My sister Debra is an amazing English Literature teacher at Mukwonago High School in Wisconsin. On a recent visit she asked me to speak to her class as they are studying the social issues of hope, identity, loss, trauma, adventure, and overcoming as seen to the eyes of a long distance kayaker.
This talk was my first public speaking opportunity since I suffered a major stroke in November of 2021.
Click the image below to view video on my Youtube channel
It has been a while since I gave an update on my recovery. I have come a long way since being released from ICU in late November. As difficult as the first three months were, I can honestly say that I am seeing significant signs of improvement. All I would line up a few of the more memorable things for you today.
First I am off all prescription pain medication. That might not sound like such a big deal but I was on oxycodone for almost 3 months, anybody that has experience with that stuff knows how difficult it is to stop. I went through 4 weeks of withdrawal over the month of February. headaches and nausea were the most common side effects as well as the always present pain that the oxy had been masking. I have felt really good mentally over the last 3 weeks since I have all of the meds out of my system. Of all of the Milestones so far in my recovery this one ranks as tops for me since it was so difficult to get through.
My rehab consists of three parts, Speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy.
I graduated from speech therapy at the beginning of February. I still feel like my speech has a ways to go before I'm back to the way that I was before but I know it's improved since November.
Occupational therapy involves work to help my brain rewire to the left side of my body, specifically my left arm and left hand. As I sit here today I have no feeling from the tip of my fingers to my elbow. The work is hard but my therapist says I'm making great progress, which is hard for me to see but I will take her word for it. I did have a breakthrough the other day when I accidentally slammed my left thumb in a cabinet door and I actually felt pain which is the first feeling I've had in that hand since October.
Physical Therapy involves two parts of my body first the knee replacement and secondly my lower back. Apparently during my stroke and seizure I did some damage to my lower back which has been causing me lower back and hip pain since November. That pain has actually been worse than the knee pain.. The PT on my lower back just started 2 weeks ago and that has been very helpful. I've gone from a level of 7-8 on my pain scale to a 4-5. The PT is very time-consuming and painful but it's all work that I'm happy to do because I know it will get me back to the life that I had before.
I started being able to go out to eat about 2 weeks ago and that's been really great.Getting out of the house and being with other people and enjoying a meal has been really fun. Alex and his girlfriend Allison came and spent the weekend with us two weekends ago and it was so nice to have them come here and be able to do a little bit of sightseeing and spend time with them. we were all so blessed to have my dad and and Bonnie come and visit after Alex left and we also we're able to go out and see if the few sites so that was right really nice too.
I have a long ways to go but I've come so far in the last 3 months and I'm happy with where I am and confident that the direction I'm headed will get me to where I want to be, which is traveling with Christina and kayaking all of which we are looking at 2023 to start.
