merichsen

Nope no gas Wes. My guess would be it may have been somewhere around 9 or 9:30 on the east coast. The time everyone here starts to crash and you left coasters all bail out for dinner. Happens all the time so don't take it personally. There isn't even a scheduled chat on Saturday night.

If you do try over the weekend, there is a theme chat on Sunday at 2... since there's no football to watch. My husband not only saw his team go down in flames but also his excuse to not do things around the house on Sunday.

Be well,

Maria

Marie,

Congrats on your sons engagement. Sorry you were disappointed about not being part of the announcement and festivities, but he's happy and you know that's all you truly care about. I will also keep you in my prayers for a resolution. You deserve to be part of and see his wedding.

Maria :friends:

Wes,

There's no exam to progressively move through the "ranks" The membership tag is based on your number of posts

Here's how they are tiered http://www.strokeboard.net/index.php?autoc...DE=02&qid=4

Sorry you had a rough time in chat. It takes a bit to get used to but if you keep at it you will. What you will see also is that there really is only one conversation going on. The rest is just something said to someone else aside that can either be ignored or you can choose to join in on. Under "options" if you select "line separator" that will place a line between each speaker and make it easier to read and keep up as well. Keep trying, you'll get the hang of it.

We are a family here on Strokenet. It's very cool that you brought your own too. We usually only get to hear about people's families, this is nice that actually get to meet them :friends:

Will they feed us? always a big one around here

Maria

Leah,

You really do sound like you're having a great start to 2009! it's great that you've found peace of mind emotionally and some reclaimed sense of independence. Happy 25th anniversary! I hope the rest of the year's blogs are as happy as this for you.

Maria

Wes,

Don't count yourself out just yet. A good place to start would be to start thinking more optimistically. You'd be amazed at how many of us go on to live very full productive lives, but it really does start with your attitude. This is really no picnic and I can't argue that one. You're right you can't undo it and you have to move forward so you have a choice. You can be miserable and stagnate or choose to smile, try to do your best with what you have, and enjoy life. The second option certainly sounds better to me especially since you don't know what you may find that way, and the first is certain misery.

Hope to see your smiling face around the board,

Maria :friends:

Bart,

I will give you that. It is a catchy little title. No you don't get to go sledding, but you are there for the hot chocolate and you can give out warm hugs when they return. The upside is you also don't have to shovel the stuff.

Maria

Keep taking pictures Seeing new pictures of her in different outfits is the highlight of my day.

Maria :mwah:

Jet,

Iit's great you're getting over your anger. That's never a good thing to hang on to.

We're happy you've come so far and we were able to play a supportive role in it.

Be well and congrats on your 2 years!

Maria :friends:

Janine,

if you were on the outside like we are. You would truly appreciate just how fitting your handwriting metaphor is to your transformation. Sounds like you're ready to try your hand at some calligraphy and a paintbrush. May 2009 be filled with much color, bright happy days and good health.

Maria :friends:

Anne,

You're doing just fine so there's no need to be excused. You'll come to see the great comfort of this place is that we all know that heart wrenching feeling you're having of just wanting your life back. You had everything ripped out from under you in the blink of an eye and if you could just shake this whole thing like a bad case of the flu, you could get on with your life. Unfortunately as much as it feels like that, it doesn't work that way with this. There is no quick fix for this and you don't just shake it. It's a long hard recovery road back, but you do get there. Blogging will help you work through your feelings greatly as will getting involved on the site. We've all been there and are happy to help by offering encouragement and support to you along the way.

Maria :friends:

Have to honest with you Doug..over my head too. I'm not really sure I'm following either.

Best I can figure he used a your debit card to pay for a bill that your father already pays for.

I have to ask because I'm not seeing it. What does he stand to gain from that? What did he do

with the $3,065?

I do love dogs, am up to quota, and don't have money. The best I can do is be your and Teddy's

friend here. Not quite the same as cold hard cash, but hope it will do.

Maria :friends:

Yolie,

Without a doubt was more fun. I truly appreciate it now as I sit through endless wrestling matches in smelly gyms praying that all emerge with their ability to walk. Someday I'm sure I'll look back and miss this too.

Tootie is adorable in her uniform and getting so big!

Maria :friends:

bart,

At one point my husband said to me do you think you could please stop telling me how I feel? It seems you are doing the same thing I did. You seem to be making assumptions about how your wife feels based on how badly you feel about yourself right now. You don't get what she can see in you right now, but maybe you need to give her credit for having just a little more depth. You also need to realize that there's a lot more to you than what's on the surface. You're a very warm, likable guy who I just sense if you weren't so depressed is pretty upbeat too. Even through the depression that comes through so it seems you have some very outstanding qualities to work with.

We love having you around and I'm very sure your wife and family does too. You just need to accept and start being a little happy about the fact that we're all willing to accept you as you are.

Maria :friends:

i would say you could only look as crazed as Jack Nicholson when pigs fly, but hey seems they do and you are a bit off kilter woman. They are just waaay too adorable and the irony is that I couldn't find them on the sock site and then viola they arrived in the mail via the sick fairy.

We're very happy you found us too honey. You already offer support....support hose. You always make me laugh and take comfort in knowing there's a fellow wacko up north. I think you have a wonderful attitude. You've learned to laugh at yourself and the many challenges stroke has brought upon you instead of become just frustrated by them.

Enjoy your water therapy and stay off the ice ~ you don't want to be a snowbird ~ that's what old people do not one eye browed pig socked Esther Williams chics such as you.

I love you,

Maria :hug:

Yolie,

Enjoy Taylor's involvement in all the activities. I miss those days. I'm not sure who was having more fun them or me.

Sounds like it goes the same for you. I'm sorry she's still having difficulty with seizures and pray she outgrows them.

Can't wait to see pictures.

Maria :hug:

Sherry,

So happy you are back:)

You are quite a world away from where you were thank God!

Everything you say is true It was never you, you are not damaged

You do deserve respect and love - settle for no less

You are a wonderfully warm, and nice person and anyone who doesn't appreciate that doesn't deserve the honor of having your sunshine in their life.

I'm so glad you are finally starting to see just how strong you really are. As you continue along now in your recovery you'll only continue to gain strength. You're friends here will always be here to listen, cheer you on, and stand by your side.

Please come around more often, we'd love for you to be a regular part of our family.

Maria :friends:

Kathy,

Either I'll have to don Bosox gear or you Yankee, either way one of us will have our kids disown us, but we'll room together honey. If nothing else we'll die of laughter eyebrowless and blind with bad haircuts. Don't stress and overwork yourself, you will be fine. Things seems to have a way of working out. Continue to say no to others and stop to yourself, running yourself into the ground won't improve your fatigue issue. All will be fine honey and you can always come and live with me.

Maria :friends:

OMG HERE IT IS I had to come back to give the cut and paste of my exact words from when you cut your own hair.

I also want to thank you for making me laugh so hard I have coffee coming out of my nose. You can thank me for that mental image.

However desperate you get do not attempt to wax your own eyebrows with one hand it's not a good idea with 2 with 1-there's a good chance you'll never see again

SOME PEOPLE NEVER DO LEARN DO THEY?

Didn't we learn not to attempt these things at home after our botched hair cut.IN FACT I will have to go back and look I'm pretty sure i said to you at that point don't try to wax anything. One hand - wax what's wrong with that equation babe? You're lucky you didn't rip your eyelid off.I hafta tell ya though, you must have been quite the kick. Few egg nogs in ya, eyebrow pencil smeared up your forehead. Nuthin the lampshade didn't cover I'm sure. ~~S'Why I love ya so Lucy ~ next to you I'm wrapped pretty tight.

Maria :friends:

Bart,

I know this seems easy for me to say from the cheap seats but try to understand that your wife is hurting now too. I went through this for a while with my husband. He finally broke down and said. You know this happened to me too. I lost you as I knew you forever and that hurt. One day you were there and all was good and we had a life and a future and the next everything changed and you and everything as we were was gone and it hurt. Maybe right now tending to your immediate needs is the best way she knows how to keep the family running smoothly and held together and believes that is what is most important and what you would want and is best.Try to understand that she and the whole famiy are adjusting to how the stroke has changed everyone's world.

Maria

Jan,

I love Neosporin. I had a nasty gash on my leg when iIwas in ICU that no one could determine where I had gotten. The assumption was it was from when I had seized and thrashed somewhere while ambulating. Despite the doctors' best efforts it was not healing as quickly as they hoped. As they were resolving to call in a dermatologist, I argued that if they would just put Neosporin on it, they'd see results and all would be fine. I think they upped my meds and knocked me out. Probably didn't want me to see the Neosporin being applied lol-more likely to shut me up.

Sorry you're feeling lousy and hope your nose dries up. Stay off the ice, be careful and hopefully before we know it spring will be here.

Maria

When my kids were little I never used black as the distinguishing point for my kids. I would simply say ask the kid in the green shirt if he wants some chips as if that was the only way I could find to differentiate the kid. Now that they're older they still don't see skin color which was exactly what I wanted. Norman, the kid in the green shirt, is my younger one's best friend and has been since preschool.

Yolie, A very Merry Christmas to you and yours too. I got a new computer and realized your email address is on my old one can you please send it to me again? merichsen@strokenetwork.org

Maria :friends:

Doug,

Your title to this says it all. The truth hurts and the easiest way to avoid hurt is sometimes denial. As a mother of 2 sons I think she does love you both the same and because she does, tries not to get in the middle and unbeknownst to you probably defends you to him. Each of mine would like to think they have my favor against the other, but I do love both the same. Whatever issue they take with each other has nothing to do with me and I won't allow myself to be used as a weapon in their battles. It's not easy to remain neutral when you're smack in the middle, but to do so she can neither agree nor side with you.

You've come so far with your counseling to allow these emotions to retake control of your life again. Moving to Arkansas will put some geographical distance between you and your brother which can only serve to improve things in that area. It probably would be best right now if you focus on getting you and Teddy there. Keep me posted- I worry about you guys.

Maria

Donna,

I love your new pic ~ that blue is you very pretty. Quite the social butterfly-good for you, you deserve to smile. Those hurricanes go down easy and you start to lose count, right about the same time all the songs the dj plays are your favorite.

I'm sorry you're having a scare with your mammogram results and am glad you are brave enough to follow up with the biopsy. You know I will keep you in my prayers dear friend that all will be fine.

Thanks for the great poem. Enjoy your Christmas with Kristi

I love you,

Maria