Hi Hammondm99, I think that having a stroke and the changes it makes to you as an individual is a very massive thing.
For me, I was focused on how impressive my recovery was but the hard part was realising, that there is more to it than that.

A question that I get asked a lot and my wife did after her SAH, is, are you better now? I found it at the time and still do, the most frustrating question. You are different after your stroke, not necessarily in a bad way, but just because I look well it does not mean my brain is better.

People used to look at my wife when she first volunteered in a tuck shop after she came home, she was a bit slow giving the change out and the looks she got were terrible. You almost wanted to wear a badge saying don't assume I'm stupid! …. I've had a stroke please be patient!

I think that is a problem as so far as brain related injury, ilness etc, if people can't see a physical maifestation then they assume you are fine. I would like to be fine but then accepting that this is the new me and I am happy with that and however that changes in the future is a big thing.

It is very worrying, stressful and sometimes depressing, I think this is normal.
Great news that you are playing guitar and please keep that up, I have always been rubbish at playing the guitair. It would have been cool to wake up with a new ability to play like hendrix but I got worse! It is interesting reading about your triathlons etc, I know a lot of retired professional athletes, these are guys that won vets world records, some have run 200+ marathons and in thier 60's some in thier 70's have all developed AFIB, very strange. Please keep in touch.

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