Vol. 16, Issue 201
“Dedicated to Excellence”
SURVIVORSBFF (Survivors Best Foot Forward)
OCEANSIDE STROKE RECOVERY SOCIETY Parksville, Vancouver Island
SURVIVORSBFF Survivors Best Foot Forward
June 2017
Vol. 16, Issue 201
DELTA STROKE RECOVERY
This is hot off the press. We will have printed copies at our fundraiser this Saturday, July 1st, in front of the New Day Gym; where we will be serving barbeque, selling raffle tickets and 50/50s between 10 am and 1 pm.
If anyone is able to travel Tsawwassen way, you are tab welcome. The gymnasium is in the medical building on 56th St., our main drag which leads to Point Roberts. If you want to gas up in the US (about 5 minutes drive) and don’t forget your passports. Give me a call if anyone wants more details. Our new brochure has new photos in it which you are welcome to use in your newsletter should you wish. This month, we had a $1,000 donation from our local Lion’s Club and another $1,000 from the I.O.D.E. which supports our speech programs. I have attached the photo of Terry Day (gymnasium manager and fundraiser) in case you want to print a correction after last month’s issue Susan McAlpine is our coordinator who would like to be included in you’re your mail out list. I will try to get some decent pictures of our fundraiser to send along with a blurb about our event. Karel Ley, Stroke Survivor & Volunteer Delta Stroke Recovery
June 2017
OCEANSIDE STROKE RECOVERY SOCIETY
Thank you to our members who came out to celebrate Canada Day #150 with our community. The weather was beautiful and the people along the parade route were awesome. Oceanside Stroke Recovery Society won 2nd prize for this year’s entry in the Parksville Canada Day Parade. Photo of OSRS in the front page http://oceansidestrokerecovery.org/happy -canada-day/
—Marilyn Henderson Stroke Survivor Oceanside Stroke Recovery Society STUBBY BEER BOTTLE
The stubby beer bottle became an object of nostalgic Canadians only in the 1980s when it was replaced by the standard long necked bottle in an attempt to boost luke warm sales. Much to beer marketers’ surprise, some Canadians who saw the shift to an American-style long-neck as yet another example of our national inferiority complex staged a boycott. It didn’t stick, particularly once Canadian brewers spent millions upgrading their bottling machines. Now, with the rise of microbreweries across Canada, the stubby which is easier to ship and holds the same amount of beer — is set to enjoy a bit of a comeback.
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 June 2017 Marilyn Henderson Karel Ley Deb Chow Jose Suganob
Production of SRR: Jose Suganob
Inside this issue:
Delta Stroke Recovery News OSRS Canada 150
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Happenings Around... Helen’s poem
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SurvivorsBFF - Best Foot Forward
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Jokes
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Vol. 16, Issue 201
June 2017
Happening Around Us… COPYING THE MASTER…
Many top art school and ateliers encourage copying the masters because it’s a great way to speed up your improvement. You get to see and feel how an expert artist has simplified various marks and features. Yes...you do want to get to a point where you make your own unique art in your own style. But, get really comfortable with the basics first— then, you’ll be able to expand your creativity with a lot more confidence. And, practice, practice... CANADIAN RANGERS They have been our military’s ‘eyes and ears’ in the North since May 1947. The Canadian Rangers, 5,000 strong force of Inuit, First Nations, Metis and non-Indigenous volunteers patrol, report unusual activity and assist in search and rescue.
WHICH KIND of FRIEND are YOU?
“When a toxic person can no longer control you, they will try to control how others see you. The misinformation will feel unfair, but stay above it, trusting that other people will eventually see the TRUTH, just like you did! “
JONI MITCHELL
(Roberta Joan Anderson) was born November 7, 1943, in Fort Macleod, Alberta, and grew up in Saskatchewan. A leading figure in North America folk music throughout 1970s and 1980s. Mitchell became the first Canadian woman named to the US Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, was inducted into the Juno Hall of Fame in 1981 and received a Grammy Award in 2002. BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE...
Rangers are stationed in more than 200 coastal communities, with most Was born February 20, 1941, on the Piapot Cree Reserve in Saskatcheof the posting north of the 60th parallel. wan. Orphaned at a young age, she They can be identified by teir guns - was adoted and raised in Maine and their reliable-but-aged No. 4 Lee En- Massachusetts. field bolt-action rifles are only now A leading-edge singer and composer being replaced by a Finnish model, of protest songs in the 1960s and years after the rest of the Canadian 1970s, she became a world military dropped them in the 1950s— renowned folk hero and social activand by their red sweaters, a uniform ist. symbolizing cooperation between the Over the years, she has garnered armed forces and northern communi- numerous awrds and recognitions: an ties. honorary doctorate from the University of Regina, a medal from Queen “Everything is temporary; Elizabeth II, a Juno and a Gemini. Emotions, thoughts, people She earned an Oscarfor her song ‘Up and scenery. Where We Belong’ and a National Do not become attached. Aboriginal Lifetime Achievement Just flow with it.” Award in 1998.
I am your friend I have much responsibility I have many demands In my own humble home But I always find time for you I listen to your problems I don’t made judgment I share my food with you I run your errands I drive you anywhere I sit with your sick ones So, you can get away I don’t tell you Whom to help And whom not to help Now, when I’m sick and exhausted I am forced to sit still I need help myself But nobody comes for me There you sit in your sumptious homes Eating your sumptious meals With your fat bank accounts Bursting at the seams My telephone is silent There is no knock at the door There are no gifts of food or two And I am sad Which kind of friend are you? —Poem by Helen Singh Stroke Survivor COLD COMFORT
Icewine is a late-harvest sweet dessert wine made from grapes , usually of the thick-skinned Vidal or Riesling variety, that have frozen on the vine and been harvested when temperature reach –80C to –100C. Both Ontario and British Columbia produce excellent icewines. Page 3
Vol. 16, Issue 201
June 2017
SURVIVORSBFF... Best Foot Forward—Deb Chow, BLAST
Here is the rough plan (unofficially) SurvivorsBFF Best Foot Forward: along
1st Thursday - Sing-
2nd Thursday - Bingo
3rd Thursday - Turtle dance sock hop
4th/ 5th Thursday - Would be open for outings, games, speakers.
Keeping with the philosophical theme of “Building Life After Stroke Together” (BLAST) this will have the feel of ‘therapy under the guise of fun.’ Fun social recreation. We have no funds so we will need to rely on Volunteers. (SRABC has the funds we have raised over the years. It will stay with whatever scheme transpires at the Templeton location). Committing to every single week is a lot to ask. A few hours once a month to give back or pay it forward is doable and healthy for everyone. We may need outside help to get rolling. Ultimately, I would love to see it run by stroke survivors. We cannot wait for the system, science, and medicine to complete evidence based trials and studies to provide what we need today. Research is saying our brains are plastic even at the two year period. Turtles consider two (2 ) years is a very young stroke. Some of us were still realizing deficits at that point. Often 5 - 7 years post stroke something tricks or triggers synapses to start firing. I believe we need to be in a stressfree environment and not tired for this to occur. My dogs taught me learning has to be fun and negativity is detrimental. We retain what happens in a
highly emotive state. Small successes leads to motivation. Strong motivation overtakes deficiencies. So let’s sing and dance and play in a turtle kind of way. Our model would engage high functioning long term stroke survivors to lead a session in a safe, comfortable, Turtle type environment. Our target group has adapted to the new self and looking for something outside of conventional rehab. We are different folks with different strokes. Among us are a multitude of different skill sets. Regaining self-esteem is tough. We are more comfortable with like minded people. (Touch the brain, Never the same. This allows for progression and motivation to go one step further Better Life In Stroke Survival (BLISS). Here’s the problem. I can talk the talk but cannot walk the walk. Well, not quite. I can walk. I don’t do well with a lot of movement. I do well in silence and create an awesome Easter Weekend full of activities, but don’t take part in any. I need bodies to step up and take responsibility to be there. We are all dipping our toes back into the water and are there to help each other. Losing our home like this has been devastating . Rather than feel proud of our accomplishments over the past twenty years, it feels like we have done something terribly wrong. It’s a huge blow to self-esteem, making it difficult to function under such stress. I am burnt out. Usually after BLAST it’s time for rest and relaxation. I planned to spend a few months with my sister before this happened. I’ll have internet access and will virtually still be here. Feeling responsible and trying to cope during our Thursday meetings is
exhausting. But, hey! I did it, despite complaints and lack of perfection. In the end it was a lovely picnic like lunch. We only have about 10 people now and probably won’t grow much over the summer. I don’t expect to really get rolling with 1st, 2nd, 3rd… until the Fall. Meanwhile, we need someone to lead main activities over the summer. We need someone at 9:30 am to open, meet and greet. Then, stay until after lunch. Jeanie does exercise at 10:30 am. There should be time for a game before lunch. Lately, we have spent time in discussion and not had a chance to squeeze anything in. A second person to come in before lunch and be responsible to close. We will extend our time to 2 pm. That will give more time for main events: Sing-along, Bingo, Dance, etc… Un-official name is SurvivorsBFF Best Foot Forward. Ideas, offers, suggestions, questions? Open to anything. It’s a brand new start. This is only to give us a general outline to work from survivors wanting to start something new.. —Deb Chow, BLAST deb@turtletalk.ca 604-253-8665 or 604-760-7769 after 11 m BLAST DINNER
Stroke Survivors, Caregivers, and Friends!
Come, join us for dinner! July 15th, 2017 (Saturday) Dinner starts at 5:30 pm
Trocadero’s 2411 Nanaimo St, Vancouver, BC (North of Broadway) Page 4
Vol. 16, Issue 201
June 2017
JOKES 9 Important Facts to Seniors… jokeonli
Boom! She had the tickets in her hand.
crap?” asked the seventy year old.
Next, it was the husband’s turn. He paused for a moment, then said shyly “Well, I’d like to have a woman 30 years younger than me.”
“No, not really. I have a great bowel movement every morning at 6:30 am.”
#9 Death is the number 1 killer in the world
#8 Life is sexually transmitted
#7 Good health s merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
The fairy picked up her wand, and Boom! He was ninety.
#6 Men have 2 motivators: hunger and hanky-panky, and they can’t tell them apart. If you see a gleam in his eyes, make him a sandwich.
An old driver’s instructor gave a teenager her road test. After the completion of the drive, he said that she still needed practice and he couldn’t pass her . Where upon she burst into tears. “You just hate my family,” she cried. “What?” I don’t even know your family.” “Yes, you do,” she said. “You flunked my grandmother, you flunked my mother and now you’re flunking me!”
#5 Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day. Teach a person to use the Internet and they won’t bother you for weeks, months, maybe years. #4 Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday lying in the hospital, dying of nothing. #3 All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.
#2 In the 60’s , people took acid to make world weird. Now, world is weird, and people take Prozac to make it normal.
#1 Life is like a jar of jalapeno peppers. What you do today may be a burning issue tomorrow.
FAIRY?... jokeonly
A couple had been married for 25 years and were celebrating their 60th birthdays, which fell on the same day. During the celebration, a fairy appeared and said that because they had been such a loving couple for all 25 years, she would give them one wish each. The wife wanted to travel around the world. The fairy waved her hand, and
DRIVER’S TEST...jokeonly
AGING IN NURSING HOME?…
Three men were discussing aging on the steps of the nursing home. “Sixty is the worst age to be,” announced the sixty year old. “You always feel like you have to pee. And most of time, you stand at the toilet and nothing comes out!” “Ah, that’s nothing, “ said the seventy year old. “When you’re seventy, you can’t take a crap anymore. You take laxatives, eat bran - you sit on the toilet all day and nothing comes out!” “Actually, “ said the eighty year old, “Eighty is the worst age of all. “ “Do you have trouble peeing too?” asked the sixty year old.” “No...not really. I pee every morning at 6 am. I piss like a race horse.”
“Do you have trouble taking a
With great exasperation te sixty year old said, “Let me get this straight You pee every morning at six o’clock and take a crap every morning at six-thirty. What’s so toughabout being eighty?” To which the eighty year old replied, “I don’t wake up until ten.” SOURTOE COCKTAIL
‘You can drink it fast, you can drink it slow, but your lips have gotta touch he toe’ So, go the instructions for the Sourtoe Cocktail in Dawson, Yukon: one shot of alcohol— traditionally Yukon Jack whisky— with a severed human toe in it. The legend of the toe dates back to the 1920s, when a rumrunner got caught in a blizzard and his big toe became frostbitten. To prevent gangrene, his brother cut it off with an axe. Years later, a riverboat captain found the toe while cleaning out an abandoned cabin, and the Sourtoe Cocktail Club was born. That was in 1973; more than 100,000 people from around the world have kissed the toe since. A $2,500 fine awaits those who swallow it. The penalty was once $500, after an American downed the toe intentionally, tossing five $100 onto the table, the fine was increased. Page 5