They always say time changes things
But you have to change them yourself
Andy Warhol
I am taking the action to change my mind, I have a choice, it is my body…. I am the one in control, I can regain function. There is no magic pill that can transport me back to how things were before my stroke happened.
Before my stroke movement was not something I really paid much heed to, oh sure I exercised and worked on my fitness but, for example, I could lift my arm without much thought, because well it just happened didn’t it? Just like babies and toddlers do, I can relearn the basics of movement, all over again, and retrain my body/brain connection. Thanks to neuroplasticity I have an opportunity to alter the neuro – circuitry of my brain.
One of the most important components of recovery is patience. I wish I could in all honesty espouse this virtue in spades, but I am human and have melt down days. Days when frustration trumps triumph.
Its been one of those times. The past few days have been a struggle. I started NeuroMovement® for Healthy Necks and Shoulders with enthusiasm, only to struggle with lesson 4. The pain in my shoulder is my brain overwhelmed, too preoccupied to be able to move through sequences, and it is same with lesson 5 . I practise the visualization, but feel ultimately a sense of disappointment.. I get very excited when I start something new. Eager for immediate results….. and now I realize I am missing a vital point of this program. Go slow . Its not a rush. Time to regroup.
Those who know me well are aware that prior to my stroke a big part of my fitness regime was The Tracy Anderson Method. Over the past 5 years patrons of my local gym got used to my daily workout which incorporated 30 minutes of dance cardio…. Crazy old bird dancing! Ha ha! Today I would like to share this Ted Talk video by Dr. Jaquin Farias, after watching this talk today, I am thinking its time to re-introduce dance to my exercise regime TAMily 🙂
* I want to caution anyone reading my account, that I am no medical expert, I am writing this as a personal account of how stroke has affected me, and it’s my journey of recovery.
