Is It Weird?

Is it weird that I look at October with such glee? As a child looks at Christmas? This is my month, My rebirth. Take back what it took from you. Take it for what it's worth. Take back your stroke month.

I replay what happened in my mind. What I can remember at least. I try and replay every move I made this month. Everything that happened. Everything that could have changed my path. And then, about mid month, when the feeling of this had to happen sets in, I exhale, I breathe, I give thanks. This had to happen to me. I am happy it did. I am happy today! 3 YEARS A SURVIVOR! 3 years strong. I pledge this month to my Dad who survived a stroke 12 years ago, to little Ava, who hasn't yet reached 3 years old, to Stacy, who just had her first child, to David, who is recovering and finding his footing, to Heidi, who survived open heart surgery, to everyone who shared with me and continues to walk with me through this journey with stroked out hand and foot. I thank you.
You inspire me.
You are amazing.
You are a survivor.
Take back your month!

October, I Hate To Love You

October...
I hate to love you,
Leaves that change,
Beautiful colors,
Stimulating to the senses
I thought I lost,
You are a reminder,
Of what was taken,
Of what I took back!
October...
I love to hate you,
I remember,
What you want me
To forget,
I remember,
I can remember,
I won't forget.

HAPPY STROKIVERSARY MONTH TO ME!

My Film Is Going To Be A Web Series!

In October of 2011, the first scene of a full length play I wrote after my stroke was made into a short film. Since then, it has success in over 20 film festivals and even winning awards in 2! It is a constant affirmation that I can achieve my dreams. F you stroke! I'm still winning! The end of October, beginning of November marks my 3 years a survivor anniversary! I can't think of a better way to celebrate good health, continued recovery and awareness than by filming this web series and continuing to live well because after all, everything I do is dedicated to the survivors out there. I am living proof that life doesn't end because you have had a stroke! We may be different post stroke but I like to look at us as being under construction. Nothing wrong with a little transformation after all the caterpillar had to turn into the butterfly so I try and look at my post stroke self as a transformation. I don't have a word for what it is that I've turned into yet but I'm working on it :) What other animals transform? We need to work on a name for us!

When I think about it, I probably wouldn't have been doing this had it not been for the stroke. I wouldn't have signed up for that Playwriting class. I wouldn't have pushed myself to write this post stroke. I wouldn't be in Grad School for Playwriting. I wouldn't be standing there in that picture with that glass trophy. This is another reason I am so thankful for this stroke. You never know what path your life will go on with a bump in the road and I am so happy with the bump. Granted, as you know, recovery was no walk in the park (haha true literally and figuratively) but I am stronger for it. 

I wanted to share the Crowd funding campaign I am taking part of to get this series off the ground. It is for the people, funded by the people! Please consider contributing if you can by donation and we love tweets. We have a Facebook fan page where you can keep up with all the happenings and our Twitter @docket32357 is pretty active. I am also on Twitter @misseljon

Check out our Seed and Spark campaign here We will be updating every couple of days with fun little sneak peeks to what we are working on. October can't come soon enough! 

This is for you dear strokies! 

Bigger and Better Stroke Detector

Hey, that rhymes!

The Reader's Digest recently posted in their current issue new and exciting medical breakthroughs, one of them being a better stroke detector. According to them, there is now a new test that may determine whether dizziness is being caused by a stroke or another condition preventing misdiagnosis's of as many as "100,000 strokes a year." Boy, I wish this was around when I had my stroke. Then time wouldn't have been wasted and it couldn't have been mistaken as a migraine.

How it works is that a patient wears goggles connected to a webcam and a laptop records video of eye movement as the patient looks at a target. If one is experiencing just dizziness, eyes wander off. If it's a stroke, well they stay focused. Imagine, a test that is better than an MRI or CT scan!

This is currently available at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Hopefully more hospitals will have this available soon!

Brain Games

So this just goes to show you how long I have been blogging. In the almost 3 years (whoa) I've been posting, I've written about brain games for the Nintendo DS and iPod games such as Bejeweled and now I have to say it.......the new game I am endorsing for being good for your noggin is none other than friggin Candy Crush. I know!!!! Addictive, addictive addictive and I'm not just saying this because I need lives right now but this game is good for your brain! It requires thought to solve puzzles and come on, that music? Totally relaxing.

I sound crazy right now, don't I?

Yes, yes I do but even still, you can't deny it's good for your brain. Maybe not so much for your eyes (screen gleam) but that's another post for another blog :)

Swim Ava Swim Fundraising!

Everyone remembers little Ava, the youngest little stroke survivor I posted about in May.

Her family is raising money for an Aquatic Therapy pool. Please help this beautiful little girl get the therapy she needs to move forward with her recovery. No donation is too small!  Swim Ava Swim!

If you would like to know more about Ava and her story, click on this FB page and like! Ava's Facebook Page

Has It Really Been So Long?

Has it really been so long since I've blogged? No excuse!!  How is everyone doing? I hope you have all been staying cool this summer. With record temperatures sweeping the U.S., it's so important that we all stay hydrated and healthy.  Have any strokies noticed changes in their speech with the weather change? Granted everyone is a little slower in the summer months, we walk slower, take time to smell the flowers and are just generally more relaxed but I don't know, I feel like my brain operates on dial up during this time of year.

I've also been thinking about brains after 40. (This is a very random post, I know.) Brains start to deteriorate after 40 or so. While this is normal, what does it mean for strokies who already have some brain damage. Who will I be once I turn 40? And after 40? This has weighed heavily on my mind (stroke joke) these past couple of days. Short term memory loss is normal at this age, so what about those of us who struggle with this already. Does that mean that we won't have it because we got smacked with it already or will it get worse? So far I've been reading that we can do brain boosting exercises which we should be doing anyway! In my research, I found this article from 2010 that still holds true today. Check it out The Talents Of A Middle-Aged Brain

and be well!