The SF makes me bad tempered and grumpy but everyone seems to understand. I gradually built up my stamina at first I could only manage about 500 m. I have osteoarthritis and an artificial hip so have done all this before. I still have some small cognitive problems but work round them. After many hours practice I am now able to play short musical sets in public. I still have slight numbness in my thumb and 1st finger. Keep working on your fitness the more you try the better it gets✌️
You are really progressing and an example to the rest of us. Keep plugging away.
Colin
Cheers Colin. Our brains and bodies have an amazing capacity to heal. We are all getting better sometimes rapidly sometimes slowly. You will too. John
I had a good day on friday. So much stronger. No need for continual stroke naps. Got loads of stuff done. I know Saturday wasnt so brilliant but it was OK.
These improvements are such a welcome change.
Mind, I was tired out by the end of the rugby match. We get warned abiout every little thing on TV, yet the excitement of the rugby wasnt even mentioned. Huh. Then my team (York City) won against their nearest rivals, to go 5 points clear.
The brain is indeed amazing. I wish I knew more about whats going on in that head.
Colin
Hiya! Jeez, poor you! I was only 28, always thought strokes happened to older folk = not now! I know of teenagers, even babies etc too now! Such a cruel affliction, isn't it? Have overcome weekend to live, total paralysis etc. Re-learned everything, including how to talk. Was in a w/c for 14 years, but now use a walker. Am 55. More power to you/all of us! Peace Carole
I know I thought it was only older people too before I had one.
i had to also relearn everything, I was in a wheelchair for about 4/5 year, at the time though it felt like 100 years. I'm now walking using a quad stick indoors or walker for outdoors. I can't believe how tired we get so easily, I don't think people realise it's not just something we can overcome overnight like a cold. All the best to you
Thanks mate, respect and all the best to you too. Agree, we do get tired now v easily. Jeez, you have done really well too - wow! Peace and thanks Carole :)
I think you'll find like me there are good days and bad days but the good days slowly increase in number. I spent ages the other day trying to sort out my laptop and printer and was completely knackered afterwards. On another day I did a lot of hard work in the garden and felt fine.We just need to keep on keeping on. How are you if you have a few drinks?
Dear John
Yes thats good avice "keep on keeping on" does sum it up.
A little background. I worked for a chain of wine shops and I am used to having wine beer and spirits. Sadly the spirits are no longer possible as I acquired a hiatus hernia. One glass of wine is very pleasing. Or one beer. But if I have three wines or three beers then I feel terrible so I dont have them ! Possibly the medication is having a party with the alcohol.
Yes good days and bad days. And the pattern changes. As soon as I think I have things sussed then they change. Oreall I am improving bit by bit. Very slowly. Last week I realized I could kneel on the floor and the get up again. That was a wonderful feeling of achievement. I think yoga helped me sort out my bones and joints. Work in progress.
I do find that the right night time sleep makes all the difference. So I make a huge effort to go to bed at 11.15 and have 7.5hours of sleep.
I like it...keep on keeping on
Colin
Hi Colin. I find a few drinks make me sleepy so have cut down a lot but still enjoy a few. Went to opticians today and unfortunately have lost some peripheral vision so am being referred to yet another specialist! Is this common I wonder? I used to be a musician and latterly a teacher. Off Walking with friends in the Peak District. Stay upbeat John
I dont think my vision was affected by the stroke at all. True the right eye was painful to the touch and this was not helped by my right hand trying to poke it with my toothbrush in the early days! I'm in my fifth year of recovery and insist on a small whisky daily as a part of my medicine, This can be followed with a single red wine. Both well diluted with non-sugar lemonade......No, drowned would be a better description!.
Brilliant that you can enjoy walking, the Peak district would be a no-no for me. A daily 2K walk on pavements is my limit.
Deigh
Hi Deigh just wrote a reply but don't know if it went. How's your guitar playing? I'm more or less back where I was but sometimes lose concentration. Have managed a few short public appearances though. Had stroke in Feb so still coming to terms with it
Well, I've put a lot of effort into re-training my fingers and it means I can play a bit now. There is no way I could consider playing out, by the time I set up to play I'd be exhausted! I have joined a local ukelele group and that has been rather fun, my knowledge of music giving me a head start on the others!
I also now have a short attention span, difficult to play pieces I would work on till I had them beat, nowadays I soon give up on. This doesn't stop me from trying and I get an hour a day practice in, playing both guitar and keyboard. Both instruments have the same problem that the right hand does not always obey the instructions I send to it. Fortunately I play jazz and the mishaps can be explained as 'expression' on the keyboard. This does not apply to the guitar however, it is just a messup!
Despite these handicaps music plays a big part in my life.
Deigh
Hi Deigh. I too practice for about an hour a day mainly guitar but I also play banjo mandolin harmonica and some other bits and pieces. I used to be a rocker but am into folk rock now. I find I think I've got something right then when I come back to it I haven't. However if I do it over and over and over I eventually get there. Concentration is an issue but I usually manage now. I have a curious effect if I try to read eg a phone number and there are 3 identical numbers in a row I can't count them! More tests on Friday. Keep in touch John
Thats certainly a weird problem with three identical numbers! Stroke seems to mess around with lots of things in one's brain and sometimes it is ages before one notices them. I was an avid book reader once and am pleased to say that the skill is coming back. For a while just to look at a page filled me with panic 'How was I going to cope with all those words?' Short paragraphs I could handle but more than 50 words was too much!
When I first looked at sheet music, I knew those dots meant something, but I couldn't put my finger on it. It took a while before I could make sense of the hygroliphics! That eventually sorted itself out but still sometimes I'm foxed by them.
Take Care
Deigh
Doesn't sound that different to my numbers thing.went to see lightning seeds last night. Great gig but I had to really concentrate driving in dark. Are you on Facebook?
I'm on facebook, but not very keen on the medium. I have a driving licence again but these days am mostly the passenger. We avoid driving at night any more distance than just local. My playing is limited to practice at home using programmes like Encore and Band in Box to provide backing music for me to play melody. I mess around with ukelele playing but not very seriously it is just an excuse to mix with other people who can talk music.
I also play the keyboards daily, again although I'd like to be improving the truth is that I practice just to stay where I am. Every now and then I hear on radio or CD something that excites me to copy and I have a short burst of enthusiasm! My main problem is a shortage of people locally who can play jazz guitar and will visit just to have sessions. The country is full of people who string a guitar aound their neck, learn three chords and sing bad versions of professional artistes performances using a computer to supply the best part, the backing.
Deigh
I'm on facebook, but not very keen on the medium. I have a driving licence again but these days am mostly the passenger. We avoid driving at night any more distance than just local. My playing is limited to practice at home using programmes like Encore and Band in Box to provide backing music for me to play melody. I mess around with ukelele playing but not very seriously it is just an excuse to mix with other people who can talk music.
I also play the keyboards daily, again although I'd like to be improving the truth is that I practice just to stay where I am. Every now and then I hear on radio or CD something that excites me to copy and I have a short burst of enthusiasm! My main problem is a shortage of people locally who can play jazz guitar and will visit just to have sessions. The country is full of people who string a guitar aound their neck, learn three chords and sing bad versions of professional artistes performances using a computer to supply the best part, the backing.
Deigh
Just been diagnosed diabetic but given all clear on the prostate front. Have an appointment to see eye specialist about vision problems. Never seems to end! My Dad was a jazz head. He used to take me to see BilkBarber Ball Welsh Lightfoot etc to try to get me interested but they couldn't compete with the Beatles. I'm sure your playing will improve with time and patience. I write down what I can do every day to try to measure progress. Just got very small royalty payment from my album. Give it all to cancer research as my wife is a survivorkeep in touch John