WELL, IT'S BEEN SOME TIME SINCE I HAVE BLOGGED, BUT I FEEL SO GOOD ABOUT THIS. A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, RACHEL AND I ATTENDED A STROKE CONVENTION IN HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL. WE TRAVELED 400 MILES TO MEET WITH OTHER STROKE SURVIVORS, CARETAKERS, DOCTORS, STROKE ADVOCATES, AND THERAPISTS.
WHILE THERE, WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING AND TALKING WITH LYN WISMAN OUR VERY OWN STROKENET VOLUNTEER. THIS WAS SO GREAT FOR RACHEL AND I TO MEET WITH ONE OF OUR CYBER FRIENDS FACE TO FACE. WE SAT AT THE SAME T
AS I'VE MENTIONED IN MY POSTS, WE'RE HERE VISITING MY SISTER IN THE NORTHWEST SUBURBS OF CHICAGO. NOW SOME OF OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY HAVN'T SEEN RACHEL IN MONTHS. THEY ARE AMAZED AT HER PROGRESS. SHE IS SPEAKING MORE UNDERSTANDABLY ALL THE TIME. ONE OF OUR FRIENDS TOLD RACHEL SHE INSPIRED HER. I JUST CRIED WHEN I HEARD THAT, BEAMING WITH JOY!!!
EVERY NEW DAY IS TRULY A MIRACLE. I FEEL BLESSED.
:happydance: AS I POSTED IN THE COMMUNITY DISCUSSION, RACHEL HAS STARTED A NEW JOB. WE'RE SO VERY PROUD OF HER. SHE WORKS ONE DAY A WEEK AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT SETTING UP THE TABLES. SHE ROLLS THE SILVERWARE IN NAPKINS AND PUTS OUT THE SUGAR.
SHE DOES THESE THINGS WITH ONE HAND. :Clap-Hands: THIS GIVES RACHEL SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO. WE FEEL BLESSED TO HAVE FRIENDS THAT WERE WILLING TO GIVE RACHEL A CHANCE. ONE OF THE OWNERS WAS RACHELS PAST PHYSICAL THERAPIST.
I had posted on the 24th of June and added a poem for Rachel. For those of you who didn't see the post, here is the poem.
I WATCHED YOU LOOKING AT ME WITH A BLANK STARE
WHY I ASK?? THIS IS SO UNFAIR.
YOUR SHAKING YOUR LEFT ARM AND APPEAR TO BE CHOKIN
WHATS WRONG I ASK, BUT NO WORDS ARE SPOKIN.
WHAT'S HAPPENING TO MY DAUGHTER OF TWENTY TWO
WHY CAN'T WE FIX THIS, I FEEL SO BLUE.
THE STROKE TOOK OVER, BUT WE DID NOT KNOW
HOW MUCH THIS DISEASE WOULD CONTINU
WE WENT TO OUR LOCAL RELAY FOR LIFE CELEBRATION THIS EVENING. RELAY FOR LIFE IS THE ORGANIZTION THAT COMES TOGETHER TO RAISE MONEY FOR CANCER AWARENESS. THE LUMINARIES THAT ARE PURCHASED ARE LIT AT DUSK. I LOST MY FATHER TO PROSTATE CANCER AND MY HUSBAND LOST HIS MOTHER TO OVARIAN CANCER. RACHEL ENJOYED BEING AROUND THE COMMUNITY AND TALKING TO PEOPLE SHE DOESN'T SEE ALL THE TIME. SHE RAN INTO PAST TEACHERS, FRIENDS, AND CHURCH FAMILY MEMBERS. I WAS JUST SO PROUD AS RACHEL WALKED HALF WAY AROUND
I don't know why I feel so sad and weepy today. I just do. I guess were entitled to feel that way every now and then. I was reading other blogs and I'm so proud of some of your accomplishments. Katrina is getting ready for college. Bessie feels great and is moving forward.
Some days I feel like I'm stuck, not moving on, and other days it feels so good and invigorating. We want things to go our way for once. We wonder why everything seems so slow. I am so thankful for my family, don't get m
Monday we went to St Louis and stayed at the hotel. We went swimming, got in the hot tub, out to eat, and shopping. We had a great time. :big_grin:
Tuesday we went to Rachel's doctors appointment at Barnes Hospital. We spoke with the Nuerology group about different options. One would be more Botox. Rachel was very opposed to this right now. It hurt so much the past three times.
We will be meeting again with a therapy group when the appointment is made. Also, we will meet with anothe
Well, now that I've started to blog. I find that I have lots to say..It was nice seeing comments from some of my favorite people from yesterdays blog. I've posted more on strokenet today than any other day. I really can't say why, only that the subject of stroke has been on my mind since yesterday a little more than usual.
We are taking Rachel to St. Louis Mo. tomorrow to just play. We are checking into a hotel to swim, go out to eat, hot tub, etc..
Tuesday, we are meeting with a nuer
I don't know why I havn't blogged for the last year. I always post on stroke-net. Well here goes. It's been over a year since Rachel had her stroke. One year, 3 months, and 16 days to be exact. I can still remember that day as if it were yesterday. My husband John and I were out for the evening. Rachel was at our house with a friend. We were an hour from the house. Rachel told her friend she felt funny. Moments later she became dizzy. She passed out on the couch. Her friend had to call 911. He c
