Hi. Hope you are all keeping well . I now realise how amazing the brain is. It learns from the day you are born and in that respect when something serious and life threatening comes along it goes into recovery mode much like this labtop so that it can conserve its energy for the complex muscle and nerve functions that lie ahead. Yesterday for first time in nearly three years I went to our allotment BBQ which has not taken place for the last two, and I enjoyed the company of old pals who said (although I did not believe them) that I was ’ looking a lot better these days’. Little comments like that have given me the encouragement to start chatting again cos I now realise how important communication is to brain recovery. My private physio Carla suggested I keep a book and detail my daily activities. So I bought a Daily Planner Diary and now set myself tasks every day and at the start of every week listing what I hope to achieve. It has become important as a way of monitoring my daily energy outputs 1 - 10 so I realise that I may be overdoing it. To date, I have had the old sofets and guttering replaced and am about to the have the roof tiles replaced, I am in the process of getting a wet room put in - expensive !!, but this is future proofing so a good investment. Word of warning - last year I had a run in with local gypsies trying to screw me . If it hadn’t been for my policewoman friend on WhatsApp I could have lost £1500 ! Their mistake was they were too keen and turned up on sunday morning on my patio. I thought no-one works on sunday , went out , told them I couldn’t pay, went inside and phoned her for help. She popped round with her 6’ 10 husband , flashed her warrant card and they disappeared. Now I have installed a Tapo Video DoorBell - easy to install even with my left arm paralysis. As the OT says ‘You have to find ways of doing things differently’ - and it’s true, you do! May take a little bit longer but the task is completed whatever. Now I can see whose calling and choose whether or not to open the door. The doorbell is charged using the C adapter and charger. With the help of one of the roofers I managed to install a PIR porch light ( he drilled the holes in the bradstone brickwork) . Now I just have to work out the daylight timings. With the medication I am taking (Amlodipine) my ankles and feet swell which means I have difficulty putting my ski boots on ( which were hard enough anyway in the past!!) so I googled the problem and have found that they now make updated Rear entry ski boots! I have ordered some Dalbello Panterra 120 boots which I have had in the past so we’ll see how I get on with them before I commit to the rear entry boots. I fully intend to return to skiing next season ( I’ll update you on my progress) - see how it goes regards tips on travel, accommodation , and the actual skiing. But it’s all looking positive , just wish I could weed my allotment! Thanks for reading. Just felt I had to get it out there .
Your input is inspiring and I am sure, of interest to us all.
Thanks for sharing and “getting it out there.”
Looking forward to hearing more.
keep on keepin on
Brilliant news this and worth writing it down for us all. 
Hi @theskier Great to read your update. Yes, the brain is a remarkable thing and I imagine most / all of us are very grateful that it is after our strokes. Good to see that you managed to attend and enjoy the BBQ and you are right communication is really important. I am sure your pals were right about you looking a lot better.
I kept a diary for almost 4 years after my stroke and found it really invaluable as it showed how far I had actually come especially on those days when I was feeling low and wondered if I would ever get back to some sort of life. I scored out of 10 too and it was great to see the score increasing over time. A real motivator to keep going. Finding ways to adapt is what this journey is all about. Some of those adaptations are short term and some may be long term or for life but at least it means we can continue living and doing the things we enjoy (albeit in a different way).
I really hope you get back to skiing and look forward to hearing how it goes.
Best wishes
Very useful, some people will try anything. I gave two quid, a few years ago, to a chap who came knocking at my door. Realised afterwards that his story of doing a fun run for disabled children was bunkum, but stupidly left the door open while I fetched some cash, realised afterwards that he could have had a quick peek around, I was unsettled for months after that.
If I may say so, with everything else you have achieved and with you hoping to go skiing next season, I see no reason why you cannot do a little weeding in your allotment plot. Go ahead and do it, you know you can and if I may say so, is there not a way of there’s a will?
Enjoy the weeding 
Hi. Yesterday I did what you suggested and tried weeding using my left hand . It was hard work especially bending down without toppling over but my balance is good ( comes with years of skiing) and I managed to de- weed two rows of leeks. Hey whilst standing in the shower this morning I had a brainwave. Instead of leaving my money to all these charities eg RNLI, who I watched helping illegal migrants cross the channel a few days ago, why dont I change my will and leave it all to the Stroke Association? After all they do not receive any goverment help and do not have commercial incentives. I was going to leave some to the BHF but when i moved down ro my dads to look after him, they refused to take my fireproofed single bed cos it wasnt in show room condition - mean or what? What do you think of linking the stroke association to the National Lottery?
Firstly well done for weeding with your left hand. You will get stronger and you will get better control with your left hand the more you use it. Soon you will be de-weeding the whole plot!
As to what you do with your money, I cannot possibly advise as this is very much a personal choice and we all have our reasons for doing what we do, especially when it comes to money. You earned it, so you spend it/give it away as you wish.
I believe the Stroke Association receives some funding from the National Lottery and I am pleased to say I have contributed a few pennies every now and then when I have bought the odd or even even ticket(s).
I don’t know how charities work wrt donations, but I suspect BHF will have their reasons for not accepting your fireproofed single bed. I hope you found a good home for it - I believe St. Luke’s Hospice takes used furniture etc. but again I don’t know if they take everything.
Enjoy the gardening