Monday 20 January 2014

Christmas 2013

We don't normally but this year we thought we would send a letter out with our Christmas cards to update people with my progress and also to let some people know what had been going on in our lives during 2013. It was lovely to receive messages of encouragement and support back from people, some had no idea I had had a stroke and we had visits, phone calls and letters from old friends. This really cheered me up.

John came home for Christmas and brought his dog Senna with him, it was lovely having a dog in the house again, she is so full of fun and energy.  Although her present opening technique needs to improve but she is young and in time will perfect this as Megan did (she was an expert).  We did have some snow on Christmas Eve and morning but it wasn't much and soon melted.

In the village there is a pub and a club (the smallest club in England).  We always used to go to the pub but unfortunately this year the landlady left and it was given to a manager until it could be sold.  This did not work out very well and the pub has now closed down.  We started going to the club occasionally on a Saturday evening.  
I like going to the club because it is a small room with a roaring fire, everyone has made me very welcome and speaks to me, usually it is one big conversation and we have a good laugh. Whereas at the pub I knew some people felt uncomfortable talking to me and would therefore avoid me - this hurts as I haven't changed inside!  I realise it is hard for some people and in the past I was probably just the same but if you ever encounter this situation take a leaf out of one friends book - Martin came over to me one night in the pub and said hello, he then said he was really sorry but just didn't know what to say to me, I explained I was just the same the only difference being it takes me longer to say things sometimes, after that we had a great chat and he always talks to me in the club now.
The main thing to remember about stokes and aphasia is it is not contagious and by talking to someone who has been affected you will not be infected!

The only thing on offer for me now are speech therapy group sessions and clubs for older or disabled people, this is not my idea of fun!  I need to interact and communicate with everyone.  Stroke victims need to be consulted on what they want rather than trying to fit us all into one box!  The future looks very bleak if that's all I have to look forward to!

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