Sunday, February 2, 2014

Stroke recovery: Warming up


Icicles on our van’s bumper (Photo by Walter Skupien)

Weather is warming up here in our coastal Mississippi region.

The low 20s don’t qualify as disaster for folks in the states that regularly have extreme winter weather. For us, though, it was an unusual and uncomfortable experience.

Icy yard (Photo by Walter Skupien)

In contrast to the dramatic weather effects captured in photos and video from north of us, Husband Walter’s images document the ice pellets that looked like patchy snow in our yard.

And for this stroke survivor, the cold increased the stroke-induced tone on my left side, delivering more tightly curled fingers and a shortened stride. It also decreased my desire to blog or do much of anything else.

About all I really wanted to do in the last week was wrap up in cuddly apparel and blankets, turn the heat up, and read.  Oh, and drink hot tea and eat. When we did get out, I found that many of the individuals I bumped into had adopted similar strategies.

But the inertia that swamped me is waning with the warmer weather--I  hope. A good sign is that I’m itching to get back to walking outside, especially on the bridge. 

My last good walk was on the paved beach path two days before the icy conditions arrived. I could see the bridge during that stroll, but I was having a wobbly day and needed the extra confidence that the beach’s available seating offered.

 A view of Biloxi Bay Bridge from Ocean Springs’ Front Beach

May your week be filled with confidence and satisfying adventures.

9 comments:

  1. i am glad it is melting and getting warmer.. even our 49 and 52 degrees plus drizzling rain made me do the same thing. except nothing put pain stops me from blogging. i am glad you showed us that last view of your walking bridge.

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  2. That is great that your inertia is waning as your weather warms up.

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  3. Those are great photos. There's snow on top of the 2 volcanoes on the Big Island, but here at sea level it is a lot warmer. I watched the first half of the Super Bowl, but lost interest after the half. David is watching it with his head phones.

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  4. Wanting to do a beach walk is a good sign. May you get to do it soon - and in sunshine! Blessings from Dalamory www.freda.org.uk

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  5. Keep building that confidence an strength.
    I'm glad your determination is thawing and adventures are back in sight.
    Dave and I went to The Black Bear Diner last week and I thought of you.
    I had a delicious chicken dinner and "rolled" out the door after it. (:0)

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  6. I hope to get outside and walk soon. Dianne

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  7. The cold does me in too. I'm 3/4 back to a normal range, but the cold sure slows me down. Hugs to ya dear stroke sister. :)

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  8. Our weather was quite similar to yours, last week. My reaction to it, was, also, similar to yours. I didn't get much accomplished last week :(
    We've warmed up considerably,(in the 70's for 2 days), but sunshine still evades us...

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  9. I hope your days will soon be filled with warmth and sunshine. I think so many are so weary with this cold weather. It has snowed all day here, and it is cold - about 15 and it is 3:00 in the afternoon. Like you, I've been in chair most of the day reading, blogging, and trying to stay warm. My blanket is over me and I have on a fleece vest. I think I'll go get some of that hot tea you've been talking about.

    I'm fighting an infection. You are feeling the stroke effects. I'll send up a prayer for you. Take care. Stay warm.

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