THERE’S THE MORE OBVIOUS PHYSICAL THINGS:
1. UNABLE 2 WALK
2. UNABLE 2 SPEAK
3. PBA (NO CONTROL OF MY EMOTIONS)
4. MY LEFT SIDE IS “PARALYZED” (IT DOESN’T MOVE, BUT IT STILL FEELS—LOTS OF “FUN!”)
5. DOUBLE VISION
6. I MOVE & SIGN SLOW, & IF I FEEL FAST, I’M STILL SLOW! IF I GO FAST, MY EYES CAN’T FOCUS, & IF I TRY 2 FOCUS, I CAN GET MOTION SICKNESS.
7. I HAVE A MUCH SLOWER REACTION TIME. IN ORDER 2 GET ME READY 4 DRIVING MY POWER CHAIR, I PLAYED ARCADE GAMES, ESP. PAC-MAN. I REACTED SO SLOW WHEN THE GHOSTS CAME AFTER ME! IT WAS SO HARD!

HOWEVER, NOW I CAN BASICALLY
1. MOVE MY HEAD & RIGHT ARM
2. TYPE/HANDWRITE
3. STAND/WALK IF I’M HELD RIGHT, W/MY HUSBAND’S SUPPORT
4. KNEE BENDS ON MY TILT TABLE
5. PLAY PIANO & DO OTHER FINE MOTOR STUFF
6. I’M LEARNING 2 TALK
THIS LIST COULD GO ON…LOL

THEN, THERE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE LESS OBVIOUS, THOUGH:
1. I HAVE HAD A ROLLER COASTER OF EMOTIONS
2. I HAVE A SHORTER ATTENTION SPAN. SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE HAVE ADD (ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER). IF I LISTEN 2 AN AUDIO BOOK ALONE OR WATCH A MOVIE ALONE, IT TAKES HOURS, BECUZ I REWIND SO MUCH 2 SEE WHAT I MISSED! SO MANY TIMES, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT A SHOW IS ABOUT, BECUZ I TRY 2 WATCH IT STRAIGHT THROUGH, LIKE A “NORMAL PERSON.”
3. MY HEARING IS WORSE IN SOME WAYS. KNOW HOW IN A CROWDED RESTURANT, U CAN SOMEHOW HEAR YOUR FRIEND’S VOICE THE BEST? I CAN’T. ALL THAT BACKGROUND NOISE (EVEN THE MUSIC PLAYING & THE AIR CONDITIONER), ARE AS LOUD AS MY FRIEND! SO, USUALLY, I CAN’T HEAR MUCH.
4. LOSING CONTROL OF MY ENVIROMENT HAS GREATLY INCREASED MY ANXIETY. I AM SO BLESSED THAT MY HUSBAND IS A THERAPIST! (SOMETIMES IT IS A CHALLENGE BEING MARRIED 2 A THERAPIST, BUT OVERALL, THAT HAS COME IN HANDY SEVERAL TIMES FOR ME, AS WELL AS 4 MY CHILDREN, & I CONSIDER IT A HUGE BLESSING!)
5. I CAN’T ALWAYS THINK FAST & PROCESS COMMENTS SLOW SOMETIMES.
6. MATH IS HARDER. LUCKILY, I WAS REALLY GOOD AT MATH, SO I’M STILL GOOD, JUST SLOW, ONCE I “BRUSH UP” ON CONCEPTS. STRATEGY GAMES ARE IMPORTANT TO KEEP MY MIND SHARP
7. I HAVE A BIG TEMPER NOW, THAT CAN FLARE UP AT THE DROP OF A HAT
8. I’VE NEVER HAD A GREAT MEMORY, SO I DON’T KNOW IF THIS IS STROKE-RELATED, OR IF I’M JUST GETTING OLD, BUT MANY OF MY MEMORIES SEEMED “LOCKED IN A VAULT,” BECUZ THEY ARE THERE, & COME OUT OF THE VAULT, IF THEY ARE MENTIONED.

BUT PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT MY FAITH & TESTIMONY HAVE BEEN TRIED, & INCREASED. THAT HAS BEEN A BLESSING, & I’M FORTUNATE 2 HAVE A FAMILY WHO CAN HELP ME WEATHER THE STORM.