Our Stroke Blog
My husband Terry’s brain haemorrhage in 2013 was the impetus for writing Joe Faber and the Optimists. We were able to find information and advice online about the immediate effects of stroke, but very little about the long term realities of rehabilitation. So, between 2020 and 2022, we collaborated on ‘Our Stroke Blog,’ with a deliberate emphasis on the long haul. Archived here!
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November 10, 2022Fluent or fraught, getting through the airport is a huge part of your journey, and all the more so if you have a disability. And assistance comes in different guises. Paphos, arrivals. Special assistance. It’s dark, but they’re always ready for us here; a small army of hi-viz helpers swarms to greet us as, in small batches for safety, we…- March 24, 2022Horrible as it sounds, it was really reassuring to hear from a much younger friend who works from home that, since lockdown, she really can’t appreciate going out more than three times a week, and recently turned down a tasty invitation because she was just too tired. Asking around, there seems to be a consensus on this. Amongst our retired…
March 21, 2021A big preoccupation right now is introducing Joe Faber to as many people as possible. So it’s really thrilling to see the Headway interview with Terry and myself online!
February 2, 2021In which lockdown catches up with us We’re posting this on 2nd February, which is both Groundhog Day and, according to the church calendar, Candlemas. Back in November the UK, with everyone desperate to lighten lockdown, there was an early rush on Christmas decorations, and especially trees. People calculated that if kith and kin weren’t descending, that made more room…- November 23, 2020Terry writes: During our first few months of getting to know each other, Gill sent me numerous interesting, exciting and, most of all, funny letters. I discovered she had always made up stories. She published teaching materials, collaborated on a textbook and wrote most of her first novel while still working. Life together got better and better, in spite of, or…
- September 25, 2020Going tapless BS (before stroke) I did most of the DIY and household maintenance, including plumbing. Since stroke, I’ve tried to farm out jobs to professionals, with fairly dismal results. Kitchen re-fit, decorating, other plumbing jobs needed to be put right or redone. Somehow, with one hand, I’ve managed to complete tasks that ‘professionals’ with two had messed up. The one…
- August 17, 2020The emphasis of this blog is the long haul, so we’re reaching out to people who may be several years post-stroke. When you set off, the only way is forwards. Over the years, some problems diminish or resolve, whilst others remain persistent and sooner or later, you’re bound to question whether you were over-optimistic in believing you could fix them……
July 19, 2020Playing an instrument after stroke This post is quite a long rambling one, but it’s of special interest to instrumentalists. We would love to hear from musicians or anyone who has recovered or improved movement and fine motor skills. Pre-Stroke, my major hobby, apart from the things I pretended to enjoy, walking, gardening, decorating, D.I.Y., etc. was playing guitar. Gill…
June 27, 2020Nine lives? Don’t try this at home. After the initial shock and trauma of my haemorrhagic stroke had started to subside, I desperately wanted to know why it had happened. I asked anyone who might know. The general view, shared by the senior stroke nurses at the General Hospital, was it was not possible to identify a reason. In rehab,…- June 11, 2020Goals and Gains Direction of travel 2013 I left hospital with all sorts of equipment and gadgets to help with some of the tasks that, previously, were accomplished naturally and unaided. I also had my end of term report. (Discharge Statement.) This listed things the things I could, and mostly couldn’t, do. It also graded me on arriving at…
