Just shoot me

[MADem]

68. Please, PLEASE do not give up. You CAN do it. It will be difficult, but you can improve.

The brain is extraordinarily plastic--it can heal itself but you need to show it the way ASAP. I'd seek out every avenue I could to get more and more physical therapy--volunteer yourself as a guinea pig so that students can practice putting you through the paces--whatever you have to do! If you can't get it from a pro, get family to help you--the trick is to move, move, MOVE.

If you have a relative who can speak with the PTs, they can maybe learn some of the techniques to help you continue on at home. Stretch those 30 days out by doing one session, then a week of copying. Also, if you go to YOUTUBE and punch in Physical Therapy for Right Side Stroke you'll see some PT videos that might help a relative work with you. The hardest bit is getting you up on your pins, walking--if you can get the PT people to get you to the point where you are on a walker, you can do a lot from there--but you must exercise and restore your strength.

Is there a particular reason you can't take ADs? Or are you just leery of them? I'm not a fan of pharmaceuticals either, but I do know some people who are helped by zoloft for short term modulation of their emotional state (and, like I said, that is SO NORMAL and SO EXPECTED after stroke, so don't feel like you're "failing" or anything like that). That zoloft really helped my relative in the early days, certainly. If that doesn't cut it for you, even a bit of passionflower tea might not hurt, either--passionflower seems to reduce cares--I call it "fuckitall!"

Just don't quit. I know it's hard, but just do not quit. You've got a lot of life yet to enjoy--and you do want to enjoy it, so 'gird your loins' as they say in the swashbucklers, and get to it. I'm rooting for you~!