My Four Year Anniversary of my Discharge Day is here.

Yes, thrill seekers ,fellow time travelers and Stroke Survivors it is 4 years ago TODAY that I strode \{albeit slightly gingerly\} through the sliding glass doors of Bankstown Hospital and into my AFTER-STROKE life!!

A somewhat different mode than was my entrance, some 16 weeks earlier, when I was rolled through the doors of the Emergency Department into the complex yet organized chaos that is emergency medicine!

For those of you who think I am being indulgent, maudlin, and having a ”look at me moment” by writing about this anniversary and what it means to me- I say look away now!!

For the past 4 years I have been transparent, honest about my rehab/stroke journey from the very beginning and I find my writings have had a cathartic effect on me.

As strokes are individual in nature stroke survivors gain help/solace in their curative journey through reading about other survivor’s experiences.

Witness the blogs by other Stroke survivors on the Stroke Foundation’s Website. The feedback and encouragement I have received from my previous blogs reinforces the relevance of my actions.

Back to the matter at hand- what has changed over the past 4 years in my life?

One of the issues that I had to address upon my exit was to identify and eradicate the risky aspects of my BS\{Before Stroke\} life.

My lifestyle for one!-Over the past 4 years I feel that I have softened in character, some have said less aggressive in my dealings with people, more tolerant of the other’s point of view and willing to devote more time to helping others who have endured a similar experience.

On my “brag wall” in my office occupying pride of place is a certificate which recognizes that I was selected as one of 4 Finalists in the Stroke Foundation’s 2020 Awards in the “Improving Life After Stroke “Category.

I have been described as a ‘reformed workaholic’, yet I never really considered myself as one.

But looking back I displayed all the classic behaviors- crushing levels of stress, a working week of 60-80 hours was the norm, minimal sleep\{3-4 hours a night\} poor diet, a total lack of exercise, constant travel both international, interstate, and intrastate, driven by often self-inflicted deadlines, managing multiple projects with huge KPIs. Have spoken at countless conferences and conventions the length and breadth of the nation.

A personal challenge for me was that I had achieved my ultimate career objectives by the time I was 45 and I found myself to a degree bored and listless for a decade,

To the spectator I was the usual person I was but I was looking for something more which I managed to find in short term consulting. Very lucrative too!!.

Do not misunderstand me- I enjoyed a level of compensation the envy of many, an industry profile coveted by my peers, but little did I know what was coming around life’s corner!!

Looking back it was no wonder that I had hypertension and one day the Magic Carpet Ride would come to an abrupt halt!!

I quickly found that the Karma Bus is the great leveler in life!

My diet ”Before Stroke” once described by my closest friend \{a GP\} as an exercise in personal abuse” is now a stroke friendly diet. Gone are the mountains of sugar, salt, and other nasty condiments I would greedily consume together with the wrong types of food. I gave up alcohol in 2007 following the detection of an abnormality in my liver!

Plus,after 50 years I stopped smoking!! And it is right!! The food tastes better!!The cessation of this habit was painless without the reported mood swings and withdrawal symptoms.

Exercise which was once totally off limits to me now forms an integral part of my daily rhythm- walking for a total of 3- 4 hour per day\{in 1-hour blocks\} plus the ongoing exercises that are designed to improve my walking.

As well as these activities, I am starting to write again \{essays and poetry\} I have just completed a 10.000-word article titled “The Integrity of a Powerful Brand” for a Uni textbook. This is a pastime that I really enjoy!

I still listen to 60s rock[ particularly the British Invasion], real American country \{Jim Reeves, George Jones, Emmylou Harris-to name a few\} plus esoteric classical music\{currently Estonian classical and early English music\} and reading the classics plus a select group of contemporary novelists.

For me to sit and give myself a pat on the back on anniversary would be quite wrong – there are many people whose efforts, skill and expertise have contributed – my family, first and fore most, the medical staff and the many elements of the Stroke rehab staff at Bankstown.

I would be remiss if I did not mention some truly amazing physios who helped put Humpty Dumpty back together again- I won’t embarrass them but they are aware of my perpetual gratitude, but what the heck, Laura King .Simone Dorsch, Finlay Low are people to whom I owe a lifelong debt..

How can I forget the other survivors who were there with me-Big Phil, Young Ronnie\{RIP\}- What a crew!

Together with the hundreds of messages of support from my colleagues and friends from around the world-It humbled me[and still does] when I read them. I learnt the value of true friendship during that time.

There is not a day goes by that these people do not enter my thoughts!!Even after this time.

But alas thrill seekers, fellow time travelers unlike someone who suffered say a broken arm, a stroke survivor’s rehab process is not finite, so whilst I appear to be luxuriating in my achievements, I realize that today I am still going to walk, do my stepping exercises- these have all become ingrained into my daily routine?

When I left, I created a poster which outlined my philosophy to my rehab, and it hangs in the rehab gym at Bankstown Hospital. Attached is a copy.

To conclude this epistle I hope you\{the reader\} have learnt something from my ramblings, so next time you see somebody who is a Stroke survivor go up and shake their hand and wish them well. They will appreciate the gesture- the first time this happened to me I burst into tears!

Keep well and safe in these strange times and I commend to you the final verse of Max Ehrmann’s poem “Desiderata” which reads

“And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy”

Remember-always keep the dun at your back and the wind in your face!!