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my stroke Uncategorized

Sharjah – Dubai. NCD Alliance Global Forum 2017. Turistic entry;)

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I was telling people that I had been a participant in the conference of sick people in Dubai, but it wasn’t the conference of sick people in Dubai. It was the NCD Alliance Global Forum 2017 which means it was a forum of professors, NGOs, politicians, people advocating for patients and sick people themselves.

I came back. Now I’m able to tell you how it went;) Of course, I have plenty of thoughts on a subject of the conference – NCD Alliance Global Forum 2017, but I have the feeling that my readers are equally interested in the basics. how did I handle the trip? Was I very tired? Did I skip classes?;) What did I see in Dubai?;)

Warning: it’s gonna e a long entry, so I divided it into few parts so that people having difficulties in reading could read it part by part.

Trips

Plenty of you was asking me about flights and journey itself. Of course, I had to fly to UAE. Two flights each way. I didn’t experience any problems connected to flying. I mean none. Nothing hurt, even my ears weren’t hurting me during landing. After coming to the hotel I got a headache, but I bet the reason was exhaustion, not change of height:)

I know that plenty of people who suffered the brain stroke has huge problems with flying. I feel much better in a car than on a plane. In this case, it was the same. Sorry mom, the drive you gave me to the airport was much worse than the flight itself. Taxis, cars, buses were my nightmare. No exception in UAE. Sorry about that. Continue reading

my stroke Uncategorized

My third rebirthday. Annual entry for stroke anniversary:)

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Today I have my third rebirthday.

on 21st Dec 3 years ago I had a brain stroke. That means that I’m at the same time 28-year-old, 63-year-old and 3 years old.

rebirth, stroke anniversary, hospitalEach year I feel very weird on this day. I really feel that this date is important to me, even more than my birthday. celebrating the day you were born, its something natural, but I didn’t choose the way of my growth, right? My mom says that I didn’t say ‚no’ to food, but it’s not like I was choosing it. After my brain stroke, I conducted my life consciously to the point that I could. From the diaper to the place I’m in.

Last year was a bit peculiar to me. It cant be related in few words, so I’ll leave it until the new years eve;)

Today I’m gonna be traditional. I’m gonna tell you the ways my life changed in a good way. Areas that are better now.

As you know, the life of a strokie isn’t that great. Frequently it seems to be hopeless and horrible. But there can be found things that changed for better. I truly believe that each and every one of us can find at least one such thing, even if his or her life is miserable.

Well, I have to admit, that few things changed for worse last year. surprisingly I feel weaker than last before. Strange. This year I haven’t had a stroke, the year before I did. how to explain that?:o

so many things are going for worse, I’m not gonna focus on them because there are plenty which changed my life for better. Since last year I’ve noticed a big growth. I’m letting the list expand, even if it grows that big, that it’s too long to read.

so.

what has changed in my life for better after stroke?
    1. I take better care of myself,
    2. I’ve met few new, nice people,
    3. I’ve let go few people, who were bringing me pain. emotionally it’s a great thing for me,
    4. I’m less stressed with small things,
    5. I don’t have a stressful and horrible job anymore,
    6. I’ve learned knitting,
    7. I quit smoking,
    8. sometimes I’m rested,
    9. the card ‚you know, I’ve had a stroke’ still works for me,
    10. I know why I’m oversensitive to sun,
    11. I have a PFO fixed,
    12. I’ve I’ve found a new, great psychologist and i feel that she’s the one,
    13. i’m fixing, one by one, everything that’s broken in me,
    14. i have the first thing in my life that i’m proud of. I mean my blogs.
    15.  My blogs give me satisfaction. It’s a really nice, previously known feeling.
    16. I have the energy to learn new things,
    17. I’m overcoming my boundaries and things I’m scared of,
    18. I’m more peaceful than before. I feel less irritated,
    19. I’ve learned Spanish. I can communicate in this language. And I learned it by myself,
    20. I’ve lost 15 kilos,
    21. I don’t have to give my granny rides to shops. Not being able to drive sucks, but on the other hand, I love this excuse,
    22. I see that I’m helping people,
    23. My hair fall out less,
    24. i’m thinking about myself more,
    25. I started dating,
    26. I have a small collection of figures of goats,
    27. I understand people better,
    28. I’m not that worried about money. I know its very horrible, as my parents are providing for me, but on the other hand, before I was counting each zloty with a fear, and now I’m still counting, but without fear,
    29. I get long depressive states less frequently,
    30. I get rid of stuff rather than I collect them,
    31. I’m learning to have an order around myself,
    32. If its even possible, I’m closer to my brother than anytime before,
    33. again I appreciate being outside,
    34. I have the hammock!
    35. I can do things in WordPress better and better,
    36. I have ‚my own’ business. It goes badly, but it’ll be better. one day.
    37. I have a feeling that I’m more active.

Comparing to the Polish version this list is shorter for two points;)

But still it’s impressive, isn’t it?

I like the points about being proud of myself, as for the first time I really feel pride and satisfaction. It’s a new, great feeling to think about yourself well. For a change;)

Maybe you should try to think about such list yourself? Even in despair, we can find something. For me, the first thing was realising in a hospital that I have nicer skin.

It started with one. Now list is that long!:)

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Lose that weight, Kasia! I’m 15 kilos smaller:)

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I would do (almost) everything to have a better recovery. As we know, there is no ‚magic cure’ for regrowing brain (fingers crossed for stem cells therapy!), we have to just take the best care of what’s remaining and work hard to regain/improve what’s left.

For me, big weight isn’t simply an aesthetic issue, its connected to health and preventing next diseases.

I mean: by obesity may not affect many things, but sooner or later it will.’

So i’m losing weight. 15 kilos so far!:)))))))

you can sing with me. Wow! Wow! Wow!

It’s a hard work, it’s a daily struggle, but the reward is huge. I’m not going to complain then:)

 

Life’s been crazy recently, so I’m bit absent. I think i’m going to be back with you soon.

My Polish blog is doing well, but it’s hard to find time to translate things… Ill try harder. I promise!:)

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I try to relax my left hand

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As you probably know, I have slight spasticity on my left hand. Not big, but it still sucks.

I try to relax it in a totally amateour way, but it doesn’t really work. It was much easier under caring eye of my physiotheraphist. Being lonlier doesn’t benefit, to tell the truth. I admit: my attempts to make my hand loose haven’t been that successful, but attempts to make it more normal visually and funcion better have been working pretty smoothly.

For example: when I’m knitting I’m careful not to clutch my hand too strongly. It makes me knit slower, but, thanks to this, hand DOESN’T HURT. Yaay!

Same thing when I try to knit (I’m struggling to learn, so it’s difficult to relax, yet I try!)

When I type I try not to point forefinger and middle finger into the sky. They are shaking a bit, hurt, but this way they are being accustomed to more „natural” way of behaving. Continue reading

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What were you doing when your stroke happened?

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What were you doing when your brain stroke happened? I, myself, didn’t think about it much, but people keep asking me. And suddenly… I saw one topic on the Internet forum where strokies were sharing this information. I collected more, reminded myself stories from hospitals, and my readers. List surprised even me. It was diversified. And long. Now I am able to present thrilling collection which seems to scream „come on, it can happen anytime. Anywhere. To everyone”

let’s go then.

I had a stroke: Continue reading

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Gallery of the faces: I called. It was marvelous!

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I have a friend who is a fellow strokie. I might have mentioned him before, but I’m no sure. He’s a young French guy who suffered the stroke in Poland.

His stroke caused a big number of problems, such as aphasia, troubles with moving, spasticity… But this guy is determined to get better and gradually improves his health. Moreover, he does good things to the disabled community. He even plans his own blog:)

When we speak on Skype, he seems to be like me. My first impression was like: if I didn’t know, i would have thought that he had stroke problem. Normal boy, maybe looks for English words bit longer than a normal, fluent speaker, but you know stereotypes about French people & English;) my small experience shows that in France it’s easier to find a Polish speaker than English speaker. Anyway;) Continue reading

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I thought we ruled it out, but… It’s lupus.

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I’ not sure whether I should laugh or cry. I have, finally confirmed, lupus. On my Polish blog, I had some texts about lupus. Why it could be the cause of stroke, or why I suspected I had one. Also why we ruled it out.

Now I’m left with my English site and I have to be bit straightforward: I have a very mild lupus. Bad news in bad time, but usually no one asks you when you want to receive such news.

WHY SHOULD I BE HAPPY WITH THIS DIAGNOSIS?

  • it’s a skin type. I don’t have to worry about kidneys, and eventually most of the organs, shutting down. Just about skin. Yay!
  • the treatment doesn’t involve steroids, but antimalarial meds. At least at the moment.
  • it’s been in me for years. A real pain in the ass. Now I have a chance to improve some things in my health.
  • I’ve not been that sure whether the kind of lupus causes strokes. But if so, treatment must help to prevent next strokes. Yay!
  • Because I’m having like very very very minor symptoms. Lupus is there, but it doesn’t bring any threat I wouldn’t know about.
  • I don’t have to search for the causes of allergy for the sun, rashes, hair falling out, swollen lips… I have it in one diagnosis!

Continue reading

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Happy Easter!

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Easter is coming. I want to wish you everything which is good, but that later. If i tell you now, you will not read the important part (( ;

Lately I’ve been spending hours a day talking to one guy;)  Sometimes it even sounds feels like a confession – well, since i don’t go to the church, maybe it’s needed. I talk about problems that I’ve been discussing here for past two years too.

Of course I’m being cautious, why deter someone right away, but still. Strokes, spasticity, hormones, epilepsy, Rheumatology issues, many things in general. Shortages in abilities too.

And after confessing all of it i hear what? ‚It’s ok, you are more than that’.

At first I was left in deep shock. Because 99 percent of reactions are entirely different.

It’s so rare to hear something like that from person who isn’t that involved into your problems for, at least months.

Typical reactions are rather like this: Continue reading

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Stairs. So normal. So scary.

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Stairs.

When you are disable nothing can cause bigger frustration. I’m somehow certain.

If you don’t walk well, stairs are effective tool of keeping you from the world. They are barier bigger than kerbstones and, I’m somehow convinced,  they are boat problem of people worth disabiliTy in the movement area.  Living on the first floor without elevator can be disaster which doesn’t let you do anything outside. You can’t go to doctors,  for shopping or anywhere workout external help.  So simple and so tragic.

I remember learning to walk the stairs after first stroke.  There were few conditions under physiotheraposts were willing to take me to stairs.  One: I must have been  stable enough.  Second: I must have been asegúrate at all times.  Going alone was out of discussion.  And it’s good to ask for help.  Believe me, for own comfort and security,  it’s better to be assecurated.

probably that’s why my bones are still OK:) Continue reading