Good evening everyone, Firstly let me say thank God. I am ever so grateful to be able to write this blog post and to share my journey with you. As you know I suffered a major stroke back in February and I am partially paralyzed on my left side. Although I am struggling with accepting my current situation. I have fear of not recovering fully or at least back to what used to be normal. I have been under the care of physical, occupational and speech therapist since I was released from rehab.
I have had a couple of set backs along the way but nothing too serious. Thank God. Lately I have been feeling very depressed. I lack energy and do not want to eat at times. I have been in a dark place for a couple of days and yes I have been talking about it with my network and I just reached out to my primary physician with whom I am going to call in the morning. If need be I will seek professional help. I know that I cannot keep going on like this. I need not allow this to grow or fester I will get into the solution as quickly as possible. The last thing I want to do is to get proscribed another medication. I am sick and tired of taking medication. I know that I am grateful to be alive and clean. Using is not an option for me. I have no desire what so ever to get high. None. I already know what that is all about. It won’t now nor has it ever been a solution to any problems. I know that today.
I as always will keep all of my readers& network of friends of my blog posted on my progress or lack of
Today is a great day to be alive and clean
Peace and blessings 🙏🙏
Eric Ease 2019 ❤️
Eric, thank you for you post. I have been feeling depressed myself lately, and just going through Google searches wasn’t helping me to find the support of fellow survivors I was looking for. I am 35 and suffered a stroke in my brain stem back in December, 2018. They said that is wasn’t a large area that the stroke occurred in, but because of the location, it effected the whole right side of my body, and the left side of my face. I was barely able to walk, and incredibly weak after it happened. I consider myself lucky, though, because it didn’t effect my ability to speak, swallow, or impair too many of my self-care activities. My family had recently moved to a new state with a better cost of living so my wife could quit her job and be at home with our two young kids. I started my own flooring company and was doing very well for myself. I came down with a very bad cold and cough in November, but still kept working because I needed to get my projects done on time. After a long and exhausting day of work I came home, showered, and took a nap. Later that evening I woke up to a sharp pain at the base of my skull, but figured I had just pinched a nerve. Later that evening I started to notice some numbness in my arm and face, but still figured it was just a pinched nerve. At about 3 AM I woke up to let our dog out to the bathroom and I could barely stand. I fumbled my way the door and when I let him out I realized that I couldn’t feel the frigid breeze on the whole right side of my body. That’s when I knew something was really wrong. Still, being stubborn, I waited until we got our kids to school in the morning before I went to Urgent Care. They sent me immediately to the ER where they diagnosed me; I had a Vertebral Artery Dissection. Because my cough was so bad from the cold, they said it created enough arterial pressure to tear the inner layer of my vertebral artery, which filled the area between the layers with blood and clotted, blocking it off. Since then, my wife has had to return back to work which defeats the purpose of why we moved. I’ve been able to do some degree of work the last few months, but I haven’t been able to perform anywhere near the level I was able to before. Aside from the physical limitations, I had bad short-term memory loss for months after the stroke. I would forget conversations that I had minutes before. I would constantly forget important bills and other things that needed to be taken care of. Not to mention the drastic fluctuation in my moods sometimes. This all made it incredibly difficult on my wife who was trying to hold everything together for us. She really deserves all the credit for keeping our life together through all of this. This all made for some severe bouts of depression for both of us. Some days are good, while others are bad. It’s a funny that there is so much information about the physiology of a stroke, but it’s so difficult to find any extensive information on post-stroke psychological effects, and on the survivor, and their family. Thank you for being vulnerable and putting your story out there. You’re not alone in all this, and if you ever need anyone to talk to, feel free to reach out.
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Nathan. Thank you for sharing your identification with me. I appreciate it. I can relate to the memory loss and the mood swings to. Thank God for his Grace and Mercy that we both survived and are able to share our stories with others. I’m grateful. Same here if you ever need someone to talk to. I’m here. Best of luck to you. I wish you nothing but success. Hang in there.
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Thanks for sharing I can remember that dark place & yes as depressed when I had my stroke couldn’t walk or talk also it took me 8-10 mo. To talk & walk but it’s been 10yrs now almost 11yrs Nov 24th 2008 never forget it couldn’t see out my right eye then stood up and fell down to the floor my granddaughter which as 4 at this time I told her go call 911 thank God they came quickly couldn’t talk or walk any more cried everyday 😢 after therapy and my family pushing me work every day walking up & down stairs started taking showers on my own one day because my son wasn’t coming home quickly enough for me I did it my self then I made my first sandwich was so happy because by then my son went back to work & I had to Fen for myself then I my first dinner bake chicken rice a Roni & string beans frozen so when my son came home he was so proud of me & so was I 😂 God just wanted me to sit down for a while because I out of control with those drug’s & alcohol and when I ran out of drugs and alcohol I eat all the wrong things that’s why my blood pressure was so high but thanking God I’m on my feet and talking so so grateful but wasn’t too grateful because once I got back to being able to get around I went back to drugs and alcohol for another four years then I got tired & started going to meetings yes been then there before but of course went back alot of time’s but I had 9 mo. Clean had reservations to use on my 50th birthday & I told my girlfriend after the birthday party that I was having that we going to get fucked up & the night before I went to a meeting my girlfriend call me I texted her I’m in a meeting & she text me ok, when I got home I got FB and seen she said I’m bored I’m going out to go back to the beginning of the week she came to visit me she said she couldn’t see out of her left eye and I said that sounds like a stroke I said you need to go to doctor she went that Thursday her daughter told me that the doctor said it was a mild stroke & she went out and drank & got high Friday night, that morning before my birthday party my Goddaughter call me me 5oclock in the morning to tell me that her mother my best friend from elementary school died 😢 from a stroke couldn’t believe it that woke me up so I never used Again 6yrs 2 mo & walking & talking so grateful so it does get better just keep doing what you doing exercising practicing you will be stronger than ever you are going to get back to you Much love & hug’s
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Thank you for sharing your experience. And for your support and encouragement
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Talk about it my friend!!
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Thank. I am.
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Eric you are truly an inspiration to all. Thanking God you stay in the solution. Know and believe God can and will carry you to the other side. I’m praying for your continue strength and perseverance. Love and Hugs Sharon
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Thank you
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So proud of you Eric, happy and proud to call you Friend.
Thanks for the continuing updates, letting us know truthfully how you are doing the ups and downs.
You are an inspiration.
God is and will continue to be your Strength.
Am so glad you are reaching out and honest with your care givers and team, rather than trying to do all things on your own.
God Bless you Eric. Praying for you, and your physical recovery. Knowing God has you, and has big plans for you.
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Thank you George for reading and replying to my posts. I always appreciate your support and encouragement Proud to call you a friend as well. Thanks again. Have a blessed day brother
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Hey E you are coming along tremendously. The lower power of our illnesses always always wants us to believe all the negative hints they whisper. Keep believing, keep grinding. Know that you God got you.
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Hey D Bora. Thank you for all your support and encouragement. I believe that God has a plan for me and that I will be alright ♥️
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Hi Eric I see your post and you have come a long way. I admire your strength through this trying time. I pray that you feel better soon emotionally and physically. God has you and you’re well on your way. You’re always in my prayers🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
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Hi Jacqueline. Thank you for your prayers and support. I appreciate your reading my blog
Praying that all is well with you ❤️
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Thank you Jacqueline. ❤️
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Brother Eric take care of the depression I am going myself as you know by posts I share ! You my brother are an inspiration!! I am going thru crap as you know ! But I read your posts and blog and it gives me the fuel to move forward !!! I may loose everything today thru no fault of my own but if I do at least I lost it and didn’t give it away this time by using!! We shall see !! Eric keep moving forward !! You got this !!
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Brother Rich. I’m praying that you find a solution and I believe that everything is going to be alright
God shall take care of both of us
Peace and blessings bro
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Eric,
You will forever be in my prayers for your strength and healing! I wish you nothing but the best in your process of healing. May God bestow his unmerited blessings upon your life.
Your friend,
Martin H
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Thank you
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Eric I can understand why you would feel that way, I am so very Happy that you are going to share it with your physician so they can help you. Please, please, please stay encouraged and reaching out which I know is so hard to do but I’d rather for you to do so.
Niecy Lloyd
Your friend for life NMW BRO!!!
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ThankoNiecy. I love you my friend. I truly appreciate your support and encouragement ♥️
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Thank You My Friend, You chose to be in the solution, and for this, I’m grateful to be able to see you through this trying time…… Congratulations…….
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Thank youMarlow. I appreciate your support and encouragement brother
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