Wesley H.

Stroke Survivor - male
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Blog Entries posted by Wesley H.

  1. Wesley H.

    Angry as Hell!

    By Wesley H.,

    Okay, I can accept that I had a stroke 3 years ago at the age of 54. But now, for my wife to have a bleed stroke at 47 years old is just not fair. God, what were you thinking? You know how much I need her! This is almost too much to bear. You know just how much I need her strength! We don't need this! I am so close to being a non-believer!
  2. Wesley H.

    Still around.

    By Wesley H.,

    Okay; I admit it has been a long time since my last post; perhaps 6 months ago if not longer. For this survivor, life has become almost as normal as it was before that life changing day 2 1/2 years ago. Expect for a couple quirks, most people cannot tell that I underwent a major life changing event. I have regained about 40% use of my left hand, yet playing my guitars is still an unachieved goal. My job is still intact and I can take care of most things around the house. I had almost forgot how much I enjoyed this site and will make an attempt to visit more often. I have become far too addicted to Facebook, but I see that many of my Stroke Net friends are there, also. I you are new to this site... recovery does come although too slow at times. For a guy who 2 1/2 years ago was not expected to walk, Ive done well and wish the best for all survivors in the never ending quest for normalcy.
     
    Wesley H.
  3. Wesley H.

    Catch up Time

    By Wesley H.,

    So, what’s new with me? Well, in my opinion; not too much. Deb and I were recently in Arizona to attend a Fleet Reserve Association in Tucson. We took a side trip down to Tombstone. Now, that was interesting. We walked through the Boot Heel cemetery and saw where Tom and Frank McLaury, and Billy Clanton, who died at the gunfight at the Ok Corral, are buried. We visited the OK Corral, the Bird Cage Theater, Big Nose Kate’s Saloon (Doc Holliday’s girlfriend), and the office of the Tombstone Epitaph, the town newspaper. There is so much history in that town! It was a great experience, and someday I intend to return.
    Things are very well with me these days. I have just recently re-learned how to tie my shoestrings. I may be slow and clumsy; but the end result is that my shoes are tied! I still can’t figure out how to finger a chord on my guitar; but I did figure out how to give someone “the finger”. Never stop trying to improve. My doctor recently told me “not to expect much more improvement” but what does she know? She has never had a stroke; I have! About two weeks later I was tying my shoestrings.
    Sabrina has graduated from high school and now has a bona fide boyfriend for the first time in her life. Mom and Dad actually like the young man. He seems to know what he wants to do with his life; finish school and enter the Marine Corps. Dang, kids grow up fast!
    We’re making plans to go to Kentucky next month to attend my family reunion. I have not been to one of those in years. This will be the first time since my stroke that anyone other than Mom and my sister Paula and her husband has seen me. If anyone will see how much better I have got, it will be my Mother. She came out to California just days after my stroke and I was still in the hospital.
    I still ride my bicycle, though not as much as I would really like to. Deb still worries about me a lot. I can understand; if I were to have flat tire, I probably couldn’t repair it on my own.
    My job is still good and I feel as though I am contributing to the Company. It’s all good.
    Sorry for not dropping in and writing as often as I did right after my stroke, but I still stop in often to check out the Message board and post a comment here and there. I guess that’s normal after accepting and adapting to a new lifestyle. I still care about my many friends here and wish the very best in their recovery.
  4. Wesley H.

    Time Flies!

    By Wesley H.,

    I find it hard to believe that I have not posted anything for almost 4 months! Time has simply flown by. As I have said before, my days have become pretty much routine these days. Sadly, I have acquired a new addiction...damn you Facebook! Although most of my online time is being spent there, I continue to check in here, but have not had much to share. The only thing exciting that I can think of was tapping a fresh keg of beer last week, only to have the CO2 tank become empty 3 days later! Still have to take care of that little problem; it doesn't do any good having 15.5 gallons of fresh beer if you can't get it out of the keg! Oh, here's something... my left arm and hand are still improving 18 months post stroke. I can handle my pool cue half way decent. I can't plant my fingers, but I shot well enough to beat Deb 2 out of 3 games a couple days ago. Now, if I could just strengthen my fingers enough to fret a chord on my guitar and be able to speak without sounding like I have a mouthful of gravel. One more thing; my bike riding is getting stronger. My longest ride so far has been 20 miles, but it sure took me longer than it used to take.
     
    The job is still going fine and I am so lucky to be able to work full time and be able to support my family. The kid, Sabrina graduates this year so I feel the sting in my wallet for all of those Senior year expenses..pictures, cap & gown, Class of 2010 tee shirts and sweat shirts, and most recently; the prom dress and tailoring expense. For the price; that dress had better get more than a single use!
     
    God bless having a routine life again; with only a few deficiencies.
     
     
    Until next time,
     
    Weslet H.
  6. Wesley H.
    A year ago after having my stroke; I told as many friends as I could of stroke warning signs and, in particular, those experienced by me.
    So, what do you think a friend did earlier this week when similar signs presented themselves to him? If your answer is
  9. Wesley H.

    Who Knew?

    By Wesley H.,

    Rising from bed at 4:00AM on this date one year ago, I was oblivious to events that would occur before the sun would set that evening. It was a typical Friday morning and I was anxious to finish the workweek and begin the weekend. All of the yard work had been done during week leaving my weekend free for logging miles on my bicycle. There was no clue; no hint that there was time bomb ticking inside me that was set to detonate in just about 7 hours, putting me in the Intensive Care Unit of the hospital and changing my life forever!
     
    But at 11:05 AM that morning, I collided head-on with my fate. Stoke entered my life as quickly as a rat on a Cheeto
  10. Wesley H.

    MAJOR STRESS

    By Wesley H.,

    We're going crazy here; our hometown Little League team just advanced to Saturday's US Championship game. I'm far too excited right now to talk any stroke related topics.
  14. Wesley H.
    It's rather quiet here in San Diego this morning. But, oh, was it noisy last night after Darren Sproles carried the football into the end zone and advanced the Chargers into the Divisional round of the AFC playoffs! You could hear car horns honking all over town! That was last night and this is today. I arose this morning, made a pot of coffee, sat down in front of my computer and read the Sports Columnists articles in the Inianapolis Star.The fan postings tended to amuse me as they normally do after the home team has experienced an unexpected loss. However, I'll give credit wher credit is due.. they were not nearly as brutal on the Colts as the Denver fans were on the Broncos after last weeks game!
     
    Today should be a great day! Deb and I are having our good friends, Ed and Melanie, over to watch today's games and I am teaching Ed how to barbeque baby back pork ribs. Last night we cleaned, trimmed,and dry rubbed 4 racks of ribs and wrapped them in plastic wrap and placed them in the refrigerator to await today when they will spend about six hours basking in 250 degree heat out on the patio. When done, the meat will fall off of the bone! Add in some barbebue beans, fresh vegetables, and ice cold Sierra Nevada pale ale fresh from the keg, and this day has great potential.
     
    Enjoy your day, as I intend to enjoy mine!
  16. Wesley H.

    It

    By Wesley H.,

    Yesterday I went to the supermarket to pick up some items for dinner. While standing in the checkout line the gentleman standing behind me was apparently studying my tattoo. (remember my tatooo? If not, go back to my previous blog entry from April 22,2009 and you will see the photo.)
     
    Anyhow, he finally let his curiosity get the the best of him and he asked,
  18. Wesley H.
    Look; I admit that I have accepted the way I am these days. But some days are better than others. Today is not so good, and I got a little frustrated. I drove to Target to pick up a few Mother's Day cards and a gift for Deb. I had a hard time openig the cards to read what was on the inside because I couldn't grasp the card in my left hand. I finnaly selected a few cards and moved on. I was looking at DVD's while holding the cards in my right hand. I wanted look at the back of the package. I had been able to take it off of the shelf with my left hand; but in the process of trying to turn it over I dropped it on the floor. I tryed unsuccessfully to pick it up with my left hand, but couldn't do it. wile trying to pick it up the cards slipped out of my hand and went to the floor to keep the DVD company. So, now I had cards and a DVD at my feet. I bent over to pick them up and, have you ever tried to pick up a dime from off the floor? That's where I was!
     
    After sliding the cards towards my foot I was able to pick them up, but I left the DVD on the floor and went to the check out line. I paid for my items and took two steps towards the exit when my cell phone slid out of its holder; hit the floor and the battery cover flew off along with the battery and bounced along the floor. I'm holding the shopping bag with my good hand and trying to scoop up cell phone parts off of the floor. Finally I turned around and set my shopping bag on the check out counter and picked my phone up from the floor. Now came the challenge of re-installing the battery and putting the cover back on with one hand.one the first attempt I had the battery backwards so it wouldn't go in. I got it turned around and properly placed in the phone then, clumsily, I snapped the cover in its place.
     
    I left the store and got into my truck. I could not get my middle and index fingers to wrap around the emergency brake handle; so using my left foot; I positioned my shoe behind the emergency brake Tee handle and pulled my foot towards me releasing the brake. I drove home, went in the house, and now I'm typing this entry with one hand, misspelling every other word and continually hitting the "Caps Lock" key every time I try to depress the "a" key. "Depress". There's a good word for this. You don't know this; but in typing the last sentence; I inadvertedly inserted it into the middle of the paragraph. Vacation just can't get here soon enough!
  19. Wesley H.

    It

    By Wesley H.,

    Just when I was beginning to think I could do almost anything I wanted to do; the wake up calls come in.. This past weekend was not much different than most. I don