Dunham Family and My Stroke Story!

On November 10, 2011, I wrote a blog post about sons and fathers. My son was six years old when I did that blog post. Now he's nine. On November 10, 2011, I wrote about our son: "He  admonished me to get a different job such as a mechanic because they know how to do cool things, make lots of money, and don't have to travel." Today, 2 3/4 years later, I am missing our son's first day of fourth grade at Sacred Heart school in Boise. I'm in Coeur d'Alene for meetings.  I am missing him already. It seems so normal. I hark back to when my son said I "should get a different job." And here I am again. Is it worth it for me to strive so much to "get back" when I miss my son and my wife? This morning, at that Idaho Governors Cup, Gov. Butch Otter sat down with me alone and asked how I was doing. His concern is so genuine.  Six years ago at the Governors Cup in Coeur d'Alene, I left early to see my son's first soccer p...

My brothers have been a big influence in my life. My brothers are different in some ways but similar in so many ways. I am the youngest of the four brothers, and I learned a lot from them. When I was in the 8 th grade preparing to preregister for 9th grade at O’Leary Junior High, one of my brothers suggested that I should take typing in the 9 th grade not the 10th grade which was normal. He took typing in the 10th grade. He said the typing teacher at Twin Falls High School had some issues with him. It involved a sandwich and electric typewriters. It seems that my brother did not really like typing, the teacher, and perhaps school in general. The fact that the typing teacher had been teaching since the early 40’s predating electric typewriters was not the issue. It seems that my brother took a bite out of her sandwich when she was not looking and he also sabotaged one of the electric typewriters. I took his advice and took typing in the 9 th grade. I knew my brot...

The other day, my wife and I were talking about my stroke recovery. It has been remarkable even though I am not patient.  I want “me” to be back to like I was. That will never happen, but I do agree that I consistently make progress. My wife commented that when I had my strokes, I cried all of the time.  I was startled. I do remember crying often for a few days. However, when my wife said that I was emotional for months after the strokes, I did not remember that.   I started to think about my emotions during those awful days and months. I now realized that I was very emotional. I now remember crying and sobbing a lot.  One Saturday afternoon when I was in St. Alphonsus Hospital on the rehab floor, I remember sobbing quietly to myself. The nurse asked if she could do anything for me, and I said through my tears, “I really want to be alone.” She closed the door softly, and I cried thinking my life was over.   Even now, two years and nine mon...

50 years ago this weekend when I was 3 years old, my family moved from Montana to Twin Falls, Idaho.   Our dad opened the new Buttrey Food Store where he was the manager.  As the baseball player Sam Ewing said,  “When you finally go back to your old hometown, you find it wasn't the old home you missed but your childhood”

Selfie! When I started to do my blog, it was basically for a diary of sorts. I realized that I needed a way to share memories of our son. Life is short, and sometimes I do not remember funny or insightful things our son says.  Here are some random anecdotes collected for three months: “Daddy! When you try to sing, it's like a horror movie on radio !” Seizure  Shorts “I'd like to get a rabbit or a video game or a bow & arrow. Never mind. I'm not responsible enough to have a weapon or pet so I'll just have a video game instead .” Getting ready one morning, Ethan kept trying to find his "seizure shorts." I asked what he meant. He said, "These shorts are neon orange with crazy patterns Dad. They could cause a stroke and  seizure like   you had!" And he laughed. We all laughed which is a good thing! Driving with me, Ethan said, “Oh no! I am cursed! I repeat things, I talk too loud, and talk a lot. The Saxton gene!” That is hi...

What is a hometown? Often I'm asked what my hometown is. I always answer “Twin Falls, Idaho.”  In reality I moved to Twin Falls Idaho when I was three years old and I left when I was 18 years old. August 7, 1964 through May 28, 1979:  5,407 days or 772 weeks and 3 days. Since that time, I have lived in Boise, Idaho. Nevertheless I've always considered Twin Falls to be my hometown. I had great memories growing up there. Last month, I went to Twin Falls for a meeting. I drove past my parents’ house. The house seems the same other than weeds in the driveway.  The circumstances of my parents’ death were difficult because they died 13 days apart. It was worse because some relatives disgraced the memory of my parents’ marriage. Even though that house is in my stepfather's family now, but I realized that the house is a shell and only memories linger. It's almost been two years since they died, but the headstones are gray and dirty. There is some water damage also...

I am on the board of the Idaho chapter of the American Heart and Stroke Association. It is common that people know someone who had a stroke. Maybe, an old cousin or a friend of a friend. Before my strokes, I had a vague concept of a stroke. Old people who did not take care of themselves? However, now I know the truth about strokes.   Here is some information about strokes from the American Heart and Stroke Association: Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in America and a leading cause of adult disability. Up to 80% of strokes are preventable; you can prevent a stroke! What is a stroke? A stroke or "brain attack" occurs when a blood clot blocks an artery (a blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the body) or a blood vessel (a tube through which the blood moves through the body) breaks, interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain.  When either of these things happens, brain c...