Hello All
I’d like to if I may share with you my scar that shows my TIA+ stroke as it’s now being called as it’s still … no not a mystery but but a puzzle I’m told by my Neurologist . That has caused my tremor/… (incidental-resting) which if not medicated takes on a Parkinson Tremor … so at the present my tremor is still allowing the specialist to scratch their heads & raise their eyebrows . . The lack of coordination/weak right side/ fatigue/mood swings is according to them are all classic signs of the brain damage I had …
. . My 4 months stay in hospital was I’m sure for us all. whatever the length of time . a worry/confusing & yes scary time .
It’s exactly 2 years this very day I had this stroke & still on my journey in bettering what I was taken from me … though I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ve peaked in my abilities. In saying that my diet/exercise.& life stimulation is I find ( my keep going) button & yes/no have come to terms with all I’ve perhaps gained/lost . Would I be right in saying life in general in not a straight line & in that graph of so called normality there has to be dips/troughs-good/bad days/weeks as we all continue our passage in life … … am I being to morbid here 
…
So 2mrw will be 2 years & 1 day & like my 1st year which I celebrated with close friends I’m going out for a meal/drinks & to raise a glass with a much more acceptable me … where in life I’m at & not being as bitter as I was last year …
My 1st year celebration i tagged my stroke as a medical robbery…( crazy I know…) though 2 years on I’ve become better in understanding my condition & find myself saying “ c’est la vie” even shrugging my shoulders …
so I’d like to finish by saying if I may to all our Stroke community here yes it’s a awkward/difficult journey we find ourselves . With so many different types of strokes I’ve learned from reading here on this site I’d ask you all to keep your chin up & keep going some understandable will see the preverbal hill we all must climb to reach our more comfortable self though it’s never I’ve learned in the 2 years about getting back to the top of that hill but to find a plateau be it almost at the top of the hill or even half way up where there is a more comfortable part of that climb where we can all find that what we now have it’s a area of the hill where life is for yourself comfortable
My very best to you all 
Enjoy your celebration. I think we all plateau for a time, but improvements continue. I’m six years on and still get negative moods but I make myself snap out of them. Another failure is that some days I do too much. I can do odd things eg today I made pork pies with hot crust pastry. They look a bit rustic but I can draw the pastry up the side of the meat with my weak hand and get the lid on. Mind you, I swear much more these days and hate the fact that nothing these days is’easy’ but I am nearly 79!
Shwmae @Jordan, crikey that’s one impressive scar. I believe one should always wear one’s scars with pride, it’s the inner viking within me. I enjoyed your anniversary piece, and I don’t think you are being morbid reflecting on mortality, for instance, that’s why we are all here chatting with each other. Most people on the journey of life are blissfully unaware that with one foul swoop everything begs question.
I was always a bit of a grump before the stroke. When the doctor announced to me that I’d had six TIAs and a major stroke, I turned to her and said, “That’s just bloody typical.” I felt I was lumped with so many unwanted problems that a stroke really was the icing on the cake. Now, I feel that the event almost was saying to me, “Shwmae human”, welcome to mortality. Before stroke I had a fear of death. In a strange way, I am now much more at peace with the idea. I’ve had to dig a little deeper, and look a little further, and feel as if I am making progress in this line of thinking.
I hope you enjoy your clink and may this year provide you with further rebuilding from that fateful day when stroke struck.
Hi Jordan-- You mentioned that you think you’ve “peaked”. You may be at a plateau-- a resting spot for a while-- but I bet you haven’t “peaked”. My friend told me she didn’t begin to feel “like herself again” until about the 4 year point. And I know from my own experience, that I continue to improve-albeit slowly- and I am 3 1/2 years out from my stroke. When you think of the fact that the body replaces all of its cells every 7 years, then what one does during that 7 years (which, of course, is ongoing) will affect how the body is built. So, keep on keepin’ on! 
Jeanne
Hi @Jordan , good post & great scar!
I have 2 ‘zips’ right down my chest from previous open heart surgeries but they are pretty wonky and messy. Yours however has to be one of the neatest and coolest scars I’ve seen. It is a pretty good way of showing what a major life changing event that has happened to you. Unlike lots of us who keep getting the “you look really well” comments 
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I hope you have a nice time and enjoy celebrating your continued survival. 
I will hit my 1 year anniversary next month and think I may do the same.
This horrible unexpected event that we’ve all had does ground you in mortality, but I’ve found in some small way it has made me appreciate still being here. I think I may actually be less quick to anger over stupid things (I certainly get frustrated) and appreciate things more. My 25 year marriage was just ticking along with us both taking each other for granted but now I feel we appreciate each other more and spend more time together.
So I’m not saying this 
experience we’ve all had is a good thing, but wierdly some good things may come out of it?
Anyway enjoy your meet up and here’s to many more anniversaries!
All the best.
Mark.
Hi folks I would like to Thank all those that have responded to my txt in such positive ways & to read your own understanding of my climb & how you personally see it .
Perhaps I am being only 2years & a few hrs now a little premature in saying I feel I’ve reached my peak so let’s say if there is any more improvement in my life time then it’s a bonus . Sound better me thinks … bowled over reading Rups/ingo66 @ what an impressive scar it is & I am very proud of it finding myself telling a rather large porky it happening in a helicopter crash . Silly I know but very believable 
Again Thank you all so much for you on-going feedback to my post .
Keep climbing that preverbal mountain : …
My heartfelt wishes to you 
Enjoy the celebration, and thank you for your uplifting post
I’m 6 years post stroke and it has been very hard. I’ve had to 're evaluate what is normal, several times, and recalibrate what " recovery" means for me. My 2 year anniversary was significant, and seems a long time ago now- probably because it is! Which of course means that have had many years now as a survivor and for all the struggles and frustrations I’m happy enough. I ave been carried through the dark times by the love of people close to me, and I can only wish you the same thing. Happy 3rd year! I wish you all the best for the year(s) ahead whatever they may bring you.
Bw
Tony
Hi Tony
WoW… 6 years . & I’m going on how major my 2nd year ., it for me is very encouraging to know that your 6 years & counting is very do-able & can only imagine the years you’ve had in dealing with life changing situations that you have clearly & very successfully dealt with
With I’m sure many more ahead .
Thank you Tony reading your post is very uplifting in so many ways
Great celebration of your journey glad you reached your happy place, time may gift you some more improvement.
Thank you
so much for such kind words