I would say get in touch with the Stroke Association and Different Stroke because they have lots of wonderful information and read as much as you can and don't listen to what an awful lot of people say even for example nurses in the hospital because if you're not in a stroke unit, they won't have been, they won't have had, oh I can't remember the word. They won't have learned to look after stroke patients and a lot of their information won't be any better than what you've got. Try and find a stroke group. It can be useful. I'm, I'm sure it's useful to talk to other people who've had the same experience and Different Strokes, for instance, they do stroke groups that are exercise classes as well and we had somebody wonderful doing the exercise class but unfortunately she hurt it back and it folded up. If you can't find another stroke group near that you can get to and there are quite a lot around, hmmm, oh yes, I know what I was going to say. Try and if you don't already know someone who's disabled in some other way, try and get to know other disabled people because you'll discover you've got an awful lot in common, even if they haven't had a stroke and it's much, it's much easier then for people who've, who have maybe had quite a few serious things wrong with them and you can laugh about what you've got. You can laugh in all sorts of ways, whether it's where you're going to be buried [laughter] or all kinds of things and avoid like the plague [laughter] people who make you feel worse. That is so important and I think you've got to keep that in the back of your mind because, unfortunately, they keep popping up all over the place [laughter], even where you're not expecting to find them. You think you're in a group, like for instance in a church, where everybody's going to be very sympathetic and helpful and knowledgeable and, and it's not like that and it can really bring you down if you're with people that make you feel worse and you know, it's not legal to bash them over the head [laughter]. |
