Dunham Family and My Stroke Story!

I have not updated my blog for several weeks. “Life” gets in the way. “Life.” Sometimes, “life” is just a word. The text book definition of “life” is “ the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.” I am so grateful for my life. This time of year should be a celebration of life. Yet, I am having trouble being merry because of a sense of loss I feel. Today, I drove around Boise just to “feel.” It is a wonderful winter day, with bright sunshine. I have so much to be thankful for. I look at my son's happy face with his dog, and I am in my happy place. 5 years ago, I was wrapping Christmas presents when my first signs of the ominous and impending strokes that happened in January of 2012. It has been five years of struggle and wondrous joy. Nevertheless, the  fatalistic nature of my soul still gives me pause. I try not to ...

My Great Grandfather Martin Ludvig Robertson was born December 14, 1871 in Stensvig, Norway. He arrived from the USA in 1891. He moved to Kalispell, Montana, married, and started his family. In 1908, he built this house north of Kalispell.  My grandmother Agnes is the little blond girl on the right in the photo. Martin died January 8, 1937. My great grandparents farm is now the site of the Flathead Community College. It seems fitting -- or not! -- that his Great Grandson (ME) is the new chair of the College of Western Idaho. I often think about my ancestors who struggled for generations to build a better life for their descendants. We are all so lucky.

A lot of people have been asking me about the CWI elections including my race and the CWI Bond Election. Before I comment, here is some background. At CWI’s inception in 2007, Boise was the last metropolitan area in the country lacking a community college. According to the publication “Inside Higher Ed,” in 2007, “J. A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation led an effort called “ Community College Now! ”  an awareness campaign. At the same time, leaders in the Treasure Valley including prominent businesses such as Micron Technology Inc. and the Chamber of Commerce ’s , began a campaign that raised more than $300,000 for voter registration, mailings and advertisements in various media. Proponents of the new district knew what they were up against: a state with a significant aversion to additional taxes. But the campaign emphasized the proposed college's benefits to the local economy, as well as the educational opportunities it would open up to new high school graduates,...

I voted early. I have always voted on Election Day since I cast my first vote for Ronald Reagan when I was 18 years old.  That was the 1980 election. I could not stomach another four years of Jimmy Carter's inept presidency and "malaise."   I wanted to vote early this year for several reasons. I voted for myself for another term on the Board of the College of Western Idaho. I am unopposed. Tough race! My second reason is to support the CWI Bond Election. It will be a tough race because state law requires a 2/3 rd   vote. Despite the compelling need, the reactionary anti-tax voters will be voting against us. I voted early to change my luck! Third? Well. Our horrifying presidential candidates. At the voting booth, I thought I would get a vision about who is the best of the worst candidates in our history. No vision came to me. I voted begrudgingly and held my nose. The early voting at my county was crowded. The handy cardboard temporary ...

A very insightful article about strokes and broken relationships. Every stroke survivor has similar stories. http://m.brainline.org/content/content.php?id=679

About five years ago, my step father suffered a minor stroke. I rushed to Twin Falls to be with him and my mom.  The neurologist made Karl do several tests. My mom and the neurologist left to talk. I held Karl's hand, and he mumbled "it's tough to get old." Karl was very athletic and vibrant. However, almost overnight he got old. He was diagnosed with macular degeneration and then started to wear hearing aids. I still have a picture of Karl showing our son the lighted magnifying that Karl used in a vain attempt to read. The loss of his hearing plus his eyesight was devastating. It seemed it was it was a 10 year long struggle to the death. When Karl had his stroke (maybe more), I didn't really comprehend what a stroke meant. When my strokes happened, I realized the horrible affects. Karl not only had a stroke and perhaps a heart attack, he had to deal with loss of eyesight and hearing. No wonder was so depressed. Because of my strokes,...

For months I have been plagued with earaches. I saw several PAs and finally my doctor. The PAs essentially said, "You have a virus but it'll get better." It did not. I was prescribed an antibiotic to get better. It did not get better. When I finally saw my doctor he laughed and said, "Wow! Your left ear is a mess!" Really.... Finally I saw an ear doctor and then an ear specialist/surgeon. It seems I have " Cholesteatoma  is a destructive and expanding growth consisting of keratinizing  squamous epithelium  in the middle ear and/or  mastoid process . Although cholesteatomas are not classified as either tumors or  cancers , they can still cause significant problems because of their erosive and expansile properties resulting in the destruction of the bones of the middle ear ( ossicles ), as well as their possible spread through the  base of the skull  into the brain. They are also often infected and can result in chronically drai...

On Friday I'm undergoing minor ear surgery. It's not a big deal until you have to take blood thinners like Plavix. I take Plavix.  Sunday morning, I quit taking Plavix on Dr.'s orders. Lots of doctors! Instead, through Sunday to Friday morning I inject myself twice a day with Lovenox. The syringes are small.  The needles are about a half inch.  Using blood thinners makes people bruise easily. However, injecting myself with Lovenox is a different story! Throughout the week I will inject myself nine times. This bruise resulted from three injections. On the other side of my abdomen, I have similar bruises. To make it even better (or worse), when I get out of surgery it seems my head will be wrapped. My son laughed, and said, "Just like a dog, you'll be wearing the cone of shame." The Saturday Market downtown, Boise State's first home game and Art in the Park. Great timing. Calgon - or anesthesia - take me away!

IT IS OFFICIAL! I am running for re-election to the Board of the College of Western Idaho representing Zone 5! I am asking for your vote November 8th! Though I represent Zone 5, I am “elected at large” meaning ALL voters in Canyon and Ada Counties elect trustees. I have been on the board since the beginning in July of 2007 when we had one vacant building, a hundred acres, no programs, and no personnel. We didn't even have a phone.  Nevertheless, we had huge dreams and expectations!  In those nine years, CWI has become the hallmark of community college innovation, serving more than 20,000 students every year and helping business and industry to succeed.  Look what CWI has done so far!  https://youtu.be/GWYXZy3-ArY My job as a trustee is not finished yet. I am seeking another four-year term because I want to complete the accreditation process, finish our strategic planning process, and help develop our campuses in the valley. I hav...

Yesterday, I was deleting a whole bunch of old computer files because I am donating an old laptop. This laptop was the state of the art when I bought it in 06. I bought it when I cofounded a real estate school and I used it until my stroke in 12. I couldn't use the laptop after my stroke simply because it was confusing to me.  Therefore, opening old files was like opening a ghost life. I had thousands of emails from Envision Real Estate School, Boise State University, Idaho Commerce and Industry, and the Idaho Associated General-Contractors. For many years, long before Hillary Clinton had a private email server, I used two laptops: Company ones and my HP laptop. I have a habit of copying important emails from my work laptop and my HP private laptop. "Just in case." Opening old emails trying to clear sensitive information was like opening a window to a forgotten world. Real estate matters, strategic confidential emails plotting legislat...

Yesterday I had a doctors appointment. My wife is out of town and my son was still asleep when I left. Therefore, I wrote a note for our son to explain. Same handwriting! No misspellings other than a dog's name. The phrase "wrote a note" would seem to be second nature.  However, when you have aphasia, simple every day tasks sometimes are an unbearable struggle. For several years since my strokes, writing a simple note was incredibly difficult. When I try to write notes, I have to concentrate on every single letter. I used to be a grammar and spelling whiz. Today, my spelling skills are at best mediocre. That same doctors appointment, I had to fill out work. I had to write down our pharmacy which is "Fred Meyer on Franklin and Orchard." I had problems remembering the spelling of "Meyer." I could not remember how to spell "orchard."  Recently, noticed that filling out paperwork or writing notes are getting be...