After reading Strokes Get the Blokes (well done, you!) and immersing yourself in this intriguing life of a young (two-time) stroke survivor over the past 4+ years (with all the devastation, loss & struggle that it certainly has entailed), you now may be wondering how can someone keep their wits about themselves during such a confronting, godawful experience.
Ensuring the focus (of everyone) has instead been on reflection
- when climbing a mountain, we are encouraged not to dwell on the complex and strenuous path that may be ahead, but rather, we regularly look back and admire + appreciate the impressive view of our individual travels, just how far we have come and all we have achieved thus far.
What a splendid outlook (<<view pun intended haha!) to have, don't you think?
As you'd expect, it wasn't as simple to effectively channel in the early days/years of stroke rehabilitation, but with determination, support (it has been more impressive than an underwire bra!) and undeniable progress (yes! Thanks to good ole neuroplasticity <<do listen to this insightful podcast on such), my particular focus (that I wholeheartedly recommend to no end) has been set on hope, humour + all that has been achieved through regular reflection (that almighty perspective!), fellow stroke survivors and supporters alike.
Reflection meets appreciation
Mere weeks post Stroke 1
Dubrovnik Croatia
August 2012
Do watch -
From an outsider's perspective, my life (in the two strokes' wake) may look like a beautiful mountain top, where they tend to only notice/acknowledge a fraction of my struggles which are in fact minor in comparison to the severe challenges actually faced + such heartbreaking hardship can also be viewed by others on a superficial level with a rather basic concept of what life as a young stroke survivor realistically entails, dismissing just how strenuous a survivor with considerable brain damage has to continuously work at regaining some of the lost function, abilities, traits, treats, freedom, progress and life. Generally speaking, outsiders tend to struggle to truly understand and acknowledge the extent and depth of the adverse effects (including secondary effects) caused by the severe brain damage + its confronting, continually extending, journey (for all riding joining in on riding the brain-wave) through disheartening stroke fog during the supposed prime of my existence.
The truth is Laird Mountain certainly is not bright within the stroke's thick, heavy fog and it's a constant struggle to see any distance out on the horizon - it looks like there's only further white fog/challenges/loss/nothingness to come in the distance/future. Pretty bloody bleak.
Below:
(sometimes referred to as The Brain-Injury Illusion)
is another way to view a stroke survivor's challenging life and uphill battles in the wake of brain damage.
Stroke rehabilitation includes sheer persistence, confrontation, failure, loss, sacrifice & dedication (to name just a few), yet such extreme-and-ongoing suffering - with invisible impairments and loss, in particular (such as overwhelming fatigue, memory concerns, intense emotions, lack of navigation and regard, irritability, confusion, anxiety and depression) - are rarely spoken about by society nor is it generally noticed/acknowledged. That's where this frisky feline comes in to help raise awareness, understanding and compassion with us all, yes!
An enlightening neuro article -
Below: A general overview of Difficulties Post Stroke provided by USA's National Stroke Association -
It's so much more than what others may be able to simply identify (physically, mentally & spiritually) themselves.
Twenty-Twelve's two ischaemic strokes meant I experienced/suffered five of these particular difficulties (+ some of the two strokes' effects I experienced are not listed above) - at just 26 years of age and prior to actual ABIs, I actually had a low-risk-of-stroke status (#lowcholesterol #healthybloodpressure #perfectanatomy #nonsmoker #healthyheart)!
To better grasp life as a young two-time stroke survivor, imagine the surreal, yet-in-fact-incredibly-real, feeling of waking up one otherwise quiet morning off work (after a tame night spent at a friend's place + during the half-term week-long break from work) whilst in your prime years of life with a broad + confronting range of restricting difficulties & disabilities now a constant part of your life from here on in that aggressively affect every aspect of again living a worthwhile life.
It's what chilling nightmares are made of.
It's certainly not a life for some young stroke survivors.
2016 = Podcast your way to work and learn even more about our advanced brains!
Such an enlightening podcast (all the rad kids are doing/downloading them!) includes the valued perspective and knowledge of doctors, neuro literary authors and stroke survivors - all impressive neuro geniuses in their own right!
Upon listening to this particular podcast, one of the survivors discusses in detail her specific stroke's symptoms and you may have realised (as you're obsessed with me!) that they are similar to what I too experienced when Stroke 1 hit, so it is no surprise to discover she too acquired brain damage in the occipital lobe.
Engrossing yourself in the range of stroke symptoms may help make you not only an asset in a stroke emergency for yourself, but also in such brain 'blows' of others as well. Additionally, Fear of Second Stroke also shines a light on anxiety post stroke - a devastating and debilitating (+ common) effect that needs to be nurtured and understood in greater depth by society as it is not out of the ordinary with two-thirds of survivors (the majority) suffering from such.
Such an enlightening podcast (all the rad kids are doing/downloading them!) includes the valued perspective and knowledge of doctors, neuro literary authors and stroke survivors - all impressive neuro geniuses in their own right!
Upon listening to this particular podcast, one of the survivors discusses in detail her specific stroke's symptoms and you may have realised (as you're obsessed with me!) that they are similar to what I too experienced when Stroke 1 hit, so it is no surprise to discover she too acquired brain damage in the occipital lobe.
Engrossing yourself in the range of stroke symptoms may help make you not only an asset in a stroke emergency for yourself, but also in such brain 'blows' of others as well. Additionally, Fear of Second Stroke also shines a light on anxiety post stroke - a devastating and debilitating (+ common) effect that needs to be nurtured and understood in greater depth by society as it is not out of the ordinary with two-thirds of survivors (the majority) suffering from such.
Above: The smorgasbord of stroke sufferers include entertainers such as acclaimed author Charles Dickens, Hollywood actress, Sharon Stone (<<who openly admits young lads still throw themselves at her #strokesgettheblokes) and Britain's BBC political editor, Andrew Marr - the list certainly goes on for this equal-opportunistic brain attack.
As others who have experienced a serious illness in their lives with such eminent, ongoing suffering over many years - including fellow young stroke survivor, Hollywood actor, Sharon Stone (who had one fierce stroke during her prime 40s, striking in 2001, leaving her unable to walk, talk + read for two years post <<her entire career's main requirements in a nutshell) - healing (rather than 'recovery' as I'll never fully 'recover' my former self, yet the strokes' effects will gradually lessen) takes time, dedication & immense patience. Unfortunately, the strokes struck at one's typical prime time of mid-twenties when I was considered low risk of stroke & I am now in my 30s (+growing!) still living this stagnate existence that chose me, similar to that of a senior citizen (but without the pride + satisfaction of a substantial life lived & achieved in retrospect that comes with having lived a long, fruitful life), in a regional town (tens of thousands of kilometres away from where I lived when strokes struck) with some of my family (without whom, I'd surely have been sent to a confronting aged-and/or-severely-unwell-people-prevalent nursing home initially so I do greatly appreciate + adore them and shower the supernovas with my renowned repertoire of clever jokes to show my sincere appreciation daily - you're welcome, dear fam-bam!), requiring almost full-time assistance (significant progress from the early days post Stroke 2 when I required around-the-clock care). We are all hoping (<<although such certainly is an understatement) I can have a true, fulfilling life again, yet I unfortunately do not (at present time) have any direct + assertive power of my own (can you even imagine what that's truly like to wake up in your peak 20s with this sudden shock loss and absolutely no power to change the situation - indefinitely?!) to reach my desired (once-were-simple) goals in life. Realistically, the majority of my peers have not and cannot accurately grasp just what I am going through. Despite some (uneducated) souls thinking you're ultimately and always responsible for your brain attacks (actually in fact you're not always <<link evidence), end of story, various competent medical specialists have instead stated in the curious case of Kitty Kat, I did not directly cause the debilitating strokes & like a considerable 20% of stroke sufferers, the particular strokes I experienced could not have been prevented - they can and do happen to anyone (people proclaiming they are 'super fit' and/or 'young' so can't possibly have a stroke are a few of the biggest & most-concerning misconceptions). Patience certainly is a virtue (& far easier to proclaim than to have successfully executed when demanded of you) that I am passionately honing in on now during this prolonged rehabilitation journey despite once being considered anything but patient. You can't even make this sort of compelling story up!
Reflection has been essential in maintaining a healthy perspective so let's look back and admire the spectacular Kitty-stroke-rehabilitation view - ah how's the serenity?
^^You may not have previously noticed that Academy Award nominee and all-round talented actor, Sharon Stone, is a young stroke survivor who suffered a fierce brain attack in 2001 and as a result, spent years relearning how to walk and talk again.
In the enlightening article, Stone discusses feeling like she was dying for an extended period of time (we're talking years) - a confronting + lingering secondary effect of stroke, that I too have experienced all whilst in my 20s (imagine that!) - and also an overwhelming sense of losing her identity (what's our purpose now?!) which was an intense aspect of stroke rehabilitation and brain damage that many young people surrounding stroke survivors don't seem to grasp nor nurture.
Stone - whose son, Laird (#namegoals, below), was also (temporarily) taken away from her after she suffered her stroke - has slowly, but surely, rebuilt after 2001's fire in the brain.
“And when I got down to it, it’s like being a phoenix. I was burned to the ground. Because everything I had been before, I thought, ‘I’m not any of those things anymore.'"
- young stroke survivor, Sharon Stone, arising out of the fire (in the brain) as a regenerating, phenomenal phoenix
Do read Stone's fascinating firsthand account of her life over a decade on as a young stroke survivor, where she proudly proclaims -
"Growing older is my goal"
Here, here, S-squared!
*It's worth noting that Stone has acknowledged the young lads still throw themselves at her as well #strokesgettheblokes.
Stroke survivors + their dear supporters truly can blossom post stroke!
'Those who matter, don't mind and those who mind, don't matter.'
- 20th Century FDR American presidential advisor, stock investor and philanthropist,
Bernard Baruch,
certainly had his priorities in order
Support, consideration, consistency and inclusion should be the last aspects of our compromised young lives that are of concern. This article (above^) shines a light on just one aspect of a stroke survivor's life that is so often kept in the dark.
A worthwhile + enlightening read.
Thank you to the genuine supporters who are decent human beings during this challenging journey - you are the Kitty Kat's meow!
It may come as little surprise to you that nobody I genuinely know firsthand (of my generation, in particular) is going through anything (yet) remotely close to what I have been constantly experiencing + suffering the past 4+ years (another young stroke survivor whom I personally know had hospital staff Act FAST when she suffered a stroke in 2011 so is fortunate to be good as new now :)). While everyone certainly has their own struggles, none (that I know directly - thank goodness for 21st Century's online stroke survivor support groups with members from all around the world who help normalise my abnormal life) have had over 4 years (with absolutely no end yet in sight) of such overwhelming & unwarranted pain, loss, isolation and hardship where constant care/assistance by others is needed, all while during their prime adult years when we are typically meant to make the most of our youth, embrace such with the freedom + opportunities granted to us at such an age and exquisitely shine our brightest. It makes it difficult at times for myself to accept this restricted + challenging situation as something I just have no power to change (& had no power to prevent in my particular - + 20% of all strokes' - case) and it also has proven to be a struggle for some (<<operative word) to understand and appreciate (not downplay and critique) my vast struggles, disabilities, loss and desires as a two-time young stroke survivor (and despite it all, still value myself for who I essentially am).
This is not what your young life should entail.
It can often feel like I am serving a devastating 'life sentence' in solitary confinement and am an innocent victim just wanting to be free and living with purpose, progress & joy again. Like everyone else around me.
Accepting has definitely been part of the process, but like a supportive mate has wisely proclaimed throughout this particular stroke-rehabilitation, it takes tiiiiime (<<such is on my brain's unique 'watch' & its watch alone). Post Stroke #2, when we initially thought I was a definite goner from a rare-yet-incredibly deadly, acute infection of the brain caused by a virus (encephalitis) misdiagnosis (due to the concerning extent of my brain's particular memory loss + erratic emotions being less stroke-like and more virus-like symptoms), then when stroke to the limbic system's c system's (<<considered the cerebral cortex's oldest system) minor-in-physical-size-yet-significant-in-purpose, hippocampus, was finally identified (through an extensive MRI & eventual angiogram that then showed tiny hippo-c was in actual fact, dead - it took around 10 days for an internationally-renowned neurology-specialised hospital to technically acknowledge such and when time is of the essence, valuable brain was forever lost *out of my control* as a result + we were also petrified about what was going on in my noggin' exactly, fearing death as fast-approaching & imminent to cruelly strike whilst in my 20s), the initial confronting case of if promptly turned to a devastating when in the bleak fatality stakes due to medical professionals (at an internationally-renowned NHS hospital for mind woes with state-of-the-art facilities and UK's top neurologists + neurosurgeons constantly offering their expertise = The inference: Such an experience - when your survival is out of your hands - could even happen to you) not appropriately nor swiftly handling my deteriorating state by identifying stroke & acting FAST straight up (despite proactively seeking medical assistance within minutes of the second stroke striking) + failing to administer appropriate medical intervention promptly when the second brain attack (& counting) struck + overwhelming fears of recurring strokes (between 25% & 42% of stroke survivors experience recurring strokes within the initial five year period's aftermath) that would surely cause death (which were considered likely by medical professionals assessing my then deteriorating condition) - I had intense, constant - and at times, utterly-overbearing - sensations of helplessness & hopelessness which were previously alien emotions to myself. This wasn't because I had dodged tragedy in my young life before 2012's undiagnosed autoimmune disease that wreaked utter chaos - I most certainly had been dealt my fair share of extreme suffering by 26 years old, yet had previously managed to soldier on + with relish.
Surgeon's perspective - "For legal reasons, we need you to fully agree to have this invasive surgery where we drill a burr hole into your skull in coming days - we aren't sure exactly when the surgery will take place as the gifted neurosurgeons will fit you in between emergencies as yours is just a standard biopsy procedure. You may die from it or even have another stroke and we won't necessaily find answers to what caused your particular strokes, but please sign this form if you acknowledge the risks and will let us extract some brain for testing - hopefully not causing more damage, another stroke or killing you in the process - all of which will most likely be performed before your family arrive in U.K. Thanks Katrina! Let's do this."
My Special-K perspective - "Did I just get a hair extension to cover the hole you cut in my head? I can actually feel the hair extension back there! Do I look like Bill Murray (no idea why he was first that came to mind, but that's optimism for you!) now that my head is shaved? Also, I've got a killer headache - do you know why?"
Family member's/mate's (real/honest) perspective - "Hahahaha (<<'twas this many LOLs, I promise you) you're going to look so hilarious with a shaved head. As breathtaking as the unattractive baby in that Seinfeld episode.
The thought popped into my mind last night and I had a good laugh hahahaha.
Rocking Sinead O'Connor or Britney Spears? "
(^^ other mates' reactions were just as colourful + uniquely supportive and stopping in their tracks to have a good ole LOL at my colourful descriptions of newly-shaved head #alwayslookonthebrightsideoflife)
While some of the damage (literal & figurative) is slowly-but-surely healing, the various life-changing effects and lingering pain endured are today still ever-so present and it's a daily fight to not let such control my young life.
Being a young stroke survivor can be an utterly frightening, alienating ordeal that (in my particular case) is still ongoing (over four years later) + constantly challenging my own concept of life (including the life expected and rightly earned whilst in one's prime years) and it is far more devastating than 'last drinks at the bar' and we all know how disappointing/heartbreaking it is when the bartender rings that horrible last drinks bell when you're in the mood to cheers the night away!
Being a young stroke survivor can be an utterly frightening, alienating ordeal that (in my particular case) is still ongoing (over four years later) + constantly challenging my own concept of life (including the life expected and rightly earned whilst in one's prime years) and it is far more devastating than 'last drinks at the bar' and we all know how disappointing/heartbreaking it is when the bartender rings that horrible last drinks bell when you're in the mood to cheers the night away!
Discover more about the challenging and at times, isolating and overbearing
Trying to order a jug of amber nectar from the 'Non-Service Area' at the bar =
Similar devastation and struggle to a survivor's stroke rehabilitation
The British Royal Family, in particular, Prince William, Princess Catherine & Prince Harry (pictured below bringing attention to their heads, pun intended, yes!) have recently shown their support for our complex 'thinking-&-being' organ and those who may struggle with their mental health through a clever campaign titled Heads Together (pun!) which aims to help end the stigma attached to mental health by raising awareness of such (to brighten the moonless, starless mind's dark night), as well as providing vital assistance to those with mental health challenges. In doing so, they are helping to shift the conversation about our mind's wellbeing to a more positive and proactive one.
Truly magical minds!
"Let's get our heads together and change the conversation on mental health."
- HRH Prince William
Heads Together - Prince William, Princess Catherine & Prince Harry
Three heads certainly are better than just the one. It's simple maths - put your heads together & unite, indeed!
London U.K.
April 2016
- HRH Prince William
Heads Together - Prince William, Princess Catherine & Prince Harry
Three heads certainly are better than just the one. It's simple maths - put your heads together & unite, indeed!
London U.K.
April 2016
As much as I adore and embrace the renowned 'Aussie Battler' attitude of getting on with it, what is concerning is approximately 1-in-5 Australian people regard those who suffer from anxiety (a devastating mental disorder that annually affects approximately two million Australians *alone*) as putting on a show. Furthermore, roughly 10% of 30-34-year-old people regard someone with anxiety as untrustworthy - two incredibly-worrying presumptions that clearly need to be addressed and then swiftly debunked. Annually, two million Australian people suffer from depression and one million from anxiety - they are truly concerning + considerable figures. Australia's not-for-profit organisation, Headspace, recently brought our mental health and its general well-being to the forefront in our national media with their clever campaign that aims to 'tear down' (<<pun intended initiative too - just my style!) the stigma associated with mental health. Headspace claim that this past year, over half of our young people did not seek help for mental-health issues as they were reluctant + too embarrassed to do such. The majority of young souls feel this way (!!!) and I relate not only for how I often felt about sharing my concerns with others post strokes, but also with how some negatively reacted to my honesty and vast struggles during immensely challenging times, leaving myself feeling discouraged, deflated, alone, critiqued and misunderstood. Headspace's clever campaign, 'The Big Stigma', was done through a creative digital hub at Melbourne's Southern Cross Station where people were encouraged to 'tear down the walls' (thousands of pieces made up such an interactive instalment) put up in regards to our mental health - even tearing down the walls together as a group effort.
What a clever initiative that applauds the brave souls who are being proactive in nurturing their mental health and that of others!
Acclaimed Australian actor and all-round entertainer + decent bloke, Guy Pearce, has bravely reflected on living with anxiety since childhood as being overwhelmed by the mental & physical symptoms -
"I know it can affect anyone regardless of their age, their employment or where they live".
Please do view Pearce & Beyond Blue's insightful + proactive 2016 collaboration
to help you better understand the challenging symptoms and effects of anxiety
(such as a decrease identified in size and strength of your brain's prized hippocampus - the epicentre for memory reception, spatial navigation and controlling of emotions)
- understanding such may even help make you an improved human being! Saying to someone that they ought to 'just' quit being anxious and negative for they have so much to be thankful for has been proven to increase such crippling anxiety for they then tend to feel guilty, ashamed &/or uncomfortable with a serious + invisible mind issue that is often hard to control.
to help you better understand the challenging symptoms and effects of anxiety
(such as a decrease identified in size and strength of your brain's prized hippocampus - the epicentre for memory reception, spatial navigation and controlling of emotions)
- understanding such may even help make you an improved human being! Saying to someone that they ought to 'just' quit being anxious and negative for they have so much to be thankful for has been proven to increase such crippling anxiety for they then tend to feel guilty, ashamed &/or uncomfortable with a serious + invisible mind issue that is often hard to control.
It's counterproductive - time for a change, Australia/the world!
Understand anxiety in even greater depth - we'll all be winners.
Why is there a stigma surrounding seeking assistance for mental-health issues?
Why is there a stigma surrounding seeking assistance for mental-health issues?
You can help 'tear it down' for good.
The more we share, the more we talk, the more we tear it down.
The more we share, the more we talk, the more we tear it down.
During the initial months after Stroke 2, in late 2012, when my mind was suffering from the extreme effects of losing two chunks ('lobe' just doesn't have the same effective ring to it as 'chunk'!) of brain (occipital lobe - visual processing *with other devastating effects also evident in balance, sensation, energy, mood and mild short-term memory loss* + hippocampus - the epicentre for the all-important forming of memories as well as vital controlling of emotions & sacred spatial navigation), wearing my younger sister's jumper (/'sweater'!) while still in hospital (when she first arrived in London a month after the second stroke in December 2012 when doctors advised my immediate family that I should be taken home to Australia for long-term rehabilitation and around-the-clock care indefinitely *& had left hospital after visiting hours, leaving a 'bread crumb' - in the form of her familiar jumper - in my ward before I was discharged to fly home Down Under*) was one effective strategy we used to reassure myself (during the initial time post Stroke 2 when my compromised memory retention sat at just a few short seconds & I was paranoid/petrified that I no longer existed as I couldn't recall anything of my recent life - even mere seconds earlier and then having such pointed out to me only frightened myself more, intensifying the extreme death paranoia) that she had actually in fact been there and she wasn't a figment of my (wild/damaged) imagination (that I was indeed alive) - moments my mind did so often colourfully create as 'false memories' for years post Stroke 2 (where I was regularly confused + frightened about what was fact and what was fiction/dreamt/forgotten in my life). Photos (that I could stare at for hours upon hours *which felt more like seconds to brain-damaged Kitty* whilst in hospital) were also incredibly important to myself in processing appropriate information and efficiently storing such in the second brain attack's wake (just like a person who gets intoxicated which noticeably affects their brain's hippocampus too - let's say, at 26 years of age - I was a 'seasoned pro' hence proactively taking this effective strategy of capturing moments - for easy retrieval when anxious - on board in memory's absence from Day One!), as well as soothing the coma/death paranoia associated with my extreme short-term memory loss where nothing felt 'real', so thank you, dearest iPhone and your incredibly useful camera/easily accessible photo albums (& to the range of sincere supporters who too utilised such an innovative approach to assist)!
Kellogg's cereal, Sultana Bran (Down-Under style), has done an epic life movie on this Special K!
Check out their recent advertisement that showcases why those who lack short-term memory are constantly being pleasantly surprised + are also rather entertaining and mighty endearing mates to have (if I do say so myself!).
If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain,
isn't that right, Dolly Parton/David Brent?!
isn't that right, Dolly Parton/David Brent?!
It is predicted that in Australia (alone), there will be more than half a million strokes suffered in the next 10 years and while it is the primary cause of adult disability, it also kills with approximately one in three people dying within a year of having a stroke and even further deaths of stroke survivors occur in the years that follow.
- Stroke kills more women than breast cancer does & kills more men than prostate cancer does
- Almost one-in-five people who experience a stroke are under the age of 55 with approximately 1/3 of stroke sufferers under retirement age (65)
- Men are more likely to suffer a stroke and at a younger age
- In 2013, around 50 000 new and recurrent strokes struck people in Australia – that’s one stroke every 10 minutes - unsurprisingly, there are zero postcodes left untouched
- Stroke is Australia’s second biggest killer after heart disease
- Every 10 minutes someone in Australia has a stroke
- One-in-three stroke sufferers in Australia die from stroke within a year and then half of the initial survivors will die within just five years, totalling 2-out-of-3 (majority) within five years dead from stroke
- Stroke is the leading cause of adult disability in Australia
- On top of the initial (and extensive list of) effects from brain damage, depression is a common byproduct after a stroke
The world is not very welcoming to those who are disabled.
It is difficult to participate in many activities if one is not able bodied.But that does not fully explain why there are so few stroke survivors in public. One problem is that this promotes the belief that those with disabilities - stroke survivors as well as others - are few.It also promotes the belief that stroke survivors are all older. It promotes the belief that there is no life after stroke.I now begin each week asking myself how to make stroke survivors more visible. I also think about how I personally can be part of stroke education. One way I do that is by talking with strangers. I have a series of stroke education comments.I suppose some people think I am crazy. But, I like to think I am doing a bit to help.
Wesleyan University's Professor Scott Plous explains that compassion is contagious.
Quality Personal Development =
Genuinely putting yourself in another person's shoes.
Quality Personal Development =
Genuinely putting yourself in another person's shoes.
Please do READ (and then let's do):
Life After Stroke
(^^Do read this enlightening article about what happens if you survive a brain attack)
Recent findings have shown that consuming one egg a day, in particular, may reduce your stroke risk.
Time for boiled eggs with bread soldiers! OH YEAH!
'Get on your bikes and ride' - for your brain's sake!
As many readers of this blog already know (after reading all about hippo-c in earlier blog entries and realising how productive you are when leading an active life), exercise is said to increase the size of your brain's hippocampus which then tends to improve
your memory and everyday-thinking skills, in particular.
Here's hoping you can pull it off (...the road) too!
Kensington Gardens London U.K.
One year before absolute cerebral carnage
October 2011
Another legend who also has been known to prance around London, also receiving plenty of laughs is renowned Scottish comedian,
Billy Connolly (he had a little less clothes on than us *apologies*)
Piccadilly Circus London U.K.
Red Nose Day 2001
Red Nose Day 2001
While Mr BC has battled prostate cancer as well as recently losing his hearing (now assisted with hearing aids - sensational!), the progressive disease of the nervous system known as Parkinson's disease (diagnosed just a few years ago by an Australian doctor/genius in a hotel's lobby who noticed Billy's walking to be similar to that of someone with early onset Parkinson's) has hit him for six.
Like this Kitty Kat, Billy has ensured to tackle his mind's particular woes (specifically balance, where his left arm tends to drift upwards and lock at an odd angle - "looks like I'm carrying an invisible raincoat" - what a refreshing attitude to display just one effect of the challenging disease + graphic description to help us better grasp and acknowledge such) directly by battling in public through continuing to work + perform.
As you'd expect from a legendary comedian whose life has always focused on the funnies, Connolly feels laughter - combined with his undeniably determined attitude - has been his 'life therapy', assisting with the treatment of Parkinson's disease (we hear you, dear Mr Connolly!), in particular.
"The thing is, it's there so I might as well talk about it. I like to get it out of the way early because it's kind of obvious, I think. I don't want to be defined by it. Maybe some people get grim, but I don't. You cannot sit at home wondering about your symptoms. It's not going to go away. I think it's an attitude - you say, 'screw it, let's get on with it'".
Channelling my dear Dad's own philosophy of life being about attitude right there, clever Billy Connolly
Learn more about this fascinating surgical procedure (above) used to treat the overwhelming effects of Parkinson's disease such as tremor, rigidity, stiffness, slowed movement & walking problems -
Learn more about this fascinating surgical procedure (above) used to treat the overwhelming effects of Parkinson's disease such as tremor, rigidity, stiffness, slowed movement & walking problems -
"The essence of this man is his unique capacity to reflect on human behaviour
and he stands it on its head.
His humour, though seemingly basic, is quite sophisticated.
Usually his humour is directed at the two most important parts of the human body. The other one is the brain.
Good taste is something he's always turned his back on. Good taste and my friend is a contradiction in terms.
Audiences return again and again and new generations of admirers come to him, not because he makes them laugh, but because he has the gift of inviting everyone - uncritically, unconditionally - into his world and he exposes the truth. No one looks at the world the way he does. He transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. The mundane into the magnificent in the bravest of fashions. My friend is an artist."
- Hollywood royalty and acclaimed actor, Dustin Hoffman, offering his precise + enjoyable analysis of the classic comedian and veteran all-round entertainer (of over 50 years!), Billy Connolly.
Usually his humour is directed at the two most important parts of the human body. The other one is the brain.
Good taste is something he's always turned his back on. Good taste and my friend is a contradiction in terms.
Audiences return again and again and new generations of admirers come to him, not because he makes them laugh, but because he has the gift of inviting everyone - uncritically, unconditionally - into his world and he exposes the truth. No one looks at the world the way he does. He transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary. The mundane into the magnificent in the bravest of fashions. My friend is an artist."
- Hollywood royalty and acclaimed actor, Dustin Hoffman, offering his precise + enjoyable analysis of the classic comedian and veteran all-round entertainer (of over 50 years!), Billy Connolly.
Mr D.H. (above right) presents his dear pal + former co-star, Billy Connolly (above left) with the Special Recognition Award at G.B.'s National Television Awards
London U.K.
January 2016
Some of the biggest laughter-inducing-lines from Billy's acceptance speech (in my humble opinion) include -
"This is the best laxative I've ever known in my life"; "I'd like to thank the Catholic Church for the forbidden method of birth control, without which I wouldn't be here at all"; and of course, "You cheapo!"
"This is the best laxative I've ever known in my life"; "I'd like to thank the Catholic Church for the forbidden method of birth control, without which I wouldn't be here at all"; and of course, "You cheapo!"
- true BC style with a wicked sense of humour still going strong (please do watch the touching acceptance speech of this utter delight).
F.Y.I.: Meditating
has helped Connolly's state of mind - you know the proof is in the pudding!
In particular, Mr BC has embraced Buddhist meditation (do get on board!) -
"I learnt Buddhist meditation some years ago and to take away the fear of death, when you see roadkill, you say to yourself, 'that is the way of all things and it will be the way with me'".
"I learnt Buddhist meditation some years ago and to take away the fear of death, when you see roadkill, you say to yourself, 'that is the way of all things and it will be the way with me'".
One wise, thought-provoking man
(as you can clearly see, below - no buts/butts about it! Well technically maybe one heh!).
(as you can clearly see, below - no buts/butts about it! Well technically maybe one heh!).
The legendary Mr Connolly at Mardi Gras
(^^although he is not meditating here, that could very well be ole naked Buddha with him - just the typical, spiritual Mardi Gras experience)
Sydney Australia
1999
Sydney Australia
1999
If you were to have a stroke, it would strike one of your mind's hemispheres (or your brain stem)
Such are considered to have particular strengths in various abilities and functions.
Above: Which brain hemisphere does your mind's specific strengths tend to sway?
Take this little test for some insight on such and complement your brain today - it'll surely thank you for it!
"The world breaks everyone and afterward, some are strong at the broken places"
- 20th Century's Nobel Prize-winning, influential American author, Ernest Hemingway, acknowledged the ultimate value of life's cruel curve balls
- 20th Century's Nobel Prize-winning, influential American author, Ernest Hemingway, acknowledged the ultimate value of life's cruel curve balls
If life was a board game, it could possibly be snakes & ladders (just imagine if it was hungry hippos!). While my teammates/peers are continually (and fortunately for them) landing on various ladders & excitingly leaping ahead in their life's prime with various accomplishments, freedom & opportunities, I'm instead being dealt snake, after snake, after slippery ole snake, not only feeling like I'm going backwards in life, but missing out on experiencing the joys of a young life progressing onwards and upwards - like my peers surrounding myself get to relish in (and why do I have to be so acutely aware of such an unjust discrepancy?!). It's not like I asked for this life nor do I deserve it and that's exactly how one feels when they continually fall down 'snakes' in the renowned board game. Being a young stroke survivor is so much more than the effects - I've lost the youthful life I had + so rightly deserved - with zero control on my part and the most concerning byproduct is that I've been continually confronted by other young people treating myself in thoughtless ways I had never experienced prior to brain damage. Speaking to fellow young stroke survivors through online portals (thank you 21st Century!), isolation and poor treatment by peers currently seems to be a common byproduct of stroke. Optimistically, I crave the day others understand/put effort into understanding or at the very least, acknowledge the extent they actually don't grasp this particular life chapter (the arrogance of some thinking they comprehend all it entails - you couldn't possibly unless you walked 100 000 miles in my shoes over the past 4+ years - is one of the most frustrating aspects, for myself and for my full-time support network!) & who I am in this limbo-world.
- A young stroke survivor's firsthand account offering some insight into one of the nastiest byproducts of acquiring brain damage while in your prime
Despite such utter torment, I refuse to be what has happened to me - my particular focus is consistently on the future & what I choose to become with what little I have been left with. It certainly has been a case of mind over (grey) matter! While I initially searched for ways to return to my past life that others previously seemed to value, I've (/we've) had to accept that it is gone and not to be bitter about my particular life's disappointments, but rather, embrace the slimy snakes that I have fallen down, adding a little sprinkle of my savoured humour, tenacity and resilience to get through to the other side. Years spent on a heartbreaking quest to find who I was before strokes was then swiftly cancelled once I realised the updated venture was to now make myself. What an opportunte time to brilliantly shine! The sheer grief of losing my 'inner baboon' (that is, in neuron count), my youthful life and its sacred independence + progression has brought unprecedented strength in areas of my being that weren't evident before - I'm even funnier now! Just ask me! This is one remarkable-+-insightful 'evolution of Kitty Kat' and while I wouldn't recommend such an agonising, confronting journey, I am proudly evolving with arms wide open and inner strength + perspective gained (& my usual quick wit at every corner = you're welcome!) that will undoubtedly and ultimately assist in future endeavours.
What a life-reaffirming-+-enhancing experience....After all.
'Normality is a paved road: It's uncomfortable to walk, but no flowers grow on it'
- Renowned Dutch artist just stating the facts, Vincent Van Gogh
Bruised Brain = Blooming Bouquet!
