Last day of Movember

It's the last day of my temporary moustache today. No-one has donated to me :-( so please do it now http://mobro.co/andyhill242 it's a good cause!

UK online shopping bargins

Check out my UK shopping page, http://andyhill.creativesolutionsmall.com/uk_shopping.html

Bad Day

To counteract the successful day I had the other day, everything I have done today has shot flames! Even some of the things I thought worked the other day have turned out not too. Still easy come easy go... wish that was true I just get so angry and upset when things go wrong, this is taking some working on to stabilise my moods again!

Remember Vinyl Records?

I'm in the process of digitising what remains of my vinyl collection. I had forgotten what a poor quality and tempremental media vinyl was!

Successful day

Had quite a successful computer day today. Got a few little projects finished off, including fixing a windows problem on my download machine, creating a backup server for my mail server and coming up with some ideas for my eCommerce site.
Of course there was a fair amount of upset and frustration. My concentration and problem solving skills are way below par, but I figure the only way to fix this is to keep working at it.
http://andyhill.creativesolutionsmall.com/

Lazy day

Having a lazy day today, trying to catch up on a load of unfinished little projects.

Multitasking

I've been practicing multitasking as it is one of the things that has been affected by the stroke.
Strange thing is under test conditions I can manage it quite well, it's when it comes to real life situations it all falls apart and I get distressed!

Paracetamol

It's official.
Paracetamol is safe to take long term as long as you don't exceed the maximum dose of 2 tablets in 4 hours and 8 in 24 hours.

Almost at target weight

I weighed in at 75.5 kg today, and my target is really 75kg, so almost there, but really I'm happy to be below 76kg. I've just got to avoid celebrating by going on an eating binge now!
My blood pressure seems to have settled within target range now too!

Online Bargains

Today nothing happened!
Nothing seemed to be going right first thing. But managed to settle down as the day went on, my friend Clair came to visit, which always cheers me up.
My parents have picked  up on some random story that people on Paracetamol long term are likely to accidently overdose and so are now fretting about that now. Whilst all the evidence that I can find shows that long term use is perfectly safe within normal therapeutic doses. In any case I have e-mailed my stroke case manager to ask her opinion on the subject. 

e-commerce site

I've started an e-commerce site, to try to make a bit of money whilst unable to work, (and yes the authorities will be informed of any profits I make from it). Take a look http://andyhill.creativesolutionsmall.com/ some of the best online deals.

Sleeping later

I've started sleeping in a bit later, I think it's because the cold dark mornings are so uninviting.
It's not a problem, but I will have to adjust my morning routine to accommodate.
I like to have my routines, I get agitated if I can't stick to them.

iTunes

Finally jumped on to the iTunes bandwagon, got an account and everything.
Got it because the software I got to convert vinyl to mp3 uses it.
It pains my greatly to bow down to the mighty Apple empire, everyone always criticises Micro$oft, yet apple ties you in to their products even more and no-one seems to say anything.

Anyway tied in I am, and what an annoying application it is flying off at tangents when you are trying to do anything!!

Pushing an Elephant up the stairs

Some days things go smoothly, and some days everything seems to be so difficult and I just feel like I'm pushing an elephant up the stairs all the time.
One of my monitors has packed up today, it's like trying to work with one eye closed. I've got a new one on order for delivery tomorrow!
So normality will soon be restored!

Physio Discharge

As expected my physio discharged me yesterday, he was very pleased with my progress.
He told me to keep on with the exercises 3 times a day or I am likely to go backwards.

I planned to keep on with the exercises anyway.

This is another milestone reached. But I believe there is more improvement to come yet.

Physio and Memory

I've got physio this afternoon, first session in a while, might be the last too, I may be discharged today and left to exercise on my own. I don't mind this, I'm ready for it now.

My head was all over the place this morning, I wasn't concentrating on anything I was doing, kept doing silly things like forgetting to take plate back into kitchen to wash!
Annoying!!

Walking Improving?

As I set off for my morning walk this morning, I thought "I'm walking well and naturally today", my left foot was falling naturally, with almost no hint of a limp.
Then as soon as I consciously thought about it, the tension in my affected leg came back and my foot reverted to it's somewhat slapping contact with the floor.

This is a good sign though, my brain is obviously learning to walk again automatically without any thought input from me.
I know it may be sometime before this happens again, before I manage to let go my conscious mind and walk automatically again and eventually walk naturally all the time.

Today is a good day! 

3rd book in my Surviving a Stroke Trilogy

OCDs and routines

I was a bit later than normal getting up today, due to a minor 1/2 hour oversleep and it put me all about.
I'm such a creature of habit, I have a routine and I like to stick to it.
In fact I have a few minor OCds, the SSRI antidepressants more or less stopped them when I first started taking them but they are starting to creep back now, I'm not worried because they are well under control.

I was a bit wobbly on my feet this morning, don't know if it was related to being behind schedule but it soon passed.

I'm about to start work on the 3rd book in my surviving a stroke trilogy.
Watch this space!

Lazy saturday

Having a Lazy day today, just exercises, housework and tatting with computers, not going out anywhere.

Seem to have managed to stabilise IBS which has been troubling me for a few days.

Large Hadron Collider

The LHC (Large Hadron Collider) will soon start Heavy Ion Physics.
I like heavy ions, proper men's particle physics, none of this poncy proton stuff!!

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: 
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. 
At the going down of the sun and in the morning 
We will remember them.

Ups and Downs

My weight is still slowly coming down, but my level of impatience, intolerance and  general frustration is going up!

Blood pressure still pretty much OK though.

wednesday

My mum came over today to pick up my sick note request to take to the doctors, when she saw it said I was having memory, concentration and tiredness problems she got all upset.
I wish I could stop my parents from worrying so much.

My friend Clair is coming over today and she has a cold, so I'll be taking appropriate infection control measures!

Life after Stroke Video

take a look at this moving video from the Stroke Association website http://www.stroke.org.uk/information/my_story/video_stories/a_survivors_guide.html

Had a bit of a do trying to set up email on my phone today, just wouldn't work and I didn't know why. I got all upset and made my head hurt, so I've left it for now. I just can't cope with things going wrong!

Setback

Managed to hurt my affected shoulder during the night, by turning funny or something. I was worried I had done some real damage, because it hurt and wouldn't move properly, but a few exercises got it going again.

Seems OK this morning, just a little stiff.


I'm glad my stroke anniversary is over, I was a bit apprehensive of the day, as if it was going to happen again or something, silly really!

One year on

It's now a year since I had my stroke.
What a year of ups and downs it's been too, mostly up's though I have to say.
I have been lucky, I survived and I've only been moderately affected.
I can just about walk now, but only for short distances. Arm movement and control is slowly returning. I have a few short term memory, cognitive, and stress issues. My blood pressure is just about under control now, as long as I avoid stress, as is my cholesterol.
I have managed to avoid any falls or seizures so far.

Generally I have come to terms with my new life and I feel positive for the future.

I look at this image from time to time, (MRI image taken the day after the stroke), it reminds me that a little piece of me is gone forever.

Bonfire Night thoughts.

Everyone be safe tonight.

I know everyone will say I'm a party pooper and killjoy, but In these days of terrorist fears I can't believe that will will sell high explosives over the counter to anyone who looks like an adult!
Surely it must be time to restrict fireworks to organised displays only.

Brain Training

I've joined the Luminosity web site http://www.lumosity.com to see if I can address some of the post stroke mental issues that I have.

Friday

Bit of a dull wet morning, that feels cold and damp, although it's actually quite mild, makes my muscles stiffen up.

Mo is coming on slowly, have a laugh and watch it grow at http://mobro.co/andyhill242 also make a donation, it's a good cause.

Thursday

Bad IBS yesterday evening, seems to be much better this morning though.

I blame the salad I had at lunchtime, my body obviously rejected it for being to healthy!

Movember

I'm participating in Movember to raise awareness of men's cancer, why not join yourself.... http://uk.movember.com/?home 

Tuesday

Today is binary day!

0100011101100101011101000010000001100010011010010110111001100001011100100111100100100001

This colder weather is making it more difficult to walk for me, it stiffens my muscles especially on my affected side, my everyday aches and pains are worse today!

I can't believe it's nearly a year since my stroke! I've accepted my new life now.....