I've recently gotten into bullet journaling - which has went into an art form, and I'm loving it. I started trying to bullet journal around the middle of Feb, and use a 2 pg daily spread, with everything on it. One of the many things I want to try to get back into is my stroke hubby's therapy, that we are not doing anything, on a regular basis, on (stroked 2012). I got this free print off from a bullet journal group, where the designer wanted to see what people would do with it. There we
Haven't shared anything in a long time, but Bob got a nice surprise in the mail today, and I wanted to share it with everyone!
Our niece works at the sports arena, and has sent her Uncle Bob a care package of his favorite basket ball team! There are a long poster of the players, 2 Blue Nation candy bars, and another hat to add to his beloved collection of UK hats! Look at his face! HE TOTALLY FLIPPED OUT!
I will attempt to catch people up on what's been happening on our end. I had been having a really good roll on organizing last fall, until I got extremely sick on Sept 29, and stayed that way for 6 weeks. My progress stopped, and I was only able to do the minimum for Bob, and crash again.
I sat in front of my computer, wondering how I was going to be able to buy the groceries.. I could barely function! Then I saw this add on the side of the page about Walmart having grocery pic
The other day, I was at Walmart and looking for a pair of jeans. I like ones with elastic waist. These were JMS (just my size) (2X - 18/20 petite) pull on stretch jeans. These have a slim ankle and stitching around the ankle. I got them home and was thrilled with how they fit and felt. I don't understand how I fit petite, because I always wore average, but they fit great. I soon began to think about how Bob wants to wear jeans so bad.... but.... they are such a pain, so hard to get on, to pu
I've been thinking about writing about this, and it has recently come up again. So, I almost thought not to write, as it might be redundant... but no, I need to blog it for my own record.
When Bob first stroked, I called my girlfriend, since 2nd grade. I told her what had happened, relaying my horror and loss of what our lives would have been. She matter of factly said, "eh, people don't realize being handicapped is not about living with loss, it's just living differently". If anyone
Hi all, haven't reported in since October, so thought I'd let you all know we are doing fine, incase you were wondering! We did not get sick this winter - WOOT! The weather has been so mild that Bob (who gets cold easily) has had quite a few screened in porch days already!
It is tax season, so I'm busting my head into the wall trying to find what happened to my hadicapped receipts for Jan-Aug - why do I always lose them? I know that I start putting them in an envelope right off
It's been awhile since I've blogged. I had a bad problem with my hip, in the front where it hooks on to your body, on the side excrutiating painful and low disk, sending sciatica down my leg. So, it's been a lot of me dragging my leg like the mummy and screaming here and there when I drug it wrong. I found some meds that helped, and some days I do better, other days revert back to screaming and dragging... BUT, here's the latest good news!
I will say that when I bought my snapper rider the y
Bob had his 3rd year stroke surv anniversary in Feb/Mar (feb 29, only exist some years, so other yeas it's March 1 !) This year has brought some growth, and that's all good. He started wanting to do a hobby and we talked about cross stitch, since we had both bought kits yehttps://www.facebook.com/mainlycrochet?_rdr=pars ago, while on vacation. His were more like historical ones, while mine were like cutesy animal ones, ha, ha. The biggest problem with that is not being able to hold the ho
Today Bob said:
"It's not as humid today, as it was yesterday" !!!!
Oh, forgot to mention that he found where I downloaded a book for him for 'one day' on his kindle, and today he browsed the books on there and found it, and started reading it - without my help at all!
"Every Inch of the Way; My Bike Ride Around the World".
He is becoming more aware, and I see more of the old Bob coming out! Feels good
Bob always hated yard work at our old home. He'd run the lawnmower over anything. carelessly, just get it over with so he could do something else. I always wanted him to work with me in the yard, and share it as a hobby. He hated that idea. When we moved here, the setting was so beautiful and we both reallly loved the yard. He bought every tool known to man, to work in HIS yard. I was elated! My dream of us working on our yard together was coming true! The other couples in the
I wanted to share Bob's writing with everyone. I'll start by reminding you of his earlier attempts, that were totally mixed up, although in his head, he thought them out normally, and was surprised himself, to try to read it back to himself. You can see that the when he thinks, the words in his head are like trying to catch minows in a creek. He reaches to grab them, and maybe catches one here and there to show you, what is going on in his head. The fewer he manages to catch, the less he can pre
Haven't blogged in a really long time, so thought I'd give an update. As some remember we had a 5 room flood from a main drain back up in Feb 2014. This year, we both caught something horrible and were down for 2 months Dec & Jan, ruining sons once a year visit Feb, we had a plumbing break and a wash empty disaster - so about 4 more smaller scale floods.
We finally were about to get out on April 13, which was the first time out since before winter for Bob. We went to Bob Evans
We were making great strides with Bob's dental care, and I was determined to make his cleanings less problematic by really going for it at home - brushings, flossings, and even a phillips sonicare to improve his gums. I squeezed in another dental for him in december, because he could get another, just to try to keep his gums from getting worst. His big problem is that his teeth are really strong and all the dentists say things like, 'those teeth are going to last forever'!!! BUT, they neve
Oh my! I can't believe it was this simple! You know when you are eating a wrap or a burrito how you have to hold the back end with one hand to keep everything from falling out, while holding the front with the other hand? You can't do that when you only have one working hand! Today I puzzled over the problem, as I miss the flatouts (brand of wrap) I used to make. I made 2 up and stood there wondering how in the world he would be able to hold it together to eat it. Then I had a lightbulb moment!
Hey, friends! Bob continues to amaze me as he is more talkative (still aphasic) everyday! You know why? Because his brain is thinking of things, and so he is trying to communicate. It's good to see the wheels in his head turning!
Here are 2 pics of him today, watching Ohio State & Michigan. You can see which side he's on by his clothing, so the game went well for him! (sorry, Mich)
I wanted to be sure to blog this so I don't forget about it. The last couple of weeks, I've noticed Bob doing more thinking skills. Sure he still has aphasia and sequencing problems (and the rest), but his brain is definitely beginning to join thoughts and relate things to each other. Like when I was talking about the tree company we hired, the phone rang and it was them and their number showed up on the tv caller id. Bob, actually expressed that to me, saying that right while we were
Much like Debbie, I'm scurrying to get as much as possible in good shape before another winter. There has been many estimate appts with roof/gutter/tree people, and I am SOOOOO sick of walking around the house with yet another, pointing out all the problems. The choices are made, the appointments are made. Now all I need is for it NOT to rain on work days.
Crew to take down monster dead tree and other smaller things set for the 15th. Crew to replace roof, gutters, facia, sophits, on the 20th
So much going on here. Bob's going to medicare advantage plan signals the end of the 2.5 years of constant (free) therapy. Time to get back to taking care of the house and other aspects about our lives and health. Taking bids for taking down a HUGE dead tree in the back yard, BEFORE it crashes thru the house. Taking bids for roof/gutter/facia/sophits - big bucks. Hope I can afford something. It has been a revolving door here with tree companies and home improvement companies coming to give bids.
OK, so we had a blooper. I showed Bob this video to inspire him to keep working and trying. This is the pic from the video, but you have to click the link to get it to play, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9FSZJu448:
His interpretation of it was to wait till I went to Walmart and try to get up and do things. DOH! So I come home and he has fallen. I had to call a friend to help get him up. I was a little afraid the fall would ruin our next day at the hot wheels convention, but we made it
A few interesting tidbits along the way:
Aug 6: Bob used to make extensive power point presentations, but lost all his computer skills. He can barely work the remote for Dish Network that we've had for 15 years! Anyway, I decided he had more attention and might be able to try solataire. It would be a problem because he's left handed so the mouse wouldn't work, and to move the cards, you'd have to hold down the butotn on the laptop, while moving the finger across the pad part. He actually did
Thru the magic of the internet, the images from Debbies "VIRTUAL" Retirement Day are ready!
Debbie's last day of work:
She was so excited when she walked into our surprise retirement party:
We might have eaten too much:
Perhaps there was a LITTLE too much wine:
Maybe the party games did go a little too far:
Bruce enthusiastically celebrating Debbie's retirement. Please don't try this at home, when you're sober.
The next day was a slow easy day, to m
Today we Bob took his maiden voyage out on his new wheels! We went to a cruise-in and ate at a Taco Bell that was accessible from same parking lot. Then went to groceries, which was in same mall and got the 4 carb yogurt (Carbmaster from Krogers. Walmart has their own light greek at 8carbs) We packed up then and got gas at United Dairy Farmers, and some how they forced 2 dip cones on us while there. It was a succesful outing for us both!
It certainly seems like we've all been getting our butts kicked lately, whether things in general going wrong or pet loss, or even family lost. It's been terrible here too, I've felt like I was barely keeping my head above water while treading as fast as I could. Things just kept breaking here, and things going wrong - nerves shot.
Well, we've lived thru those so far, and so will skip right ahead to show you Bob's new toy, Lite Rider PTC:
We did not go thru insurance, as his current
I got this small lightweight hand 'splint' (rolyan) and it has been a huge help in keeping his hand loose. It is so light and easy to wear that he does, all day & night. His hand has responded very well to it, and the new OT loves it!
So, Bob is finally strong enough, and stays awake long enough, that we can make the trip to a further rehab, which has OT, unlike the last 2. He had his eval on May 21 and 1st OT on May 28. Since she is a real OT, she is not afraid to stretch h
