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About this blog

Highlights of simple things observed that were taken for granted pre stroke

Entries in this blog

Reality check and unconditional love

My five-year-old grandson was over the other day I've been out swimming as I started to enter the house he said Grandpa I want you to be careful when you walk in here because I'm playing with these little toys and grandma told me you can't see real good and I just don't want you to get hurt. I don't know when I expected to break the news to my grandson about my visual impairment what a blessing to hear those words come out of a 5 year old mouth it was a a gut check the absolute blessing along w
Jayallen

Jayallen

3

I can't remember

I keep forgetting that I have really bad memory in other words I don't remember that I don't remember. I try that utilizes list a lot unfortunately I was at the library today and I had failed to record a list of things I wanted to get done so I did not accomplish what I set out to do. I had to return to the library to print off a two documents that needed when I was done I've managed to leave my flash drive in the pubic computer at the library   thankfully I call the library in a nice yo
Jayallen

Jayallen

6

There but by the grace of God

As I ride the bus daily I am struck by those using wheelchair or scooters I pause a thank God for the recovery upto now and continued recovery moving forward. I say to myself there but by the grace of God go I.   My life, as frustratrating as it can be at times, is such a blessing.   Be blessed and be a blessing, Jay
Jayallen

Jayallen

1

Sushi anyone

A lovely silent sunrise disturbed by the neighborhood bully scavengers three black crows Huey Dewey and Louie minus the rice and the wrap. What a blessing to be able to be here to witness this Be blessed and be a blessing. Jay
Jayallen

Jayallen

1

A speed bump on my recovery road.

I've always expected continuous Improvement. I am still seeing them 2.5 years later. My speed bump happened yesterday. I discovered my depth perception is much more severe than I knew. I missed a step at the library and fell I hurt my knee and broke my glasses and of course my pride. My visual impairment has moved from frustrating to emfarassing now to pain. I just need to slow down even more and be aware of my environment. I expect to continue to recover until the day I die. But I never
Jayallen

Jayallen

4

Another silver lining

A bopm i am reading is by an individualv injured in vehicle accident but she suffered a traumatic brain injury then again what is a stroke but a closed head injury is not caused by blunt-force trauma the similarities are uncanny. At the head of every chapter she has a quote some specifically cited by the author others are anonymous. Another Silver Lining or advantage of having a brain injury he's you can hide your own Easter eggs. Lol It's so sad I think I'll try it next Easter as I always sa
Jayallen

Jayallen

2

Your attitude is showing ,again

After my adventure at the hospital yesterday I got on the bus and I encountered two men that I always see on the bus one said hey old man how you doing I said I'm doing great then he asked if I was staying out of trouble. How are youthe other gentleman said anything you do is anything but trouble what you do is Honorable and you are an honorable man and I have to tell you I look forward to seeing you on the bus. I love your positive attitude toward life. Your positivity is making me a more posi
Jayallen

Jayallen

1

solo support group

We have a regular schedule support with the second Tuesday of the month from 2 to 3 p.m. at the same hospital where I do my volunteer work so I was sitting in the designated room waiting and waiting finally after 15 minutes and nobody else showing up including the speech pathologist runs the support group I walked out into the hallway I ran into her and I said she said what are you talking about and I said our support group second Tuesday and she looked at the calendar and said you're right it i
Jayallen

Jayallen

0

Reality check

At the hospital last week as I got up to leave so I turned around and I said to him you may have noticed and he said but you're recovered I had to explain to him that I am recovering for the rest of my life I hope it wasn't too much of a reality check for him. Jay
Jayallen

Jayallen

0

Silver Lining found in an ozone action day

National Weather Service has issued a ozone action Day warning 4 Southeast Michigan due to high humidity and high temperatures expected today And operating gas powered equipment such as lawnmowers etc. The Silver Lining that I found today is I'm unable to drive so I don't have to worry about limiting my driving and with my multiple impairments it's safer if I don't use the lawn mower anyways so everyday is an ozone action day for me. I am always able to find a silver lining the matter how g
Jayallen

Jayallen

0

Blessings beget blessings

Yesterday while waiting for the bus by young lady was struggling to find enough change for bus fare so I gave her the $0.06 that she needed and you would have thought I gave her a $20 bill I only regret that I can't give you any. I was sitting outside and he took out a bottle of water from his bag and he looked at me and he says I have an extra one you wanted I said absolutely I thanked him and told him to have a blessed day what a blessing you know from giving young lady just a couple pennies
Jayallen

Jayallen

2

Contemplative life

As I have my coffee and enjoy the warmth of the sun on my face I can't help but be overjoyed with the blessing of my survival. When I consider my blessings I almost begin to cry. There are times I hit a barrier and frustration seeps into my head. I took my own advice sat back took a deep breath and thanked God once again for giving me a second chance. I know how blessed I am another beautiful day. To any Canadian friends out there happy 149th Canada day. To my fellow citizens of the united
Jayallen

Jayallen

2

Humbled yet honored

I was nominated for recognition as volunteer of the month and this afternoon there was a a gathering of volunteers and employees to announce the employee of the month and volunteer of the month I was recognized as volunteer of the month for all of my hard work and I said this is too much I'm having way too much fun I love what I'm doing Jay
Jayallen

Jayallen

4

Update on my friend and fellow stroke Survivor

I ask for your thoughts and prayers and I appreciate however Monday when she was moved into ICU I was unable to find any family member to determine what was going on and yesterday when I went to the hospital University based hospitals, Jay
Jayallen

Jayallen

1

My laugh for the day simultaneous double thought

Yesterday as a volunteer I was working with seven other volunteers on a special project I went into the office to log into the computer and as I went to sit down the chair slowly moved away from me and I found myself very gently heading to the floor I thought oh God I hope no one comes in and finds me at the same time I thought oh I hope someone comes in and finds me and helps me get up getting up off the floor the ground can be like climbing Mount Everest all challenges are individual will co
Jayallen

Jayallen

1

Thoughts and prayers requested

I went to the hospital today to meet up with my former coworker and recent stroke survivor with my iPad to get her onto the stroke Network cuz I know it would benefit her when I got there she was tied up with therapy so I decided to have my lunch first when I got back up to the rehab floor I overheard one of the nurses say she's being transferred to ICU right now together we can make a difference   Be blessed and be a blessing   Jay
Jayallen

Jayallen

5

An amazing fun Sunday/ Father's Day

I spent the day relaxing with family quite extended my son in laws family as always I am considered a member of the family thet ate all so loving and caring. Great food great conversations just a relaxing day. 2 of my grandchildren were part of the mix of seven children all under the age of 10   It was so lovely to not spend this Father's Day At Home Alone. ow up and my son in law's family's I had the opportunity to see two of my daughters and heard by phone for my other daughter and my so
Jayallen

Jayallen

1

Greeting card message by mistake

High drafted a message for my son-in-law celebrating his first Father's Day welcoming him to the club and the true measure of a father I share it with a friend of mine who said you should write greeting cards and of course my response to that is anything I write that would be appropriate for a greeting card is simply mistake right from the heart I don't write for commercial purposes sometimes by accident it does happen that it would be very appropriate for a greeting card but that's not what it'
Jayallen

Jayallen

1

Happy Father's Day

To all my fellow fathers out there I just want to say Happy Father's Day Tallest survivors and Father's thank God we survived or strokes and are able to celebrate yet another Father's Day. The true measure of a father is his love and Devotion to family and those of us that our fathers we are so blessed to have the children that we do   Be blessed and be a blessing, Jay
Jayallen

Jayallen

1

the world is a better place with me in it

I'm not with my counselor yesterday I had a doctor's appointment earlier in the day. And she said I have to agree with your doctor you need to look after your health the world is a much better place with you in it   All I can say to that comment as well am I humbled or what and how blessed am I to have somebody that I respect as much as I do is my counselor to make that comment about me being alive and in this world   We all need to be thankful I'm loving life but I'm also blessed and extr
Jayallen

Jayallen

3

Another blessed day

I stopped for a late-afternoon cup of coffee and a young man that I met at the coffee house a month ago came walking in saw me and said i knew you'd be here and in so glad you are. I am just looking for you to help me lift my spirits he was living in a three quarter house and moved out was moving into another one and they're just treating him very poorly he said well I just been having a really bad day and I just decided I knew you'd be here and I just needed to talk to you because you are
Jayallen

Jayallen

0

Another lesson learned with the new normal

This past weekend was extremely hot mid nineties and h and I realized as I was walking around just as I normally do that due to the brain damage from my aneurysm and stroke my body does not regulate temperatures my body temperature the way it used to just something else I need to be aware of in the past when you said 90 degrees I would start sweating this last weekend I didn't sweat at all and I realized I had to get out of the Heat and get my body temperature back down a little bit that's just
Jayallen

Jayallen

0

Unsuccessful attempt to play chess

I decided today with nothing on my agenda to try to swing by the hospital to play chess with my new found friend I saw his schedule on the board in the hallway he had 3 hours of therapy this morning an hour break for lunch and then another two and a half hours this afternoon let him be at lunch cuz I know he would say well can you come back this afternoon and play little does he realize after five and a half hours of therapy always going to want to do is climb in bed and sleep he may think he w
Jayallen

Jayallen

3

Birthday party for 2 year old

Sunday we celebrated my grandson's 2nd birthday. We had 10 children under the age of 8 running around the house and yard. Thank God for my second chance of being able to witness all those children having so much fun. Water balloon fight between the children they had enough with children going throwing water balloons at their parents Grandpa was off-limits thank goodness. Of course most of the 10 kids were related cousins to my grandson and then all of them look so familiar so similar I'm lik
Jayallen

Jayallen

4