Sunday Stroke Survival: Happy Independence Day

Today is still the 4th of July although later than my usual posting time. I've been busy chopping vegetables for today's task... making kimchi in mass quantities (only 12 lbs worth). I rediscovered by love of city life this week by going to the Asian market. I spent way more than I should have, but there was so much I had denied myself for decades that I found in this shop. But I digress already from what I wanted to chat with you today. So let's get to it.

Independence after a stroke. Yes, it is possible and doable. It may be small like being able to cook dinner or large like living on your own. Or super large like for me, coming home from the TCU, 30 days after my strokes, to be full time caregiver to my terminally ill husband. While this was my greatest blessing towards my recovery thus far, I wouldn't wish it on any other stroke survivor. I honestly had no choice in the matter and had to make do. I had to figure out how to do it, or forget about it. Or the time my husband fell out of bed and I had to get him back up into the bed by myself. It wasn't like household chores, I just couldn't leave it and forget it. I mean my beloved was on the floor. Once I got him to stop helping me help him. I finally figured out a way to get him back into the bed without both ending up in a pile on the floor. Neat trick for someone who is paralyzed on the right side. But, I did manage it. Luckily, it never happened again. Once was enough and I thank God for the wisdom to accomplish the task.

It was many incidences like this one that made me gain my independence over the next eighteen months before my beloved passed on. It was a trial by fire or under fire that made me do whether I was ready to adapt or not. I was drug kicking and screaming into functioning state of living. Honestly no one should have to recover or learn to adapt this way, but I consider it a blessing. It showed me that if I could succeed under those circumstances, there was not much the future could throw at me that I couldn't handle.

Every day I pick one thing that I've never done since my strokes to challenge myself and gain some measure of independence. The results may not be perfect, but it's a work in progress. You really can't expect perfection in the first few attempts (read 20 or more attempts). Today, I julienned carrots and daikon radish for my kimchi. The last time I made this I used my mandolin. Before my strokes, I could do this with a chef's knife all day long if needs arose, but have beenunable to do it since now though I've attempted to. 

They didn't turn out perfect nor did I expect them to. Some were thicker or thinner than they should have been. That's okay. Next time I'll do better. Do I expect to do it as well as I did with two hands? Nope, just good enough is fine. I don't have to do it professionally ever again. My strokes have taught me to be more accepting of myself. This is a very good thing. But let me tell you that it took me an hour to julienne 1 cup of daikon radish and another cup of carrots. I ended up just snipping two bunches of green onions instead of cutting them with the knife. My index finger and thumb is sore from all the knife work under tension of trying to julienne these two vegetables. It still feels like I'm working backwards using my left hand for chopping vegetables instead of my right after nine years.

But wohoo! I did it! It's independence day!!!!!!! Now I have another option if I need julienned vegetables. Life is always better when you have options.

Nothing is impossible.