I went to the movie theater yesterday with my niece, but the accessibility headphones didn’t work. I had to sit through the film relying only on the dialogue. At first, I felt like crying. But instead of spiraling into self-pity, I shifted into gratitude for being with my niece, for a kick-ass burger, fries, and a vanilla shake, and simply for getting out of the house. When our expectations fall apart, there’s still joy to be found if we’re willing to pivot and stay grateful.

That mindset carried into my stroke and vestibular support groups. We talked about the grief of losing a highly functional life overnight and the invisible struggles of cognitive fatigue and sensory overload. In today’s episode, I shared how recognizing my early warning signs helps prevent crashing through a threshold that's hard to bounce back from. My subtle clues before a full flare-up look like this:
• Visual fogginess
• Zoning out
• Muscle tension in my neck and back to limit head movement
• Cognitive slowness and word-finding issues
• Fatigue that feels like my thoughts are wading through sand

If I stay tuned in to my body, I can make choices that protect my peace and well-being instead of push past my limits.

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Visit my Etsy shop, and join my creative journey at Recovery Upcycling. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling

To learn more about vestibular disorders visit https://vestibular.org

#StrokeRecovery #VestibularDisorder #ChronicIllnessAwareness #SensoryOverload #CognitiveFatigue #GratitudeInRecovery #ListenToYourBody #EmotionalSobriety #RecoveryJourney #AccessibleLiving