kanderson

rich, how horrible for you, i'm sorry you are still having to see the evil deeds of mankind. this far from home. i understand your desire to get as better as you can post stroke. but i think you need to come home and look for other avenues to try and receive more positive results and not waste your money on foreign scam artists. they are everywhere and they don't care how they get your cash. just my thoughts anyway

sherry, whoohoo, that battle is over and you won. yes we are disabled/handicapped by something we didn't ask for. but the perk to this is a better parking spot and a sign to hang on our rearview mirrors, and the motorized carts in stores. ignore the stares from people because we look fine outside for some, its inside where the damage is. start your 2nd chapter with a toast to yourself, there will be others to get through down the road. but you will get through them. good luck and keep fighting the good fight.

janine, congrats on the new grandbaby. yes that will give you soime happy thoughts every day. i am expecting my 1st in november. i can't wait. the recovery journey has many bumps in the road. we have to get over each one as gracefully as we can. you can't let the stroke WIN. that is not an option. it does get easier with time. keep encouraging larry as best you can it will help you both. this journey maybe the hardest thing in your lives, that you will ever have to do. none of us asked for a stroke to happen in our lives. its a test i think. our attitudes can make or break us. some days will be down days and thats ok, i continue to pray for you both that larry continues to improve and your days get brighter. hang in there, we are here for you both.

happy anniversary dear phyllis. you have walked many a mile to get to this point. i pray you have many more years to celebrate. each one of us will be right beside you along the way. i hope you treat yourself special todayl. please know you are loved and admired for handling the stroke demon twice. i wish you the best life has to offer you. have a great day.

stu, you are a good man. shopping is a woman's key to happiness. i like your new avatar. i bet you feel like he looks,huh. you are enjoying life, nothing wrong with that,LOL. glad you had a good time.

janine, that is great to hear about larry. sometimes its hard to see the one you love work so hard at something like this. but believe me its worth it. he will be stronger for it and able to come home sooner. keep encouraging him. donna is right, therapy will tire him out, until his stamina is built up again. he will get into a routine now. thats way cool about kaisers program where you are able to get results every day. others should do the same. keep us updated on how things are going for you both.

thank you all for your kinds words during this tough time. yes i feel helpless and can't fix the boo-boo's. i am trying to think positively that things happen for a reason. i am looking forward to the grand baby to keep my thoughts happy. i think marc might be coming out next weekend. i will look forward to that as he will be bringing me some items of my mother's home, so that is a happy thing for me to kook forward to also. matt seems to getting stronger every day and handling things well, for that i am greatfull. my nephew is graduating h.s. this week and my dad is there to be part of it. josh got 4 scholarships and i am so proud of him, he will be going to college at purdue. who wouldn't be happy for him. i am feeling good at all the good things around me right now. i still have some anger, but hopefully that will fade with time. thanks again to my friends for cheering me up.

sherry, woo hoo, you did it girlfriend. i am so happy things went well for you. its like a liberation from your bottled up fears and feelings, post stroke. i'm sure ann will be very proud of you. you are not alone in any of this as you have seen. it does get easier, so keep fighting your way through all of this. good luck

kathy, i agree with maria. this move has done you a great deal of good, even though you were hesitant at 1st. you sound like you had a great time with connor. i can't wait to be a grandma. which i will become this november, according to my oldest son marc. the energy it takes to be a grandparent, i will find it somehow, i guess, LOL. your bird watching only adds to the fun. i think you have found your paradise again. ((((hugs))))

katrina, woo hoo you did it. i can remember before you started college, how nervous you were and sp worried about everything. look how far you have come. you did it girl, we all are so proud of you, as i hope your family is too. your awards are awesome. you are truly an inspiration to so many. don't let anything get you down either have a great summer and enjoy yourself.

maria, that is to funny. just wait, it gets even better with boys. yes we are fortunate to be able to experience these things with our kids, although sometimes i wished i hadn't, LOL.

anne, that is great news from the cardiologist on dave. i too hope he can quit successfully. i know how hard it is to quit. lets hope the neurologist has good news too. we can always hope. dave needs to stay well for awhile now. so you both can have some great days ahead and just enjoy life. don't worry about the weeds, they always come back. i'm sure you are a better gardener than most. maybe you both can go away and spend a weekend somewhere other than home. your blog even sounds more upbeat now. i think a big relief has been lifted off your shoulders.

janine, you have gotten some good advice from the above women. god knows this isn't easy for you. no one should criticize you and what you are trying to handle. you have been thrown into something you didn't ask for. you can get through this but you need to take care of yourself too or you will be no good to larry. i would definitely make an appt to sit down with the doctor so he can explain what is going on, you both deserve that much. learn all you can about strokes and have paper and pen with you when talking to the doctor. others here have suggested even putting a tablet as his bedside, so the nurses and doctors can write things down to let you know what happened during the days you are unable to be with him. most nurses are willing to do this i think. it will get better, just hang in there. i send you (((hugs ))) and best wishes. we are always here for you.

kathy, i cannot picture you failing at anything. the cake will turn out just fine. just enjoy the experience of making it for connor. since you are able to be with him now to celebrate his day. your birds are a added bonus to your days now. how lucky you are to be able to see the different species. i hope your new afo helps you to be able to get around better. you are making progress every day. enjoy your spring weather it does help our attitudes i think.

hi bonnie, i too am happy your M-I-L is doing well. i bet you had a great visit with everyone too. i used to work in globe before my stroke, driving to and from everyday. i don't miss that part though. i bet you are glad to be home with your critters and john. i hope he didn't lick your face though,LOL. as donna said, come monday the coffee n cremes will be waiting for you. i can't believe its 3 months already on the smoking, congrats to you, i know it wasn't easy. but you did it. i think we held down the fort for you with our good brain cells working properly, LOL. its good to have you back.

bill, i have to agree with donna. things change that we didn't ask for. you can't help that. if you think you are able to try to go to work, try itout. make sure you talk to your doctor first, telling him exactly what your job entails. your ex should try to get the kids on medicaid. this would be the perfect time to qualify i would think. otherwise get a good lawyer who is looking out for you. good luck.

hi greta, congrats to you for wanting to go back to work. i was not able to but i tried. my voice too has changed since my stroke. it is now softer and can't be heard by alot of people. to me i am yelling if i try to talk louder. i just try to concentrate on what i want to say, then say it slowly, 1 word at a time. if i am tired, that makes it worse. are you still receiving speech therapy to help you with speaking? acceptance of ourselves after a stroke was really hard for me. i didn't like myself, nor did i know the new me. but i took each day as it came and did the best i could, then i realized this is me now and i have to move forward. i didn't forget who i was before stroke. this was something that just happened to me and i can't change that. like getting in a car accident that wasn't my fault. just do the best you can. explain your voice as getting over strep throat or something. but do keep trying, i hope you get your voice back too. hang in there. good luck.

jean, what a gorgeous puppy. cooper will guide him i am sure. you both are lucky to have each other to start this next step in your lives. i send levi a bunch of tummy rubs. have fun with your new baby.

kathy, i too hope your days brighten up abit for you. pain can always make us have a rotten day. i love the zoo's but in a way they are saving the species that you see. i bet connor had a great time too. i can get teary eyed in a flash, no matter what. i keep telling myself it will get better. i'm sure you miss florida and your life there, but look where you are now, i bet its beautiful there. hope for the sun, so you can get outside to watch the birds. i send you some (((hugs))) softly of coarse. hopefully the new afo will help you walk better. did you get a design on it?

bill, i am truly sorry to hear of your pending divorce. playing the blame game only causes pain and anger i would guess. no one is perfect, we all make mistakes, we are humans after all. it takes 2 to make a marriage work and 2 to end it. you need to focus on your recovery and your health. i will pray that you gain the strength and wisdom you need to get through this. DO NOT HAVE ANOTHER STROKE. if you need meds to help you through this, get them. you take care of yourself and do what you have too. its a shame that stroke causes so many marriages to fail. i wish you the best.

blue, welcome to the blog world, i'm so glad you found some release with ann. its hard to accept what has happened to us from a stroke, but accept it we must and move forward. we can't change what has happened, just get better as much as we can. i lost 25% of my brain from my stroke from what my neuro showed me. yes good and bad days are ahead of you but you will get through them/ remember we are here for you to help you. how special it was for you and your grandmother to be together when her time came. i feel the same about my mother who i lost 3 years ago and i was not prepared for it. i was not able to be with her. i think of her every day and i talk to her too, i know they both are watching over us know. i get alot of comfort in knowing that. i hope you continue to improve in recovery and enjoy your trip coming up. i bet you will learn alot. hang in there and god bless.

sue, yes we always need to honor our service men and women for what they did and will continue to do i am sure. they sacrifice so much. i'm glad you and ray had a good day enjoying each others company as it should be. congrats on your upcoming anniversary. yes i agree with donna a virtual party is in order. i'm glad the rain has stopped too. to brighten your days.

jean, how very sad to hear of cooper's passing. it is so hard to let them go. may he forever be in your hearts as he enjoys his everlasting life with friends, in a new place. i hope your grief passes quickly as you enjoy your new friend. cooper is watching over you both and your new buddy. i will miss his blogs.

bill, hang in there buddy, i know driving means alot to some people. here in ariz, survivors have to go to driving school offered by a local hospital to be able to get back on the road again. i myself did not want to drive again because i knew i wasn't able to. still after 6years, i still don't miss it. you are so early in the recovery journey, that is great the dr. gave you the ok already. i hope your wish comes true for you soon. enjoy your baseball games, thats my favorite sport too. keep us updated on how things are progressing for you.

oh kathy, you crack me up. bless your heart. i bet hubby won't do that again, but he did give you a true hug huh. i hope you heal fast and feel better. spring and the bird watching is the best. take care and be well. i send you small gentle hugs. lol