| My recovery from a stroke suffered in 2001 seemed | | | | uncontrollability that plagues me. Technically, the |
| glacially slow while it was taking place. Now, howeverI | | | | symptom may result from lesions in the internal |
| feel almost completely recovered, and the difficulties | | | | capsule and thalamus, basal ganglion, hypothalamus |
| with my right hand and arm and the speech problems | | | | and ventral pons or from a cortical infarct in the |
| are like dim recollections of something that happened | | | | territory supplied by the superior division of the |
| decades ago.I still have difficulty with cuff buttons on | | | | middle cerebral artery.Such laughter is often |
| starched cuffs. My handwriting is slow. My singing | | | | associated with weeping. I have not done much |
| voice is on furlough and recent attempts to throw a | | | | blubbering since my stroke, but I did some research |
| ball have been errant embarrassments, but I haven't | | | | on these matters In recent weeks I have discovered |
| taken the time to practice in order to restore either | | | | in myself new or at least altered emotions. I am not |
| of those activities to previous levels of ability. Still, | | | | merely getting in touch with my feminine side but |
| my golf game is pretty much back to where it was. I | | | | being overwhelmed by it. About a month ago I was |
| am exultant at having escaped the permanent | | | | injected with a time-released dose of Lupron, an |
| serious disabilities that are visited on so many stroke | | | | activator of female hormones. Each day I also ingest |
| victims.One persistent symptom is pathological | | | | one tablet of Casodex, which along with the injection |
| laughter. When I think of something funny or just | | | | serves to limit my ordinary testosterone production, |
| vaguely silly or ironic, I crack up so badly that I am | | | | thereby shrinking my hyperplastic prostate gland and |
| unable to speak for a minute or two. I never, | | | | stopping the development of the malignancy |
| previous to stroke, exhibited such idiotic laughter. On | | | | contained therein. The doctors told me I could |
| the plus side, my hysterics can be contagious. In | | | | expect weight gain, loss of muscle mass, diminution |
| social situations I often manage to get my | | | | of energy, hot flashes, possible development of |
| companions laughing with nearly the same | | | | breast tissue and loss of body hair. |