Sunday Stroke Survival: Getting my Life Back or Back in the Swing Again

We've been so busy with general busyness around the homestead, I'm being slack with writing my Sunday posts. I also write two posts a week for my other blog as well as a Saturday homesteading email. I'm falling behind here. Mainly because of lack of topics to write about that's new. To make matters worse, I haven't been to my stroke support group in six months! Be it illness, hospitalizations, and radioactive quarantine, I just haven't gone and I miss everyone terribly.

I've mostly been a hermit for over half a year. But, that's about to change. It's February already. I'm as healthy as I'm going to be. I'm able to drive again after months of not being able to. I'm getting my life back or getting back into the swing of life again.

It all starts tomorrow afternoon with my stroke support meeting. Yesterday, I made my dill shrimp salad filling and my curried chicken salad sandwich fillings. I made my sugar-free, gluten-free cookies and brownies. Last night, I chopped the vegetables. I made my low fat ranch and honey-mustard dressings for dipping or spreading. Today, I'm baking the breads and gluten free crackers or at least, set the doughs to rise so far. I do a multigrain and white breads. Now, all I have to do for tomorrow is make the sandwiches.

I'll pack it all up in Valentine type containers and go to the meeting. I keep a gallon of sugar-free tea (concentrate) and unsweet tea in the refrigerator. I use 1 cup of concentrate per gallon of water for tea. So I just add water and ice, and drinks are set.

I purchase bottles of water that I keep in the back of my van. Water and ice are provided by the hospital. A bag of plastic cutlery, napkins, cups, and appropriate table covering are kept in a reusable shopping bag and always at the ready to grab and go. I'm an old hand at doing this type of thing. Can't you tell?

It still irks me that it takes so long to get these things accomplished. My stamina is better, but no where near what it was a year ago. But the point is, I'm taking steps to get my old life back. I love to cook for others. The fact that I usually grow and make my own food is an important point to me. I know how it was grown (organically and/or chemical-free if possible). I know how it was prepared. With specialty diets, like for cardiac and stroke patients, how the food is prepared is equally as important as taste. Just because it's a specialty diet doesn't mean it can't taste good.

For good measure, I'll carry copies of recipes I make for others in the group. Just in case they want them. They may not go as far as I do sprouting the grains and grinding them before I make the yummies, but Bob's Red Mill at the store can be substituted for these ingredients. So they don't have to grow their own or go to the extremes I do. I do the same thing for the recipes I post on my other blog each Wednesday.

On  the 17th is our local chapter of the Homestead Ladies group meeting. Yes, I plan to attend this too. But luckily, February is a short month and no doctor appointments. Woohoo! I'm honestly tired of doctors and hospital after last year.  Having not to see my doctors for three to six months is a blessing! I still need to set up my PT schedule again, but I have been enjoying the at home time.

Well, I'll try to do better here. Any suggestions of topics?

Nothing is impossible.