Looking After Yourself
It is 12 months or longer since I have actually sat down and written an “enable me” blog.
- A lot has happen with in organizing my life, at times I have lost and found myself and learning to live life by myself. Everything is a challenge from finances, cooking, shopping and trying to declutter and keeping up the so called housework, and cleaning horrible mould which happens when you live in the tropics. For the last two and a half years my life changed into daily hospital visits, and the last 14 months a residential nursing home.
2019.
My brain, as a stroke survivor decided my life did have to turn around for the better.
Firstly: my house work is basic, but I have couple of sayings, I am never home long enough to do any housework, and housework will not kill me but why take the chance!
Second: For the last 12 months I have tried looking after myself, but chocolate, chips and ice-cream became my comfort food, and I really was lost, and could not care for myself and had to accept that I could not cope. Decluttered my pantry and threw out pre-made food. I had to waste money on buying bigger clothes etc. Total Wellbeing Diet was on special on Boxing Day so I took the plunge and signed up. I thought at 71 years young if I did not do this I will end up being obese, diabetic, other health issues and could have another stroke. It has taken me 20 years to get this far from my strokes. I have achieved so much over the years that I did not want to lose anything I had work so hard to get me where I am today.
My passion is helping others and being on some board committees, one which is Rights In Action Inc. (RIA) who Advocate for people with disabilities who are vulnerable within the Cairns Region. I am very fortunate to be able to be involved. This was all part of my recovery and I was treated as normal person.
For e.g. after my stroke I could not talk properly for three years, by that I mean I could not say a complete sentence. I have taught myself to concentrate when talking to this day because if I do not anything will come out, I could not swim like I used to so I went to swimming lessons. Used to paint but not after the strokes, so I went painting lessons to learn how to hold a paint brush. It took me around 5 years to hold that brush correctly.
Stroke is such a slow, slow recovery but you do improve, plateau out at times, believe your brain telling you, you can do something when you can’t. I remember grieving for my poor old brain, BUT I am still me and got on with my life and still trying.
Welcome into my life TWD. I have lost over ten kilos, my blood pressure tablet has been halved, I have gone from 87.7 kilos to 78.5 so I am delighted. I am not giving up and have renewed for another twelve weeks. It certainly has been a challenged, the help and proudness of this achievement has been incredible for me. I fill so much healthier, fitter, mentally, happier, stronger and my stressed levels I am sure have dropped. I now take a day at a time. I thank everyone who has believed in me, thanks “Enable me” for your support and CSIRO for the great diet. You are all special to me I feel like I have extended families and my life. I am still visiting my dear hubby daily.