socks

Yesterday, I almost fell trying to get dressed. My right crossed over the left leg, I caught myself when I landed halfway between the floor and the side of my bed.  Dizziness and walking, and turning issues have been the brain injury theme for me this week.  I’ve heard from other stroke/brain injury survivors the recovery process is a marathon, not a sprint.  Some parts of your life return to the way they were before your injury, other things do not.

Everything in your life is changed in some way.  Some things are just never the same again.

Because of the walking issues I was having yesterday, I decided to stay in one place and not walk as much. I ended up drawing for several hours yesterday. I haven’t done an hours long drawing session in a while because I’ve struggled with energy and concentration issues.

It was wonderful to escape for a little bit and forget for small amount of time the balance issues.

My cat, Stella, sometimes has walking issues when she is running. Yesterday, she was running into my room and she almost tripped over her two front legs.

Besides other stroke survivors, it seems my cat can relate as well.

I haven’t been able to volunteer for two months because of the pandemic. Some of the help needed requires lifting boxes, which I cannot do. This makes me sad, although I know I’ll be back saving the world through volunteering again eventually.

I’ve found music to help with both coping with the pandemic and my gait/pain issues. Happy songs include this classic from Oliver & Company ( NYC in the 1980s with Billy Joel) and Anastasia (1997)

dizzy with a side of music

I learned earlier this week, I have a relative who had a stroke; he is now home recovering and doing better. I’ve been having walking issues today and almost fell twice. I’ve had right leg crossing in front of the left leg randomly, which happens sometimes and not too often. Then today I experienced something, which never happens, my left leg crossed in front of my right leg when I was walking.

The left leg almost never does this, so it was especially odd. Shunt and scalp pain on the left side of my scalp once this morning around 2am. Followed by some scalp pain in the top right corner of my scalp this afternoon at 1:37pm.

The usual shunt and scalp pain issues could be from a variety of things such as barometric pressure, phases of the moon, and rain/snow…

These stay at home orders during the pandemic remind me of when I came home from rehab after my brain injuries in April 2014. I couldn't drive for a year and 12 days because of the damage to my right eye. The only difference now is I no longer have double vision and can drive.

During these uncertain times this Altice One commercial brings me joy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1lVkezaQ10

Starlings

Today I have barometric pressure headaches. Earlier this week like on Tuesday thru Friday my shunt was adjusting itself and I had nausea, eye and pain on the shunt valve and distal catheter at the top of my head.

The starlings outside my window are really loud and are a bit of a distraction from the throbbing in my head.

I've also rediscovered various movie soundtracks which have helped lighten my mood.  You can never go wrong with Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure or The Power Rangers Movie and Van Halen.