I’ve been out of rehab now for approximately one year. I thought I’d update everyone on where I am in my recovery.

I still get rehab at home by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority Community Stroke Care Service. They have been terrific.  They are still working on my arm and leg with mixed results.

The leg has had the most success so far.  I can get around my house with a quad cane as long as it is for short distances.

The arm has been a bit different.  There has been a little progress on the arm itself but the hand hasn’t faired quite as well.  There has been a bit of improvement closing my fingers into a fist but once it has closed it won’t open up on it’s own.  I have to use my left hand to literally pry open my right hand.   My middle finger has developed a 45 degree kink that I wear a mini cast to try and correct as much as we can.

My brain functions are improving at a snails pace.  My memory got a little better but has seemed to have hit a roadblock.  Storing new things is hit and go. I can watch a TV show several times and still pick up stuff I missed the time(s) before.  Recalling things that happened before the stroke is touch and go.  I am a computer programmer and I have trouble remembering what I used to do.  I look at old work and in most cases it doesn’t make sense even though I wrote it.  I am hoping that as time passes this will all start to make sense again. this happens with other things  as well but this is a good example.

I’ve had two seizures in the last three months.  They took a lot out me but I recovered from each one fairly quickly although the last one took a lot longer.  Hopefully seizures are behind me now!

I’m a “glass half full” kind of person and that is how I take every day.  I don’t think about the things I can’t do but instead focus on the things I can.  There are two paths you can take after suffering an injury like a stroke.  The first is to feel sorry for yourself and live the rest of your life in a dark place.  The second is to live your life being happy that your still alive and able to be with your loved ones and enjoy the good things that life presents you.  I chose the second path.  I can’t even think of going down the first path.  Every day I’m alive is like winning the lottery.

And that’s the first year….