How Good Things Can Help Prevent Stroke Anxiety

Picture of David Morten

David Morten

"At the age of thirty, I never expected to have a stroke. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened, and a slew of other struggles soon presented themselves during my recovery. As a highly creative writer, I chose to use my skills to help other people in a similar situation so that we can all feel less alone during the aftermath of having a stroke at a young age."

So, the big day finally arrived. For the readers who do not know, my stroke occurred on 14th November 2022, just five days before what was supposed to be my wedding day. Luckily, I have been able to recover well, and we could rearrange the date for October 7th

As anyone can imagine, there is a lot to worry about in the lead-up to any wedding However, what happened last year made things a bit more precarious. A stroke was so out of the blue, and no one around me saw it coming. That is why we decided to approach the day differently this time. 

Around March, we decided to hang up a countdown to the date in our living room. It did a lot to build up some of the excitement. When it started, there was a good two-hundred days and more until the big day. However, as each day ticked by on the countdown, I knew I was growing closer to that five-day mark. 

Now I have never really been superstitious, but it seemed impossibly inevitable that I would have another stroke at the exact same time as I did in the run-up to our wedding last year. Especially now that we have decided to count down the days.

It turned out all that worry was for nothing, as everyone kept telling me. My stroke came as the result of a small tear in an artery at the base of my neck and wasn’t stress or diet-related In other words, I could not have done anything to prevent it. I was in the best shape I had been in for a long time last year, so it was just bad luck. Plus, the doctors have put me on all manner of preventative medication, such as blood thinners and blood pressure meds.

 As such, the chance of me having another stroke at this exact time was nearly impossible, no matter what I did. Still, it doesn’t stop me from worrying about it almost all the time.

Logic seems to go out of the window when it comes to health-related issues, and I am sure all stroke survivors have the same worry about it happening again. It doesn’t matter how many times people tell me that I am fine, I will still live on fearing the worst. Fortunately, our wedding day provided the perfect escape from such intrusive thoughts. In fact, we were both so preoccupied by what happened last year, that all other tiny hiccups that would have driven us mad at our wedding last year seemed insignificant. The day went by without any major issues, and it seems everyone else had a great time too. I also got to go to my first big concert since my stroke the next week. The fact that the wedding went by so well made what would have been a similarly nerve-wracking experience just as smooth.

That is all I find I can do at the minute when it comes to staving off my anxieties about having another stroke. Keep focusing on the things I am able to enjoy, and the worries will just disappear on their own.

Get support with challenging feelings after a stroke

If like David, you are living with the challenges caused by a stroke and would benefit from speaking with others who understand. Why not join us at our next virtual meeting
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