Rhea at The Boomer Chronicles asked on Wednesday 2nd January Should Celebrities Who’ve Had Strokes Retire? She opened with this statement:
I feel bad about saying this, but was I the only one cringing as Dick Clark galumphed his way through his annual New Year’s Eve broadcast from Times Square? The effects of his 2004 stroke were in evidence.
I wanted to add my thoughts on the subject at the time, but a senior moment would not allow me to recall a name I needed! I have to admit that I was distracted by a phone call and forgot about my desire to comment for the remainder of the day.
On Thursday LifeTwo blogs by Wesley picked up the subject and asked the same question. He went on to say
“I do feel that the less that stroke victims (or any other disease) are stigmatised the better for all. Mr. Clark had to relearn how to walk and talk and if part of his motivation for doing so was a desire to get back to his regular life then more power to him.”
Unstable health has prevented me from working in gainful employment for the past 5-6 years. I in no way feel ready for the grave! I have my say and interact with people through my blog and various forms of modern technology. Unfortunately the modern world we live in today allows for isolationism. We work, write, speak, shop and all but sleep through computers. It is possible to go for a week or longer without seeing another living soul.
When young and healthy and in a work situation it is easier to think and make regular arrangements for social activities. I have to admit that I miss the social interaction with work colleagues: the laughter to ease a tense work situation, the support when something proves difficult and the praise and sense of achievement for a job well done, and the laughter… yes the laughter at all the little silly things we all do from time to time.
We all become distracted with day to day normal life and those, who for some reason are out of the loop become forgotten. It is not intentional, just the way life is.
If we start excluding people because they suffer the effects of a stroke we are in danger of encouraging the snowball syndrome. Stroke victims today, epileptics tomorrow! We may not agree with the ideas of Professor Stephen Hawking who has had motor neuron disease for practically all his adult life. Yet it has not prevented him from having a family, and being successful in his field of work. Thanks are due to Jane his wife, his children, and a large number of other people and organisations. The condition has progressed more slowly for Stephen than is often the case. But it shows that no one need lose hope of doing something worthwhile.