Any Stroke survivors out there?
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Hi Paulway,
Nothings up. In fact life couldn't be better. Just curious as to whether there are any Stroke surviving motorhomers out there and to ask if there are any aspects of our past time that are proving to be a little bit difficult.
My wife Ann had a severe stroke 3 yrs ago and very nearly died (prior to that she was healthy and fit as a flee). One of the things that kept her going during those early months was the thought that one day she would climb back into the van. 6 months later she did!
Our original vehicle was a McLouis 261 (6m) with a fixed bed - thank goodness! However, after a few months it became clear that because of Ann's mobility we needed a bigger van to move around in. We currently have a Swift Kon-Tiki 660 with a fixed bed.
We even have a motor scooter strapped to the back in the summer months. The technique for getting on it is a very finely tuned and well rehearsed feat - Let's say it involves a lot of velcro.
It proved to us, that you just don't know what's around the corner (excuse the pun) - live for today!
Bob & Ann
Nothings up. In fact life couldn't be better. Just curious as to whether there are any Stroke surviving motorhomers out there and to ask if there are any aspects of our past time that are proving to be a little bit difficult.
My wife Ann had a severe stroke 3 yrs ago and very nearly died (prior to that she was healthy and fit as a flee). One of the things that kept her going during those early months was the thought that one day she would climb back into the van. 6 months later she did!
Our original vehicle was a McLouis 261 (6m) with a fixed bed - thank goodness! However, after a few months it became clear that because of Ann's mobility we needed a bigger van to move around in. We currently have a Swift Kon-Tiki 660 with a fixed bed.
We even have a motor scooter strapped to the back in the summer months. The technique for getting on it is a very finely tuned and well rehearsed feat - Let's say it involves a lot of velcro.
It proved to us, that you just don't know what's around the corner (excuse the pun) - live for today!
Bob & Ann
Hi Bob n Ann
I was very lucky as I had three bleeds on my right internal carotoid artery to my brain giving me three (minor) strokes, caused by a 'Giant Anurism' (not sure the spellings correct!!). This has left me with a weak left arm and slight paralysis of the face. However the outcome could have been so different, more from the condition than the stroke, thanks to the wonderful Neurosurgeons, Heart Surgeon and their team I am still here.
I was being treated for Migrane for 8 years before partial loss of sight in my right eye (tunnel vision) made them decide to MRI scan and find the cause!!
This is one of the reasons we stopped caravanning and got the motorhome, I still do the driving but there is no need to lug much about!
We were determined that we would not let anything stop our 'camping' LOL.
I occasionaly drop things from my left hand, its ok so long as it isn't a drink or something messy or breakable, just laugh and carry on!
Yes I agree when I see some of the petty squables going on I think 'get a life', things like these make you realise how fragile life is.
Make the most of it, and what a fine way. Hope Ann keeps coping its a wonderful way to holiday, I have got better as time goes on and most feeling and movement is back.
Cheers for now.
Paul
I was very lucky as I had three bleeds on my right internal carotoid artery to my brain giving me three (minor) strokes, caused by a 'Giant Anurism' (not sure the spellings correct!!). This has left me with a weak left arm and slight paralysis of the face. However the outcome could have been so different, more from the condition than the stroke, thanks to the wonderful Neurosurgeons, Heart Surgeon and their team I am still here.
I was being treated for Migrane for 8 years before partial loss of sight in my right eye (tunnel vision) made them decide to MRI scan and find the cause!!
This is one of the reasons we stopped caravanning and got the motorhome, I still do the driving but there is no need to lug much about!
We were determined that we would not let anything stop our 'camping' LOL.
I occasionaly drop things from my left hand, its ok so long as it isn't a drink or something messy or breakable, just laugh and carry on!
Yes I agree when I see some of the petty squables going on I think 'get a life', things like these make you realise how fragile life is.
Make the most of it, and what a fine way. Hope Ann keeps coping its a wonderful way to holiday, I have got better as time goes on and most feeling and movement is back.
Cheers for now.
Paul
Re: Strokes and disabilities
Hi Paulway and Biggermac, Hope you dont mind me jumping in on your subject, not actually a stroke victim myself, and I admire your resolutness and your outlook on life, both Wife and I are registered disabled, Wife has severe rheumatoid arthritus in her hips knees, and feet, mobility for her is very slow and painful, I suffer from oesto arthritus of the spine, but fortunately still have quite a bit of mobility, but like yourselves our motto is, Live for today, and enjoy life.
Were both retired and doing just that, bought our M/H, our first, 14 months ago, and now wish we had done it far earlier in life, the freedom to go where you want, when you want is great, it has perked us up no end, these youngsters dont know what there missing.
Anyway, excuse me for jumping in, but quite a few disabled people enjoy this way of life, and lifestyle.
Mike and Pearl
Hi Paulway and Biggermac, Hope you dont mind me jumping in on your subject, not actually a stroke victim myself, and I admire your resolutness and your outlook on life, both Wife and I are registered disabled, Wife has severe rheumatoid arthritus in her hips knees, and feet, mobility for her is very slow and painful, I suffer from oesto arthritus of the spine, but fortunately still have quite a bit of mobility, but like yourselves our motto is, Live for today, and enjoy life.
Were both retired and doing just that, bought our M/H, our first, 14 months ago, and now wish we had done it far earlier in life, the freedom to go where you want, when you want is great, it has perked us up no end, these youngsters dont know what there missing.
Anyway, excuse me for jumping in, but quite a few disabled people enjoy this way of life, and lifestyle.
Mike and Pearl
Hi Mike & Pearl,
Good to hear you enjoy your motorhoming. Like you we think it's a wonderful hobby and the 'hotel' room is of a consistently high standard wherever we go in Europe. Your package holiday people can't claim that one!
If you want a laugh, take a look at our photo album (under 'biggermac'). I'm in the process of adding our pics of Spain (xmas just gone)
Happy travelling and perhaps our roads will cross?
kind regards
Bob & Ann
Good to hear you enjoy your motorhoming. Like you we think it's a wonderful hobby and the 'hotel' room is of a consistently high standard wherever we go in Europe. Your package holiday people can't claim that one!
If you want a laugh, take a look at our photo album (under 'biggermac'). I'm in the process of adding our pics of Spain (xmas just gone)
Happy travelling and perhaps our roads will cross?
kind regards
Bob & Ann
Photos
Hi again Bob and Ann,
Just come on line again this evening and saw your reply, thanks for the kind thoughts and hope our paths do cross one of these days, had a look at your photo`s, must say you certainly get about in your travels, but , yep some great piccy`s in your album, really enjoyed going through them, look forward to seeing the ones of spain.
And wow, thats some motorhome you`ve got up to ours, a swift suntor 600s 4 berth, but there again it suits me and the missus and our two yorkies.
Anyway , safe travelling to the both of you, I`m off to log off soon.
Mike and Pearl
Hi again Bob and Ann,
Just come on line again this evening and saw your reply, thanks for the kind thoughts and hope our paths do cross one of these days, had a look at your photo`s, must say you certainly get about in your travels, but , yep some great piccy`s in your album, really enjoyed going through them, look forward to seeing the ones of spain.
And wow, thats some motorhome you`ve got up to ours, a swift suntor 600s 4 berth, but there again it suits me and the missus and our two yorkies.
Anyway , safe travelling to the both of you, I`m off to log off soon.
Mike and Pearl
Disabled but happy!
Hi Bob and Ann
Having read the thread, I must say you are in same frame of mind as myself and wife Ally. We live everyday as if it was last day so enjoy every minute.
I have been disabled for 7 and half years and the disablity is increasing as I have a severe spinal disease.
I started of walking with crutches in 1998, then walking sticks in 2000, now wheelchair permanently when outside and its only a matter of weeks before I go to permanent chairbound
It still doesnt deter us from enjoying life and cant wait for the warm weather so we can begin touring again.
We also have a Swift Kontiki 600 6 berth for same reason , space
I am 20 stone and need space as you can imagine.
There is also one other secret to being happy with disability and motorhoming
and thats having a caring sharing loving partner to be with you!
and by the looks of that picture you have just that!
Good luck with your touring
I hope to meet you one day on tour
Regards
Jimgentracer
Hi Bob and Ann
Having read the thread, I must say you are in same frame of mind as myself and wife Ally. We live everyday as if it was last day so enjoy every minute.
I have been disabled for 7 and half years and the disablity is increasing as I have a severe spinal disease.
I started of walking with crutches in 1998, then walking sticks in 2000, now wheelchair permanently when outside and its only a matter of weeks before I go to permanent chairbound
It still doesnt deter us from enjoying life and cant wait for the warm weather so we can begin touring again.
We also have a Swift Kontiki 600 6 berth for same reason , space
I am 20 stone and need space as you can imagine.
There is also one other secret to being happy with disability and motorhoming
and thats having a caring sharing loving partner to be with you!
and by the looks of that picture you have just that!
Good luck with your touring
I hope to meet you one day on tour
Regards
Jimgentracer
I feel incredibly lucky as I had a bleed and suffered no more than a headache and loss of concentration for a few months.
We were on holiday in Florida, during a shower I had a pain in my head like being hit with a shovel, brought me to my knees and had tunnel vision etc. I put it down to sinus pain and/or heatstroke and didn't go to hospital, had a pretty bad headache for the next week or so. As soon as we got home I went to the doc just to make sure. I was in hospital within 45 minutes having an MRI and the whole cabudle of tests.
On the scale of 1 to 5 mine was thankfully a 1, the MRI confirmed that there were no further weaknesses.
A pretty big wake up call, I was 36 at the time. Since then I have made sure I don't overwork and spend as much time with my family as possible. It was one of the reasons we bought our M/h to get the most out of being together.
We were on holiday in Florida, during a shower I had a pain in my head like being hit with a shovel, brought me to my knees and had tunnel vision etc. I put it down to sinus pain and/or heatstroke and didn't go to hospital, had a pretty bad headache for the next week or so. As soon as we got home I went to the doc just to make sure. I was in hospital within 45 minutes having an MRI and the whole cabudle of tests.
On the scale of 1 to 5 mine was thankfully a 1, the MRI confirmed that there were no further weaknesses.
A pretty big wake up call, I was 36 at the time. Since then I have made sure I don't overwork and spend as much time with my family as possible. It was one of the reasons we bought our M/h to get the most out of being together.
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5,264 Posts
Hi a serious illness does change your outlook on life, after a major op. in 04 and then futher complications a few months later, my wife was told I was unlikely to see the dawn, I was blissful unaware of this as they had given me a shot of morphine and I was as happy as larry :lol:
The one good thing was that due to buying and renovating our shop in 02 I had critical illness insurance which we spent on the Brave :lol:
I suppose you could say that getting our RV nearly killed me :lol: :lol:
Live for today tomorrow may never come
Olley
The one good thing was that due to buying and renovating our shop in 02 I had critical illness insurance which we spent on the Brave :lol:
I suppose you could say that getting our RV nearly killed me :lol: :lol:
Live for today tomorrow may never come
Olley
Hi Paulway, How I agree wth allthe comments, I had an attack in 2000 and fought for three months afterwards to get back in the seat, a struggle yes but ou have to fight on, then in 2005 I was diagnosed with cancer, after a major operation, I am now looking forward to spring and summer for more travels. As I say time is a gift but now I am so pleased that I made the effort.
My experience is virtually the same as Paulway's except, following neurosurgery, I was left with virtual blindness and paralysis of the face. Thank God my sight returned but it took nearly 2 years to recover. When this happened I was a very fit 43 year old who was never ill. At 6ft and 11 stone I played football regularly and squash every day.Then it hapened completely out of the blue with no warning. It just makes you realise how lucky you are to be around.
Bob&Ann&everyone who is suffering.
Hope everyone out there will have good health for the coming years and enjoy your travels.
Midlander:
Any tip on keep pain at bay.
I use a heat bag and it gives some relief to joints.
RA for a few years now.
Levels good at moment.
Hope everyone out there will have good health for the coming years and enjoy your travels.
Midlander:
Any tip on keep pain at bay.
I use a heat bag and it gives some relief to joints.
RA for a few years now.
Levels good at moment.
Its been a crap week in work, my knee hurts and I am feeling a little low, so thank you all for putting my life in to prospective.
I am taken back on times when people show guts and determination against what some people would call tragic change of fortune.
I hope, god forbid, if anything should happen to me that I have the same approach has the people in this thread have and continue to have.
This thread should be kept on the top of the listings for all to share and be inspired from.
Thank you
Hugh
I am taken back on times when people show guts and determination against what some people would call tragic change of fortune.
I hope, god forbid, if anything should happen to me that I have the same approach has the people in this thread have and continue to have.
This thread should be kept on the top of the listings for all to share and be inspired from.
Thank you
Hugh
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2,939 Posts
:lol: Hi biggermac. Not exactly a Stroke victim/survivor per se. But have suffered from Angina for over 10 years and had 2 or 3 heart attacks several years ago which at the time I thought were Muscle strains through playing too much Tennis. It doesn't stop me riding our Mountain bikes up and down Mountains like a Goat. Nor any other physical excercise I care to do. My problem is when I am relaxed too much. Then the pain usually starts. Excercise is the Key word in my book to anyone with heart problems. Within reason of course. Consult a Doctor first. :wink:
I read all your replies and feel for you all, life is to short so get out there and do what you want to do now!
I am not classed as disabled but I suffer with a dissease called Cluster Headaches. I was diagnosed in November last year as having Chronic Cluster Headaches (right sided) and Chronic Migraine (left sided). This is a condition where you are in excrutiating pain mostly every day of the week, with me it is the night time I suffer. This entails the headache waking me up three to four times in one evening, by the third/fourth you are on autopilot, I have O2(Oxygen) which I inhail which seems to relieve the headache and also on medication called Lithium, and finally one tablet which you may of heard about or use yourselves Verapamil, this reduces the heart rate. I was taking Verapamil at 960mg a day, but this was causing my heart to stop when I was having an attack. I seem to be waffling so I will get to the point, I would just like to say that having my wife really helps and I do not know what I would do without her.
I am off work at the moment and been off since August last year, my wife works as someone has to. We both enjoy our motorhome which was purchased last year and both looking forward to a trip to Italy in April this year.
So I would just like to say live life to the full, you never ever know what is round the corner waiting for you....
I am not classed as disabled but I suffer with a dissease called Cluster Headaches. I was diagnosed in November last year as having Chronic Cluster Headaches (right sided) and Chronic Migraine (left sided). This is a condition where you are in excrutiating pain mostly every day of the week, with me it is the night time I suffer. This entails the headache waking me up three to four times in one evening, by the third/fourth you are on autopilot, I have O2(Oxygen) which I inhail which seems to relieve the headache and also on medication called Lithium, and finally one tablet which you may of heard about or use yourselves Verapamil, this reduces the heart rate. I was taking Verapamil at 960mg a day, but this was causing my heart to stop when I was having an attack. I seem to be waffling so I will get to the point, I would just like to say that having my wife really helps and I do not know what I would do without her.
I am off work at the moment and been off since August last year, my wife works as someone has to. We both enjoy our motorhome which was purchased last year and both looking forward to a trip to Italy in April this year.
So I would just like to say live life to the full, you never ever know what is round the corner waiting for you....
Buona sera tutti, well I may as well join this club. Had a ministroke (TIA) 4 years ago. This has lead to reduced sight/hearing LH side, and a weak arm/leg. Main problem however fo me is the mental thing. Memory/recall right up the spout and difficult to concentrate reading/working/computering. I can walk miles on the flat but struggle with steps/slopes. Main thing is, I can sit in the driving seat of my MH and do 500 miles no sweat. Recent medicals show good heart, no nasties lurking in the blood, and just a bit of high glycemea. Brain damage irreversable but stable. The lion may be injured, but he aint dead yet. Good luck to all of you that are worse off than me.
saluti,
eddied
saluti,
eddied
Hi all, Hope everybody above continues to live such inspirational lives ... I refuse to use the word 'positive' ..... lots of people are positive and continue to live life to the full but still don't make it ..... but you are all an inspiration.
I didn't have a stroke. I have cancer. My cancer, diagnosed four years ago, was incompletely excised and I relied on strong chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the hope of surviving. By rights I shouldn't be here now, as the chemo did its best on occasions to do what the cancer couldn't ... and now I suffer many side effects from the chemo which affect my motorhoming. I don't know what tomorrow will bring. I won't go into the effects but whenever I can manage a couple of days away from caring from two elderly parents, also with cancer and Altzheimers and Senile dementia, then the motorhome is my friend, my Haven, my release, my sanity. We can't determine how long we live, but we can determine how we live.
I didn't have a stroke. I have cancer. My cancer, diagnosed four years ago, was incompletely excised and I relied on strong chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the hope of surviving. By rights I shouldn't be here now, as the chemo did its best on occasions to do what the cancer couldn't ... and now I suffer many side effects from the chemo which affect my motorhoming. I don't know what tomorrow will bring. I won't go into the effects but whenever I can manage a couple of days away from caring from two elderly parents, also with cancer and Altzheimers and Senile dementia, then the motorhome is my friend, my Haven, my release, my sanity. We can't determine how long we live, but we can determine how we live.
Hi Biggermac et al.
My husband suffered a stroke at the age of 43 which left him with no use of his right arm and difficulty with walking, he hasn’t worked since and is now 61 When he had the stroke we had a sailing boat which with his determination we managed to continue sailing, but of course he was left much of the time confined to the boat. Five years ago he started to feel the cold quite badly and the weather just no longer seemed good enough and we bought a caravan.
He started to have a problem with his good hand which we discovered was arthritis, which happily now seems to have settled down. I did not fancy having to tow a caravan, something about this little thing in front with a great big flimsy thing behind and we started looking at motorhomes and bought our Burstner.
We decided to visit friends in France, but again problems my husband was diagnosed with kidney cancer and ended up losing a kidney, he has been clear for 12 months now, but this put paid to our France holiday for 2007.
2008 we have just returned from 3 ½ weeks in France and discovering French Aires (brilliant). Motorhoming is the best move, we carry a mobility scooter in France and in England we also carry a wheelchair for buses and taxis. My husband still likes to be in charge of the driving although I know I can drive if necessary.
We try to get out most weekends, but are very much looking forward to our next trip abroad.
My husband suffered a stroke at the age of 43 which left him with no use of his right arm and difficulty with walking, he hasn’t worked since and is now 61 When he had the stroke we had a sailing boat which with his determination we managed to continue sailing, but of course he was left much of the time confined to the boat. Five years ago he started to feel the cold quite badly and the weather just no longer seemed good enough and we bought a caravan.
He started to have a problem with his good hand which we discovered was arthritis, which happily now seems to have settled down. I did not fancy having to tow a caravan, something about this little thing in front with a great big flimsy thing behind and we started looking at motorhomes and bought our Burstner.
We decided to visit friends in France, but again problems my husband was diagnosed with kidney cancer and ended up losing a kidney, he has been clear for 12 months now, but this put paid to our France holiday for 2007.
2008 we have just returned from 3 ½ weeks in France and discovering French Aires (brilliant). Motorhoming is the best move, we carry a mobility scooter in France and in England we also carry a wheelchair for buses and taxis. My husband still likes to be in charge of the driving although I know I can drive if necessary.
We try to get out most weekends, but are very much looking forward to our next trip abroad.
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