Two Month Anniversary
Yesterday marked two months since my stroke and today marks two months since my friend Marcia found me on the floor of my loft. I started rehab on Feb 25th — first at SSM/ST. Mary’s and as of March 21st at Missouri Rehab in Mt. Vernon MO. I’ve come a long way in that short amount of time. I want to clear up a few things so everyone knows how I am doing.
First. I am still in rehab and will be the entire month. When I do return to my home in St Louis I will be independent but I will still have some serious mobility limitations. I will be able to walk limited distances with the use of a cane. I will have a wheelchair as well for longer distances. While I am working hard toward a full recovery it will take months for my brain to reprogram itself to handle functions I lost. In the meantime I am learning to become right-handed and how to do daily tasks such as showering and getting dressed with the use of only one hand. I can stand for only a couple of minutes at a time so showering, for example, is done from a seated position using a hand held shower and a brush on a long handle.
The last five weeks have been among the most challenging of my life.
What keeps me going is the continued progress: the movement and strength I am getting in my left leg at the knee and hip. I have some very limited movement in my left arm and fingers. Just when I am ready to rest the therapist will say, ” give me 10 more.” The work is hard but the payoff is big.
Coming up I will go into the therapy kitchen with a therapist and cook lunch for myself. Friday I am getting cast for a brace that will help hold my foot in the right position as I walk. I will be fitted for my own wheelchair soon. I am car shopping online as I will not be able to manage the scooter in the short term. Between therapy sessions I am reading online and writing new posts here — helps pass the hours.
I hope to have some sort of event just after my return to St. Louis. Stay tuned.
Steve, it’s so great to have you back and posting – and your continued recovery and determination is an inspiration. Sending healing thoughts and hoping it’s a heckuva lunch (I’m looking at re-heated pizza…).
Take care,
~Lisa
Good luck Steve, and we’ll keep reading the great posts.
I am glad to hear things seem to be going well, even though difficult. I look forward to seeing you back on the streets.
you’re meeting the challenges with strength, Steve–keep it up! can’t wait to have you back in STL where you belong.
–lisa
Steve — good work man! I can’t wait to read your posts when you are trying to navigate St. Louis in a wheelchair — that’s when you really see how ill planned a city is for the disabled. I know you won’t be wheeling for long but it’ll be a perspective you’ll never forget. Now, just think of all the hotties you can trip with your cane. Be well my friend. Brad
Steve,
It is great to hear that you are making rapid progress.
Keep on pushing boundaries !
It’s really great to hear about your progress and see new posts on the blog! I’ve missed them the last couple of months. The region needs your independent voice.
Sometimes we make good choices, sometimes we make bad ones, and sometimes sh*t like this happens. It’s called life and we all have to deal with it, and how we deal defines who we are and how we enjoy (or not) life on a day-to-day basis. I can’t claim to fully understand your struggles, Steve, especially through the filter of the internet and the blogosphere, but I’m pretty sure they (will) include the seven stages of grieving. It’s good to see that you’re continuing to adapt and to improve. Your voice is needed in St. Louis, and it’s been missed over the past couple of months. And while we don’t always agree, I’ve come to treasure both the insights and the spirited (and, for the most part, respectful) discussions that transpire here, and that includes all the other regular posters. The future should, and will be, “interesting” (as in the ancient Chinese proverb, “May you live in interesting times”) . . . .
Steve-
We think of you every day, and are so blown away by your progress!
We love seeing your more frequent posts, and will call soon to say hello again.
Go get ’em!
xoxo
Crappy way to stop the car-free experiment, huh?
Want a ’94 VW Jetta w/ 117k miles? AC’s out and it needs new spark plug wires. (A short in the wires makes it hard to start and stall in the rain.)
But, hey, the price is right.
We’re thinking of you.
Steve:
St. Louis misses you!
It is so great to so hear that you are so good! Get back to STL SOON!!!