EnableMe | enableme - stroke recovery and support

Hi everyone,

Well I am sharing today with you something which took me by absolute surprise.

I left my full time job of nearly ten years, about 2 months ago now. I have been taking good care of myself, exercising, yoga, mindfulness, eating far better now I have more time to prepare etc.

So what a shock I had when I had by Blood Pressure taken at the Doctors and it was up. We have been keeping an eye on it since the discovery and today I am hooked up to a 24hour monitor. I do feel relieved that I know about it and that we can look at what is going on and what to do about it.

For me, the release over the past two years of actually finding such good support on EnableMe and through The Stroke Foundation has been like a bit of volcanic explosion inside me of relief after nearly 25 years post stroke and the isolation I have experienced throughout this time. Before that is was at times like butting up against brick walls searching for dignified support and understanding.

So I do get there has been a lot of trauma release for me, and my good ness have I felt it through my yoga, which I have persevered through not being quite able to do moves seven months ago, and to what I can do now. I am very pleased with the noticeable change in my flexibility, balance, strength and feeling the peace yoga brings to me.

So I will continue you with my friend on my arm monitoring what is actually going on that I was not aware of.

Does anyone else have a story to share that "took them by surprise".

Sue :-)

Feeling more settled today - BP Monitor done and will await results.

Some great support given received by Stroke Foundation NSW office.

I have done some more organisation for Stride4stroke here in Bathurst.

Feeling lighter than yesterday.

Just riding the waves!

To have somewhere to "put" this is amazing.

I'm off to choir now to sing my heart out, our song tonight is

"I won't back down" By Tom Petty - kind of sums up how I feel today.

And I have realised this should probably be a Blog not a Forum - I will see what I can do to fix this up. I get a bit mixed up with them both, before EnableMe I did neither Blog nor Forum.

Thanks for listening

Sue

Sue,

That 'surprise' was the cardiac arrest while swimming in the uni's pool. One moment I am swimming with my friend in the cool water and next moment, I am coming out of a three day induce coma after that cardiac arrest.

Why was I left in the bottom of the pool? Why did I have a cardiac arrest? Who knows? The doctor couldn't tell me why? But, after a lot of googling about swimming after a stroke or heart, I found that the pool's temperature was the most likely the cause.

Damn! I wish I knew about temperature before swimming in the cold pool. I have been swimming in the 25 metre and the outside 50 metre pool after my stroke three years ago, but that was the first time to swim in the cold pool - 22 degrees.

But there was a good side-effect of this induce coma. After I woke up, got me directions, and realised I was in the hospital again, I thought 'Oh.. here we go again.' More rehab, more damage of the brain. I am getting tired of this... However, I felt a little strange in a positive way. My wife, sons, friends, nurses and occupation and physical therapists, all noticed that my language, both English and Japanese, were much better since the induce coma. No one would explain why, but I and all my friends knew something as change for the positive.

Who would believe that?

I do.

Hi Marcus

Aren't we amazing, what our bodies want to heal us from!

That is an interesting improvement in your talking after being in a coma. Hoping you are staying well and have good support around you as you continue on with teaching and needing to put yourself in front of a class.

Stay well

Your friend

Sue

Hi everyone

An update - so I have returned to my trusty Doctors to be now prescribed Blood Pressure Medication.

Blood Pressure medication is something I remember family members being on as I grew up. The much tease and taunts between elders about , who was on what, jokes of pill popping and rattling. My own young self not really understanding the lack of want for people to be kind to others about such an important issue. Our health is to be rejoiced!!

So now for my own truth of what this means.

It means I will begin my new medication.

Re- visit my trusty Doctor next week.

I will inform her of any side affects I have and we will discuss what to do about this.

I will not think that I have "not done enough" to prevent my high blood pressure, instead I feel - "wow - glad that one has been picked up!"

I will research what I can about what I have been prescribed and then ask more questions next week.

Bottom line - I am relieved that I am not beating myself up about this. And if sharing this about how it is for me helps someone else rid themselves of the underlying guilt that can somehow be ingrained in us then that is a good thing.

Sue :-)

Hi Sue,

That is good news. Blood pressure ... I always checked it before my heart attack but those bloody genes got in the way!

Lots of exercise and sleep.

Marcus

Well its been one week on my Blood Pressure medication.

Back to the Dr's yesterday to check in and talk about how the week has been. There has been no side affects for me.

And the verdict is, my Blood Pressure has come down significantly in just one week!! Happy days.

:-)

Sue

Took me by surprise!

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