POST STROKE LIFE

Although my husband’s stroke was a catastrophic event in both our lives, we have learned to cope with the help of friends and each other and his wonderful caregiver, Terri.

He has improved to the point that I can leave him totally alone for an hour or so to go to the store or to the Mall.

Sunday was a big day in his life.  When I got home from Church, Terri had him bathed, shaved and shined up!  We were going out!  I have always been averse to having a TV in our living room, but after giving it some thought and deciding what the living room looked liked really didn’t matter.  What did matter was his comfort and happiness.  Think of spending day after day in the same room, going from bed to chair and back to bed.  That certainly wouldn’t appeal to me.

I thought about it!  I decided if he had a TV in the living room, he could go in there (either walking with his cane and Terri’s help or by wheelchair (if I’m the only one there).  And, I thought that maybe people would be more comfortable visiting him if he was dressed and not in a “sick” room.  SO!!

Sunday when I got home from Church, Terri and I got him in the van— OK, let’s be real here – Terri got him in the van.  She helped him down the basement stairs while I carried/rolled the wheelchair to the garage where he rode the rest of the way to the van.  I put the chair in the back of the van and off we went.  We first stopped at H.H. Gregg and looked at a TV I had already checked out.  It was a good deal and what he wanted.  HOWEVER, they wanted to charge $79.00 to deliver it.  Deal breaker!  We live about 2-1/2 miles from the Mall and couldn’t see a $79.00 delivery charge.

So we decided to see what Sears had to offer.  Terri got him back in the van and we went to Sears, where I went in first and “cased” the place to make sure they had 40” TVs.  He then got out of the van and in to Sears to see for himself.  They had a 40” LG TV and after we decided to take it, they dropped the bomb!  A $39.00 delivery charge!

Although it was more reasonable, we told him that that wasn’t acceptable.  The salesman went to his manager and they waived the delivery charge.  So, while I stayed and paid for it, Terry wheeled Clayton through the Mall to the food court where we had lunch at Fabio’s.

Remember, he hadn’t been out of the house except to go to two doctor’s appointments in several months.  So, what might seem like an ordinary day to some, was a red-letter day for him (and for me and Terri).

About a year ago, I introduced him to the pleasure of a pedicure, which he loved.  So I asked him if he was up to having a pedicure while he was out and he was pleased.  So after lunch, I wheeled him down to The Escape Spa, where he got a pedicure.  I might add here that I have always teased him about his feet.  They never touch the floor bare except to step in and out of the shower.  He always has on shoes or slippers, so his feet without a pedicure are softer than mine with one! I tell him they are “baby-butt” soft.

Although he was exhausted when we got home and he got back up the stairs, he was one happy man.  Realizing that he was not necessarily homebound now that he was stronger helped his outlook.

This is not something I can do alone, since I couldn’t get him down the stairs and in the van and back up the stairs by myself, but then I don’t have to.  We have Terri and we have wonderful friends from our church, Anthony and Dionne Cox and Kenny and Dawn Gainer who are always willing to help.

I have more “life post-stroke” thoughts and stories, but I’ll save them for another blog!

I will close with:  Don’t take your good health for granted.  Things can change in a heartbeat.

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