The New Year

The New Year
Remember when Prince sang, "We're gonna party like it's 1999?" Man, that seemed so far off. Now it's so far behind us. At the end of a year EVERYONE lists resolutions but these are a bit different. These are just ramblings, just thoughts of mine that I pass on to you.

With that in mind, here we go...

I hope 2018 brings you joy, good cheer and lots of gains so the bad times from stroke can recede further in your rear view mirror. When you're new at this you can't fathom that Life will get better as time goes on. I'm further down the road and I'm here to tell you it does get better. Just hang on.

Here's to the caregivers of the world. Without them by our side life would be...you fill in the blank. They deserve all the love and respect we can muster. They need to be told often how important they are. 'Cause they are. They're the ones who help us (how's that Army commercial go?) be all that we can be. They're also the ones who put up with us and for that, they're oh so special.

Like you, I never thought I'd be where I am today. When I was young I would see bald men and think, "bad career move." Well, I'm kinda bald. Health problems seemed to happen to other people. Well, they happened to me. BUT. That doesn't mean you just roll into a ball and give up. Don't do that. You have to keep on keeping on. NEVER give up.

Let me tell you about something I stumbled onto, Stroke Talk for Facebook. It's on Facebook, of course, and it's a forum where survivors and caregivers can go to get information, hugs, and talk to like minded people. Big ups to it for receiving us with open arms. It is so nice knowing you're not alone and that there are people who can help you navigate this path. And to answer questions that you can't ask anyone else. Check it out. I find it, and the people on it, very helpful. Stroke Talk for Facebook

There is nothing quite like finding out that what you thought was the end of the road, isn't. Here's to finding out that what you thought was, is not what is. Sound goofy? Stroke survivors know what I'm talking about. I'm constantly amazed I can do something in this new life that I thought I'd never do again.

I'll give you an example...I fill up the coffee pot every morning with water and walk it to the coffee maker holding it with my left hand. I'm right handed, but this way I don't spill or drop it. My stroke, you see, affected my right side. I add the grounds and turn the coffee maker on. That I can still do that, still contribute, is most important. The house smells like it always did in the morning. Doing it left handed is the new reality but I'm still making the coffee. Even in a wheel chair, you can't give up. Keep pushing yourself, keep striving to do better, to be better.

Raise a glass or two to the new year. I can't see the future but I know this, it will be better, it will be brighter.

Make it that way.

Happy New Year.

For more information on Stroke Talk for Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/strokeforFBsupport/

Follow me on twitter (@silvajohn) or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/joaoa.d.silva) and visit my website www.johnsilva.com

Reactions:

The Central Florida Stroke Club
There are groups like it all over the country. They are stroke survivors and caregivers gathering and sharing ideas, taking comfort in talking with and seeing people just like them. Seeing people just like me. They are The Central Florida Stroke Club and guess what? It's Christmas time and it's time for their annual Christmas luncheon.

Let me give you a bit of it's history. Central Floridians have been welcomed with understanding and open arms to the Central Florida Stroke Club since 1973. That's over 40 years. That's also word for word from their website. They've been an oasis, of sorts, for a long time. It's a place that survivors and caregivers have gone since I was a freshman in college.

And that's important.

Feeling like you're not alone, that there are other people dealing with the same things you're dealing with, is very comforting indeed. They meet once a month, they have a picnic in the summer, and in December they celebrate the holidays together at a luncheon party.

The president of the club is Karen Kalich, a Recreation Therapist.
She was the Master of Ceremonies at the party and in her day job is the person these folks turn to for help and guidance. You will not find a better person and you will not find a more suitable ringmaster for a get together like this.

They had a gift exchange, a white elephant as it's called (something I've never heard of before) and here's how it works... you bring a gift, it might be something you find around the house (can you say re-gift?) and everyone has a raffle ticket where everyone is a winner and get's something. There are more rules but..
It wears me out just writing this but it is big time fun. There was also a 50/50 drawing where one lucky survivor got some cash and who can't use extra money for Santa? Man it was fun and that place was electric. We had other business like passing around goodies that someone had baked and singing We Wish You a Merry Christmas.

There was more but a good time was had by all.

As we were leaving I talked to a fellow stroke survivor who used a walker. We talked about driving and she told me she hoped to drive her car one day. And then she mentioned that her stroke was 11 months ago.

I jumped right on it--"11 months?" I said, "As time goes on you'll see that where you are now is not where you'll be then." You could see in her eyes that driving was something to shoot for, something that would make all the therapy worth it.

In that moment we weren't stroke survivors. Just people helping people. And that's what it's all about.

For more information on the Central Florida Stroke Club go to http://cfstrokeclub.com/Home/