Sunday Stroke Survival: Serenity Prayer for the Stroke Survivor

I was thinking of the serenity prayer the other day. You know the one that goes...

It's a fine standard type prayer. But for the stroke survivor there needs to be a few extra lines. Standard prayers need to be modified to fit current needs.

God, grant me the serenity

To accept the things

I cannot change,

Courage, to change the things I can,

Strength, to change the things I can,

Ability to fight like hell, to change the things 

I can despite man’s word;

and the Wisdom to

Know the difference.

 The reasons for the extra lines...

• Strength because recovery take thousands of repetitious actions to regain one thing and repeated reinforcement. You need the strength of your convictions to carry you through. It could take days, weeks, months, or even decades to recover.

• Ability because you will often hear "It's the best it's going to be." This is a fallacy. Every day old stroke survivors are regaining abilities even after 20 years post stroke. Don't settle. Keep fighting in spite of man's words. Man speaks from knowledge based on averages. Every survivor is unique individual. God is the only one who knows your outcome.

Nothing is impossible.