[mikester]

I friend of mine had a stroke a few years ago - he was well into his 60s at the time. Prior to the stroke I won't say he was a saint but he was much more gentle with his words and interactions with people.

He was a pretty nice guy but still, being an old guy who didn't hold back sometimes he said things that people didn't take well (me included).

After the stroke every conversation was like this. It got to the point where I really couldn't stand to be around him much because he was so abrasive and cruel. He still try to do the things that he did normally and was generally successful - most people were very forgiving of his new personality based on long friendships. I tried to be as well but over time and through general circumstances (my kids being born) I spent less and less time doing the things we did together.

My grandfather in his later 80s himself appears to have had a few mild strokes over the last year. More and more he's loosing the person he was, he too has shown much more anger and frustration. I think that may be a result of the impairment - ease to frustration and the willingness to tolerate less.

Strokes are lame.

I can see having regrets in my life when looking back on it but I hope that those who are close to me will remind me about what I have to be proud of and distract me from those regrets.