Well, as most of you already know, I don't Blog too often but today being Veterans Day and me being here at Fort Hood, Texas, makes me appreciate how far I've come from the stroke I survived almost seven (7) years ago. I survived Vietnam 39 years ago with a back injury, operation and transfer to Letterman General Hospital in San Francisco, CA.

So, knowing first hand, I always got praise for our veterans of any war. To see the suffering of lost limbs, wounds and their physical conditions they suffer and are still smiling really goes to my head and heart.

Then their families, the wives, kids and parents who are now the care giver having to care for them is enough to want these current wars to end very soon. And to think, they should not have been started under the pretenses they were in the first place.

The 59 thousand who lost their lives in Vietnam and the nearly 6 thousand lives lost already in the current two wars stands to reason alone we salute our Armed Forces of all the NATO Countries. Until now, I had not seen so many active duty military men and women still in uniform using canes, crutches, walkers, wheel chairs and scooters wanting to remain active in honor of their fallen comrades.

So for me to have survived a stroke, using a cane and scooter is an honor I'm not sad about and they give me encouragements every day. I just want to say to all my members here at Stroke Net, be encouraged you are a stroke survivor getting better each year as I am too! I salute each of you as well in your recovery.

We support each other daily and I try to make you laugh with a joke or two each day cause it's better to laugh than find reasons to cry which doesn't help heal our egos. A smile is a beautiful thing to see on any one's face, it beats shedding tears anytime. The wounded warriors here are happy people and they always got a joke to tell me and I just pass them along to you.

I hope you take a few moments to say a prayer this Veterans Day! :cloud9: