the scorecard really helped me talk to my neurologist. He seemed to appreciate it as well. This is not the type of medical condition that you can just sit back and hope for the best. You really need to be involved with your own recovery.
Thank you, James. I understand that trying to get your life back, as that’s what I’m trying to do. trying to gain the necessary information (which hasn’t been ‘easy’ to get from the professionals) so I can be confident (instead of feeling trapped )and move forward.
I read the Spoon Theory Article today that several others referenced at (http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/written-by-christine/the-spoon-theory-written-by-christine-miserandino/). It’s a good article, and I hope it helps others understand what we’re going through. I know that we’re supposed to be positive, but something about the article bothered me. My problem with the article is that each day, I have no idea how many spoons I will have.
LOL, same problem here, James. The number seems to be different each day… sometimes, a HUGE difference from one day to the next. And any female (sorry guys but I’ve got to say it as it is just stating the truth) whom experiences fatigue, etc. from PMS or the menstral cycle itself will have less spoons at that time too. (For both sexes, males for having to endure us during that time and females for having to experience it: Eve really needs her butt beat and that darn instigator snake needs to be strangled! LOL)