Stu's Blog

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Stroke's a Harsh Mistress

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Coming up on my 10 Anniversary

Now I know I haven't been active here lately, sorry about that. We're getting ready to move in with the kids for awhile, we're both downsizing then it's off to our new life in Pentiction BC, a trek of only 1300 miles with bag & baggage. The kids wanted us to move with them, not sure how living together 24/7 is going to work ( after all I'm pretty set in my ways).... lol Just thought I'd bring you all up to speed.   Now the reason for this post... My 10 Anniversary is coming up June 22 nd

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Was thinking the other day, ya ya I'm deep ;-)

I was thinking about my stroke the other day, and how I wasn't really scared while it was happening. I know that's a strange thing to say but it's true. Sitting in my office at work having supper while my wife while the stroke onset was happening (and I wasn't scared) while I felt my body starting to shut down. I was thinking just how much this was going to scare Kathleen when I ask her to take me to the hospital ( she knows I hate hospitals). According to her I was quiet calm, wanting to lock u

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My Eight Year Anniversary - Today June 22

Well eight years have passed, some good, some not so. But for the most part it has been a learning experience, learning that there are some things I can still do and some I can't. I use my cane sparingly,only take it when going out. I've got 85% use of my right arm back , the leg has a limp but I can live with it. I never thought I'd see my son happy again, nor did I ever expect I'd be here to see my grand daughter grow up, she's 3 yrs right now.   So don't believe it when someone tells you

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I'm Back

Well I'm back, I sure many of you new survivors don't reconize me but many of the older members will. Maria asked me to start stopping by for the Wednesday Reunion night chats. I popped in Monday and last night into chat and I only reconized one person, how things change but then stroke never stops so it shouldn't be a great surprise to me.   So if you're a newbie here reading my blog, you can believe me that things will get better, Don't you ever believe the doctor when he says you can't d

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The suns shining

Well here I am again, it's been almost five years since my bout with stroke and for the most part I've won the battle. It's hard to remember what life was like before my stroke, but to anyone reading this I can tell you that if you work hard at rehab things will get better. I'm sitting here typing, and since 2006 I'm back driving, I go shopping, infact anything I want just alittle slower is all Daniel and Jenn are expecting their little girl Ava Kathleen any day, if Jenn hasn't given birth by

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Four years on Tuesday

Four days and it's four years post stroke, five to my 60th. birthday. What's life going to be like in five years from now? Will I still get better, or level out to that's all you get? I think I'm bummed that I'm hitting 60, I know that I shouldn't be but I am. It seems like I was just 18, and had the world by the tail. Now I've got stroke and I hope 30 more years, god willing. I know I'm just feeling sorry for myself, but I can't help it and you bunch i know will understand. And what's with the

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Please No more..

Well here I am back at my blog, back acting up again making it hard to walk. God what am I going to do at 70... ten years from now, will I be crippled and in a chair for good? I'm hoping it's just the weather changing, come on Summer Dan's got a new girlfriend, she's a cutey, Kath and I are very glad he's started to date again, he was in so much pain when Marli left last boxing day.   Well it's only 20 months and Kaths done, retired, then what, a cruise,a trip, or vegetation? I'm trying to g

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Got a flashlight?

Well I'm glad to state all my tests came back negative. My hemoglobin is back up to 139 (140 is excellent), butt .... the doctor still want to have a look around. So it looks like I have to go for a physical, and then will get contacted by the specialist for my colon look see. He says that he'll probably just go for a look and find nothing (then why do it?) He says I'm getting close to 60yrs. and it's a good idea, hmmmm for who? It's my butt he's going to look around in.   But honestly, this

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God I hope this isn't another " Here we go again"

I'm alot nervous, last doctors visit we went throught the normal tests ( Kathleen because of diabetes comes along and is tested as well), three days later I get a call he wants to see me. So my appointment shows up, and my doctor mentions my hemoglobin was alittle low and we should keep an eye on it ( he didn't seem concerned). While we were there he sent us off to the lab for some blood letting, thank god they ran out of leeches and had to use a syringe :yikes:   They also gave me a stool s

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I went and saw Gunter

Many won't know who Gunter (Smurf) is. He's been a member here for along time, he was a mentor, a chat host and a friend to all....and close friend for 20 years.... he doesn't come to the board anymore.   He's had a set back. He's got congestive heart and just had a stint installed ( makes us sound like a CAR DOESN'T IT...INSTALLED). His sight is slowly going and is his memory, I think I'm slowly loosing my friend.   With the stroke, diabetes, and now the heart problems it still doesn't s

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3 year Anniversary June 22, 2009

Still here and kicking three years post stroke. I'm finding it easier to do things so there is hope for all you just starting your stroke journey.   The first year was the toughest, hospital, all the meds, rehab, learning to walk again. Second, got my drivers licence back, things getting easier. Third just trying to live life as normal as possible.   Kath and I are still loosing weight, it's slowing abit but Kath has lost 30 lbs. so far, I have 5 lbs. left till goal weight.

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Just a quick update

Well things are fine here, except I threw the back out on Saturday (slept in a chair ) for two days as I couldn't lay down. I'm starting to feel better and moving around alot (thank god).   Well Kath and I are still on ULoss, I've dropped from 241 lbs. to 223 lbs since Feb. 2, 2009.   Kath is down 27 lbs. We decided to go together, as it's harder to loose if you're doing it by yourself.   Well that's all my news, hope everyone's healthy.

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Day four of the challenge

Well, we all know how hard it is to control our weight post stroke, so Kath and I have decided to do something about it together, and give each other a early Valentines gift which will keep on giving.   We like snacks (don't mind admitting it), so Kath and I decided that we'd get some help, and after alot of investigation decided on Uweightloss clinic ( because they have doctors on staff).   It's day 4 already, and I've lost 11 lbs. ( supposidly males loose faster), it may be more as I ha

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Merry Christmas Everyone

Here it is Christmas Eve, we're ready, I hope you are as well. Kathleen, Daniel, Marli and myself want to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas, as well a Healthy and Happy 2009.

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Christmas, Retirement, the Cold and more

Well we went to a pre-retirement seminar on Monday, it was an all day affair and we learned alot about the different programs we can apply for, which can mean more monthly cash in our pockets which sounds good to us. Kath is now in countdown mode, it will come quick.   It's been quite cold here for the last week, in the -30C range, so I haven't been venturing out much but have managed to get nine dozen shortbread done. It's December 17th. and we're ready for Christmas, the first time I can ev

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I've started to dream about work

In the last few months I've started to dream almost every night. Not weird dreams, but dreams of my old workplace, hey when you spend almost 20 years with a company it rubs off. I don't know why I'm dreaming specifically about the company because they went bankrupt and laid all of us off one warm August day back in 1994. Could it be that I loved the job, the new customers everyday that I came in contact with. Or could it be being welcomed into their homes, the old customers when I went on a serv

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Blog, Blogs, and more Blogs

Here I sit in the computer room reading the blogs, it's -0 out and raining (told snow on the way). An ambulance and responder just showed up at our apartment building, there's alot of seniors in here and it happens alot. You know, I never realized there were so many blogs, so many full of happiness and uplifting things going on in peoples lives, and then there's also struggle and sorrow, but that's life after stroke. This board was once Steve's dream and now it's a reality. He'll never k

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The Story after the Interview with JOHANNA BENNETT of the Wall Street Journal

Health Matters SEPTEMBER 13, 2008 Many fail to spot symptoms of stroke; these aids can help By JOHANNA BENNETT     Stewart Pickell was one day shy of his 56th birthday when he felt lightheaded.   It was a hot June morning, and he had just left an air-conditioned hair salon. So Mr. Pickell went about his day. But later, he fell down on his front steps when his right foot briefly went numb. At work that night, Mr. Pickell, then the manager of the gym used by Canada's national basketbal

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My Interviw with the Wall Street Journal

I'm so happy that my interview with Johanna Bennett a writer for the Wall Street Journal is going to be the lead to a story about stroke. The story will only be about 1000 words, but it will focus on people not reckonizing the signs of stroke until it's too late. I've never done anything like this and was nervous, it all went well so I'm looking forward to reading the whole story

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Two Years !!

Well I'm certainly slipping up by not mentioning that as of June 22nd. I'm offically Two years post stroke. It's been a tough two years and don't know if I would of made it without Kath, Daniel and Marli, the extended family, and of course my other extended family here at Strokenet. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Just because I've hit this milestone doesen't mean that I 'll be slacking on my inhome rehab ( Kath says the whip is a great motivator) :yikes: What I've learned in

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Will I never learn?

We went down to Grand Forks ND, last weekend (actually it was thursday and came back saturday afternoon). We shopped, and shopped, and ate, and shopped, slept, ate, shopped. Wednesday I did all the laundry, last night I wasn't up to snuf, and today I'm paying for my whirlwind week. This happened the last time we went down there (which was last September) and I guess that I forgot. I thought that I was smarter than this considering I'm almost 2yrs. post stroke, obviously I'm not.

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A little trip to the hospital

Well Wednesday wasn't one of my better days. Around 10AM I was going to go downstairs because our cleaning lady was there cleaning, so I bent over to tie up the shoes when I felt something go pop in the back, no pain so ignored it. About noon I had some back pain, so I told our cleaning lady and dear friend (Monique') I was going to go lay down and maybe it would clear up. It got steadily worse over the next 24 hrs., so bad I contemplated going to the hospital but by that time I couldn't get u

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The Cruise

Febuary 16th. we got on the plane and headed to Miami with a stop over in Chicago, nothing interesting just a plane ride. We got to Miami at 11PM, sat in the airport for over an hour waiting for the shuttle from our hotel, and then he expected a tip! Let me tell you if we wern't so tired the four of us would of went looking for another hotel, it was awful, dirty and Dan found blood on the comforter. The next day we went to the port of Miami, the ships are huge.   At 4PM we started our j

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Two days :)

It's -22C here this morning   It seems Kath had stuffed some empty pill bottles away awhile ago, she had forgot and we found them last night, so it looks like we won't have to take the whole pharmacy with us Packed a bunch last night, we'll finish up tommorrow. Hopefully leaving saturday morning free so that we can take our time having showers and then getting to the airport by noon. Happy Valentines Day everyone, stay healthy. I'll take lots of pictures.

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Just about that time

Well it's -35C and snowing here right now, and it's only four days till we jump on the bird for Miami and the cruise, I won't miss this weather for two weeks;) So much to do, we have a list two pages long of things we can't forget, our pills are #1. Seems that Homeland Security wants us to take our original pill bottles with us to prove what they are if we're asked. I'm not sure I want to take $1000 worth of pills on a cruise with me (both Kaths and mine). We don't have any other original bott

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