Dunham Family and My Stroke Story!

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

Yesterday, I met a new stroke survivor. She wept. Her stroke was 2 months ago. She cannot speak well. She has aphasia. She has some paralysis. I met her at a stroke support group. I have often said that “Stroke survivors are an exclusive club that no one ever wants to join.”   Like it or not, she has joined our club. Her emotions are incredibly raw. At our group, all of our survivors tried to say “it will get better.” And it will. Nevertheless, we said it is OK to be pissed off and angry. “People” (in other words, non-stroke individuals) say things like “It’s God’s plan” or “This is your new reality.” The one that I detest the most is "my new normal." Really? Most survivors – if they can talk at all – respond to be polite:  “Well, excuse me! That advice really helps! Thank you! I never thought about that.” Inside our broken brains, we are saying “bullshit.”  You have NO idea what we go through every single day. New survivors are always told