Month 3 of My Recovery – Moving Forward Step by Step

The third month of my recovery has come to an end. Looking back, I realise that this month has asked quite a lot of me.

There were moments when I thought things were getting better and better. But there were also days when I felt very tired and noticed that ordinary things suddenly required a lot of energy.

Sensory overload and remembering things are still particularly challenging. Even so, I try not to focus only on what is difficult. I can also see that things are slowly changing and that some things are becoming a little easier again.

In an earlier blog post, Moving Forward Step by Step After My Stroke, I wrote about the first stage of my recovery. Now I want to share what the third month has been like for me.

Not because everything is suddenly getting better, but because I am learning that recovery consists of many small steps.

Everything Still Takes a Lot of Energy

The main thing I have noticed this month is how tiring many things can be.

It is not just the activities themselves, but also the sensory input from the world around me.

Sounds, people, conversations and everything happening around me can take quite a lot of energy.

Sometimes something seems perfectly ordinary, but afterwards I realise how much energy it has taken.

I am still getting used to that.

In the past, I did many things without thinking about them. Now I have to pay much more attention to how much energy I have.

Sometimes something goes well and I think, “That actually went really well.”

But on another day, exactly the same thing can suddenly feel much harder.

That can be difficult to deal with.

Remembering Things Is Still Difficult

I still notice that my memory does not always work the way I would like it to.

Sometimes I know I need to remember something, but later it has slipped my mind.

Or I remember discussing something earlier, but I can no longer recall exactly what was said.

That can be frustrating.

So I am trying to write more things down and take things one step at a time.

I do not have to keep everything in my head.

That sometimes gives me a little more peace of mind.

Home, Technology and Walking

Fortunately, there are also things that bring me a lot of enjoyment.

I like being at home. There, I can set my own pace and rest whenever I need to.

Technology also remains an important part of my daily life.

My homelab, computers, servers and everything connected with them continue to interest me.

Sometimes I can spend a long time working on something, while on other days I can only manage a little.

The same rule applies here: one step at a time.

I do not have to finish everything in one go.

I also enjoy walking.

Getting outside, moving around and giving my mind a little breathing space.

It does not have to be a long walk.

For me, the important thing is simply to get outside for a while and focus on something different.

I Am Slowly Noticing Improvements

Despite everything, I can see that some things are gradually getting better.

One example is that I am becoming better at having conversations.

That might sound like something quite ordinary.

For me, it is not.

Following a conversation, listening carefully, understanding what someone says and responding myself still takes energy.

But I can feel that it is slowly getting easier.

These small changes matter to me.

They may not be big steps that other people can immediately see, but I notice them myself.

And that gives me more confidence that I can continue to make progress.

A New Step: Speech Therapy

This month, I also started speech therapy.

That is another new step in my recovery.

I have also written about My First Step with Speech Therapy. It is another way for me to work on my recovery in a focused way.

The first session was quite nerve-racking, because you are once again looking at the things you struggle with together with someone else.

But it is also good to start working on them.

I want to practise the exercises I receive there at home, too.

Here, as well, I try not to do too much at once.

Just practise calmly and see what difference it makes.

I might not notice a difference after a single practice session.

But if I keep at it, small things may eventually begin to change.

Not Every Day Is the Same

I am beginning to understand more and more that recovery does not mean every day has to be better than the day before.

Some days go better.

On other days, I get tired much more quickly.

Sometimes I feel that I am making good progress, while at other times it seems as though I have taken a step backwards.

But that does not automatically mean that I have actually gone backwards.

Perhaps my body or my mind simply needs some rest.

I am trying to accept that more and more.

I Keep Looking at What I Can Do

I still cannot do everything I could do before.

And I know there will probably be plenty of things ahead that will be difficult.

But when I look at what I can do again, I can also see that I am making progress.

I can spend time working on technology.

I can go for walks.

I am becoming better at having conversations.

I have started speech therapy.

And all the while, I continue working on my recovery.

These are important steps for me.

Some of them might seem small to other people.

But they are not small to me.

One Step at a Time

That is why I try not to look too far ahead.

I do not need to know today what everything will be like in a few months.

I simply try to focus on what I can manage today.

Sometimes that is a walk.

Sometimes it is a conversation.

Sometimes I spend some time at home working on technology.

And sometimes the most important thing I can do is simply rest.

Recovery is slow.

But slow does not mean that nothing is happening.

I can see small things changing all the time.

And that is why I keep going.

Moving forward, one step at a time.

What Helps You?

I am also curious to hear from other people who are going through a period of recovery.

Do you recognise how much energy ordinary things can sometimes take?

Or how things happening around you can suddenly affect you much more than they used to?

And what helps you cope with that?

For me, being at home, walking, technology and the support of the people around me are important.

But everyone finds their own way.

Do you have any tips, experiences or ideas? Feel free to share them in the comments below.

Perhaps your experience can help someone else take another step forward, too