Music and movement...

It's Saturday....our day of rest!
Hey, I think I need it more than Paul.
I can hear him downstairs....stepping away on his Reebok Step.
I'll go back down in a few and then he can practice walking backwards, sideways
& in a square.
This week Aaron put him through the wringer.
He had Paul go down the lonnnnng stairway at Kessler.....down, down to the basement....and back.
The amazing part?
Paul went from step to step with one foot on each step and no cane!!
Paul has sailed past where he was prior to the seizure.
When he finished I could hear him laughing....the loudest laugh I've heard since his stroke.
I had to go around the corner to find out what was so funny. Aaron asked him
"hey, did you hear about the plane that landed in the Rockaway Mall parking lot?"
The laughter made my week...month!
Once again I'm here to sing Aaron's praises!
He's helping Paul aim for the moon!

Paul is constantly asking to do more speech drills.
He is trying....I mean, trying....clawing his way back!
His effort surpasses words.

Nikki, Paul's cousin meet us for lunch. She really goes outta her way....she lives in Palm Desert and comes east to see her girls and sister. BUT she makes the effort to drive from Manhattan through the tunnel and wanders through Newark....to find her way to Paul!!
What a gem!!

Hope everyone is well?
Having a great summer....love to hear from everyone...with summer news!!
Love to all!

Game of War......

Yesterday Paul had a breakthrough.....he wasn't very impressed
but I was thrilled.
Paul & I played a game of cards...WAR.
I know that sounds pretty simple....but it is huge.
He was just as fast as I was....not that that is any great feat.
But it is NORMAL.
It's been 9 months since his stroke.
If someone had told me that it would be that long to get to this point I would have
thought that there was no way we could remain at this high level of
effort and persistence....on either of our parts.
But here we are.....swinging along and grateful for
small accomplishments.

He has totally switched to Keppra...which may explain the additional awareness/advances.
There is a study at the West Orange Kessler.....Keppra and its affect on aphasia in stroke victims.
Dr. Barrett had asked Paul if he wanted to participate. She inquired before he had a seizure. We thought "ugh...a powerful anti-seizure med...is is worth the risk?"
Duh.....then Paul had a seizure.
So in hindsight it would have been a grand idea.
Anyway....there has been some evidence that Keppra is beneficial for aphasia.
Now that Paul has had a seizure he can't participate in the trial....but he still gets to see if he has some of the benefits of the drug.

Today Andrew Perloff and his wonderful, lovely bride, Sarah came out to Jersey to see Paul....we meet at Montville Inn for brunch. Gail, my sister, dear friends Barbara and Warren rounded out the group. We had peach Bellini's and stuffed ourselves with great egg dishes.
Paul also had the bread pudding.
His appetite is amazing and he works so hard he isn't gaining any weight.
(He looks F A B U L O U S )

Thanks Judy for the bottle of wine...now we really have to go out another night this week..it was great meeting your wonderful Andrew...we'll all have go to CBGB to sample his cooking!!
Judy you are a real dear...thanks for your tender loving care, you always make us feel so welcome at Montville Inn.

Gail has been here for the last 10 days....a real joy.
We've been out with Paul a few times....it's easier in a threesome.
We'll miss her....really miss her!!

Not sure if I mentioned the Jac and fox episode?
Fox chased cat...cat turned and chased fox deep into the woods.
Not good for stress levels....don't want to lose our kitten.
Paul doesn't want to keep her locked inside (he certainly understands physical confinement)
but now if it's an overcast, dark day...I won't let her out.
I guess the fox in our area are fooled into thinking that gray days equal evening.

Paul is really doing well in Physical Therapy. He is ahead of the game.... stronger than he was before the seizure. He also is up to 49 outta 55 on the 'danger of falling' scale. Anything over 50 is considered good....less likely to have a fall!!
He's almost there!
He spends the entire PT session without his cane. Even when he walks sideways and backwards.
The other day he was walking backwards down the hall and John, one of the
Physical Therapists...yelled down the hall....."hey, ya now playing defense?"
Paul groaned!!
His humor still spot on!

We spend hours working on Speech....I mean hour after hour......
He is making progress.
Paul is able to use the word NO...most of the time he can think of the word and then form the word and use it on command.
Which is different than an automatic response.
We've been working on gestures....sometimes getting them mixed up...which can lead to trouble. Driving along and giving me the pee/bathroom gesture when he meant to say OK....is not a good thing!

A few weeks ago Gene Frenette a columnist with the Jacksonville paper called and interviewed Paul. Bob Hayes finally made it into the Profootball Hall of Fame...Jacksonville was all abuzz...giving credit to Paul for all of his past effor to induct Bob.
He wrote a bittersweet article.....
here's the link to the article.
We also heard from a few of Bob Hayes relatives...they called Paul to express their gratitude!

Thanks everyone for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers....I can feel you pushing us up this
slippery hill!!

Hope all of our football friends have great seasons....without any problems with any of the players or coaching staff. No more fistfights....or self abuse!!

Love to all.......

ps.....Paul won our game of WAR........

Paul's Memoirs.......

Paul had been working on his memoirs...I just found this outline/promo that he sent to his agent. He was about 80% finished writing them.
I am so happy to have 80%........
............I dream of the last 20%!!

Paul wrote me a letter.....

I hesitate publishing this note....Paul has worked so hard to get to this point. But as you can tell he has miles to go!

It is wonderful that he has gotten to the point of making letters and trying to form words.
He even paid close attention to addressing the envelope...making sure to scratch out the SI mailing address.
Paul looks at this note and sees just what he intended to write.
It surprises him that I can't read it.

I have spent 30 minutes trying to find out what he intended to write. I have to ask 'yes' & 'no' questions. It's tough for Paul to answer with only one word or head shake. So he breaks out in a series of when, when, wheeeennnn....when when?
"Nope, honey, I don't understand, I have to ask you yes and no questions".
Then it's back to whens....................

The closest I can come to what he wants to tell me....just a note about everyday things............

At times I'm numb with grief.......
.................................................................................................................

Things I've learned

I received an e-mail from Cindy...another wife in the
stroke-rehab-trenches.
I love her list of
"Things I've Learned"

*There is no such thing as a schedule

*EVERYTHING takes twice as long

* I do not know which restroom to use with Jonathan when the sign says handicap & women, or handicap & men. I peeked in the men's and chose the women's.

*I know nothing about plumbing disaster

*I miss my husband

Today's bridge find...

As you can tell...I don't get much beyond our bridge.....