a stroke survivor story

It is hard to think about sometimes but 5 years ago today, I was in the Knoxville VA celebrating Christmas with my kids, my wife and  my mom and dad. 5 years later, the Knoxville VA is closed, my mom and dad have both passed away, but my wife and kids are celebrating with me. It was a great year and I pray that each of you had a wonderful Christmas holiday.

Today, as I sit to write this, is December 18. I had noted on other sites (mostly on Facebook) that December 8 was the 5 year anniversary of my stroke. You read that right 5 YEARS. Sometimes it is hard to believe that it has been that long. To bring some comparisons and insight: I was youth pastor in Louisiana for 3 years, I was in college at Trinity Baptist college for 3 years and 9 months, I was in the Army for 4 years and 10 months. What do all of those things have in common? They were major life accomplishments for me, but they were less than 5 years. It is amazing to me all that changes in my life; I cannot express enough how supportive my wife has been for me. I can't even begin to imagine how much her life has changed in the last 5 years, and yet she has always been with me. I survived a terrible 2012 as I experienced the deaths of 5 loved ones, to include my mom and dad. It has been a difficult 5 years, but with God's help I have been able to survive it. I remember aski...

I went back to my neurologist earlier this week; the neurologist that had been with me since my stroke left to take another position at the same hospital so I now have a new neurologist. Needles to say I was a little unsure about going to a new neurologist. I know, I know, I should not think that Dr. Benjamin walks on water but it is hard not to think that; without her I would be dead! But, I digress. This new neurologist told me some things that I had never heard before. First, I had always been under the impression that I cannot take any NSAID pain relievers because I am on an aspirin regimen. But, he told me that an occasional Motrin or Aleve is not bad; I should not become dependent upon them (that is, I should not take them daily, just periodically) but 1 every now and then is not going to hurt. The second thing he told me that made me go hmmmmmm was when he told me that all of my headaches (I get periodic terrible headaches in the back of my head. Those of you who have followed m...

I just looked today and was amazed that it has been over a year since I posted anything. On the surface that would indicate that everything has been great; but, the reality is that I have just been insanely busy. I know I mentioned that my dad passed away earlier last year (February 27, 2012), but after that things just got worse. My brother had triple bypass surgery in April, my mom was hospitalized in May with shingles, my Aunt Anne passed away in June, my Uncle John passed away in early September, my Uncle Jerry passed away in late October and then my mom passed away December 23! Needless to day, 2012 SUCKED. For 2013 my brother, Dave, really hit it on the head. He said that it would not be possible for 2013 to suck as bad as 2012. So far he is right. Thanks, Dave. I am getting ready to re-publish my book through Tate publishing. The first time I published Living the Life of a Miracle I used a local, self-publisher The Write Place. They were wonderful to work with but they did not...

I know it has been awhile since I have posted. I know, I know...shame on me. A little update: it has been nearly 4 years since my stroke. I do notice that I get tired more quickly. I tried to go to the local Rec. Center again to do some exercises and lift weights. That was really exciting...for about 3 weeks. Then it seems I hit a  wall. I was tired, I seemed to lose some stamina quickly. It does seem, too, that my swallowing is a little more sporadic. What I mean by that is that I find myself having to stop in the middle of conversations at time because I cannot seem to swallow when I talk. I did receive this the other day from another stroke survivor. She is only 26 years old and wants to share some insights to others. I have not edited any of her comments, so it appears exactly as I received it. "At 25 years old, I was untamable, spunky, spontaneous, moody, rebellious, occupied and preoccupied with love, radiating energy, full of life, healthy, fit, goal-oriented, driven, n...

For the last few weeks I have been experiencing some pretty terrible headaches; not the kind that you can relieve by rubbing your temples or taking Tylenol, but headaches that radiate from the back of my head. It seems as though I have tried several things to relieve them: taking naps, lying down on heating pads, taking Tylenol, turning the lights of, etc. but nothing seems to help. Now, I don't have them all the time, only a few days a week and I can tell that they are more from muscle tightness than anything else. I have been instructed to go the ER if they flare up again, because of my past history of headaches before my stroke, but most likely it is due to the muscles that were cut in the back of my head for the Craniotomy. I would say that most days I do not struggle with headaches at all; but, the days I do have headaches they are a doozy. I don't have blurred vision with them or sensitivity to light or sound; it just hurts. As I look back over the past 3+ years I realize...

There are times when I seriously get humbled by how God uses things. In the last month I have been overwhelmed at the way in which God spreads his word. Just a few weeks before my dad passed away he got a call from someone in Indiana wondering if he was the "Pastor Mead" who had a stroke. He told her that it was his son; but, he was able to share the whole story with her and suggest she get my book. Later I was in Dairy Queen and ran into a man from Johnston, Iowa whose mother-in-law recently had a stroke. He was searching for some encouragement so I was able to share my story with him and suggest my book to him. I got an e-mail this week from him thanking me for my testimony and my willingness to share God's goodness with him. This morning I got a message on facebook from a lady whose father recently had a stroke; she was able to look at my information and read my book and was encouraged by my story. I am so thankful that God has allowed the events of my life to be a ble...