Monday 23 May 2016

Introduction

This is a blog about getting back to "normal" after a stroke. It is only 15 months since my stroke, which, thankfully, was quite mild.

The first indications that I was susceptible came 3/4 years ago when I had a couple of TIA episodes. A Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) is often called a mini stroke but, unlike a stroke, it does not result in permanent brain damage.

The thought of permanent brain damage sounds incredibly scary, but our brains are phenomenally adaptable. The brain, it seems, is clever enough to re-learn things even when it has lost one part of its functionality, but the patient has got to give it the space and time to undertake the relearning.

This blog is about my experiences re-learning those things which I had thought were a permanent part of living. It covers walking, playing musical instruments (violin, viola, piano), driving, academic study and, most recently, cycling. Each activity presents its own challenges. I also now know that the process of re-learning is continuous.

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