ITS BEEN 4 WEEKS SINCE MY SON LEFT FOR COLLEGE AND ITS SO LONELY AND QUITE HERE.ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. EVEN MY DOG LOOKS FOR HIM TOO. I NOTICE MY WORK LOAD IS MUCH LESS FOR ME. I WASH 2 LOADS OF CLOTHES A WEEK, I DON T COOK MUCH AND THE HOUSE IS MUCH!!! EASIER TO KEEP CLEAN.I MISS BLABBING WITH HIM EVERY NIGHT.WHEN I CALL HIM EVERY NIGHT, HE TELLS ME HES FINE, SOME HOMESICK BUT SCHOOL IS KEEPING HIM BUSY. HE SAID HE JOINED A VOLUNTEER CLUB TO HELP AND UNDERSTAND DISABLED PEOPLE MORE. HIM AND THE OTHER KIDS, HAD TO BE IN A WHEELCHAIR, OR NOT USE THEIR R OR L HAND/ARM , OR TRIED TO BE BLIND FOR A FEW HOURS TO SEE IF THEY COULD GET AROUND, OR DO THEIR HAIR, WRITE ETC. HE DIDNT REALIZE HOW HARD IT WAS ON A PERSON AND APOLOGIZED AND TOLD ME HE APPRECIATED ME MORE BECAUSE HE REALLY DIDN T UNDERSTAND ME. AND THOUGHT I WAS JUST.. MOM! I STARTED TO CRY!! I HUNG THEN AND CRIED SOME MORE! FOR BEING UNDERSTOOD BY MY SON, , FOR NOT REALLY UNDERSTANDING A STROKE PERSON, TIL I HAD ONE AND WISHING THAT OTHER PEOPLE REALLY UNDERSTOOD A STROKE OR DISABILITY AND ALL THAT ENTAILS.ITS LIKE I HAD A LIGHT BULB MOMENT! AN EPIPHANY!I STOPPED CRYING. THEN MY HUSBAND CALLED AND WE JUST YAKKED!OTHER WISE IM DOING OK HERE BY MYSELF. I JUST AM V E R Y CAREFUL OF WHAT I DO AROUND THE HOUSE AND CARRY MY PHONE WITH MEI STILL WORK MY 2 DAYS A WEEK, I GO TO MY STROKE CLUB EVERY WEDS, MY HUSBAND COMES HIM EVERY WEEKEND TO SEE ME AND DO BILLS, CUT THE LAWN, TAKE OUT THE TRASH AND TAKE ME ON ERRANDS AND OUR DATE.. ON SATURDAY NIGHT. AND IM GOING TO START PHYSICAL THERAPY NEXT WEEK TO HELP OUT WITH MY BALANCE.I D LIKE TO GET AWAY FROM MY HEMI WALKER AND GO TO A CANE IF POSS!