Jodi asks, "When did I start having to sit down to put on my underwear?"

Jodi asks, "When did I start having to sit down to put on my underwear?"

It was before my stroke, sometime in my early 40's, I had to sit down to put it on. Now, it has been since my stroke, I need to sit down to get entirely dressed. It's just easier and I know I won't fall, as far. Yes, I have been known to fall sitting down, long story, other time.

I do many things differently since my stroke. I am 46 years old, I had a big stroke almost 2 years ago. I was in the hospital for about 3 weeks. I left there in a wheelchair, unable to walk or move my right side. I had to have help taking a shower, cutting my meat, even couldn't comb my hair the way I wanted to. I was right handed. At times, I really wanted to die. I know I should have wanted to live and all but my thought was, "Is this what I want to do with my life?" "Is this living?" No, to me, it is not. I often tell Dan, "I know why God let this happen to me as a younger person, if I were older, I wouldn't have the energy to come back from it." I went to therapy a week later, 3 times a week, 6 hours a day. It sounds horrible but it was just what I needed. When it came time to leave after almost 5 months, I really didn't want to go. I went on with therapy and still go every so often, I can move my right side now but I have my challenges, another story for another time.

I am here to tell you, if you don't already know, you need to be ready that anything could happen to you at any time. Accidents happen, it's like that bib that reads,"Spit happens."  Indeed, it does. I was a busy, carefree, happy, mother and BAM! A life changing event happened and I had to deal with it; my husband, my son, my family and friends...what an EVENT. Do I think I will live to be an old woman? Not really, I don't even know if I want to? Since this happened to me, I have told people what to do with me in case I can't tell them. How I want to live and die, if need be. How I want to be buried, how I wish to be thought of. I am just now starting to feel better and do things, it's been 2 years! I have just been able to think about my life and what I need to do to fill in the blanks. Say the words you need to say, make peace with the Lord, love people, live each day like it's your last. It could be. "Live like you are dying," in the words of Tim McGraw.

As long as you are able, enjoy standing up to put on your underwear...you'll have to sit down sometime.