Small Victories!

I usually get like 3 bills AT LEAST a week from NYU or whoever with kind yet cutting words about payment so I often leave them alone for a week and don't open them until I feel it's necessary.  Impending bankruptcy is not something I like to welcome with open arms.

So this morning, right before work, I figured I would see what I was being taken for and to my great surprise, I didn't get a bill. I got an actual REFUND! It seems that my insurance covered my MRIs and MRAs and I got serious $$$ from the good old health insurance people.  I'm so ridic happy!

Pleasant news for a Monday :)  Hope everyone is having a healthy Monday!

Addicted to Video Games

I have a HUGE problem playing video games...the problem is, I can't stop. Seriously, I once played The Sims for 6 hours straight and everytime I closed my eyes, I saw little itty bitty avatars moving about. It was scary and annoying at the same time. With that said, I love me some games, don't get me started on my Mario or Zelda addiction...

A couple of years ago, I bought Brain Age for my Nintendo DS.  For those of you who don't know, Brain Age is a game designed to sharpen your noodle and improve your...brain's age. I was discussing this with my coworker yesterday and she told me that a doctor actually prescribed one of his stroke patients, Brain Age!  That is AWESOME.  When you look at it, you'd be saving a ton of money on therapy by playing brain teasers that cost you a one time fee of $49.99.

See, your parents were wrong, video games ARE good for you. :)

I Hate Waiting

Patience is a virtue.
I'm not really feeling that right now.
I want my blood protein results NOW.
...Why does that sound kind of dirty?
But I do.
Why does this take so long when we seem to be in the day and age of the quickness with medical stuffies?

H.O.P.E. For Stroke

http://www.hopeforstroke.com/ is such a beautiful, inspiring website filled with stories of survivors and support.

Healing
On
Positive
Energy

I was brought to tears reading all they went through.  If you are a caregiver, definitely go on this site.  You'll meet people just like you.  I know I am always talking about stroke victims.  I have to shout out the caregivers.  Your job is FAR FROM EASY.  Anyone who can have a smile on their face 24 hours a day while taking on the difficult task of taking care of someone else and not complain, not say a negative word should be immediately streamed towards sainthood.  You are the people responsible for making us feel better.  It takes a special person to do this.  Words can't express how much I respect you.

There are also touching poems and videos on hopeforstroke.  I'll close with a wonderful poem written by Linda Murray who suffered a stroke in 2009. 

Pocket of Rainbows
My pocket is filled with rainbows,
blue purple, and pink
pouring out on the grass
where people walk in their bare feet.
A storm is coming.
It turns the sky black,
reminding me of my stroke
so I reach to a cloud,
pull soft white paper down to cover me,
and push the stroke away.

Vacation Stroke Joke

Don't come to the drinks truck if you don't want an alcoholic drink...

Only being able to have 3 or 4 drinks on Carnival Monday was a challenge! I had to space everything out which caused me to run into some problems on the road!

ELJON: Hi, can I have a pineapple juice and soda?
TRUCKTENDER: And?
ELJON: And ice?
TRUCKTENDER: And?
ELJON: Uh, a million dollars?

Trucktender shakes head.

Keep Your Brain Sharp!

Wiggle Your Peepers!
*Can't remember where you stashed your glasses? Try looking from side to side. Rapid horizontal eye movements causes the brain's two hemispheres to interact with each other more efficiently, explains memory researcher Andrew Parker, PhD. In moments of temporary amnesia, that action may help you pull up information.

*Taken from http://www.oprah.com/

Tattoo Me!

This Saturday was a big day for me. With all the doctors appointments out of the way and my six month mark of the stroke coming up, I wanted to get something to commemorate my experience. I've wanted to get a tattoo of the stroke ribbon for awhile now so a couple of weeks ago, I went to "East Side Ink" for a consultation with this dude, Needles and made an appointment. 

I was strangely calm walking into the tattoo parlor. I had slight bouts of excitement but for the most part was ok and not nervous.  In fact, I feel nervous just talking about it.  Talk about delayed response time, Eljon!

 

I decided to get "walk by faith" tattoo'd right next to the ribbon.  I had to keep telling myself to have faith that I would get better.  Health would improve.  I would forget this sometimes.  Like anyone, I got down every once in awhile but again, being reminded by friends and family that time heals made it better.  Inktime only took about 45 minutes. I'm still getting used to it being there!  It itches!  I'm really happy :) 

*The red on the paper towel is ink, not blood!