Stroke, aphasia and post-stroke… and it is a pain in the butt!
[Shorter version here: Stroke, aphasia (and my affect on it) ]
(Maan, I want to write this badly and I can’t get a out-of-my-head!)
PRE-STROKE
I was “the Man”. NCAA Championships Swimmer and Team Captain, martial artist, sponsored skateboarder, avid birder, artist, 9-ball tournament player, baseball (catcher), equestrian rider and life junkie. I was a CEO of Seoul Space, Tech Startup Hub and Managing Director of the Fashion Technology Accelerator and Venture Partner.
And the stroke hit me.
High-blood pressure. That was it. It was REALLY bad.
STROKE
Stroke: (in my case, intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke)
Stroke is a “brain attack”. It can happen to anyone at any time. It occurs when blood flow to an area of brain is cut off. When this happens, brain cells are deprived of oxygen and begin to die. When brain cells die during a stroke, abilities controlled by that area of the brain such as memory and muscle control are lost.
I am still working on stroke. It takes time. I have weakness and numbness on my right side of the body and problems with talking, writing. My right side is getting better, but slowly.
APHASIA
Stroke is what led to aphasia.
Aphasia is loss of ability to understand or express speech, caused by brain damage. In other words, that makes it difficult to communicate. Language are affected (talking, listening, reading, writing, repetition).
I can listen fine. My intelligence is in tact. Speaking and writing, though, is terrible.
I have Broca’s Aphasia (aphasia comes in the forms.)
Aphasia is the worst. I can’t communicate!
I can listen no problem. Listening to English is 100% and I can do it in simple Korean, but speaking is my main problem. English speech first, and then Korean (man, it is hard to be Korea!). Physical therapy for stroke (the right side. I’m working on it!).
I’m getting better… but ssllloowwwlyy.
POST-STROKE
I have to RE-learn stuff.
It’s a pain. I tell you, a real fr#ck is pain.
Language is first.
How do you think it takes me an write an blog article? Two days? Hah! 1-2 weeks… minimum.
Website is my work priorities (I feel like the year is 2005 – websites and advertising), included my homepage (I have to start somewhere). I got some other current work to do (shhh! That is a secret!), but that is where at this point. And I have relearn written and spelling… and math… sh#t! That is a whole lot of stuff.
I am going back to basics for whole thing. I have to re-learn it ALL.
It is tiring and frustrating (REALLY frustrating)… but I gotta do it.
Here is an example without the stroke:
Just saying, “AARRRGGHHH!!!!!!”, like, this is how I feel right now…
joke… but you know.
🙂
Whoo! That was a close one…. time to picture something else…
That’s better. 🙂
NEUROPLASTICITY
An exciting new area is “neuroplasticity”.
Neuroplasticity: The brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. Neuroplasticity allows the neurons (nerve cells) in the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust their activities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment.
For example, if one hemisphere of the brain is damaged, the intact hemisphere may take over some of its functions. The brain compensates for damage in effect by reorganizing and forming new connections between intact neurons. In order to reconnect, the neurons need to be stimulated through activity.
I want that!
Let the brain do that have to… and keep sending the good stuff, a “Whole Foods Plant-Based Lifestyle“, and exercise.
That will maximize energy do what is needs to do!
I will go into the next stop “neuroplasticity” for a dive into it.
(You got to it, mind/heart/body?)
Remember:
– Never give up !!!
– Rewired the brain.
– Neuroplasticity and exercise.
🙂
SLOWLY COMING BACK
I’m getting better, and it will take time… but sslloowwwlyy.
I’m healthier then… well… all of my life! I wanted to get to over this soon. It’s 2 – 3 years before I get over my stroke (and with my aphasia).
Hopefully.
I wanted keep being the inspiration and to keep pushes the borders of the human condition farther ahead… and have fun in the meantime.
I’ll keep fighting until the last day.
Got it. Good.
^-^
[Shorter version here: Stroke, aphasia (and my affect on it) ]
