Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to post an update on how much life has improved 10 months post brain stem stroke. I know this is not the case for everyone and my wish is that you find some hope from reading my post.
Life is starting to feel good again, the last 10 months have been very challenging, but I feel I have turned a corner in recent weeks, both mentally and physically. I found myself feeling what I can only describe as contentedness for the first time the other day. It took me by surprise! I had gotten so used to feeling anxious and flat since my stroke.
I have been working hard on sorting my sleep issues. This has meant having a consistent routine, not eating for at least 2 hours before bed, going to bed at the same time each night and following a wind down routine. I do a bit of sudoku, listen to calming music then a meditation with deep breathing exercises. I was skeptical that this would work, but have been pleasantly surprised. I am now falling asleep easier and have noticed I am starting to sleep for 2 to 3 hours at a time and falling back to sleep easily. I was averaging 90 minutes just over a month ago. This has made a big difference to my fatigue and my mood.
Physically I am now walking without the aid of a walkers stick for balance. I am seeing a specialist Physio for balance issues. The exercises he has given me are starting to make a difference to my balance and I feel more confident walking unaided. I am back to walking the dog for a couple of miles, which feels like a huge achievement after the last few months and brings both of us so much joy.
Best of all I am starting to feel joy in life again!
Tomorrow my husband and I will be picking up our newly bought motorhome, we have a trip to France planned, to see the town where his grandmother was born and a tour of Brittany. The last few years of illness with first cancer and then a stroke have taught me you have to grab life and do the things you want to do now. I will always have cancer and I may well have another stroke in the future, but I refuse to let that steal away today. After I had my stroke I decided I could either waste my time wishing for what I had lost or forge ahead and learn to live with how I am now. I am glad I chose the latter.
I am back at work and it has been really hard at times, I have accepted I will never get back to working full time, my brain and body canāt cope with it. But I am back to working 30 hours of a 38hr week, which is good enough for me. My income has dropped as a result, but I have learnt that I donāt need as much as I thought I did. I am choosing to live a simpler life now and focusing on making each day count rather than worrying about the future.
I have found great comfort in the wisdom of Buddhism. We stress too much over a life that can end at any time. Donāt forget to breath, to laugh and love, but most of all live the best life you can.
All the very best
Lizzie 
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. Well, I hope you continue to recover well, you have done amazing so far! Be proud of yourself and I hope you have a great holiday and enjoy life to the max once again. Best wishes
. France is green with nice little hedges around the pitches and theyāre very dog friendly 
I am really pleased that you have reached another milestone and are as they say in Latin ready to ā¦ carpe diem. It sounds like you deserve this reward of a trip abroad to visit the Celts in France 
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