marlen

Stroke Survivor - male
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About marlen

  • Birthday 04/12/1940

Contact Methods

  • Stroke Network Email
    Yes

Shared Information

  • Stroke Anniversary (first stroke)
    01-13-2004
  • Facebook URL
    http://asquared@adsnet.com
  • How did you find us?
    Google Search

Registration Information

  • First Name
    Marty
  • State
    IN

marlen's Achievements

Associate Mentor

Associate Mentor (5/10)

  1. Happy Anniversary marlen!

  2. Happy Anniversary marlen!

  3. Happy Birthday

  4. marlen

    FIRST BLOG OF 2008

    WE'LL, IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK AMONG FELLOW STROKE FRIENDS. I'LL CONDENSE 2+ MONTHS AS BEST I CAN. WE SPENT JANUARY IN PALM COAST, FLORIDA AGAIN. THE WEATHER WAS BEAUTIFUL, SO I COULD GO IN THE POOL ALMOST EVERY DAY TO EXERCISE. THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IS THE PITS. LAST YEAR WE HAD A TWO BEDROOM CONDO OVERLOOKING A POND. YHIS YEAR WE HAD A THREE BEDROOM CONDO OVERLOOKING THE INTER-COASTAL, AND IT WAS $500 DOLLARS LESS. GOOD THING, BECAUSE WE HAD LOTS OF COMPANY. fEBRUARY WAS THE BEST. WE SPENT 4 WEEKS IN DISNEYWORLD. MY SON, WHO REMAINS IN THE WILL, GOT US A DEAL AT TWO DIFFERENT HOTELS, 2 WEEKS IN PORT ORLEANS, AND 2 WEEKS AT CARRIBEAN BEACH. MY WIFE AND I SURVIVED BEING IN ONE ROOM WITH ONE BATHROOM FOR TWENTY NINE DAYS. I TOLD HER SHE COULD USE THE BATHROOM ON THE EVEN DAYS, BUT AFTER THE FIRST DAY SHE STARTED TO WALK FUNNY, SO I THOUGHT WE JUST BETTER SHARE. WE WENT INTO EACH PARK TWICE DURING THE MONTH. I WALKED SO MUCH, I WAS 5'11" WHEN I LEFT HOME AND RETURNED 5'4" TALL. I WORE MY LEGS DOWN. WE MET A LOT OF PEOPLE AND HAD THE BEST TIME. IF I DON'T SEE ANOTHER KID BESIDE MY OWN GRANDCHILDREN FOR SIX MONTHS, I'LL BE FINE. BY THE WAY, MY LITTLE GUY FROM KOREA IS DOING JUST GREAT. WE SPENT TIME WITH MY SON'S FAMILY AS THEY CAME OVER TO SWIM EVERY WEEKEND. PERFECT WEATHER AND WE HAD SUCH A GOOD TIME, I TOLD MY SON TO WATCH FOR SPECIALS FOR NEXT YEAR. WE WANT TO DO IT AGAIN. ALSO, MY DAUGHTER AND FAMILY CAME DOWN THE THIRD WEEKEND IN FEB. THE WHOLE FAMILY WENT TO THE WATER PARK FOR THE DAY AND HAD A BLAST. THE FIRST WEEK IN MARCH WE WERE IN WEST PALM BEACH, SEEING FRIENDS AND RELATIVES. ANOTHER GOOD TIME. THE TRIPS TO FLORIDA AND BACK TO INDIANA WERE WITHOUT PROBLEMS, THANK GOODNESS. DID I GET A TAN? OF COURSE. WE HAD WONDERFUL MEALS. WE HAD A REFRIGERATOR IN THE ROOM SO WE HAD OUR CEREAL FOR BREAKFAST. THE FOOD AT DISNEY HAS REALLY IMPROVED, SO WE AT IN THE FOOD COURTS A LOT. TASTY AND REASONABLE. IN THE TIME WE WERE GONE, I PUT ON ONE POUND AND MY WIFE STAYED THE SAME. I HAD THE EXTRA ICE CREAM ON A STICK ONE DAY. NO MOVIES, NO PICTURES, NO MORE. MARTY
  5. marlen

    so long for a while

    thank you........................tra la la la la la la la la! :ChristmasTree:
  6. marlen

    so long for a while

    RIGHT AFTER CHRISTMAS, WE ARE HEADING TO FLORIDA. A MONTH IN PALM COAST, THEN WE'RE OFF TO ORLANDO FOR FEBRUARY. THANKS TO THE FRINGE BENEFIT OF HAVING MY SON WORK FOR DISNEY, WE ARE STAYING AT DISNEYWORLD FOR THE MONTH. THIS WILL BE A REAL TEST; MY WIFE AND I IN ONE ROOM FOR 28 DAYS. THANK GOODNESS IT'S A SHORT MONTH. I GET THE BATHROOM ON THE EVEN DAYS. THEN WE WILL WONDER BACK SLOWLY, VERY SLOWLY IF IT'S STILL NASTY UP HERE SO, BEST WISHES FOR THE COMING YEAR. SEE YOU IN THE SPRING. MARTY :Clap-Hands:
  7. marlen

    I GOTTA JOB

    SUNDAY NIGHT, WE ATTENDED A NEIGHBORHOOD CHRISTMAS PARTY. WE WALK A LOT, AND EVEN THOUGH WE LIVE IN AN APARTMENT, WE MET A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORING HOUSES. ANYHOW, I WAS TALKING TO A LOVELY YOUNG LADY WHO IS THE MARKETING VP FOR THE HOSPITAL LOCATED IN THE TOWN WHERE I HAVE MY AQUATIC CLASSES. THE HOSPITAL IS EMPHASIZING STROKE CARE AND IS GOING ALL OUT IN THIS AREA. I TOLD HER HOW I TRIED TO DO VOLUNTEER WORK WHERE I WAS TREATED, BUT NEVER GOT CALLED. SO I WAS TOLD TO REPORT FOR DUTY WHEN I RETURN FROM FLORIDA. I WILL BE VISITING WITH SURVIVORS AND CAREGIVERS TO RELATE MY RECOVERY EXPERIENCES, ENCOURAGE THEM AND TRY TO INJECT A LITTLE HUMOR (THIS WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR ME). I'M NOT TOO EXCITED YET BECAUSE ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. THE NEUROLOGIST IN CHARGE OF THIS IS THE ONE WHO MIS-DIAGNOSED ME THE FIRST TIME I HAD A MINI STROKE. HE WON'T REMEMBER ME. AT LEAST THE WHOLE THING IS ENCOURAGING. MARTY :santasmiley:
  8. marlen

    MY AQUATIC CLASS

    WELL, IT'S BEEN THREE AND A HALF YEARS SINCE I BEGAN SINCE MY ROAD TO RECOVERY IN WATER. AND IT'S BEEN A GOD-SEND. THERE WERE 15 WOMEN AND 2 MALES IN THE ORIGINAL CLASS AND THEY ARE ALL STILL THERE. ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO WE ADDED ANOTHER 12 WOMEN BECAUSE A NEIGHBORING YMCA CLOSED DOWN. I WAS AFRAID I WOULD HAVE TO DROP OUT OF THE CLASS BECAUSE THE ESTROGEN LEVEL IN THE POOL BEGAN TO RISE. BUT, ALL IS WELL. WE HAD OUR ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARTY LAST TUESDAY AND WE HAD A GREAT TIME. WE ARE ALL VERY CLOSE, INCLUDING THE NEW MEMBERS. I'M GOING TO MISS THE GROUP WHEN I HEAD SOUTH IN A FEW WEEKS. LAST WEEK , I WAS NOTIFIED I HAD BEEN NOMINATED BY MY INSRUCTOR AND THE Y FOR "ARTHRITIS PARTICIPANT OF THE YEAR". I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS MEANS OR IF THE PRIZE APPROACHES $1,000,000. WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE RECOGNIZED AS SOMEONE WHO HAS MADE PROGRESS. CONSIDERING I HAD VIRTUALLY NO MOVEMENT IN MY ARM AND FINGERS WHEN I BEGAN, AND MY WALKING AND BALANCE LEFT A LOT TO BE DESIRED, I FEEL GREAT. I DO HAVE ARTHRITIS, BUT THE WATER MAKES THE PAIN DISAPPEAR TOO. HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THIS CLASS, MY INSTRUCTOR AND MY FELLOW WATER BUDDIES, I HATE TO THINK WHERE I WOULD BE TODAY. THEY DESERVE THE AWARD. MARTY :santahat:
  9. marlen

    Lili

    LOCK LILY UP OR I'M GOING TO KIDNAP HER MARTY
  10. marlen

    WHAT A DRIVE!

    FOR THE FIRST SIX MONTHS AFTER THE STROKE, I COULDN'T DRIVE BECAUSE MY LEFT ARM WOULD NOT REACH FAR ENOUGH TO THE TURN SIGNAL LEVEL. AND TRYING TO THROW COINS IN A TOLL BOOTH BASKET WAS A CHALLANGE IN ITSELF. NOW I'VE DRIVEN ALL OVER THE PAST THREE AND A HALF YEARS, AND NEVER HAS MY WIFE SAID ANYTHING ABOUT MY DRIVING. YESTERDAY WAS OUR GRANDSON'S 9TH BIRTHDAY, AND AS PLANNED, WE DROVE THE ONE AND A HALF HOURS TO A RESTAURANT TO HAVE LUNCH WITH HIM AND THE REST OF THE FAMILY. WE ALSO WANTED TO DELIVER THE PRESENTS TO HIM. THE WEATHER FORCAST WAS FOR SNOW. RAIN AND FREEZING RAIN TO BEGIN AT 2PM. WE SAT DOWN AT NOON FOR LUNCH AND DECIDED TO LEAVE FOR HOME AFTER EATING. AS THE FOOD ARRIVED, SO DID THE STORM AT 12:30. WE FINISHED EATING AND IMMEDIATELY GOT ON THE ROAD. IT WAS BAD. WE PASSED AT LEAST A DOZEN ACCIDENTS ON THE WAY HOME. IT WAS A LONG, SLOW RIDE . WHEN WE PULLED INTO THE GARAGE, MY WIFE WHO HAS RIDDEN WITH ME FOR OVER 50 YEARS, SAID FOR THE FIRST TIME, "GEE, YOU'RE A GOOD DRIVER". I DIDN'T HAVE THE HEART TO TELL HER MY PANTS WERE WET. MARTY :i_did_it!:
  11. KIM, I AM SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT CHRIS. MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU. MARTY
  12. FIRST OF ALL, I'M SITTING AT THE COMPUTER BECAUSE I'M HOME AND DID NOT GO NEAR A STORE OF ANY KIND TODAY. NOW ON TO THANKSGIVING. I LEFT INSTUCTIONS WITH MY DAUGHTER, SON-IN-LAW, WIFE AND PRESIDENT BUSH THAT IF I DOZED OFF WHILE WATCHING THE FOOTBALL GAME, PLEEEEAZE WAKE ME UP WHEN IT'S TIME TO CARVE THE TURKEY. WELL I DID DOZE OFF, AND NOBODY WANTED TO WAKE ME UP. SO MY SON-IN-LAW AND HIS FATHER DECIDED THEY WOULD CARVE THE BIRD. WHEN I LAST SAW THE TURKEY, HE WAS GOLDEN BROWN AND A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT. THEY GOT OUT THE HEDGE TRIMMERS AND ABSOLUTELY BUTCHERED THE BIRD. NO TURKEY DESERVES THIS KIND OF TREATMENT. FOUR YEARS OF RESTAURANT SCHOOL, YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, AND MANY TURKEYS CARVED, AND I'VE NEVER SEEN A CARVING JOB LIKE THIS. FORTUNATELY, IT ALONG WITH ALL THE SIDE DISHES TASTED DELICIOUS. AT LEAST THEY WOKE ME FOR DINNER. I KNEW THE DOG WOULD SLEEP WITH ME, BUT I DIDN'T COUNT ON THE TWO BIG CATS JOINING US ALSO. THEY ALL SNORED AND SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT. MY WIFE AND I, ON THE OTHER HAND, WATCHED A MOVIE FROM 2-4 AM. WE DID HAVE A GOOD TIME AND EVEN THE GRANDKIDS BEHAVED. 364 DAYS UNTIL NEXT THANKSGIVING. I CAN'T WAIT! MARTY :big_grin:
  13. PHYL, CONGRATS!! WILL I BE RUNNING INTO YOU WHEN I GO FOR EARLY BIRD SPECIALS AT 4 AM FRIDAY MORNING? ACTUALLY, I'M GIVING THE DEVALUED DOLLAR THIS YEAR JUST TO KEEP OUT OF THE STORES. MY WIFE CAN HANDLE THE SHOPPING MISSION FOR THE GRANDKIDS. HAPPY HOLIDAYS MARTY :party:
  14. BESIDES STILL BEING AROUND THE UNIVERSE, I CAN LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER HOLIDAY. THIS YEAR OUR DAUGHTER AND FAMILY ARE HOSTING THE FESTIVITIES THURSDAY. MY SON-IN-LAW'S PARENTS WILL BE THERE AND HIS SISTER AND FAMILY ARE COMING FOR DESSERT ONLY. THIS IS GOOD NEWS BECAUSE TIME WITH HER UNRULY KIDS WILL BE LIMITED. LAST TIME WE HAD DINNER IN THEIR PRESENCE, THE EIGHT YEAR OLD DRANK ENOUGH WINE TO NEED A DESIGNATED DRIVER. BUT THAT'S NOT MY PROBLEM. I'M THE DESIGNATED TURKEY CARVER WHEREVER I GO FOR THE HOLIDAY. THIS IS FINE BUT I'M SO FULL FROM NIBBLING WHILE CARVING, I SKIP MOST OF THE TURKEY DURING DINNER. AFTER ALL, I MUST MAKE SURE THE BIRD IS WELL COOKED, MOIST AND TENDER. BESIDES, I LIKE THE SIDE DISHES AND DESSERT MORE. MT WIFE, AT THE REQUEST OF THE GRANDKIDS, PROMISED WE WOULD STAY OVER THURSDAY NIGHT. THIS MEANS SLEEPING ON THE SOFA BED IN THE LOWER LEVEL FAMILY ROOM WITH THE KIDS AND A COCKER SPANIEL SNUGGLED UP WITH ME. I CAN'T BELIEVE THE DOG REALLY LIKES ME. THE HOUSE IS EIGHTY YEARS OLD AND NICE, EXCEPT FOR THE D ADDED-ON LOWER LEVEL BASEMENT. YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHICH WAY YOU ARE ENTERING THE ROOM BECAUSE TURNING SPACE IS LIMITED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD WE WILL NOT GO SHOPPING FRIDAY, BUT I KNOW THIS PROMISE WILL GO BYE=BYE. OH WELL, I'M JUST HAPPY TO BE ANYWHERE. BEST WISHES TO ALL FOR A HAPPY AND SAFE HOLIDAY MARTY :big_grin:
  15. marlen

    WHAT A DAY!!!!!

    FIRST OF ALL, I READ ALL THE COMMENTS ON MY BLOGS AND I THANK ALL OF YOU WHO RESOND. YESTERDAY, I WENT TO THE LOCAL CONVENIENCE STORE FOR THE MORNING PAPER. AS I PARKED, MY CELL PHONE RANG AND I GOT WRAPPED UP IN THE CONVERSATION. NOW I FINISHED MY CALL AND WENT INTO THE STORE, WHICH WAS QUITE BUSY. STANDING IN LINE, I LOOK RATHER NORMAL. A WOMAN CAME IN SHORTLY AFTER I DID, AND INFORMED ME I WAS PARKED IN A HANDICAP SPACE WITHOUT A PLACARD. BEFORE I COULD TELL HER I FORGOT TO HANG IT ON THE MIRROR, SHE BEGAN LECTURING ME, IN HARSH TERMS, ON MY WRONGFUL DEED. WE WERE ALL TAKEN BACK BY HER FORCEFULLNESS. SO I EXCUSED MYSELF FROM THE LINE AND LIMPED TO THE CAR, BROUGHT MY PLACARD IN, AND BEGGED HER FORGIVNESS. SHE TURNED RED, WE ALL HAD A GOOD LAUGH, AND I WON'T FORGET AGAIN. FIRST TIME IN FOUR YEARS AND I GET CAUGHT. NEXT I WENT TO WALGREEN'S TO PICK UP SOME MEDS. AS I WALKED DOWN THE AISLE, WITHOUT CANE, I NOTICED TWO KIDS BEHIND ME, MIMICKING THE WAY I WALKED. THE PARENTS WERE DIRECTLY BEHIND THE KIDS. I STOPPED AND TOLD THE KIDS WHY I WALK THE WAY I DO, THEN WALKED BACK TO THE PARENTS AND SUGGESTED THEY GO HOME AND TEACH THE KIDS SOME MANNERS. THEN MY WIFE AND I WENT TO PICK OUT FLOORING CABINETS, ETC. FOR A TOWNHOUSE WE ARE CONTEMPLATING BUILDING. WE WANT WOOD FLOORS ALL OVER, EXCEPT CARPETING IN THE BATHROOMS AND TILE IN THE BATHROOMS AND LAUNDRY ROOM. WELL IT SEEMS YOU CAN ONLY GET TILE IN THE FOYER BECAUSE THE COMPUTER WON'T SUBSTITUTE WOOD UNLESS YOU BUY ONE OF THE PACKAGES. NONE OF THE PACKAGES GIVE US WHAT WE WANT, SO IT WAS TILE AND THAT'S THAT. WITH THE HOUSING MARKET THE WAY IT IS, YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD PUT WOOD IN THE FOYER. SO WE WISHED THEM AND THEIR COMPUTER WELL AND LEFT. THREE FOR THREE. RATHER THAN TAKING A CHANCE ON RUINING DINNER, WE WENT OUT AND HAD A LOVELY TIME. MARTY :big_grin: