Stroke recovery pattern

My all too slow recovery from my brain bleed (stroke) continues but I seem to have a pattern: some days go well and I think I am getting better then this is followed by a lousy day when the food and drink don't go down and my body is just a tired and wobbly mess.

Today was one of those "off" days and I also felt tired most of the day, a tiredness that cuts one to the very core - more like M.E. than just any old tiredness. The trouble is it gets my wife down too, but it is SO hard to smile and be cheerful when inside I feel so very ill with nausea, and poor balance - I feel like I've just had 8 pints of beer whenever I stand and the smallest physical task exhausts me.

Let us hope the rest of the week is much better.

Weather - odd

Weather is a funny business: this winter in the UK has been the wettest on record with several places badly impacted by flooding. Here we have had no floods, no snow and only a couple of mild frosts. In the last few winters we have managed a few weeks of snow and several quite heavy frosts.

At the moment, snowdrops are now dying off,daffodils are fully out and even oilseed rape is starting to flower,which is 4-6 weeks early.

In the USA, it has been extremely cold - all because of a shift in the jet stream.  It is probably too soon to say if this is all down to climate change, although I suspect it is. Our climate IS changing but the jury is out on whether this is Man's doing or natural variations.

Opinions?

Body Mass Indicator

During my hospital stay I lost 1.5 stone in weight but have been recovering since. My dietician says I am already at my "right" weight and should now try to maintain this, reducing the liquid feed by 100ml every 2 weeks if my weight is not falling. I am liquid fed by a peg in my stomach for 7.25 hours a day but also eat some solid food and drinks by mouth now, thankfully.

This was the result of  my BMI calculation today. My weight is exactly 11 stone (naked) and I am 5' 8.5" tall.

Your BMI is 23.1, which means you are in the healthy weight range.

BMI calculator results - what do they mean?

• Less than 18.5 = underweight

• 18.5-24.9 = healthy weight

• 25-29.9 = overweight

• 30 or greater = very overweight or obese

See: http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/Healthyweightcalculator.aspx if you need/want to calculate your own BMI.

Religious propaganda

Recently I seem to be getting several "comments" that can best be described as "religious propaganda" that bear very little or no relevance to the actual post. Please be aware that I am highly likely to DELETE such rubbish. I hold my own religious/moral views and don't need fanatics to help me, thank you.

My recent stroke has been a wake-up call and I have really found out what true love and kindness is. Some people have been exceptionally kind to me and I shall be forever grateful to them. The so called religious comments are of zero relevance. Don't post such comments again please Steve Finnell and others.

Feeing a bit better

This morning I woke feeling nearly normal, no sick feeling, no nausea, just "near normal", despite my stroke. Getting out of bed I still felt wobbly on my legs and I knew things were far from right, but I do feel positively better.  I'd now rate myself 50% of normal rather than 45%. I feel less tired too. I have avoided pills so far today and will continue this unless I go downhill.  Praise be!

For several days, before this morning I was beginning to feel I was sliding backwards on my journey of recovery. It is horrible feeling one is losing the battle.Today I feel strong again to carry on again on the battle to full health. Do not give up!

Landwade, Nr Exning

Today, in the sunshine, Lis and I did our annual walk at Landwade, near Exning.

Plenty of snowdrops, aconites and daffodils around and NO people apart from us.

Because of my stroke we took a slightly different route to avoid climbing stiles and gates.  My walking stick is behind the tree trunk.

This is the view outside the little church,which is sadly locked these days.

Stroke ( continued)

The after effects of my stroke continue.

My walking is definitely getting better and I no longer need a Zimmer frame. Outside of home I carry a stick more for reassurance as I can get around just about without. Inside home I can manage without even the stick. My main problem is balance which is still impaired. It is slowly getting better but still far from OK.

Swallow also seems to be improving  with a better tolerance of foods by mouth.  Touch wood, I have not suffered any problems with food going down the wrong way (aspiration).

Other issues are fatigue and clumsiness:  simple things tire me very easily, including talking. I am still awaiting news from the DVLA about my driving licence, but I am likely to be banned (because of the head injury) for 12 months.

I also suffer from a degree of sickness and nausea during the day which is helped with Domperidone pills (20mg x 3 times a day).I am on 8 hrs a day liquid feed but manage a Weetabix and banana for breakfast and soft foods by mouth lunch and teatime. I drink tea or coffee with thickener several times in the day.

I already have a blue disabled badge.

Physio takes place as an out-patient in Ely Hospital most weeks with the speech and language lady visiting me at home every few weeks. The physio man at Ely is excellent (Sam Yovan).

Mentally and physically, apart from the issues above I am in good shape.

In 6 months I hope to be back to full health. This is my definite aim and, based on progress to date, a real possibility.