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Congratulation's Steve

garydotgray

Entry posted by garydotgray

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Hi everyone

 

Just began reading the June issue of the Strokenet Newsletter and Lin you have done a great job as per usual. (you deserve a great deal of thanks for your continued dedication and commitment to having this great publication out on time EVERY month.

 

I was going to email Steve to thank him and congratulate him on Strokenet being recognised as a source of stroke support but I decided to make it a blog post instead.

 

Steve you were ahead of your time with this concept and your vision, hard work and dedication has provided one of the best stroke support communities available on the net....THANKS!

 

Now I understand that it possibly would not have happened without the support of a great deal of people such as your wife, family and all of the Strokenet volunteers.

 

Stroke survivors and caregivers alike have and do continue to come to this site to receive information and support that they just can't find elsewhere.

 

I have been a member of your site since 03 (one year post stroke) and I have appreciated the support I have been given by other members here.

 

Some of those members have moved on to other things and I have also not been around as much over the past year. I guess that is part of the healing process and life. (something to be thankful for)

 

I still stay in touch with most of the survivors that I have met here and continue to meet new ones as the find their way here.

 

I know from your posts and messages that you do not have an easy ride and I wish that was not the case.

 

I wish that there was no need to have a Strokenet site, that stroke didn't ever exist and that everyone who has had to deal with the effects of stroke didn't.

 

But in a real world we do have strokes and have to deal with the after effects of them. Then like a sunny day after months of overcast skies and rain Strokenet comes shining into our lives.

 

Thank you everyone for all of your efforts to make it that way. Thank you everyone for just being there and thank you Steve for your vision that is slightly ahead of it's time.

 

I feel that this site justly deserves the recomendation that has been given it.

 

I wish you all continued future success.

 

Smiles :)

 

Gary

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bstockman

Gary, Thank you.. you have been and continue to be real friend.

 

We are glad you pop in and keep us updated. We miss people, but also happy that progress has been made and sometimes moving on is a good thing. But always happy to hear of updates and keeping in touch.

 

You and some of the other members when I first joined are not around as much, but will always have a special place in my heart for the support and comfort given to me.

 

Bonnie

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HostAsha

Gary:

 

I am in hihgly awe of Steve, and all the people who supported me through my initial days, I was so happy to find strokenet online where I no longer felt outcast or different from society, I felt part of the group, I know lot of people I have met here been able to move on, but at the same token I feel your presence and updates once in while gives all newbies hope of light at the end of tunnel, today I feel I am at better place but I would like to give that comfort to newbies who r still struggling to find end of the tunnel, and without this great site and lot of volunteers on here that would not be possible.

 

nobody wants hardship in their life but once it happened this site is lighthouse of hope.

 

Thanks for still being friend of ours.

 

Asha

 

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garydotgray

Thanks girls (Bonnie and Asha)

 

You both deserve much higher praise than I could ever give you. Being a caregiver and a stroke survivor you have (between you) experienced both sides of the stroke coin.

 

This site has been a wonderful lighthouse of hope for me as well Asha. I have and continue to meet so many wonderful people here.

 

As I said, I think it is that special mixture of vision, support and family atmosphere that makes Strokenet so special.

 

Thanks for being a friend both of you and don't worry if I am not on Strokenet as much I am never very far away.

 

Recovery is wonderful but the new life friends that you make along the way are AWSOME!!!

 

Have a great day both of you.

 

Smiles :)

 

Gary

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  • Founder and Owner
smallory
  • Founder and Owner

Thanks for the feedback, Gary! A while back someone was concerned and said something to me about previous members not posting anymore. I told them that this is actually a good thing, as far at I was concerned. I told them that we are here for when people DO need us!

 

So, it looks like we have been recognized for living up to meeting our mission! I could not be more thrilled and have to thank God for providing the vision and floor plans for becoming what we are!

 

If you don't mind me reminiscing a bit, 11 years ago, I started with 1 web page that had little information about stroke. 11 years later, we are a registered non-profit organization with over 5500 registered members. Before on-line databases were possible I setup my own method for keeping track of new members and we had over 10000 people who had joined. We used to have twice as many members in the first 5 years. My system kept track of numbers but did not maintain a database with member personal information. My web site had an AOL Internet address so it was listed on the AOL disability page for stroke resources. I designed a much improved web site and moved to an Internet address that would allow everyone. I felt that it was not right to only provide on-line stroke support to American On-line members. This was the right decision because AOL drastically changed and my web site would have been removed, AOL has REALLY changed!

 

Anyway, this is how The Stroke Network got it's start! If you are interested you might want to read http://www.strokenetwork.net/media/ :juggle:

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garydotgray

Hi Steve

 

Thanks for your reply and the additional information on the background of Strokenet.

 

I can see that I am a relative newbie having stroked in 2002 and finding Strokenet in 2003. As you are aware from our previous communications I am interested in increasing awareness of stroke and how to prevent it as well as being aware of the signs of stroke.

 

I have recently been asked to share my experience with local volunteers, (article), allow my story to be told in the June issue of the PEI Heart & Stroke Foundation newsletter and tell my story at the upcomming Provincial conference on November 01, 2007.

 

In preperation for the fall conference I feel that the presentation would require a little more formal preperation. That being the case I thought that I might be able to include some information on Strokenet and would like to get your thoughts.

 

Being located in Canada it may or may not be something that you would support.

 

Anyway if you think it would be worth consideration you could IM me and we could talk about it.

 

The stroke stats seem to be reflecting more and more strokes as our communities continue to enjoy the fast food, fast pace, high stress lifestyle and the baby boomer demographic continues to age.

 

Again thanks for your response.

 

Smiles :)

 

Gary

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