stroke facts for patients

This is the perfect quote for this week.  On November 1, I joined nanowrimo, which is a yearly event where you spend November 1 - 30 writing a 50,000 word novel.  It’s a challenge.  Last year I dropped out.  Not only was my story becoming hideously boring, to the point I feared slipping into a coma, but my mind couldn’t hold the thought long enough.

This has been one of the most irritating parts of having a stroke.  I miss having a mind that thinks faster than the speed of a turnip.  Alas, for now and perhaps forever, I have to tolerate a mind that works at least 35 - 40% slower than normal. 

I also miss being able to type 100 wpm with 98% accuracy.  At the moment, I’m whizzing along at a whopping 35 wpm. Let’s not even get into the accuracy.  LOL

Anyway, today is day 7 of the challenge.  I’m a little over 2000 words behind, but I have confidence that I’ll catch up today. 

It may seem like an odd thing to those who never had a stroke, but this nanowrimo novel event is my Everest.  My goal is to stay focused for 30 days on writing one story and to write that story with 50,000 words.  Nanowrimo is a marathon that is and will push my little mind and determination to the limit, but I know I can finish this year.  Maybe I’ll be a little short of my 50,000 word novel and maybe I’ll surprise myself and go over it!  But the goal is to survive to the end, writing every day and giving it my best.

So, what is your Everest?  What are you doing to challenge yourself?  Whatever it is, give it all you’ve got.  Push yourself.  Get online and join a group that’s related to your challenge so you’ll have someone to encourage you along the way.  Don’t go it alone if you don’t have to. 

Never surrender!  Never give up!