This will probably be the last story in this series. I'm about 90-95% back to normal. I've started back at the gym, the headaches have faded to tiny little things that come and go. Honestly I go hours without any trace of them.
When I passed my post-stroke physical my doctor told me that 25% of everyone who has the kind of stroke I did never get a definitive diagnosis of the cause. That's my situation. Nobody knows why it happened. They assure me there's no reason to expect that it would ever happen again. She wanted to know if I was OK with that kind of uncertainty.
I am.
Here's what I've decided. Early on I rejected the concept that I was a stroke "victim". I'm a stroke survivor. I don't know how or why it happened or that I survived. I did. Every day is a bonus day from now on. I want to do everything I can to remember that and live my life that way. The day and time of the stroke is now loaded into my calendar as an annual event. So that I never forget. I have wonderful friends that I neglect. When I needed them they were there with concern and support. I want to be a better friend. I want to be better family, and co-worker. I want to be a better me, rather than just sliding along watching my days wander aimlessly by. Oh, and yes I still intend to make aimless wandering part of my life too.
While I was in the hospital I kept hearing this song. And it moved me to tears every time. So it is the theme song for post stroke life. "Season of Love: the opening tune from the musical "Rent" I keep a note on the monitor of my home computer (that's where this adventure began) that reads "525,600 Minutes. Is this a before day or after?"
How do you measure a year? How do you measure a year in a life? How about love?
Thanks be to God for these extra days, and the love of friend and family.
Peace
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