Stroke Survivor Poem

Here's a poem written by a girl after her father had a stroke. I liked it so I thought I'd share with you.

A STROKE, OUR JOURNEY
THE DAY BEGAN AND ALL WAS FINE
WHAT WENT WRONG, I NOW SHOW SIGNS
I AM TROUBLED, BUT HAVE NO PAIN
HELP ME UNDERSTAND, PLEASE EXPLAIN

I AM HERE, BUT NOT THE SAME
I MUST WORK HARD TO HELP REGAIN
DO NOT LIMIT YOUR OWN SUCCESS
EMOTIONS RUN WILD, YOU MUST REPRESS

PHYSICAL SIGNS FOR ALL TO SEE
DOES NOT DEFINE WHAT IS ME
I MAY NOT EXIST AS I ONCE DID
I WILL SURVIVE, LET ME LIVE

YOU MUST KNOW YOU ARE NOT ALONE
COME JOIN US, OUR SUPPORT HAS GROWN
WE ARE ALL AFFECTED, JUST LOOK AROUND
CAREGIVERS AND FAMILIES WITH LOVE SURROUND

I MAY NOT REGAIN WHAT I HAVE LOST
DON’T HOLD ME DOWN AT ANY COST
FRUSTRATION, DEPRESSION AND HAPPINESS, TOO
WE ALL HAVE STAGES WE MUST GET THROUGH

TELL ME I CAN’T AND I MAY FAIL
ENCOURAGE ME AND WATCH ME SAIL
A LONG ROAD AHEAD, I’M FULLY AWARE
THERE IS NO BOOK TO HELP PREPARE

OUR JOURNEYS ARE SIMILAR, BUT EACH OUR OWN
OUR TRAVELS ARE TOUGH WITH GUIDANCE I ROAM
THE BATTLES ARE MIGHTY, BY GROWTH WE MEASURE
LIMITATIONS WILL TARNISH THE RICHES WE TREASURE

CHANGE APPEARS TO BE SLOW, BUT YET IS STEADY
WITHOUT FOREWARNING, I WASN’T READY
TO WIN THE WAR, WE MUST BE STRONG
PROGRESS AND RESEARCH CONTINUES ALONG

SOMEDAY WE MAY CURE OR HELP TO PREVENT
THE DREADFUL CAUSE TO SUCH AN EVENT
UNTIL THAT DAY HAS COME AND GONE
AWARENESS AND STRENGTH MUST CARRY ON


By Kathee Ivey
Dedicated to my hero & Dad, J. David Olsson
A stroke survivor since 4-9-98