Time Oh Time!

We can't stop time. The most we can do is try and savor it as much as we can. When I'm at work, I catch myself sometimes saying "This day is going by so slowly!" and I stop myself. It's ok if it feels as though time is slowing down, that time is standing still. For someone in the world who isn't in the best health, time slowing down may be what they wished for. I'm really trying to implement this in my day to day.
It's hard to believe that 2017 is almost over. How did November sneak up on me so quickly? I feel like I ask myself this every year. Where did the time go? Nowhere but perhaps it's time to look at time differently. While we always celebrate the new year goodbye to the old and hello to the new, it's also always the right time to celebrate the now. As the winds turn stronger and the temperatures drop, my right side is ever there to remind me that winter is creeping in so I am savoring today and these 70 degree unseasonable temperatures and hoping that I can hold each moment a little tighter because it will all be over in the blink of an eye.

Blessed and Grateful

Blessed and grateful and giving pause and thinking about everything and hoping I climb higher and higher and still ever so thankful for the stroke that landed me in the ICU 7 years ago.

Be well.

Whoa, I'm Human!

Expiration dates...
It's not very often that I think about my own mortality. I mean, it's easy to say yes I know I'm going to not be on this earth one day but to actually process that in a real way is not something I tend to let seep into my mind. Is that weird? Or is it weird that I'm talking about it?
There are moments when I will catch myself looking in the mirror at the differences in my face, the new lines, the creases, the new white hairs. To me, we miss these things if we don't stare at ourselves every once in awhile. It's like with my parents. I stare at them sometimes. Whether it's me not allowing myself to see that they are aging or just not paying attention, I've let myself stare and I see them and it's a little scary. Not that they look scary! Just the way that life is short and time passes by so quickly. I find it does so the older we get.
We don't get many second chances. You can't hit reset on certain things and maybe that is what I mean by expiration dates. I think I had a moment like that this weekend. I am not a teen anymore. I'm 4 away from 40 and THAT is something I haven't come to terms with yet! Where did the time go so fast?
Maybe I'm just letting my mind run. Maybe I'm thinking about this because I'm writing about a death TV channel. This isn't meant to be a depressing post, more like a reality check for me and maybe it will inspire you. Really think. We all have an expiration date. What have you been putting off or dreaming about that you have to confront?

To Take Or Not To Take

To take or not to take medicine when you have a cold; that is the question.
Since the stroke, I have tried to not take medicine for things unless I'm really really sick. I don't like putting anything in my body that can cause any side effect. I don't care if the side effect is nausea, dizziness, or sleepiness. I don't want it, don't want to risk it, don't want to have anything to do with it.
Of course, when you have a cold, that can go out the window, especially when it's a bad cold.

I remember a few months post stroke, I got the flu. Correction, I got the flu when I had tickets to see Prince and I ended up not being able to go because I had the damn flu. I MISSED PRINCE! I'm still not over that. Anywho, even though I was suffering something awful, I didn't want to take any medicine. I was so scared that something else would happen to me, something worse than the feeling I got knowing I had to miss Prince. Eventually I broke and took Tylenol and of course, nothing happened to me other than peaceful slumber and my fever breaking.

I have the same fear right now though. I have the fear that something really bad will happen. I mean, how can I not especially when there is a long list of what could  happen if you take this medication. I go through the pros and cons of what would happen if I took said pills and think about how bad I'm feeling. Is the risk worth it? Of course the answer for me is yes, Eljon. You've taking these pills before. You're fine...but wait, you took those other pills before too and you were fine. You were until you weren't. It's this banter that plays in my head every time I feel sick. The script is always the same and 6 times out of 10, I end up taking the pills. What do you think won today?

Be well.

Best Advice

When you're having a horrible day,
When you want to give up,
Remember (ha),
That you survived a life threatening trauma
And you're here to tell the tale,
Even if your words fail you,
Remember (ha),
You're here to tell the tale
In your own language,
In your own time,
You are the hero
In your book of life,
Remember (ha),
You've molted
And shed
Into a new self
That will be,
Believe it or not,
Your best self,
Remember.

Writing It Down

I saw a coworker feverishly writing into a notebook the other day. She said that she has been writing down every movie she's ever seen with her own little critiques carefully labeled for years. Just a quirk she has that she has been doing over the years to keep her writing skills sharp and memory keen.

I started my own document last year, not of movies, but of memories. I know the day is going to come, as it will for all of us, when our memories will fade; the time on the beach when I picked pink shells, or the party where I lost my favorite scarf because I was a dancing butterfly. I'm not ready to accept this and neither should you. In order to combat my fear, and perhaps revisit my happy memories, I've started a document detailing whatever memory comes to mind I don't want to forget. I am so meticulous with it down to colors of things, smells, you name it, it's written down. They've become happy little short stories I cherish when I have days that aren't so bright. I mean, hello, look at this blog! Talk about writing your story down!

It's comforting knowing that your story is written down. It warms me to read through my memories, including this blog. Call it validation of I was here or simply, just a hug from your mind to let you know, hey, look at what you've done! Either way, I'm happy I am doing it.

Honesty

I recently decided that it might be time for me to write something on my stroke. I tried to do this a few years ago but what came out was not something I was proud of. It wasn't completely honest and didn't ring true to my experience even though I was the one writing it! I don't think I was ready to delve into it, 100% honestly until now.
When I spoke about my idea, I did it in a way I hadn't done in the past. There was no shyness. There was decisiveness. This would be based on me. I wouldn't be pulling a story out of thin air. That took a lot for me to say because even though it has been 7 years since my stroke, I still am embarrassed about it to an extent. I don't know why. There are parts of me that still think I could have prevented it and many what ifs that will never be answered. After I spoke my idea into existence, I was initially PUMPED but then after walking down the street and letting it settle, I definitely broke down. I ugly cried. I know that this wasn't because of anything bad but because I finally got the strength to be able to put forth an idea that was 100% honest and I hope to remain true to that in my journey of writing down my idea.
Above all I have to remember, I'm not only writing this for me. I'm writing it for those out there who like me, didn't know there were others who experienced what I did at a young age. I have to remember, in times of block and doubt, that I was put here to do many things, and one of those things is to write this. :)

The Strokie Glove!

How COOL is this?? A man named Hoyoung Ban developed a "robotic hand" to help strokies regain control of their hands! This is amazing! It is operated through an app and uses games to help work the muscles in your hands and arms out and you can rent it for as little as $99 a month.
I am so thrilled of what this can mean for people who have lost control of their hands. Rehab is difficult on its own but now having a glove as an added source of strength training...well this will make physical therapy so much more supportive. I see you 2017! You can read all about this incredible invention here.