Well just ordinary news to post today after my hot laps in the cars! Hope you're all well and continuing to improve. Sometimes improvement happens so slowly that it's only when you see people you know after a long time and they notice how much you've changed and got better that you notice the improvement. Remember how you were and keep that memory then you can use it to compare how you are. My legs are still drunk but for the last few weeks I've been picking things up of the floor! My balance is so much better that when clothes fall out of the washer I just pick them up and I realise I'd been doing this for weeks before I suddenly realised. People take this for granted but it's not til it becomes a problem that small things like this become huge steps to be celebrated!

There's been another stoke club meeting, that went well. It was good to see how a gentleman's voice has improved since last time.

Since I was last on here we've had my daughter's bedroom decorated, purple rose and white, it looks great but what a headache to get done. The room was cleared of everything but the bed. The dining room became a teenage squat for 2 days. She assures me she'll keep it tidy. We've bought new furniture too. It's flatpack so thanks to Kevin for putting it together for me.  We've had a trip to Ikea to get the furniture etc for her room again massive thanks to Kevin.

Who's Kevin I hear you ask?! He's been in my life since February and despite me wondering what he sees in me and saying he'd be better of with an able bodied girlfriend, he's still with me and very much part of my life now. We have loads in common and are both easy going. It's so good to have someone to share life with and all its problems and good things too.

Just recently I went to the asthma and stroke clinic at the doctors which needed me to go the week before for a blood test. In February when I went to the stroke clinic my B12 was down and my blood sugar was approaching the diabetic range also my liver function was still reduced as I had a fatty liver. She wanted to keep an eye on this and said she'd see me in August and put a note on her computer. I noted this at home on the calendar too. August and no reminder arrived so I rang the drs to be told y a receptionist that my hospital would be in touch and she then put the phone down before I could say that I'd been discharged 2yrs ago! September came and I was at the drs so I enquired in person about the clinic and was told I'd get a letter. None came so in October I rang to make an appointment for the asthma clinic and my flu jab and also for the stroke clinic  too. My kidney function was reduced to the critical range. I'd got to stop my blood pressure tablet was prescribed another and have to have my blood checked again next Monday. My liver function is now normal after 16 yrs and my blood sugar is now ok and not approaching the diabetic range! This is down to me cutting my sugar back and my carbs too. I only have an average of 3 slices of bread a week, no longer have sugar on my cereal but have fruit instead, have cereal wit lower sugar in fact I check everything for sugar and carb content now and it's worked! Just goes to show how small changes to diet work.  I'm still able to have the occasional takeaway and biscuit! Because my renal function is down I have to go and see a renal speciaalist now. It just mkes me wonder if theyd caught it earlier if I went to the stroke clinic in August when she said she'd see me ?!  Think thats all the news for now, see you soon and keep up with the  excercising no matter how small.

Busy, busy, busy! Hi to everyone and hope you've been well since my last post several months ago, I'm ashamed to say. The prom went well and since that post I've been to the gym for 10 weeks and am still going, done lots of work with my personal trainer, had meetings with other stroke survivors for the stroke association and shared info about stroke on twitter. Also tried to carry on doing the everday things in the home and had several falls 'cos I've pushed myself and the left knee or right ankle has given way suddenly. Yes it still happens to me 3 years down the line!

My daughter started college studying agriculture and decides it's not for her! We're only 4 weeks into the course so she's now changed college and course! Now doing Beauty Therapy! Bit of a change! First day at her new college today, so hope it all goes well. I think this course will suit her as she does have over 70 nail varnishes and is obsessed with doing her nails! If it doesn't suit her it will me lol 'cos she can do my nails anytime! Want a facial or a massage?! She did really well withe her GCSE's and cost me and her godfather loads of money. To try and encourage her to do her best we both offeed to pay her £50 for every grade C and above. She'd been predicted D's and E's and then achieved and cost us £350 each lol! Well it worked!

Yesterday, WOW, 2 fast laps in an Aston Martin, 2 in a ferrari and 1 in a Vauxhall saloon car (sporty to of the range) boy were they fast! several years ago I did one lap as a passenger in an Aston, yes it was fast but not as fast as this. James Bond never drives it like this lol! I thought that w as fast but then had the 2 laps in the ferrari now that was fast! It actually made me scream! Then he proceeds to say the brakes are good as hes flying round at 130 mph, my reply was that I should think they are! What a fantastic experience. This was my birthday present from my 2 friends and all because I posted a remark on a photo I shared on facebook of James Hunt! I'll be more careful in future! Or will I lol! I really thought that getting in and out of the cars would be difficult as they're so low but no managed it admirably! I'm so pleased and it's the first time my 2 friends have visited me and I haven't cried when I've seen them so a huge breakthrough! So yes improvement is still happening. I wonder how much I'd have made without my personal trainer and the gym and still trying! None I think or at least not so quickly. What's quick about your recovery I hear you say - nothing actually but maybe it'd have been even slower! So it couldn't be a be a better advert for it! Keep going! 

I've bought a new cycle machine 'cos the other one gave up the ghost. It's brilliant and far more sturdy than the other one! You can set the timer and it stops when the time is up. It goes round unaided so if you have trouble like me with one of your legs going round then this helps it round. As for my next goal, well I'm aiming for a spa day! Watch this space. Well think hat's all for now keep setting youself goals and striving for better and you will achieve!