Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

Ivan Raconteur Column – 04/09/21



Once the dust settled in my life following a stroke April 8, 2020, I had to decide what I was going to do about it.

Adjusting to my immediate change of circumstances was relatively easy – I didn’t have a choice. My mobility was severely compromised, and I was unable to write, paint, or draw with my right hand.

I took some temporary measures, and taught myself to write and hold a paintbrush with my left hand, but I knew I wasn’t going to accept that as a long-term solution. I had been right handed my whole life up to that point, and I wanted to get back to that.

Gradually, I re-learned how to hold a pen in my right hand. It was challenging because I had limited feeling in that hand, but I practiced, and eventually, the muscle memory returned.

When I look back at my writing from those days of transition, it’s scary how bad it is, but it felt wonderful to be able to write at all.

Another thing I was determined to change was my lack of mobility.

I ditched the wheelchair as soon as I could. I had balance issues, and it was tough walking on a right leg that I couldn’t feel, but I kept at it.

I still have trouble with stairs, but I am able to navigate them now, even if I have to take them one step at a time at a much slower pace.

One of the biggest challenges I faced was my range in terms of distance. I knew I wasn’t going to be content to be simply an observer – I wanted to get out and do things, to participate in life.

My objective was to get back to my pre-stroke level of fitness, and even improve upon it.

I set a goal of 10,000 steps per day, which had once been a comfortable level for me. That’s not much for some people, but it requires effort for someone who spends most of each day at a desk. I set out to achieve this goal within a year of my stroke.

Last week, I made it, with a few days to spare.

I hit 10,000 steps April 2, and repeated this each day for the next few days.

When I say I set a goal of 10,000 steps, I don’t mean to suggest this was my initial goal. It was far from it.

First, I had to get comfortable walking again. Then, there were a lot of much smaller intermediate goals to conquer.

Goals must be measurable and attainable, and setting a goal of 10,000 steps would not have been realistic for me at that time.

My first formal goal was a paltry 2,000 steps on my fitness tracker. That seems like a ridiculously small objective, and active people get more steps than that without even thinking about it, but it was more steps than I was getting at the time.

Gradually, I increased the goals as I built confidence and endurance in small increments.

Another thing that has helped me along the way is the use of stickers – the kind of behavior modification often used with children. A good friend told me this kind of system can work for adults, too, and she was right. It’s very simple – if I achieve my daily goal, whether it be measured in walking or some other desirable activity, I am entitled to put a small sticker on that day on my calendar. As ridiculously simple as that sounds, it helps me stay motivated. On days when I am busy or tired and don’t feel like working out, I will push myself to keep going just to get one of those silly stickers so I don’t break my streak.

The human body is extremely adaptable and resilient, and the human brain is remarkably complex.

I am inspired by friends who have overcome major obstacles in their lives, and I share my story of how I have adapted to some relatively small challenges in the hope that it might help others to keep going and achieve their goals.

The key is to break things down into manageable pieces, even if they seem tiny at the time.

It’s easy to become discouraged if we don’t hit big goals right away, but if we start slowly and build on our successes, we can achieve some amazing things.

Self-talk is also important. Instead of focusing on things we can’t do, we should focus on the things we can do, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem. We need to tell ourselves we can do it, rather than beating ourselves up for the times we fall short.

Some of us fall into the trap of being our own harshest critics, but it’s important to show ourselves the same kindness we might extend to others.

We must also be willing to accept help when we need it. Sharing our goals with trusted friends can help keep us focused and accountable.

I haven’t decided yet what my next goal will be, but I know with patience and determination, we can achieve remarkable results.

A journey of 1,000 miles may seem impossible, but we can get there if we believe in ourselves. We just need to take the first step.





































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