Sunday Stroke Survival: Life's Busy Signal

You know the busy signal sound by heart on the telephone. What is the sound your life makes when you're too busy? I have no idea, but it's making it.

I've been traveling a bit of late. I drove to North Carolina for my yearly trek to the Amish store for non GMO flour, wheat, sugar, and canning jars. I now have finally reached my goal of 1,000+ pint jars. No, not all of them are filled... yet.

I missed my my annual trip home to the Golden Isles. Mel was ill with a stomach bug and there was too much going on here for me to leave. I'll go next month. I'd go more often if I didn't have to get a motel room every trip. It kind of gets expensive. It's like a vacation...the only one I get these days and that's usually only 24-48 hours. The homestead takes up about 50%- 75% of my time. The rest is taken up by doctors, pharmacy and shopping runs, and therapists which means I'm driving away. It seems I'm always on the go when all I want to do is stay home.

My body tells me I'm doing too much, especially living post stroke. My fast, advancing age is a factor too. Physically, the aches and pains start. It takes longer to recover. When younger, aches and pain meant strength and gains, but when you are older, you are doing too much. You are still living and kicking. But what sound does your life make to tell you that you are too busy?

When you have a busy life, you are juggling many balls. I've simplified my life, but am still juggling a whole lot of balls. When I was younger it involved others like family and extended family. Now, it's just me and I'm dropping balls left and right. But there's no audible signal except my hand slapping my forehead. Doh!

I've been actively involved with my stroke support group. I haven't missed a meeting yet this year. I've also taken on refreshments for these meetings. But they are only six times a year so it's no big deal or hardship. I've got a fairly active online presence with my blogs and a couple of forums. Of course, there is my game playing group also. I only have to appear every couple of months. I greatly benefit from both of these in my cognitive relearning. We also have YouTube videos when we get all our equipment working at the same time again.

Now, I'm looking into a woman's group of homesteaders. They meet once a month at the local library. Do I really want to add another iron to the fire? That's the current dilemma. Will it help the business end of our homestead? Will it help us glean information? Will it help us become more self sufficient and sustainable? Will we connect to other like minded individuals? Someone else closer to us than our internet groups? Yes, to all. But it's just another iron in the fire. Another have to do that takes me away with more activities.

What sound does your life make when it's too busy? Shouldn't there be a busy signal? Before you start dropping the balls you are juggling? Before you take on one more project? Maybe the fact that I'm writing about it IS my busy signal. What's your busy signal that you are doing too much in your life?

Nothing is impossible.

Monday Mailbox~ Nope

It's Monday and time for a visit to Tilda the Mailbox. Nope. Not Really. My mailbox has pretty much empty for the past two weeks except for spams.

So what do I talk about instead???

Oh, Happy New Years Eve y'all! Have any big plans? Painting the town red or sitting at home snuggling the one you love? I'm opting for the last one. Usually we go on the gambling ship. We've known the owners since before they brought their ship to town. Over the years we still help them out with customer service issues.

I hear y'all now. "But Jo! You're a minister!" Yep, I am. I might have one glass of champagne to toast with my loved ones and friends. "But there's gambling on that boat!" Yep there is. I usually only take what I can honestly afford to lose, and leave my ATM and credit cards at home. It's relatively free entertainment for us. We don't pay the fare, all our drinks are complimentary, and food is provided. I can go out to dinner at the local Olive Garden for more than it costs me on the ship for four hours of music, dancing, and being with other people.

This year will be different. Not because I can't climb the stairs, I can. Not because I can't climb steep ramps, I can. Not because I had a stroke, there are plenty on board ship to help me if I wanted to go. Not because I can't spare the fifty dollars, I have it in book sales alone last month. Not because I can't get dolled up to the nines, I can. I just don't want to go.

I'm basically a home body. Or at least have become one since my stroke. It's not that I don't want to go out, I do three times a week whether I want to or not. I've had years of going hither and yon, and I'm thoroughly enjoying my time at home. I've never really had a choice before. I might have some physical limitations before, but I never let it stop me from doing. Now I do because I want to.

I went to my cardiologist last week. No worries it was just routine. One major glitch was one of my muscle relaxers was also lowering my blood pressure. Imagine that! After years on blood pressure meds, I actually had the opposite problem. After a thirty-minute long conversation about alternatives, we hit on a solution. Problem solved. The complications of being elderly with a complex medical history is always a juggle.

My cardiologist asked me if I was driving yet. This kind of threw me for a loop. Although driving again was one of my major goals, I hadn't given it much thought. I kind of enjoyed not being the chauffeur these past seven months. It gave my children a chance to be helpful and boosted my husband's ego to be allowed to drive again. Although with my DH (darling hubby), it was a case of with holding certain medicines like morphine for him to be able to get behind the wheel. DUIs are not just for alcohol you know.

So one day I asked him if I could drive. I know I still have to go through the PT/OT eval. But what could it hurt to drive short distances? I had to try. Well, foot positioning was an issue because my right foot is in an immobilizing brace. I got behind the wheel. I was only going two blocks to another doctor's office. That couldn't be hard. It was only two right turns and I could creep along if I wanted to.

I've only been driving for over 40 years. Simple, right?  Wrong. I kept wanting to put my right foot on the gas pedal. The gear shift and ignition key were on the wrong side. With a bit of juggling...sliding the seat all the way back, moving my leg passed the center console (I have a minivan), moving the seat forward again, reaching through the steering wheel to turn on the ignition, and then over the steering wheel to put the car in gear all the time pressing the brake with my left foot.

The car was like smooth putty in my hands. She was an old friend getting together with another after a long absence. Sweet, I thought as I took my foot off the brake. It was at that point while backing out of the parking space that I realized how much my right side was involved in driving. I missed it terribly. No, I didn't back into another car or scape the cars either side of me. <So there! You only thought you knew the punch line :oP> I was backing up to the right one handed. I was spinning the steering wheel and fighting my right foot thumping against the center console wanting to join in the fun. The problem was the wheel wouldn't stay spun without the other hand supporting it. My hand and arm were moving like mad and I instinctively jammed my foot down on the brake. We made the two blocks in five minutes

Needless to say, I've had more practice since Christmas and have gained more confidence in my ability to drive. My DH bought me a steering knob for Christmas. It makes turning a whole lot easier. Thank God for the power steering, anti-lock brakes, and automatic transmissions.

Keep writing and loving the Lord.