I know
conventional wisdom tells us to avoid it as much as possible, especially after
having a stroke. We’re told that it
causes all kinds of health problems, and that it can interfere with recovery. But really, how much of it can you realistically
avoid? Even if you don’t work after
having a stroke, you still have to live in the world, with all that that
implies about acquiring housing, food, and transportation, while living in
poverty, or near-poverty, which is about as stressful as it’s possible to get.
I’m lucky in
that I’m able to work, but that presents a whole different set of
stressors. My position at the state
housing agency is different from anyone else’s.
It’s my job to create new housing programs for people with special needs,
and also to advocate for their inclusion in all of our mainstream
programs. So, while everyone else spends
their time ensuring that our housing projects have low vacancy rates, generate
high levels of cash flow, and are
well-maintained, I promote projects that typically have the opposite of
these. This is because people with physical or mental disabilities usually have very low incomes, frequent hospitalizations, and have difficulty maintaining their units. This inherent conflict constantly
puts me in opposition to agency management.
It’s a tough, but very rewarding job, and the stress is constantly at a
high level, but I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.
In the 27 months since my stroke, I’ve consistently
sought out stressful situations. Working,
driving, especially going long distances by myself, often at night, was
nerve-wracking at first. Deciding to start
swimming again, which meant getting changed, walking on the wet pool deck, and
showering on the slippery shower room floor, was terrifying, and I almost
backed out several times. But each time
I tried something new and stressful, I was glad that I forced my self to go
through with it, and each time I discovered that the second time doing it was
easier than the first, and easier still each time afterward.
I have a
feeling that we need stress in our lives to some degree. It’s the physical
stress of exercise that makes us stronger, makes our muscles grow. So, too, I believe, the mental stress of new
experiences, new challenges, helps us get stronger mentally, helps our brains
grow in some sense of the word. Of
course, too much stress, either physical or mental, can be harmful. But with either type, if you start out small
and build up to higher levels, the result will be a stronger body, and a
stronger brain.