Walk the Steps

I haven't talked about my stroke in a while. I'm still suffering from the after effects of it, but a small victory happened to me the other day. I can traverse the stairs, without using the hand rail. Not really a big deal right? Probably, but it made me feel that much more recovered all the same. Since I live in a 2 story house, and my first realization that I may have suffered a stroke, was on the very same steps.

I didn't know what to do or what was going to happen. Hell I still thought I was going to the doctor, not the ER. It happened in what seems like an eternity ago. The pain, and really the confusion in it all. Like half of my body fell asleep, kind of like when you sleep funny on your arm, except it was my entire right side. There was no pain from the stroke, like I can't say, "oh man, my stroke pain is acting up again." But there was pain in my labored breathing, because I was operating with half a body.

I don't really even know how I got from my bed room to the car, or much less dressed, my wife could have helped. But getting down the steps, that was all me. And I remember my wife looking at me, scared because none of us knew what was going on. I limped, or kind of "Igor dragged" myself to the car, and the rest is history.

But I can zip up and down the stairs now. Sometimes I'll still use the hand rail, but there is a big difference between needing and wanting, or using something because you have to, as opposed to having it there just in case.