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New to blogging (ha)

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Larry's 3 year stroke anniversary and a big thank you

Well Larry's 3rd stroke anniversary is tomorrow. I will not go into details as I have done it before, as to how, when, and why he had his stroke here at home 3 years ago. It is too painful to go back to that day. It is still a puzzle as he had no high BD, high cholesterol and was never sick. I am thankful he was able to regain his mobility after a couple of months from inpatient care. His stroke was on the right side of his brain and his left side was affected. His arm and hand are still i

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Our "goings on" and Larry's "oops moment"

We had several events from last week. Our computer crashed again, and I am typing on the laptop, which I don't like. We think maybe we got hit by a virus on JAVA, and also we installed some software which was not compatible with our Windows Vista. Anyway, we are done with Windows Vist and going back to Windows XP. It seems like everything is jinxed by me when it comes to new technologiy. I will stay with my old basic cell phone for now. lol So far the TV is ok.   I get Larry up after I h

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Another Christmas gone so fast

I can't seem to keep track of the days lately. I had my daughter help me put out the trash for today, and it was the wrong day due to the holiday. Oh well, at least they are out on the curb. New Years will come and go and I won't even realize 2012 is gone!   My daughter came in last Saturday from Michigan. She is always a big help to me getting the food ready and helping wrap presents. We went to church Christmas Eve at the 5 p.m. service. Our church is large and they had 4 services Chri

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Enjoyed a wonderful Christmas program

Our church goes all out at Christmas on services and special programs. Larry and I went to the Saturday afternoon program Silhouettes of Christmas. There was a screen stretched across the front of the church as big as a movie screen. The theme was acted out in back of the screen like shadows or silhouettes. There was a dance group from one of the universities, members of our church who are excellent vocalists, including one of the pastors, musicians, and a message from another pastor. It s

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Holidays!

My daughter came in last Wednesday for Thanksgivng and left yesterday. So happy her friend could pick her up as the fog was thick and visibility poor. I'm so happy she came. I finished my grocery list as the grocery stores were closed on Thursday. At least they gave their good employees that day. We had Thanksgiving on Friday as there are a lot of re-marriages in our kid's families and we have to be flexible. One of our granddaughter's has 4 grandmothers! lol The meal went well and Larry

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The Holidays are coming!

Yikes, I cannot believe Thanksgiving is just 3 weeks away. I let my daughter (who is in Michigan) coordinate all the kids and their family's and what they will bring. There are several family members who have parents remarried and so they have to split their time. We are having our dinner on the Friday after Thanksgiving again. Christmas is still in the planning.   Larry's son, wife and our granddaughter came over yesterday for dinner. They had to pick up some boxes they had in our baseme

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Took Larry to exercise at the rehab center today

Larry likes to start out on the "Motor Med". This is the machine he sits at with affected hand velcrode on the pedals and other just holding the right pedal. He can adjust the strength but always stays at "3" and then goes for 7 minutes one way and reverses to 7 min the other. This is for the arms/hands. This machine was taken so we went to the parallel bars and worked on stepping up on a 6" block and then side stepping. He then works on balance with a foam square looking to each side 12 ti

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A trip to the zoo

Well my daughter came in town over the weekend and Larry and I are always happy to see her. She brings a ray of sunshine into our lives. She comes in town about 4 times a year and is a good indication of telling us how Larry is recovering. She applaudes everything he can do for himself and that makes him feel good.   We decided to go to the zoo since the weather was cool, cloudy and no rain. We went Sunday and there were thousands of people there. We have one of the best zoos in the coun

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Summer almost gone - hate to see it go

I finally got the lift chair for Larry. I debated over and over. I looked around taking Larry to three places. I looked at furniture stores for basic arm chairs and didn't find anything he could manage. I finally bit the dust and bought one that he liked. It came Friday and it fits in the family room without taking up too much room. The only thing is the remote is on the wrong side and I didn't notice it until afterwards. They are coming tomorrow to change it as I tried and couldn't do it

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Cool change

So nice to finally be able to open up and get some fresh air. I had a nice two hour lunch with a relative of my first late husband last week. It was nice to be able to catch up on all the relatives.   I was able to get Larry out for a short walk in the park over the weekend. I have to say I enjoyed it more. Whatever! We went to church Sat. evening and then received an invitation for dinner at Larry's daughter's home Sunday. His daughter and family live across the river in St. Charles Co

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A change in the weather!

Well today for the first time in 23 days we had temperatures below 90! No rain though, but it sure felt good outside without the humidity and heat. Next week we are back to over 100 degree temps. :hot:   I have been taking Larry to PT this past week and the therapist has been using the Saeboflex on his hand/arm. He picks up balls with his affected left hand and drops them into a bin. He got up to 58. The movement is just a slight bit and the release seems to be the hardest with those affe

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Larry's speech therapy - very stressful

Larry had his third speech therapy today. This is after the modified barium test that showed he is not swallowing his food right and certain foods are sticking down in his throat. He doesn't know when the food isn't swallowed so that is the danger. He was exhausted again after the therapy. The therapist puts E-Stim patches on his neck to strengthen the swallowing muscles. He sometimes has to swallow 5 times. He swallows and then checks by humming to feel if the food has gone down. What a

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4th of July celebrations canceled here

Our local community has a huge celebration with food, music and fireworks at a local mall. Thousands attend but now ours is canceled as well as other parks and areas with fireworks. The fire departments say it is too dangerous! We have record heat temps in the 3 digits for next week - first we had the hot dry heat and now with the humidity. I pity those at the ballpark last night watching the game and those playing in it. Today we have a day game and Larry and I will watch it on TV. I pray

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Larry celebrated his 68th Birthday

Yesterday, Larry's kids, son in law's brother, our grandkids and my son came over to have a cookout for Larry's birthday. I dressed Larry in long pants and a new shirt. Long pants because the kids all like to have the AC on the coolest. It was about 95 outside so we ate inside. :hot: His son is good on the grill and so he cooked the steaks. They were good and Larry ate without coughing or choking. Yay!   Our 5 year old granddaughter came dressed up in a purple ballerina costume. She love

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Rainy Days and Mondays...............

Well, in this case, the rain doesn't get me down as we really need the rain. Our lawn was starting to dry. I love summer but hate the bugs. The Japanese Beatles have returned and they are on all of my shrubs, flowers and especially on our big Japanese Maple tree. Ugh! I will spray after this rain is over. I noticed another bird's nest in one of our crepe myrtle trees and saw a little head peeping out. I finally discovered it was a baby Cardinal's nest as the mama flew around it to let me

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Time for a transport chair?

It is so nice to get out and about with Larry before it gets to hot. (Also, he can't use that excuse on me for not getting out) lol   Last Thursday I had lunch with a couple of friends. The lunch was nice and included a fashion show that was fun. I didn't buy anything but one of my friends bought a pretty jacket and the other one bought earrings. We use to go out a lot more together, but now between their schedules, (both babysit for grandkids) and mine with Larry, it practically takes an

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thejule1

Happy Memorial Day Everyone

I haven't blogged or posted as I have had my daughter here visiting from Michigan. I love to have her here and relish every minute. She comes here now at least 4 times a year because she knows it is easier for her to fly out, but more expense on her. Her friends, extended family, brother and Larry and I all want to spend time with her. We had a cookout Saturday here. I had planned to go to a nice park nearby but with temps in the high 90's, we stayed here and grilled. Larry's son is good o

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New hearing aids and Larry's Engineer Reunion

First, I have to mention the hearing aids. Larry's new aids came in Thursday of all days just when I had 3 other things I had to take care of. I knew he wanted to wear them to the reunion, so I juggled things around and we went to get them. They had to be calibrated to him using the audiologist's computer. The brand name is Starkey, and they are digital of course, and type is RIC, which is receiving in canal. The earpiece that holds the battery fits in back of his ear, which is new to him s

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Bad, bad weather here

We had warnings of severe storm warnings yesterday which could mean anything from rain, tornados, high winds and hail. Luckily, we only got the rain and high winds. Our kids, unfortunately, got the hail damage. Both of our sons live in apartment complexes and had their car windows blown out and hail damage on the car. The hail was golf ball and softball size! The insurance will cover some but they still have the deductibles to meet, which they really cannot afford either. Larry's daughter

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Larry's therapy and our weekend

Larry had an appointment with a new audiologist who is going to find new hearing aids for Larry to wear. First, he has to go to another doctor to have his ear wax cleaned out. He has not worn his old hearing aids since the stroke but wore them faithfully before. I said "you need to get new ones, you miss out on so much and I'm tired of repeating." We had OT and PT the rest of the week which ended Friday. One of the OT's is trained in the Saeboflex and tried it on Larry's hand again. The fi

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Days go by so fast and holidays seem to run together

Last week I took Larry to his therapy sessions. The PT gave him some balance and strengthening exercises. One is to stand at the kitchen sink with no cane and put his foot in and out of the open cabinet. He can then grab onto the counter/sink if need be. At the rehab center, he stood on a 6" block of wood and she had him look left and then right, then up and down. He also is to sit on edge of chair and stretch one leg out with other leg bent, leaning in. She went through the machines he u

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Larry went for his evaluation for therapy today

Larry went for a hand therapy and a PT evaluation. The hand therapist was new, and a therapy we had not had before. She spent a lot of time asking questions as to what he can do, what his goals were, etc. She then checked his arm and hand movement. He had his Botox 1 1/2 weeks prior in hand, arm, shoulder and thigh. When she checked his arm movement, he had additional movement I had not seen before plus move movement in his wrist and thumb. This was new. She needed something for complianc

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Larry and Julie's week

We have been enjoying the nice weather and I've been able to get Larry outside for a couple of walks. He doesn't do much in the house for exercising except for watching basketball. I don't think that is any kind of therapy. lol I will schedule him for more therapy this week as the Botox injections were two weeks ago. It's funny but he never refuses to go to therapy even thought he doesn't exactly "love" it. I guess he knows that is best for him. Maybe he just likes the therapists who help

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Spring has indeed sprung here too

We are expriencing warm and rainy weather now. The magnolia trees have bloomed and the forsythia, pear trees, redbud trees, and cherry blossoms are out. The grass is also getting high! Someone said we will have more mosquitos this year due to the early warm weather. Yikes! Maybe they will eat the Japanese Beetles that come in the summer.   Larry had his appointment with the phsyiatrist for another round of Botox. He did not have as much this time, and only in arm an and. His hand has se

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Larry and Julie and CPap Nightmares

Larry finally went to his follow up appointment with the Nuero after starting the CPap machine. He went through two overnight sleep studies, 3 home visits from sleep therapists, and two different masks! He has settled for the over the nose and mouth mask. He wore the mask faithfully for 4 hours and also for his naptime. He passed compliance. When we went to see the Nuero, he said "Larry, even though you are wearing the mask for only 4 hours, you are getting the benefit from the sleep apnea

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