GeorgeLesley

Hard to believe that our summer is coming to a close, but it is. Biggest news for us here is the canoe trip Lesley and I took in July along the US/Canadian border. We allowed 8 days to paddle about 30 miles and do 9 portages which is the land between lakes you must carry all of your gear between. A few of them were most challenging, hilly, rocky, long, one was called Monument portage because it had three official monuments showing the US/Canadian border. We really don't need to see that one again, it was very steep, rocky and about 700 yards long. I am proud to say Lesley carried the food barrel (a hard plastic barrel to keep bears and other critters out of your food). It was the heavyest of the packs, I carried the canoe and one pack. We took two trips to carry all the gear. Lesley only fell once, I fell twice. No harm done, just another challenge to overcome. We made the trip in five days, not the eight we expected. Saw a bear, ate fish, got rained on, saw a double rainbow afterwords, and had a great time. Already planning next years trip. We did learn that in the future we will do what we call "base camping". The moving every few days was tedious and a bit more than we want to do now. Since we had not done this type of trip since my stroke and I am now 67 and Lesley 62, the real purpose of the trip was to see if we could still do it. The answer is positive. I tried to create a new photo album to show the trip for this blog and finally gave up in frustration, if anyone can help show me how I will post the pic's here. All I could get is that I am not authorized. I did it before, what am I missing? Lesley is now in New Zealand preparing a 90th birthday party for her mum. Mum will be 90 Sept 3rd. Amazing lady, still drives, albeit not at night and not out of the local area, and lives alone in her own house. I am here with the dogs, and doing "honey do" projects around the house and getting in some late summer fishing, which has been very good this year. Longtime readers will remember my posting a picture of me lifting my canoe the first time I could after having my stroke. This trip we just took was the culmination of all the effort put into recovery. It has taken over five years, but the results are worth it. I have noticed that I am still getting stronger. I built up significant muscle on the left side (stroke side) during the trip. Shoulder pain is a thing of the past. I am now feverishly working to keep and improve on it. My Bowflex exercise machine and I are good friends again. I know the sands of time are working against me, but I am determined to forestall the effects of aging as long as I can! Sue, I hope this gives some answer to what you mused about a few blogs ago about how we should live life and is it worth climbing the the mountains. I can now say that the triumphs overcome the valleys. My main concern now is that not all of those who read this will see similar recoveries. I know some who worked harder than I and have little to show for it. This gives me concern about whether I have anymore to contribute to this forum. My recovery is not 100%, but it is to the point where I can do most of what I want to. The last thing I want is for some who have had less recovery than I for whatever reason to feel envy or resentment towards me and wonder "why him and not me" and for my blogs to contribute to any frustration or discouragement they are feeling. I remember the dark days of being in a wheelchair and fighting to suppress such feelings in rehab. It is an issue that really concerns me.

Sue Lesley is now in NZ for six weeks visiting her 90 year old mum. She has been complaining about the cold NZ winter since she left here in summer. Winters here are far colder, but guess we are used to it. About people getting on with their lives and forgetting you. Well, I have noticed that twice. First time was when first wife passed away. Nearly all the joint friends we had lost my phone number. Same thing when I had my stroke, all the guy friends got on with their lives and forgot mine. Now that I have made a good recovery, some have come back, now that I can do things with them again. I think that is one of the things that motivated me to work hard at getting better, I realized that if I wanted friends other than dr's and pt's, I would have to get to where I could do things with them or do without

I have noticed as of late it is getting harder to stay motivated to do the things I know help me and even those I enjoy doing. I still exercise often, but not as much as I should. It just seems to be harder to get it done. I don't do well in crowds anymore, and prefer to be alone or just with Lesley. Even getting ready for the fishing season this year was tougher than it has ever been before. However since I have had some success the few times I have gone fishing this year, that part seems to be coming back. One of my "family" members I forgot to mention in a previous blog introducing my "family" was cousin meneries disease, which causes balance and hearing/vision issues. I have had a mild case of it most of my adult life, and it seems to be coming back more often. I just got some new glasses awhile back, my vision sometimes gets unsteady (can't focus well) and I was blaming the new glasses. I finally took them off in frustration only to find the problem remained unchanged. It was then I realized it was the meneries again. It comes and goes without warning, Lesley has to take over driving oftentimes as sudden head movements cause problems. It has progressed to the point I have cancelled my canoe/camping trip with a VA group in June into the BWCA Wilderness because I am not sure I can expect a week of going everyday and keeping up with a group of younger guys. Lesley and I still are planning our July canoe/camping trip, but there I can take a day of rest if I need it and Lesley will understand. I'll be 67 in a few days, I guess some of this is just because I am getting older. (For longtime readers remember the blog I wrote about comet dust a few years ago) Now that I have whined enough about how bad it is, the good news: whenever I do exercise I really feel much better and wonder what the big deal was about doing it. The good news is that I seem to have as much strength and endurance as I have had for a long time. Carrying my canoe and catching fish is as much fun as ever, once I get out and do it. The new truck Lesley insisted I get is now the second love of my life (Lesley is the first. I had to say that, she might read this blog!). So to wrap it up, I have been blessed with a good recovery, but new issues and some old ones keep coming up, constantly challenging me, testing to see what I am made of. So far the hill has not gotten so steep I can't continue the climb albeit a bit slower going than it was.

nancy, the wife and I have considerable RV experience. fulltimed in one for three years, and now have a small class "B" 20'. A few bits of advice. read rv.net forum. there is a forum there about rv'ing with disabilities, and any other subject you are interested in. A word to the wise. Before spending a night on the road, spend a few nights in your driveway. That way, help is just a few steps away. Practice doing everything just like you were on the road. A few days of that and you will quickly learn what you need and don't need to have along, how many electrical things you can have on at once, etc. Then try a short trip maybe 20 miles or so, spend a night away, practice dumping, learn how much water you use, sleeping comfort, food prep, etc. Develop set up and take down lists. Use them! Ignore them at your peril. (don't ask me how I know this). After that, enjoy!

A related event of "brain retraining" just happened to me. I just got a bridge for a missing front tooth. To floss under it requires me to put my finger with floss on it inside my mouth behind the front row of teeth, Try as I might, at first I could not make my hand go inside the upper mouth with the floss while looking in the mirror. The hand just refused to move the proper way, no matter how I focused. I had to turn away from the mirror to do it. Now, a few weeks later I can easily do it looking into the mirror. My brain has retrained itself to allow the new reverse looking hand movement in the mirror. Just goes to show that the mind never stops trying to do what we want, never give up!

You are learning a most important lesson about life. After my late wife died, common "friends" suddenly lost my number. Same thing happened after my stroke. I think they just don't know what to say or how to deal with the "new" you. They stereotype you as do many in the medical community as too bad, she WAS a nice person now her life is over. Not so!!! You are STILL a nice person!!! You know your body and mind better than anyone else. Your determination is essential in getting you thru what is ahead. Keep on keepin' on!!

'Tis the season of travel. Lesley took the new car to Illinois (600 miles one way) to visit an old friend for a week. Yesterday she took off on a bus full of Girl Scouts to a 100 year celebration of Girl Scouting in the USA. They are all headed to Savannah, Georgia, a week long trip. The day after she gets back we are headed out in our motorhome to Indiana to my uncle's 90th birthday party, (my recently deceased dad's last remaining brother) then to Texas to visit a longtime friend of mine, after that to parts unknown. Back home in Minnesota maybe around the 20th of April. Lesley will have to do some of the driving since my focus and endurance are not what they used to be. Fortunately it is a small Motorhome, more of a van actually, so it gets good mileage and driving it is easy. While she was gone to Illinois, I finished off a closet china cabinet she has wanted for years. She was most amazed when she got home. I must confess, it was a real challenge for me, required intense focus. What would have taken me a day or two took a week! Finish work is not my strong suit. Cutting the opening in the door for the glass window was one of the more scary things I have done recently! Not perfect, but she is happy so I am too. I have noticed that when you do one thing on the "honey do" list, the list does not get shorter, something new just shows up at the end. After Lesley got her new car (Honda CR-V), she INSISTED I get a new Honda Ridgeline truck. She knows I have always wanted one, saw me eyeballing it at the dealership, and for the next few weeks kept telling me "hey, you're 66, already had a stroke, just what are you saving money for? Get the truck!" So now we have two new Honda's in our garage. They seem to be breeding! I must confess I love it. Since my stroke opening car doors has be a challenge with my weak left arm. The design of the truck door handle makes entry and exit much easier than anything I have had before. Most importantly it will have no trouble carrying my canoe or pulling my boat! In June I am going on a week long camping/canoe trip with a group that pays for the expenses of a veteran to go into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. All expenses paid! Why not! I told them I have had a stroke, but can keep up with them, just give me a bit of time. Then, in July, Lesley and I are going alone, just the two of us on another camping/canoe trip into the same area for a week, but this time along the US/Canadian border. We are taking a satellite phone just for medical emergencies. It will be a short trip, only about 35 miles of paddling and several short portages (the land between lakes you carry your gear and walk on). We could do it in a few days, but plan to take a week, just so we don't overdo it and have plenty of time for fishing. Then, Lesley is off to New Zealand in late August for a month, her mother turns 90 in September, so she is going to be with her and throw a party for her. I will stay home with the dogs. I went last year, and it is long flight. It took me several days to get over the travel. In between all of this, tending to a garden, fishing, and the usual summertime chores. Then next winter will be upon us before we know it. My project for then is to put all of our music CD's on an Ipod if this old brain can figure out how. The following summer (2013) we are planning a 2-3 month trip in the motorhome into western Canada and Alaska. After that who knows, but with Lesley around I'm sure something will come up. Lesley has just started drawing her social security, and is putting all of it into a travel fund, making all of this travel possible. Sooooo, a busy spring/summer but just thankful we still can do these things, knowing the day is coming when we won't be able to. My coffee cup is empty, you know what that means.....

Sue, One day at a time. Just pray and ask for the strength to get thru the day at hand. Worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. During my first days after my stroke that was the only thing (and Lesley) that got me thru and away from the thoughts I was having. Life has seasons, no season lasts forever, this too shall eventually pass. One day at a time.

Dean, I homebrew as well. Get a single arm capper. I did. Mounted it on a board and it really works well. I brew 4-5 different varieties every couple of years.

You do a wonderful work there Fred, I salute you! When we came back from Vietnam I don't recall such kindly help. As I have said before, war is such a waste, warriors know that all too well.

Sounds like you might have gotten his attention! Good on you!

Sue, I have so much respect for you and what you do and have done. I am well aware of the friends dropping away problem. When my first wife of 28 years died of cancer I remember that many of our "friends" apparently lost my phone number. In my case, time (and Lesley) healed the pain mostly. Your case is different, just like strokes, no two are the same. You are in my thoughts and prayers. BTW, if it is any value to you, the only reason I still blog here is because of your kind reminders.

Fred, reading your blog I am reminded of my first visit to a major VA hospital for disability evaluation. As the wife and I were sitting in the cafeteria having breakfast, I teared up and stopped eating. The wife asked "are you alright?" I sputtered through the tears "no". She asked why and I told her "just look around you here at all the lives here permanently damaged by useless war". What a waste. People that have never been in a war don't understand how much a soldier hates war and how stupid it is.

A bit of news here first, then an entry I hope some get a smile out of. We bought a new car yesterday, Lesley is thrilled. She is "vertically challenged" (short legs). In most cars, when she adjusts the seat so she can comfortably reach the pedals, she is too close to the steering wheel. The new Honda we just bought solves that problem with a tilt/telescoping steering wheel. She says she has never been so comfortable driving in any other car. Now I will take my literary promiscuity to a new level and introduce my "family". I'll start with uncle gout. He visits a few times a year fortunately a few pills and he leaves quickly. Then there is Brother stroke. He visits every morning and always brings his annoying children "high blood pressure" and "blood thinner" with him. He also likes to mess with my left hand, arm and fingers. He has twin boys that visit with him, one called "cold foot" the other "cold hand". I find them most annoying to have around in the winter. Now I can get the best of them though with my heated socks and gloves. He has a wife "Debbie depression" I really found a pain to be around. She showed up right as he did for the first time 5 years ago, but quickly left after I learned how to control their children.Then there is nephew "twitchy leg". He is such a cute little bugger I usually let him sleep with me, but his twitching tends to keep me awake. Sometimes when he sits on my lap watching TV in the evening he likes to keep me annoyed with his twitching. Sister "sore shoulder and weak left arm" occasionally shows up, but usually goes away with some time on the exercise bike and bowflex exercise machine. Lesley claims "miss lost memory" shows up from time to time, but I don't remember that. Mr. "skip a beat a-fib" is a new neighbor that shows up now from time to time, but some meds are mostly keeping him away at the moment. Grandpa "bad Balance" or "Tippy" for short wobbles by once in a while but usually with some focus and preplanning I can get him to leave. Second cousin "can't sleep at night" shows up as well, but an Ambien usually calms her down. Lesley has noticed she has some of the same relatives starting to show up in her life, but that is not unexpected, her mother is 89 and has some of the same acquaintances, so it is a genetic thing that runs in the family. Probably not the best family one could want, but you know the old saying goes: you can choose your friends, but not your relatives! P.S. On edit, Lesley reminded me we had a visit from "miss lost memory" yesterday and I forgot to mention a few other distant relatives. Mr. "weak eyes" visits everyday but I am so used to chasing him away with glasses, I don't even notice him anymore. Cousin "drop foot" is here everyday, but easily controlled with my AFO. Step dad "hearing loss" shows up from time to time, but I don't hear him often, so I just ignore him. When he becomes persistent I have found a quick "huh" or "what did you say" usually solves the problem. If all else fails a blank stare always works. Fred mentioned "aches and pains" visit him, they show up around here as well, but that gives me something to talk about besides Social Security when friends stop by.

Today was a snow clearing day. finally enough snow to clear. We have a 1000 ft driveway and I use our ATV (Quad bike for those down under) with a plow on it to clear things. As I was out there today with my heated gloves and socks I couldn't help but think back to the first snow after my stroke. I remember Lesley and I walking down the driveway together with the snowblower, (we had no ATV at the time) since I could not operate the controls on the left side since my left hand was not working at the time. So Lesley walked on the right side of the blower and I walked (very slowly) along the left side using my good (right hand). We had to use the slowest speed, since I was not very stable or able to walk with any speed at the time. It took us most of a day, but we got it done together. After a few months, I was again able to do it alone. A few medical items, I now get gout attacks on the left big toe joint a few times a year. I have read that tart cherry juice concentrate helps the condition, and so far it has. A nusance, but I get on with it. Also now have AFib of the heart, and am on some meds to control it. The doc said if you live a non active life, it won't affect you. I told him I try to live a active life and am not a couch potato. He then said well "we have to treat it then". I told him yes, one stroke in a lifetime is enough. And so we are treating it. Seems to be OK now. Anyway time to go now.

I am so excited I can hardly stand it! Last summer Lesley bought some locally trapped beaver pelts and had them made into a trooper type hat and mittens for both of us. Today is the first real chance to test them with temp about 0 F (-20 C) and winds of 30 MPH (50KPH). I just walked the dogs with the beaver pelts on and my left (stroke side, always cold hand) was hot when I came in! Lesley asked how I was, and all I could do was get out of the mittens and cap, I was so hot. I had no other gloves, liners of any type on, just the beaver pelts. No wonder the native Americans and Voyageurs were warm. They knew how to do it. I am also now wearing thinsulate lined blue jeans, and that seems to have helped keep my cold left foot warmer. I think the jeans are helping keep my core body and left side leg temp up, and thus helping the foot warmer. Now I can go outside and enjoy winter again, now that I have all the gear to keep warm. My message to all of you who are not familiar with my blogs is don't give up, you MUST always try new things, when the medical community says we can't help anymore, learn to help yourself. Not everything I have tried worked but some of it has. If you have hand/arm issues, try saeboflex.com I did, and it worked wonders. If you have arm curling up and cannot straighten issues, try active release. I recommended this treatment to a gentleman who stroked a few years before I did. He had given up hope of gaining mobility. Now he travels the country driving his motorhome with his wife. I received a lovely letter from him thanking me for the recommendation. The point is not about me, but rather about never giving up and always be willing to try new things. My old blogs have more info. Do not give up! You and your caregiver must be proactive and help yourselves. PT's, OT's, doctors, etc, can and will only take you so far. Remember, they only see you for a few minutes now and then. You live with yourself 24/7. Nobody knows your body like you do. You must make the journey yourself. A happy new year to all, and I shall spend the rest of the day watching college football and drinking coffee.

Nice responses from the last entry. Thanks all. I am always afraid when telling about something new that people will think I am trying to push something on them or make money off the deal. No so at all, just letting people know what has and has not worked for me. Anyway, Lesley is going to make some venison/wild rice sausage. Most of the meat is already in the freezer, just the grinding and sausage to go. She is pumped up, to say the least. I just finished plowing our 1,000' driveway. We got about 8" of snow last night. We have an ATV with tracks and a plow on it for winter use, so it is a lot of fun, actually. I got to test out the socks and gloves I wrote about previously, and still love them. Just do a google search for "battery heated gloves" then for socks and slippers. Amazon.com has the slippers, Sharper Image.com has the socks and gloves. There are other stores that will show up as well. Don't be cheap, spend the big bucks to get the good ones. The socks and gloves will run about $200 a set including batteries and charger, Slippers $100 to $130. Only buy those with the lithium-ion rechargeable batteries, get the 7 volt ones for the socks and gloves. The supplement I have been taking with the Life Extension.com folks is Mitochondrial Basics with bio PQQ. Item #01569. I can only repeat that it works for me. Your results may differ. They have another product they just came out with that is supposed to help regrow brain synapses and neurons, something all of us that have had strokes are interested in. I plan to start taking it next month. They have their annual sale going on now, so I plan to buy a years worth of the stuff. It is called "Neuro-mag" and is a magnesium supplement along with some other stuff. I figure I am 66 and a stroke survivor, my brain needs all the help it can get! Again, I am NOT trying to sell anybody anything, but I would like to hear the results good or bad if anyone else tries these products. Well, since I have done the day's work (plowing the driveway) it is time to attend to my empty coffee cup and watch a bit of football.

Longtime readers of this blog will remember I always am trying new gizmos and gadgets, hence the name of this blog. Well, since my stroke, my left foot and hand get cold very easily. Since we live in northern Minnesota, that is a problem in the winter. I have always been fearful of the foot in particular getting cold in winter activities since I can't feel it when it is getting cold. Well, help has arrived! After trying the heaviest wool socks to no avail, I just tried the new type of battery heated socks. Wow! No more cold foot! They work so well I tried the Heated gloves as well and they also work wonderfully. The batteries last several hours between charges. Not cheap, but I can now do the things I like to do in the winter again without fear. I feel like a kid with new toys. I just had a chance to test both items out today. Last night the local sheriff's office called, we are on the list for getting deer kills along the county roads if we want them. 8PM and we were called. We immediately went and got it, Lesley has recently completed a course in deer processing, and was looking forward to testing her skills. The deer was still warm, little damage to it, but dead. So, into our garage it went and was gutted, and this morning we hung and butchered it. First time for either of us, a lot of fun. As it turned out today is a cold day, temps in the single digits, but my hands and feet stayed warm. Now we have lots of venison to add to the fish in the freezer. Lesley is thrilled, since she was unsuccessful hunting this season. Anyway if cold hands or feet are a problem, there are new solutions even heated slippers. Try them! Another product line I would recommend is from a company called Life Extension. It is not a multi level deal and all the products they offer have a long list of research studies behind them. I have tried one in particular and now feel much better mentally and physically. I tried the product for a few months and felt better, went off it and felt worse, then went back on the product and new feel better again. I'll not go off it again. I find some parts seem to be regrowing, which is a benefit they suggest may happen. All I know is that some things are getting better, and it has been five years since my stroke. Again, I am not trying to sign anyone up for anything, just recommending something that has helped me. Well, time to go now and enjoy winter some more.

I read with considerable interest the article in the Nov newsletter about why some make better recoveries from strokes than others. I can certainly relate to the article. I have a reasonably positive self image, know what I may be able to fix and what I cannot, etc. but to the point of this blog. For long time readers you may remember my friend "Mike" I met in rehab. We had similar strokes at about the same time, and called each other every day for quite awhile after we both came home. Soon it became apparent to me that "Mike" was sucicidal, even telling me how the event was to happen. Mike lives alone, and with the deficits from his stroke, the things he loved to do had been taken from him. I made it my mission to call Mike everyday and encourage him that life was indeed still worth living (even though initially I had some doubts myself). As we both slowly recovered, Mike's attitude improved. He then had small brain bleed, and suffered some mental deficits from that. Understandably his attitude slid downhill again. Now the good news is that Mike has found a lady friend he spends most of his time with and her family. She is a widow and they both seem to be prospering from the relationship. Mike no longer talks much about his "deficits" but rather what he and his girlfriend are doing. It is now hard for me to catch him on the phone and call backs take several days, and I couldn't be happier. I think Mike's story as well as my own reinforce the point of the article in the newsletter, the point being we must first like ourselves no matter our state of affairs, and do our best to accept and be happy with where and how we are. Longtime readers of my blog will remember that I usually wrote positive things, even when what I had just tried was not effective. It wasn't always easy to do that, but I learned early on that complaining did little to help. Trust me, if complaining would have helped, I would have become the complainer in chief! Only my efforts and those around me really made a difference. My coffee cup is empty, longtime readers know what that means.

As a five year stroke survivor I can tell you it can get better even after five years. Ethyl17 you folks have probably heard of the Saeboflex hand exercise device but if not look it up. 4 and 1/2 years ago it turned my hand and arm from curling up and of no use to now working nearly normal. If you look at my blogs in early 2007 you can read about my progress then. Active release therapy I received in Canada (developed in Colorado) also was of GREAT benefit to me and is available in the USA. Not everything I tried back then helped, but these two things did. BTW I had to find out about both on my own, my doc and local PT's did not know of either. I wish you folks well.

Well how time flies! I had no idea it has been so long since I last blogged, but thanks to Sue, I'm back! Lesley and I just returned from a month in New Zealand visiting family and friends there. I had the good fortune to attend one of the Rugby World Cup matches being played in NZ at the time in person thanks to my dear mother-in-law. What a thrill! I also got in some ocean fishing and surf casting, something I had never done before. Otherwise a good trip with family and friends. A very long flight back, taking off from NZ in the morning and arriving back in the US just at nighttime, then having to cross the country without sleep. Anyway, back home now, and all is well. We left our dogs with a friend now living in a trailer on our property. Neat story, I'll make it short as I can. Years ago my parents and I bought a cabin on a remote lake up here in Northern Minnesota. It happens that Mike also owned land on that lake, and lived in a trailer there year round, even in our severe winters here, unable to even get out from the lake if he had to. During this time, he took very good care of my elderly parents while they spent the summers at the cabin. It made our family most happy that he was there as needed. Well, Mike is older now, has had a couple of strokes and some other health issues. I told Lesley that if we didn't do something, we would find his body in the spring, as I don't think he would be able to survive on his own the entire winter alone anymore. So mike's trailer is now on our property, he has heat, water, TV, and anything else he needs. He insists on paying rent, even though we don't require it. Rather like the movie "Play it forward" for those of you that have seen it. I call it turn about, since he helped my parents first. Anyway the summer was good, the freezer is full of fish and veggies from the garden. We are all tucked up for winter here, and have started exercising again as we do every winter. We pretty much stop exercising in the summer as I noticed that after exercising I had little energy for the other activities of summer like fishing, etc. Not good. Lesley is enjoying full retirement now, and besides spoiling me is busy with a garden that is the envy of the neighborhood, canoeing, biking, kayaking, making soap, snowshoeing, skiing, etc. I do my Erector Set hobby (a construction toy popular in the US in the '50's). Interesting side story about that. A 10 year old boy has started building with me and loves it. I plan a story one day about the "Old man and the boy". I also have a friend my age that helps me wile away the winter building models. While in NZ, the Auckland Meccanno Guild (also a construction toy) allowed me to attend a meeting where they displayed their models and we generally had a great time discussing such things. Lesley concurrently attended the "Meccanno widows club". A good time was had by all. Medically all is about as it was, some things don't work as well as I would like, but for a 66 year old stroke survivor, it could be worse! Cheers!

We folks, it has been awhile since I wrote here. So much going on in our lives just no time for blogging. First the medical issues. I am recovering from hernial surgery three weeks ago. All went well, but not being allowed to lift over 10 pounds or do anything much is driving me crazy. But the surgeon said unless I wanted to come and see him again, don't lift anything over 10 pounds for 6 weeks. Lesley is the enforcer and so here I sit! Stroke wise, the left arm improvement I spoke of in the last entry has continued and I can pretty much do whatever I want with it. I no longer have to use the e-stim thing the VA gave me, but it sure worked! Even the curl in the left index finger has gone. Amazing. I have stopped taking the muscle relaxant pills, off all blood pressure stuff except the beta blocker for my a-fib, stopped my antidepressant, in short, I have been blessed and am doing great. We also bought a small motorhome and plan to use it mostly in the fall and spring months when there is not too much to do around here. We are planning a trip to New Zealand next fall to be at our son's 40th birthday party. Lesley is also doing great, since retirement she has stopped her blood pressure pills and also her antidepressant. She is so busy living life now, she doesn't have time to get sad. She and a local girlfriend are now making soap here at home and all sorts of other crafts, she is also playing her Mountain Dulcimer and has been asked to join a local jam group. She has more going on now and has more friends than I think she ever has had before. I have to keep slowing her down. She is now planning next summer's garden, and I am planning the fishing. We have decided to stop the pizza parties with the outdoor brick oven, as well as making the bread for sale with it. We are just flat too busy enjoying retirement and don't have time for it anymore. We will still do some pizza and bread for friends, but just don't have time to do it on a regular bais for sale anymore. Retirement has gotten in the way of it. I have reactivated my lifelong hobby of building toys and models with my Erector Sets. I have sets from around the world and routinely build models with them. I now have a local friend also retired who joins me about once a week and we build together. The craft/hobby room in the basement is getting very crowded and busy between Lesley and I. We have to now swap days for use. I never thought I would be able to use my Erector sets after my stroke, but now I can. We have had a great winter here. Lots of snow, looks like about three feet presently on the ground, no overly cold, just a few days of -20F and only a few days of much wind. The only problem I have now is that since my hernia surgery Lesley has taken over plowing the driveway (1000 ft long) with the ATV and the way she grins while doing it, I may have trouble getting that job back. I had her convinced how much hard work it was, but now she knows the truth - it's fun! Lesley and I have decided since we are both over 60 now, that it is time to lighten the camping gear we carry into the wilderness. So, new goose down sleeping bags, a new lighter tent, etc, will now go into the light weight Kevlar canoe I got after my stroke. Hopefully this will make our portages between lakes up here and in Canada a bit easier. As I said we a truely blessed and enjoying life. As with all of us over 60, a few things don't work as well with the body as we would like, but all in all, we are most happy here. Couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Well, my coffee cup is empty, long time readers know what that means.

I am so excited that I just had to tell about it. A month ago I got an e-stim or tens unit from the VA. I have been using it faithfully nearly every day. The results have been amazing. I am now doing things with my left arm I have not done since my stroke. I can now reach up over my head and actually lift small items with the left hand. I was recently told that I would have inflammation in the left shoulder the rest of my life. It is nearly gone now, and I am starting to remember how I used to do things pre-stroke. I had not realized how much I had started to ignore the left side. As I use it more, more is coming back everyday. Thanks VA!! I was never offered this machine thru normal channels, so you may have to make some noise to get one, but it might just be worth it. I am nearly four years post stroke now, the technician that trained me on the units use said they have had results no matter how long ago the stroke was. Never give up!!

Well here we are with summer over half gone, just flying by. So much news in our lives. Lesley is now fully retired, and we are both finding life pretty busy. Fishing has been very good for me this summer, the freezer is full for the winter. Lesley has a garden that is the envy of all who see it. This spring I added 4 raised beds about 2 feet high and 10 feet long. I also put soaker hoses in all the beds and put a timer on the whole thing along with a fence to keep the deer out. I have no idea what all we have growing but I know it is good! It looks like a jungle. Lesley is perpetual motion, and now that she is retired she is into ever more things. She just completed a three day trip into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area with a girl friend. They tent camped and carried all their gear and paddled thru 4 lakes, all alone. The other gal was in her thirties, but Lesley apparently carried her share. They got back just in time to participate in canoe races up here and finished 3rd in one. Not bad for a 60 year old racing against 30 year olds! She has also picked up a friend who plays the mountain Dulcimer, and now that Lesley has the time and a friend to play with, they get together a couple times each month. I just go fishing. Today we are going to buy a van type camper so we can travel some in the winter and camp up here some in luxury. We are still doing the pizza parties with our outdoor oven and baking bread. I have been treated by the VA recently and must say I am most happy with the results. They gave me a fancy tens electric stim unit, and it has restored most om my left arm deficit, I can now do things that I have not done since my stroke. Medically I have nothing much to complain about. This gizmo has pretty much cleared up the left shoulder pain I was griping about previously, so I can plan on finishing the ceiling in the basement this winter. Well, my coffee cup is empty, so off I must go.