Stroke

I am not a part of them, but I really like the way they do things.  The University of the Third Age.
I got to know someone who was very involved when he came to play table tennis.  He told me about it and directed me to their term newsletter.  What I really like is they have a program of events based on what members want to do.  For example, someone may be good at piano or gardening or belly dancing.  If that person is willing to run a course for the term on that subject, they impart their knowledge.
It is not necessary to have a degree, it is only necessary to know stuff and be willing to impart it.  They then nominate they will run a particular course for a term, advertise it, and run it for whoever shows.
What got me thinking about that is I have had a stroke, and know a number of people who have.  I was very fortunate in that a specialist was dealing with a brain tumour I had, and cut an artery which gave me a stroke.  I was in as good a place I could be if having one.  Help was at hand immediately.  I still feel effects, but I know they are mild compared to some.
My bro had a stroke and it was ages before he was got to.  Another person we know had one recently while driving.  They ended up in intensive care to deal with injuries sustained in an accident and all the while had to deal with the effects of a stroke.  Another mate of mine had one and is now in a home and needing to deal with ongoing effects.
What I have found is that no one has any real idea of what it is like unless they have been through it.  I know I didn’t.  The word stoke is easy to say but behind the word is a multitude of things that need to be dealt with.  I know that for me, as mild as it was, there are things I never dreamed of needing to deal with that are an unwelcome reality.
If I look up the Stroke Foundation it lists the effects of a stroke, acknowledging that what one suffers from varies depending on the circumstances. “The brain is divided into areas which control different things. The impact of the stroke depends on the area of the brain it damages. Damage to an area of your brain can impact how you think, behave, use words, swallow, see, feel, touch, and move your body.”
I know there are many already, but I think of a University of the Third Age support group for stroke victims.  Everyone has a story, and everyone has a different story.  Yet what can happen affects people big time.  It is not something that would be wished on anyone, but it is good to know I do not need to go through a shared experience alone.