Initial Contact 21 Ma\y '16

[MIchael_Crammer]

Hello - I've just joined and haven't anything to say at the moment - I'll visit again when I've got something to share

[Brenda1946]

I just wanted to welcome you and visit us when you are ready

[MIchael_Crammer in reply to Brenda1946]

Thank you for that Brenda I have been a side-line voyeur up to now, reading rather than contributing. I hadf a stroke back in January 2015 following Heart surgery for an AVR in Nov 2014 during which I arrested and was put in an induced coma for about a month then had my brain bleed in Jan 2015 and I aspirated into my lungs meaning I was put on 'nil by mouth' diet and was fed by a tube into my stomach making me a member of the 'two navels' club - the indented scar left when they finally removed the tube. I have no recollection of these events, save some weird 'dreams' that I vaguely recall - just snatches - but they seem to have been so real. I spent from January to April 2015 on my back, unable to walk and found communicating by speech very difficult as my mouth and throat were vey dry. I was discharged to home with a Care Plan in April 2015 and was responding well to Physiotherapy exercise and became stronger and was able to walk albeit with some difficulty. I am also diabetic with complications of Peripheral Neuropathy which makes my legs numb from the knees down which exacerbates the problem but with perseverance I was doing well feeling stronger and walking better. I enrolled in my local swimming pool attending an 'Aquafit' program which entailed leaping about to music led by an instructor for 45mins supported up to your neck in the water - great! Then in May of this year I woke up one morning feeling weak and had taken the proverbial 'two steps forward and one step back' - my GP diagnosed me as having a TIA. Since then I hac=ve been seen by a Stroke specialist, had another MRI and was told it was a re-bleed of my original stroke rather than embolic and I should withdraw from 'violent exercise' while things settle down. Now, in August 2016 I am still finding walking any distance difficult - I experience weakness in my thigh and calf muscles and te muscles in the small of my back tense up and give me pain but am planning to resume Aquafit and have been given some physiotherapy exercises. I have also come to the conclusion that, at 73, his is as good as its going to get! I am extremely grateful for the careI have received over the past 2 years from the NHS personnel - doctors , nurses, district nurses and carers but most of all my Wife who has taken the strain of caring and supporting me during my recovery - I live in hope.

[Brenda1946 in reply to MIchael_Crammer]

You have been in the wars more than most of us. Glad your on the mend even if it is a slow one. My brain still thinks i can do things as quick as before but i am taking it slow. My main think is my knitting it is hard going but still managing to knit, gone back to my craft club which involves sewing making my hand and fingers work. I recently joined a colouring club for adults but will have to see how i go on. My husband does the main shopping but we go with a friend who walks me round with my walker doing her shopping(she lives on her own) and i pick up items that are on special offer and not on our list. This leaves my husband to go off and do the main shop. She also goes to the clubs with me as she loves crafting more than knitting. Without both of them and other people at the clubs helping me i would really be housebound