Hi everyone name is michael stevens up till the beginning of january 2022 i was a workaholic i live with my lovely partner Dawn, on the 20th january this year had a stroke on my way to work ended up in hospital for a week came home and had another a week later have lost partial vision, balance, coordination, short term memory,stamina, strength, and ache all the time but i am still breathing lol, my hobbies are keeping my discus fish, gardening in moderation now, and a new hobby thanks to dawny zigsaw puzzles my least fav thing to do but it works my brain and eyes , i also suffer from cluster headaches but dont talk about them to much thats enough about me for now hope to chat to a few of you soon
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Hello Mikey, I am with you on this one. You have just described some of my symptoms there. How are you coping with your balance and coordination? I have things arranged in my home so that I can get around some of the time by holding on to furniture etc. I also have two walking sticks to use for more challenging tasks and for walking outside. In addition I have a rollator to give me extra support and confidence when I go out.
It is good to hear that you are trying to keep up your hobbies. Do you find this helps with your therapy? I have found that post stroke life is all about learning new ways.
Hi nice to meet you i to walk with a stick 1/4 mile every other day then a days rest as the stroke does mess up your balance and stamina somewhat , what i used to do in a day now takes a week but its all about accepting that we cant do the things as we did and finding new ways to do them , close up everybody looks like they have one eye have some vision loss in both eyes and have constant floaters in my cold right eye but its all about finding new ways to cope as best we can like you say .
Hi Loraine sounds like you have been through the ringer so to speak but then again so has everyone here jigsaw puzzles is not my fav thing to do my Dawny loves them i have to find one piece at a time, she does in 2 days what it takes me 3 weeks lol ,at 66 yrs of age i think my body is telling me its time to slow down but not stop just yet all the best .
Hi and thanks for the welcome
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Shwmae @mikey57, welcome to the forum, and sorry that you’ve joined our flanks. I had a stroke September 2021, and although it hasn’t defined me, it has defined my life. Your workaholic personality will come in use for rebuilding your life. I don’t have severe balance issues but I have visual-spatial awareness problems which means I walk around like an astronaut. I also have some cognitive issues relating to disinhibition and obsessiveness, and enjoy the presence of anxiety every day. I hope we can offer some support and guidance here, i remember when first joined the forum, it was almost like finding my own kind. It’s a strange thing to say, but having a stroke puts one on a different page to everyone else.
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Hi Mike 57 wellcome aboard. My main grouse is some peripheral loss from both eyes on left have bit the bullet and come to terms with it as have enough left to get by. Have worn glasses since I was knee-high to grasshopper, so challenging at times. Still enjoy short bouts of non fiction and puzzles but still not started a jigsaw, the one I was given a year ago my excuse I’m saving it for a winter evening the subject ‘the little grey Ferguson tractor’ From your first post you come across as being positive, the key to coping with what’s turned our lives upside down . Keep us informed on how your doing Pds
Hi dont be sorry for me Rups i am treating this condition the same as my cluster headaches i get them to save someone else getting them gives me a chance to slow down as well lol
Hi PDS the little grey fergy tractor my first driving machine being an old farmer the eye sight loss and not being able to drive are the worst for me but i have come to terms with it upwards and onwards i say
Morning and welcome @mikey57. You sound like you have a great attitude for dealing with the rubbish life heaps on us. You are still in the fairly early phase and things are fluid- accepting, adapting and ultimately learning are all still going on for for me 9 months on. Similar to you, my vision, balance, coordination and memory are affected so my life and that of my husband has changed enormously. These are the cards we have been dealt and only we can say how we play them. I hope you find the forum a safe place to air whatever you need to amongst those who genuinely understand. Julia
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Good morning Julia its a bit like being a kid again learning things just have to make the things more simple now may take longer but as long as we get there i have not lost my wicked sense of humour so not all bad sure my Dawny would disagree bless her.
Welcome @mikey57 , sorry you’ve had to join our ranks but I’m sure you’ll find some help & comfort here. Still early days for you so make the most of doing as much physio as you can manage while the brain is at its most receptive.
A word of warning, you may have a few downturns along the way but your positive attitude and a sense of humour will be a big help.
This forum (which I only started posting on about 6 months in) has made a big difference for me, so I hope you too will find it helpful. It is nice to feel you are with people who truly understand some of the issues you are experiencing.
I wish you all the best on your recovery journey.
Mark
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I find this too. A bit of humour and good banter is an excellent way to lift the mood.
Hi @mikey57 and welcome to the forum! I’m one year on from my stroke. My main issues are loss of peripheral vision, balance and cognitive skills… (let’s forget about the anxiety)… Basically what used to cost me a fortune in alcohol now comes naturally 
Thanks for your insight i look at it that it was natures way to tell me to slow down i have for once obeyed and will spend the rest of my days building myself up with a bit of luck lol
HI Alis i now know what it feels like to be drunk and i am a teetotal vegetarian haha
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Hi Mickey57 Not only do I have a jigsaw but a 1949 petrol fergie. Acquired it 16 years ago for collecting firewood as surrounded by woodland, not the slightest bit interested in engines but any minor fault could fix and even replaced smashed radiator when it took on tree and came off worse. Still have it and hopefully one of sons will use it. Yes not being able to drive clips our wings. Was told after the stroking, good news is your sight not likely to deteriorate but bad news it’s not likely to get better but we must live in hope Pds
Hi Pds ah how tractors have changed am limited to a ride on lawn mower at the son in laws now lol as for the eyes just had checkup at the hospital and close up is a little worse i told my Dawny she pushing me to hard with the jigsaws dont think she believed me tho
Hi Mikey57 it is difficult at times to get across the problems we are experiencing without seeming defeatist.I have a sister who gets fed up with me going on about stroke and thinks I should be moving on, if only ! In my new world I imagine I’m not winging all the time. Like you I was a workaholic, fit no health issues never smoked drank in moderation been a vegetarian for 50 years eating a good wholefood diet then Zapp! High Blood pressure, my Mum had severe stroke when she was 80 due to same and I never went to doctors or had check ups, silly me. Am so grateful like you have a wonderful partner to support me when her world went pear shaped as well. Have mostly good days but then sometimes something kicks down door and gets in, that’s when I think this Forum comes into its own Bless IT and All who Post. Pds
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Ah theres your problem only a vegetarian for 50yrs 60+ for me lol i have to say me and Dawny have 8 kids between us and a bucket full of grandkids lots of things i cant do now on my own but have to say they all help out in there own way bless them and i have to let them much to my frustration but upwards and onwards eh