June 22 (day before my birthday) my day started at 7:30 AM, I took my

wife to work, and then went for breakfast. Later I went shopping, and

then went and had my hair cut. When I came out of the shop I remember that I felt a strange

tingling on the top of my head, well it was 29C and I thought it was

just because I had just come from air conditioning (if I'd only known).

I went to the grocery store and did some shopping, and then went home to

mow the grass and put the groceries away. When I came out of the house later

I lost my balance and fell down the steps, I thought damn clumsiness

and set about to mow the grass (another warning sign).

Later I picked my wife up at work and had picked up KFC as she was going to have supper with me.

She said my driving was alittle erratic (says that most of the time)

But I should of took it as a warning that something was happening ( didn't see it as another warning).

We went to my work to open up till 9 PM. Around 8:30PM. I felt alittle

weird and said to my wife that when we lock up she can take me to the

hospital because I knew something was very wrong.

Well we locked up, I wasn't able to walk the building perimeter to secure it properly.

My son met us at the hospital, and by that time I

was in bad shape ( not able to walk without dragging my foot). My wife

and son helped me into the hospital, and the first nurse that saw me told

me to lie down as I was having a stroke ( I thought not me I'm too young and have things to do).

I laid down and all of a sudden the right hand/arm and leg quit working just like that. They immediately tried the clot buster, but it didn't work because it had been a piece of plaque ( so they told me) that had broken off in my jugular and partially blocked an artery in my brain (seems to of had happened in the

morning), and slowly took all day to stroke me.

The day after my stroke (unknown to me till almost a month later) my son was brought into the ER on a back board and neck brace. He'd been in a serious car accident and they were just being cautious. I was still in the ER but on the other end from him. I'm glad they never told me he was there as I had enough on my plate at the moment. By the way he's OK now

I spent about 10 days in the hospital, and then a bed opened in the rehab

hospital were I spent 10 weeks of the hardest work I'd ever done.

Between physio, and OT once a day (sometimes two hours long) it was

busy. I have to admit they were great people, very caring of all their

charges.

I was released the second week in September still in a wheelchair, but

learning to walk with a quad cane just the same. I spent some time at home, and then

started rehab in November 2006 (where I'm still going), I hope they keep me until I

have regained whatever I'm able to. I also started OT Febuary 6 th. 2007 ( and am still there, I don't know for how long).