Vol. 17, Issue 205
“Dedicated to Excellence”
October 2017
Delta Stroke Recovery Society Stroke survivors really know how to a Halloween (Boo-hoo!) by getting a flu shot…
Kiyoko Akeroyd Caregivers (two twice): her Mom, then her younger sister, Helen. And, this year, she got the stroke, too. For many years, she has been the care-giver for her mother. After three months her mother died, Helen, her younger sister had a brain injury (stroke). More a decade caregiving for Helen. And, this year, even her had a stroke. What Kiyoko does: For many years has been the caregiver for her mother, who was partially paralyzed for a stroke. For a time her mother was awake around the clock, while her exhausted daughter also tended to her husband, who was dying of lung cancer, and simultaneously held down a night job at a data center. She had to
give up the job. When her husband died. She was the care-giver of her mother. After 2 months of the death of her mother, her younger sister, Helen, had a brain injury and had to be operated. The same as their mother, Helen was paralyzed and after more decade died this year (2017).
Maybe stress giving condition, Kiyoko also had a stroke. And, now, it is the turn of her two boys, especially Bryan, to take of their mother, Kiyoko, this time.
“In the blink of an eye everything can change. So, make the most with those who mean most”
Vol. 17, Issue 205
October 2017
HELLO VANCOUVER...
On November 21 and 22, 2017, Coco Love Alcorn and her band are coming back to the Rio Theater on the eastside Vancouver (Intersection of Broadway and Commercial Streets). In parts of the concerts, they’ll be joined by 6 local on stage by 6 local choirs over the 2 nights. These concertswill be part of her “Wonderland: An Invitation To Sing” tour, which will be taking Coco and her band all across Canada this fall. Vancouver’s Rio Theater - 1660 E. Broadway - (604) 879-3456 Doors open: 7 pm Show: 8 pm Tickets: Advanced $20 / $25 at the door +19 for bar service Tickets for Nov 21st: https://riotheatretickets.ca/events/6961coco-love-live
Tickets for Nov 22nd:
https://riotheatretickets.ca/ events/6962-coco-love-live
FB Event :
https://www.facebook.com/ events/1438554166193927/
Vancouver Guest Choirs: 1. Harmony Mountain Singers / led by Karla Mundy 2. Rhythm ‘N Roots / led by Karla Mundy 3. Roots N’ Wings / led by Dawn Pemberton 4. The Acapellaboratory Singing Gang / led by Patti Powell 5. The Choral Conspiracy / led by Patti Powell 6. DeCorp from Coastal Sound Music Academy / led by Kelly Proznick
STROKE RECOVERER’s Review Mailing Address: #105 - 1717 Adanac Street, Vancouver, BC V5L 4Y9 Canada Published every month, if possible. Contributions are always welcome. The articles should be in, not later than day 25th day of every month. Disclaimer: The views expressed in Stroke Recoverer’s Review newsletter: articles, submissions and spotlights are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of this newsletter or the editor of Stroke Recoverer’s Review. Editor reserves the right at any time to make changes as it deems necessary. It is the purpose of this periodical to share a variety of viewpoints mostly from stroke survivors October 2017
— Jose Suganob is member of: Acapelllaboratory Singing Gang but I’m not sure about singing in the concert ...
Karel Ley Deb Chow Jose Suganob
Production of SRR
LOST KEYS…
Jose Suganob
After a meeting several days ago. I couldn’t find my keys. I quickly gave myself a personal pat down.
of all to my husband, “I left my keys in the car and it’s been stolen.”
Inside this issue:
They weren't in my pockets. Suddenly, I realized I must have left them in the car. Frantically, I headed for the parking lot. My husband has scolded me many times for leaving my keys in the car’s ignition. He’s aftrad that the car could be stolen. As I looked around the parking lot. I realized he was right. The parking lot was empty I immediately called the police. I gave them my location, confessed that I had left my keys in the car, and that it had been stolen.
There was a moment of silence. I thought the call had been disconnected, but then I heard his voice. “Are you kidding me?” he barked, “I dropped you off!”
Hello Vancouver! Lost Keys
2
Happenings Around Us…
3
BLAST Early Bird SOCIALS
4
Jokes
5
Then, I made the most difficult call
Now, it was my turn to be silent. Embarrassed, I said, “Well, can you come and get me?” He retorted, “I will, as soon as I convince this cop that I didn’t steal your car!” Welcome to the Golden Year...
Page 2
Vol. 17, Issue 205
Happenings Around Us…
Near Brittania Community Center Al Mattison Lounge (AML) is open Mondays to Sundays. Drop-in for 55+ Center for Older Adults can vary due to special events or programs. Internet Lab Hours: Monday: 12:00 am—5:00 pm Wednesday: 12:15 pm to 5:00 pm (except on 3rd Wednesday of the month) Thursday: 10:00 am —5:00 pm Friday: 10:00 am —5:00 pm Saturday: 12:30 —3:00 pm Sunday: 12:30 —3:00 pm Lunches Drop-in lunch in the +55 AM Lounge $5 Monday and Friday at 12:00 noon *Pot luck lunches on the last Thursday of every month. 55* Center Programmer: Anne Cowan 604-718-5837 Stroke “SOCIALS” (Survivors Offering Camaraderie In Active Living Support) Invite you to: “A Christmas Party” Bring your family and Friends for an afternoon of fun and friendship! When: Saturday, December 9, 2017 at 1 pm Where: Canuck Family Education Center, 1655 Williams St. Vancouver, BC Rock the Retro Two ‘Christmas carols and Prizes !’ Price: $10 at the door Non-alcoholic punch and h’orderves
For More Info: xmas@turtletalk.ca 1I am - 11 pm (604) 253-8665
October 2017
A CHRISTMAS PARTY ...
Christmas Lunch BLAST 2017 “Turkey with all the trimmings”
(Advance tickets only) When: Saturday, December 2, 2017 noon Lunch served at 1 pm Where: Trocadero’s Restaurant 2411 Nanaimo Street, Vancouver, BC (near Broadway) (Private for family and friends) Stroke Survivors BLAST (Building Life After Stroke Together)
SOCIALS (Survivors Offering Camaraderie In Active Living Support)
Advance tickets only $30 (cash bar) Deadline: November 23, 2017 $30 PayPal or credit card $29 to: xmas@turtletalk.ca, or cash or etransper Contact: xmas@turtletalk.ca
BLAST DINNER
Stroke Survivors, Caregivers, and Friends! Come, join us for dinner! November 15th, 2017 (Wed) Dinner starts at 5:30 pm Trocadero’s 2411 Nanaimo St, Vancouver, BC (North of Broadway & Nanaimo St.)
Letter to the Editor...jokeonly Sir: I haven’t got a computer, but I was told about Facebook and Twitter and am trying to make friends outside Facebook and Twitter while applying the same principles. Every day, I walk down the streets and tell passers-by what I have eaten, how I feel, what I have done the night before and what I will do for the rest of the day.I give them pictures of my wife, my daughter, my dog and me gardening and on holiday, spending time by the pool. I, also, listens to their conversations, tell them I ‘like’ them and give them my opinion on every subject that interest me… whether it interests them or not. And, it works. I have four people following me; two police officers, a social worker and a psychiatrist. —Not alone anymore
BUDDHIST JOKE…
A Western Buddhist woman was in India, studying with her teacher. She was riding with another woman friend in a rickshaw, when they were attacked by a man on the street. In the end, the attacker only succeeded in frightening the women, but the Buddhist woman was quite upset by the event and told her teacher. She asked him what she should have done: “What would have been the appropriate, Buddhist response?” The teacher said very simply, “You should have very mindfully and with great compassion whacked the attacker over the head with your umbrella.” Page 3
Vol. 17, Issue 205
October 2017
BLAST 2018 Early bird—Deb Chow, BLAST
Time to register for BLAST 2018! To get the special Early Bird price go to TurtleTalk.ca and click register. Fill the short form and submit. Space is limited and we must receive your money by November 30th, 2017 for Early Bird. The early bird fee is only $200 for our 8th consecutive year, The deadline is November 30th 2017. December 1st 2017 to March 1st, 2018, cost is $250. Refunds available before March 15th 2018. We leave for Camp Squamish - Good Friday, March 30th 2018 and return Easter Monday, April 2nd, 2018. Transportation, bedding, meals, and all activities included. BLAST stroke survivors are “Building Life After Sttoke Together.” We are not attached to any organization and thrive on the generosity of individuals who donate time, money, materials, and expertise. Please consider creating your own sliding scale by means of donation. The best way to send money is by eTransfer to funds@turtletalk.ca No service charge from Royal Bank and BMO, others maybe charge $1.50. Or make cheques payable to BLAST and include PDF mail. Then, send to our new mailing address: #209 - 4689 52A St., Delta, BC V4K 2Y7
Join BLAST “Building Life After Stroke Together” For BLISS “Better Life In Stroke Survival” Stroke survivors, caregivers, and
volunteers friends welcome! **Survivors must be able to do personal care and administer medication or bring an aide. You must be able to climb into the bus or provide your own transportation. It’s a dry camp. —Deb Chow, BLAST deb@turtletalk.ca 604-253-8665 after 11 am SOCIALS “Survivors Offering Camaraderie In Active Living Support”
I’m discouraged this week with the shitty circumstances that challenge us. We know why and need to stop repeating what brought us here. Our group is fragile and the negativity comparing what we had isn’t good. It’s like grief and having a stroke (loss of one’s self as a whole)
Denial - shock that it happened and was a done deal.
Anger - blame at the unjustifiable cause without negotiation.
Bargaining - compromise and resolve by having 2 days.
Depression - utter sadness being stuck in the situation.
Acceptance - the ability to move forward.
I feel like knowing these stages, I tried to jump to a solution. Even though we found a place to be, anger keeps popping up. Six months later, it’s depressing to be struggling to make it work.
doing BLAST and going to our monthly dinners. The answer is simple. Strokees need each other and vehicles that help to make that happen. There is no advancement in healthcare organization for this sector. Sadly, there seems to be a decline. At Britannia CC, we need to adapt. The venue at Britannia is not what we had grown accustom to. I still believe the new model can work. Selfmanagement and fun is key to progress Time to move towards a community of people who find themselves in similar situations, while focus on stroke. Jose and I are liking the community feel. We have a Britannia drop-in, Cat, who plays piano for sing-along and will lead a stretching program,. (I hoping to get her to BLAST). She’s upbeat and can play anything. I believe it can work. We know how important it is for Strokees. We need more people to come help get it off the ground by just being there for BLAST. We pitch in $7 for lunch , coffee and cookies. In January, we will be in the Britannia calendar which will help to promote.
DJ James has been coming the 3rd sock hop Thursdays. The last week is potluck with the seniors. LOL. One person does the cooking and will include us. Bingo will happen on the 2nd week if we have enough people. Meanwhile, we’ll keep doing singalong with Cat. Works out well as it’s time to refresh on Christmas carols.
Lately, I keep asking myself, “Why am I doing this?” I’m quite happy
Activity at Britannia is now 10am-1pm (booking 9:30-1:30 for HandyDart)s
1661 Napier Street V5L 3X1
—Deb Chow, BLAST deb@turtletalk.ca 604-253-8665 after 11 am Page 4
Vol. 17, Issue 205
October 2017
JOKES LITTLE JOHN, THE BAPTIST... jokeonli
DAFFY DUCK jokeonli
RETIREMENT CENTER... Jokeonli
Johnny’s mother looked out the window and noticed him ‘playing church’ with their cat. He had the cat sitting quietly and he was preaching to it. She smiled and went about her work. A while later, she heard loud meowing and hissing and ran back to the open window to see Johnny baptizing the cat in a tub of water. She called out, “Johnny, stop that! The cat is afraid of water!” Johnny looked up at her and said, “He should have thought about that before he joined my church.”
Daffy Duck calls the hotel desk and asks for a condom.
Two elderly gentlemen from a retirement center were sitting on a bench under a tree when one turns to the other and says, “John, I’m 85 years old now and I’m just full of aches and pains. I know you’re about my age, how do you feel?”
—shared by Carol Roycroft North Burnaby, Stroke Recovery Burnaby, BC,
A LOT OF PLACES...Jokeonli
I have been to a lot of places, but I have never been to Cahoots. Apparently, you cannot go alone. You have to be in cahoots with someone. I have also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes you there. I have, however, been in Sane. They don’t have an airport, you have to be driven there. Thanks to family and friends, I have made been there several times already. I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump and I’m not much on physical activity. ATTENTION: To all our dear parishioners: Please do not leave your personal belonging unattended. Somebody might think it’s the “ANSWER” to their prayers.
They ask, “Shall we put it on your bill.” He says, “Are you thucking thupid, I’ll thuffocate.” WINDOWS... Jokeonli
Last year, I replaced all the windows in my houses with expensive doublepane energy efficient kind. But this week, I got a call from the contractor complaining that his work had been completed a whole year and I had yet to pay for them.
John replies, “I feel just like a newborn baby.” “Really! Like a newborn baby, you say?” “Yep. No hair, no teeth, and even drool on myself.” BORDER DISAGREEMENT... Jokeonli
Boy, oh, boy! Did we go around! Just because I’m blonde doesn’t mean that An elderly woman lived on a small I am automatically stupid. So, I pro- farm in Canada, just yards away from ceeded to tell him just what his fast- the North Dakota border. Their land talking sales guy had told me last year. had been the subject of a minor dispute He said that in one year, the windows between the United States and Canada for years. The now widowed woman would pay for themselves. lived on the farmwith her son and three There was silence on the other end of grandchildren. One day her son came the line, so I just hung up, and he has- into her room holding a letter. n’t called back. Guess he was embar“I just got some news, Mom,” he said. rassed... “The government has come to an agreement with the people in North IMAGINE THIS… Dakota. They’ve decided that our land If you had $86,400 in your account and is really part of of the United States. someone stole $10 from you, would We have the right to approve or disapyou be upset and throw all of the prove of the agreement. What do you remaining $86,390 away in hopes of think?” getting back at the person who took “What do I think?” his mother said. your $10? Or move on and live? “Sign it! Call them right now and tell Right, move on and live. See, we all them we accept! I don’t think I could have 86,400 seconds each day. stand another one of those Canadian Don’t let someone’s negative 10 winters!” seconds ruin the remaining 86,390. Don’t sweat the small stuff, life is bigger than that... Page 5