Stu's Blog

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Stroke's a Harsh Mistress

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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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BBQ from Hell- what was I thinking?

Well we went out last night and got a new BBQ, as ours was literally falling apart. This morning I went down to the car and brought the bbq upstairs. Around 9 AM I decided that I'd put it together, I started to unpack the parts ( there where so many).I sat for almost 10 minutes looking at all the parts wondering if I'd lost my mind, but hey I had all day I opened the instructions only to find that there were two revision sheets, and three parts that I had no idea what they were because they w

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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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Ahhh the sweet smell of Independence

Ahhhhhh to feel the wind in my hair again, I'm driving but with a fully licensed driver because they have me on a 5A license, not my idea of freedom., I wish the 20th. of July would hurry, but when you have to wait 60 days between tests it's a hassle. So I go down to the mail Thursday morning, and low and behold another damn letter from Driver licensing, what do they want now I'm thinking as I go back upstairs. I throw the mail on the table, and my wife starts opening it up. When she open

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We're moved but..............

Well the move went good, but we were up at 6AM on moving day trying to look after all the little things we'd forgotten. Mover showed up at 9:30AM, he should've been there at 8:30AM. The Resident managers flunkys started to tell me that we only had two hours, and if the mover was late then another tenant's movers were needing the elevator. Well they shutup when I said "how many is that now that have moved out since May ..30?" Movers finally showed (they were having breakfast of all things) saw

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5 things you should know about me

1. I have a great sense of humor, although sometimes alittle dry. 2. I love my wife,son, and family unconditionally. 3. When I make a friend it's for life. 4. I love to drive, anywhere. 5. I'm a good listener.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Counting down to D'day

Fourteen days and counting, Kath has been sending out bulletins:) I'm getting alittle apprehensive about going, I know it's silly but it's the what if something happens and I'm so far from home. I'm sitting here looking at a -22C temperature and am thinking what is the matter with me, there's heat out there:) We've been busy doing and picking up small things for the trip. We both bought new "New Balance" sneakers, and sandals ( only time I think they'll come off is fine dining and bed) Shir

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YO HO - YO HO it's a shopping we will go

Our trip to Grand Forks was alittle hectic at first, just trying to get out of the city was a chore. First I had to double check that we had packed everything needed, and make sure I was at Kath's work around 4PM., after picking her up we went and picked up her sister. The trip to the border was uneventfull, but the security was really tight at the border, luckily we had taken our passports or we might still be waiting in line.   We had booked the Holiday Inn Express for two nights. I don't w

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Not a terrific week

Well I thought I'd straighten up the computer room on Monday, moved and stacked boxes until the room looked presentable. Tuesday morning I couldn't get out of bed, I had yanked my back out. I spent Tuesday and Wednesday flat on my back, Kath had to go to work and wasn't happy about leaving me alone. Thursday started to feel a little better, was able to shuffle around, did some laundry. Friday morning (today), around 4AM I had something in my lower back go snap (woke me from a dead sleep) and h

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Reunion and the trip to the states

Well we had so much fun at my Mom's side of the familys' reunion. There were family I haven't seen since I was 8 years old (which is quite awhile) :dribble: Uncles and Aunts were everywhere, my cousins Judy, Pam and Sue just wouldn't stop hugging me, I used to live with them when I was 16 (they're all in their 40's now). My uncle tom started a food fight, of which he got the worst. My brother who I don't see often came for the reunion as he was only at Clear lake (about 65 miles away), it was

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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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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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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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Guess we're off again soon

Seems after buying two new tires in Grand Forks, our local Costco tire dept. can't match them for the front of the car. That means we have to go back and get two more for the front at Sams club, and then there's all the shopping and food, it will be tough to handle again   Looks like we'll be going sometime mid October, I don't like travelling in the winter (SNOW), don't know if it's something conected to the stroke or maybe I've just had enough travelling when it's inclement weather

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Ah Ah Captain

Well we decided to take the plunge so to speak. Carnival Cruise Line's "Victory" http://www.carnival.com/CMS/Static_Templat...rs_Victory.aspx one day at sea, then Puerto Rico, St. Marrten, St.John, St.Thomas, two fundays days at sea and then back to Miami for some shopping :gleam: It will be like a second honeymoon for us, Daniel (our son ) and (his girlfriend) Marley are coming along so I can't misbehave too much. :dribble:

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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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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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On the road again :)

Well I'm on the road again I dropped my wife off at her work and then went to my old workplace for a visit. My wife thought that the traffic might be a problem for me (she was worried and tried not let me see) as it was my first time out by myself with the car, but I hardly noticed it. She did though made sure I took the cell just incase I need some help, or she wanted to get a hold of me, as if I didn't know she would be checking on me   I made sure to pick up some donuts from Tim Hortons,

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