Mitch04's Blog

[emma]

Mitch’s Blog
I have been invited to start a stroke survivor’s blog!

But the reasons why are a little disappointing!

It seems that because I am a regular contributor to the stroke connect forums, the people at the NSF reckon that I might be able to channel my obsessive writing talents more towards creating an interesting blog, and persuading other stroke survivors, carers and readers of our chat form to contribute.

This is because very few of you write anything in our forum….but most of you read….

I could say this is not good enough…but that would be unfair. I reckon that many of you are simply shy, or have problems typing. I, too, have problems with typing – but I have been a writer all my life, and so I want to help!

Dammit…. I know what I want to say….. but my wretched fingers keep hitting the wrong keys. So I have to type in at least 18-point type, and then go back and correct every damn line!

I have even plugged a large keyboard into my laptop because the laptop’s keyboard is way too small. But it still takes me forever to type anything! However, I’m willing to do it if it gets more of you contributing!

So I will add to my blog every few days – and keep you up to date with my rehabilitation and progress.… and my big move! You see, my wife, Julie, and I are moving to Kyneton in Victoria to live.

After a lifetime of working at breakneck speed as a PR consultant, media advisor to the queen, princes and princesses, State Premiers, senators and members of Parliament, and as a foreign correspondent and journalist, I am retiring to the country and renovating a small but cute 100-year-old weatherboard cottage!

So remember. Check back every few days, and see how I’m going. And add your comments to whatever I blog!

It’s really great to meet you, and together we will all have fun!

[emma]

Sunday, November 13, 2011


Today is November 13. Lucky or unlucky? Who knows. But it still seems a like good day to start my “real” blog.
Am home alone. My wife Julie flew to Melbourne on Thursday afternoon last week. I join her next Thursday. On Sunday it will be grandson Angus’s 2nd birthday, so we will both be there in Melbourne for it.
Until then I am, as I said, home alone. I never used to mind my own company, but since my stroke I tire of myself very quickly, and need someone.
I also need motivating to exercise. Today was typical. Woke up, turned on telly, and lay in bed until 9.30. Have tried sweeping the garden of leaves (they are a real pain in the backside) but I can’t really do more than a very average job of it. That’s part of the problem of being a stroke survivor I guess. You aren’t great shakes at much anymore when physical exertion is required.
As fast as I sweep up the leaves, new ones fall, and I can’t keep it up. Before my stroke I think the sweeping would have taken me 10 minutes. Today I have been at it for about 90 minutes including rest breaks, and it’s still not perfect.

I also did my normal hand, finger and arm reaching exercises. God, I wish someone would invent a rapid cure for frozen shoulder. I have an advanced case of it, and nothing seems to stop it from insidiously getting worse.

Had lunch – sausages in bread, so hardly majorly healthy, but filling all the same. Tonight I’m doing a BBQ for myself, with salad and fries.

And my brother is coming around mid afternoon to celebrate.

Celebrate, you ask?

Yeppers. Yesterday Julie and I purchased a house in Kyneton , Victoria. I haven't seen it in the flesh as yet, but I trust Julie's taste totally. It's a100-year-old weatherboard cottage, but it's in great condition and we are moving there in late February next year. So that's what the celebration is all about - and I can't really celebrate alone, can I? Yay!!!

[emma]

November 15
God….. I woke this morning in total agony. It felt as if I had pulled a calf muscle. I howled in agony, turned on the light, and clutched my right leg. It was 6.15 am, and now, an hour later, the leg feels a little better.
Has this ever happened to anyone else? I was just sleeping, and suddenly..ZAP..the leg went!
I am treating it gingerly and carefully. I don’t want it to get any worse. It was also my right side that has been affected by the stroke. I fear I can‘t hold a walking stick in my right hand, nor use a crutch. And as I am still home alone, I can ‘t afford for this to get any worse. And I am due to fly to Melbourne on Thursday afternoon!
I’m going to have a shower, and play hot water on it, and hope that this eases the pain.
Will write more later, when – hopefully – the lower leg muscles will be better and not feel quite so tight.

[Mitch04]

Well..the leg is a bit better, so that's great. Nothing worse than being home alone and something going wrong. Makes you feel so damn helpless.

I'm meant to be going into work today - I work part-time as a speech writer for an SA senator - but have called in saying I might not be able to make it. Will have to see how the leg goes for the next couple of hours, and if I go in it will be by taxi and not bus or tram.

I don't think the leg would be appreciate having to walk 500 metres to the bus or tram stop.

[Mitch04]

Well..it's just gone 1pm, and I am starting to feel fine again. So much for that wretched calf muscle!

Have done most of my daily exercises, and while I'm hardly as fit as a Mallee bull, I feel pretty good. Funny how quickly one can overcome adversity! At 6.30 this morning I was wincing in pain as my right calf muscle cramped up...I couldn't bring myself to get out of bed.

Do any of you guys have days like this? Days when you feel lousy in the morning, but feel great by lunchtime?

But I'm giving work a miss for today. Will work from home.

But I see that I am STILL the only one blogging!!!!

[Mitch04]

Success! Elizabethc has started a blog also..now you get two blogs for the price of one, but we want more!

Might go to the office tomorrow. The leg feels a bit better. But it's been a hectic day. Had to sort out contracts for our new house, as well as chase up the agents for our existing home....

All in all a satisfying if somewhat fruitless day *LOL* that started with the calf muscle playing up shortly after 6am today.

Now it's out to dinner with my brother.

G'bye until tomorrowl!

[Mitch04]

Well, today is November 17. No blog yesterday as I was at work and too exhausted when I got home.

Today I'm flying to Melbourne to see the new house, and to celeb rate three birthdays...Both my children, as they were born on the same day 6 years apart, and grandson Angus.

May not be able to write an other blog until next Tuesday - unless I can get hold of a computer while I am there.

Tomorrow we drive to Kyneton so I can see first-hand the 100 year old settler cottage that Julie and I have purchased. I'm really looking forward to it!! I'll take photos of it, and see if I can get Em to help me post 2-3!

[Mitch04]

Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrm...If you enjoy reading my blog...or loath it...there is nothing to prevent you, the reader, from adding some praise.......or some criticism!!!

The more comments the better!

[Leonie Campbell]

Writing.

Isn't it great to be able to write! Aside from speaking, reading and writing have been some of our greatest stumbling blocks. So please blabber on as much as you like.

I never thought I'd be able to get up on the horse when it came to writing anything noteworthy, but here I am - saying something coherent. What a coup! Fortunately though, no one can hear all this stuff coming out loud and clear through my "quivering lips"!

It's true though, the only way I can get thought to paper is by saying it all out loud. And the same thing applies to reading. Go figure.

[ali]

Hate getting up and feeling like s**t, happens periodically, exercising first thing tends to help, but hard when you have to work/run a family/migraines etc.
Congrats on the Kyenton house!