Stroke Survivor Caregiver MOVING!

My name is Kim Leaman and I am a 62 year old man who had a life threatening stroke in early 2012. I live with my lovely partner,  who has been suffering from chronic debilitating fibromylagia  for over a decade and there is no end in sight. 

At the time of my stroke, I hadn't worked to two years due to high blood pressure and gastric ulcers. Also I had a disc removed from my back in 1983, as a result of an accident on a farm on which I worked so I need to wear a back belt every time I lift something. As it is, this belt no longer fits me as it is stretched over the four years that I have been required to use it and I have lost a lot of weight. 

When I had the stroke, I spent six hours without sight in left eye and had no sense of taste or smell for a month. I could not utter a single word that anyone around me could translate into usable language for a matter of weeks. I couldn't reconstruct on paper (or even in my head) the alphabet for four days.  

At the time, I was writing what would have been my first book on progressive Canadian politics and that served to motivate me to work very hard at relearning the language and grappling with my vocabulary. With a litle help, I would hope that I could again write well enough to be able to complete my book.

Over the course of three years I slowly got back my ability to write on a computer, but still show the classic symptoms of Apashia . And while the finished product is OK, it still requires endless hours of editing to get there. 

I still cannot talk well enough to get my point across when I am under pressure, or in a crowd, or even when I wake up every day. In many repects, I have to start over each day. Granted, it is better as the day goes on, or when talking to close friends who don't stress me.

I have been unable to obtain disability benefits despite my doctor having strongly advocated for me, and the cost of putting a roof over our heads now costs 73% of our small income. 

We moved to the country to get away from the stress and noise that the city offers and I work as hard as I can to raise our own food and to develop systems that limit how much money we need to exist. I often make my own bread for instance, and do most of my own automotive work. 

Stress is the mortal enemy of stroke victims and my health is failing because of stressing over money on a daily basis and the lack of sleep that it causes.

My only real hope is to raise enough money to get off the system for a while so my stress level is much lower, and I can explore other possibilities, including the right to rent out a room, and increasing the prospect of living to see my retirement.

And finally and most importantly having the resources to  give the wonderful woman in my life the care she needs and the comfort she deserves. 

Luckily, I have some good friends that are familiar with our story and it was on their recommendation that I swallowed my pride and dared to this. It was hard to swallow but I washed it down hope.

Being hopeful goes a long way to limit stress.

I will be eternally grateful for all donations, and comments to this campaign, be it monetary or just by helping spread the word.  

So, don't a stranger. I always like to hear encouraging words from the great people in my corner.

Thankfully your's,

Kim Leaman.