This is stroke recovery for me

By Paul Burns

Imagine coming home from a big trip - tired.  

You land in your driveway and notice that it looks like a storm has been through and it’s caused damage to the outside of your house. The door has been forced, but it looks easy to repair. 

You go inside. The power is out, so you spend a good deal of time fumbling about in the dark - still tired. Finally, you find a light on your phone, but it keeps going out intermittently, although you can see a little.

Someone has broken in while you were gone, and they have stolen some stuff. Oddly, they have also replaced some stuff. 

Things like your favourite chair have been replaced by things you don’t recognise and it’s not comfortable. The appliances you had relied on are either gone or have been swapped with others, but no one has left instructions on how to use them. You try to work it out whilst still being tired - making you even more tired.

Also, the floorplan of your house is completely different. You can’t find the rooms you were used to, and all the doors have new locks fitted to them. This forces you to pick left handed because your other hand is still holding your phone to see - you’re still tired, and now clumsy.

You have housemates as well and they want to know where they fit in your new house. They’re not sure if they like the new furniture, it’s a little abrasive.
 
It’s irritating to not be able to find the stuff they used to like. One flatmate can’t use the remote control and blames you, but you don’t know how to work it either. 

There are sharp edges everywhere that could be dangerous. You give your house mates the option to leave. Thankfully they stay.

Your stove has been taken, and you finally to get it replaced by your insurance company, but the old stove was a 6 burner and top of the line. The replacement is a factory second with only three burners. It smells gassy and doesn’t work all the time. 

Some tradies say, “you’re lucky mate, most people only have 2 burner stoves”. 

You protest “yeah, but I ran a commercial kitchen in here” 

“Sorry pal, best we could do with what we have”

Thankfully the insurance company is helpful but negotiating with tradies makes you tired – very tired.

People congratulate you on repairing the outside of the house as that’s all they can see.

This is stroke recovery for me