Think its Done!

What do you think?

Do you like the new layout?

I'm done with it for the moment!

I still have a few ideas but they can wait :D

Clean Bill

I'm looking forward to the day my dr/specialist says "Toni, you're well" and I don't have to have these weekly, fortnightly and monthly appointments.

Its not that I'm not happy with the treatments I've received. I am. I think I couldn't have asked for better.

I'm just over it all.

I've been asked to meet up with a friend for coffee (or in my case, water) but I have to fit everything around med appnts at the moment and I think that's pretty .... ummmm .... well ...... sad!

I hate not being able to have the luxury of being spontaneous and say "how about tomorrow".

It will come though. I will get my clean bill :D

Painting Day Fridays

Well it seems like forever since I've made a painting post.

Its was actually May 4 I think when I posted where I was up to on my latest painting.

I have dabbled a little bit in the last 11 wks.

Painting was good occupational therapy for me after the stroke.

So this is where I was up to
First session after stroke
And the next 3 worked over the week before school holidays (mid June)

Its a start

Still working on the layout but at least its not so boring at the moment.

oooo00000000oooo

I'm Bored

With my blog that is.

Not in posting.

In the layout.

I need to do something to it but quite decide what.

Maybe its too simple.

What do you think?

Good Friends

are hard come by but Great friends really are a treasure.

I need to thank very treasured and special friends of mine who last night really helped me through a very very tough moment at an hour they probably weren't expecting.

You know who you are!

I grabbed ahold of Psalm 61 and read it over and over for hours until sleep finally took me.

Again thank you. You were there for me immediately as I knew you would be.

And had to rush back here to share this

An email I just received from my sister :D

Computer trouble!

I was having trouble with my computer. So I called John, the 11
year old next door whose bedroom looks like Mission Control, and
asked him to come over

John clicked a couple of buttons and solved the problem

As he was walking away, I called after him, 'So, what was wrong?

He replied, 'It was an ID ten T error'.

I didn't want to appear stupid, but nonetheless inquired,
'An, ID ten T error? What's that? In case I need to fix it again'

John grinned 'haven’t you ever heard of an ID ten T error before?''

No,' I replied

'Write it down,' he said, 'and I think you'll figure it out'

So I wrote down: I D 1 0 T

I used to like him!

Darn this stupid memory rubbish

I just had a post all thought out in my head and of course raced in here to type it out.

What did I write????

A big fat nothing!

Why????

Because by the time I sat down and got the right page up, I'd forgotten the whole darn thing.

Couldn't even remember the post title.

How's that for sad!I suppose I need to tie a pen and notepad around my neck.

Attack of the Birds

We have a big bird community at our place.

Everyday we have .........

Pale-headed RosellasGalahsMagpiesNoisy Minors
(who eat all our figs and mulberries)Rainbow LorrikeetPlovers
(if there is any bird I hate, this is it)Butcher BirdsKookaburras
Bush Turkeys
and many many more, coming in to see what they can find to eat.

This morning I had a little treat to the meat eating birds. Had some steak off-cuts that I sometimes cut up small and feed to my feathered friends.

Unfortunately one of the magpies has taken to terrorizing my Cockatiel, Teddy (an adopted pet).

The maggie tries to peck at him through the cage so I covered Teddy up a bit to give him some hiding space.

What a smart magpie though, I just caught him/her trying to get the cover off the cage to get at Teddy.

(unfortunately wasn't quick enough with the camera)

To me its obvious

that the stroke did cause a bit of facial muscle sag.

A photo I posted in an earlier post made me think its quite obvious.

What do you think?

The muscles around my eye and from my nose down to my chin I think there is quite a sag.

I don't have the same smile anymore.

But this was taken only 6 wks after the stroke.

Maybe its fatique more than anything (hoping that anyway).

I probably see me than others do ?????

Oh well, if this is the worst thank I'm okay with that.

Its all coming back together so nicely

Today was my second Occupational Therapy home visit.

I was supposed to cook Lasagna from scratch.

I went to the cupboard but Oh No .......

Of course I didn't have any lasagna sheets but I did have spiral pasta.

So my lasagna became Sprial Pasta with Meat & Cheese sauces :D

My OT was very happy with how I went and said she thinks at the Review next week I should be discharged.

That is really great and it will be one week earlier than planned.

Yep, I'm a happy gal.

What a way to inflate the ego!

I had my standard doctor appointment this morning.

It was a good one as I really was only there for a checkup.

My doc said she's happy to have these types of appointments where we can have a chat and she doesn't have to solve 27 different medical questions. hahahahaha

She seriously told me that I should be proud with how well I've coped with everything over the past few years.

Awwww she made me blush (I find compliments hard to take)

Then at 3.30pm I had my Stroke appointment.

Now the specialist I see is Dr Grimley. This man is so nice and so good at putting you at ease.

As soon as I sat down, he told me that he was really impressed with how I walked in.

He could immediately see that I was much healthier and he expected me to be alot worse.

Dr Grimley said he was "very impressed" with the speed and level of recovery I've had.

He does say that the speed of recovery will taper off very quickly now and may take 2-3 yrs before I feel a complete recovery has been achieved but I say that if God can do this in 10 wks than He can achieve greater in less than 2-3 yrs.

But I did walk out feeling pretty chuffed :D
Now I just need to borrow a nail and I'm good ......................

Oh Oh Oh

And the best bit of all

I can now drive again!!!!!!!

On my file in big block letters Dr Grimley wrote

FIT TO DRIVE
Woohoo!!!!!

A Childhood Memory

If I'm ever asked "What was your nickname?"

My usual answer is "Didn't have one"

Never really thought about it much.

Using FB last week my younger sister Krissy made a comment and she called me "Tyrone"

The memories that then invaded my mind.

Our brothers use to get my sister and I to box each other in the backyard.

She was called "Killer Kris" and I was "Tyrone Tone".

We used to really go for it too.
Mind you we probably weren't older than about 8 or 9.

So there you have it.

Looks like I do have a nickname after all.

Everyone, I'd like you to meet

Tyrone Tone & Killer Kris

Oh I'm the cute one in the yellow dress ;)

4 Weeks

Its around 4 wks since my last post.

Don't know why I haven't blogged, just haven't felt like it.

Don't you ever feel that way?

Last Friday made 9 wks since having the stroke!

Wow! I can't believe it was that long ago. Especially seeing as I have been home for 7 of those 9 weeks. I have been so blessed to have recovered so quickly.

On Thursday I go to see the Stroke Team. I'm hoping that they will allow me to start driving again.

One thing I have found so difficult is that I have not be able to be independent. I can't just jump in my car and go wherever I want.

I've always taken that for granted in the past but I now have a new perspective of dependence.

Anyway, in the past month I haven't really been doing anything exciting.

I've had doctor appointments, therapist appointment, physio appoints, occupational appointments .........

My life has consisted of appointments with some days have multiple ones.

I was supposed to have an appointment today but woke up with a stomach bug. It felt so good to just stay at home on my own for a change.

Yep, that's right, Gary went back to work last night so now I'm on my own again (well, he's sleeping in the other room but you know what I mean) :D