Note: I wrote this post two months after suffering a stroke that impacted the left side of my body. I had to relearn how to type, and the other things that this right-hander learned how to do previously with her left hand. Tying my shoes and doing other small movements while scrapbooking or working at my desk became challenges to overcome.
Back in January I posted that my one little word for the year was going to be write. Although I had been making good progress on that concept, I didn’t get a chance to blog more about it.
I had some (female) medical issues hit me late in January. The medication given to me to control that issue resulted in a blood clot. I had a stroke on February 12th as I was taking a nap after a grueling day of sitting on my butt watching my oldest daughter compete at a gymnastics meet.
In my family, if you have a stroke you’re 1) old, 2 have high blood pressures, and 3) dead. In my case, I’m not old (well, not that old-53), I have great blood pressures, and I survived. The two things that I did right away that probably helped me if not survive, lessen the impact of the stroke: take an aspirin, and called the paramedics right away. Looking back, it was quite funny watching my body not cooperate to open the medicine cabinet, get the aspirin, and put water into a glass so I could swallow the aspirin.
After two days in the hospital, I convinced the staff to let me go home instead of going to a nursing home. My kids were freaking out as it was — I think Mama in a nursing home would have sent them completely over the edge. So I started teaching my left side to work again– trying to make as much progress as possible before my first PT and OT appointments.
Prior to the stroke, I had signed up for the Club Scrap PSL, and was really looking forward to it. I missed three weeks, then decided to drop out thinking it would be a long time before I would scrapbook or type easily again. But my teammates wouldn’t let me. They encouraged me to stay and at least cheer them on, and may at some point I may be able to create a layout.
One week I decided to make a layout, maybe two, depending on how much it used up my strength. I managed NOT to injure myself, and I made 5 layouts that week. Took me forever, but it felt good. Each week, I’d do a few layouts, and each week my teammates and other Club Scrappers would encourage me. I could stand a little longer, and week-by-week my left hand and arm got a little more nimble.
I wound up making 30 layouts by the end of PSL. I wasn’t dropping every eyelet or brad any more. My typing was faster.
I was damn proud of my accomplishments.
This week I’ll come up on the two month anniversary of the stroke. I’ve made huge strides, and my typing is slow, but I don’t have to think so hard to do it. It’s almost back to automatic. I still have a long recovery road ahead of me, but I know I can get to the full recovery my doctors assure me is possible.
Thanks to my teammates, the Spumonis, I’m using scrapbooking as a physical and mental therapy tool. I will always be grateful for their support.