Encouragement

After a long time ( nearly 6 years...2174 days) since my last post many things have happened. Its been 3272 days since the stroke event and 18,377 days since my birth.

Although I know I ended writing do to not wanting to be defined by stroke but the reality is that stroke does define me today.

Since I last wrote I have done many things despite the stroke. My father always said he wants to LIVE until he DIES and I subscribe to this point of view.

I have discovered since surviving that I feel like crap most of the time and this can be very hard to accept however when I get sick or stress or feeling like real crap I notice I gain a better acceptance of just feeling like crap and welcome the state of just feeling like crap.

On another note I have discovered that going back to environments that I was once proficient in happens to be a source of great depression. I am slapped in the face with how afflicted I am today compared to who I was before the stroke. Finding environments that I can offer something to give value actually gives me value and writing and speaking are two such things I have discovered.

Back to encouragement, my current wife ( yes, I got remarried in these past 6 years) and I have been advocates for stroke and do what we can to encourage other survivors and their circles that life can be LIVED again.

My wife and I have many dear friends who constantly encourage us but one in particular actually encouraged me to begin this blog again, Christine. Thank you for your words of encouragement and acknowledging interacting with me as a value to you. I can only every hope to be me, speak me and in doing so influence those around me to have faith and add quality to their own lives. We can not control others but we can just live authentically with hopes it encourages others.