Vol. 11, Issue 137
“Dedicated to Excellence�
August 2011
SRABC - DELTA website is UP and running!!! http://www.strokerecoverydelta.com
Jack Creighton (11 years old) designed the website and instructed SRABC - Delta members on how to access and bookmark it. Karel Ley photos
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RECIPE: (Mexican)
ENCOURAGEMENTS
Mexican Bean & Rice Salad
Don’t undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special. Don’t set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you.
Ingredients: 2 cups .......... Brown cooked
rice,
1 can (19 oz/540 mL) Kidney beans, rinsed & drained 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) Black beans, rinsed & drained 1 can (12 oz/341 mL) Whole kernel corn, drained 2 .................. Green onions, thinly sliced 1 .................. Red or green bell pepper, diced 2 .................. Jalapeno peppers, seeded & diced (optional) 1 .................. Lime, zested & juiced 1/4 cup......... C i l a n t r o leaves, chopped 1 clove .......... Garlic, minced
small,
1-1/2 tsp ...... Cumin, ground 1/2 tsp ......... Salt to taste Directions:
When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile. Don’t shut love out of your life by saying it’s impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give; The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; And, the best way to keep love is to give it wings. Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, I’ll try
again tomorrow. Don’t be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us each together. Don’t be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave. Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end. Don’t run through life so fast that you forget Not only where you’ve been, but also where you are going. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savoured each step of the way. You must be at the end of your rope. I felt a tug.— Author unknown —submitted by Loy Lai, Templeton Stroke Recovery
“For good or ill, your conversation is your advertisement.
1.In a large salad bowl, combine the brown rice, kidney beans, black beans, corn, green onions, bell pepper, jalapeno peppers (if using) lime zest, and juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin and salt, tossing to combine.
COMPLETE & FINISHED words...
2.Refrigerate for an hour to allow to blend, then, serve
And, when you marry the wrong one, you are FINISHED.
Fortune knocks but once, but misfortune has much more patience.
Every time you open your mouth You let the people look into your mind.” - Bruce Barton
Some people say there is no difference between the words ‘COMPLETE’ and ‘FINISHED,’ BUT THERE IS… When you marry the right one, you are COMPLETE…
And, when the RIGHT ONE catches with the WRONG ONE, you are… COMPLETELY FINISHED!!! www.templetonstrokerecovery.com
Templeton Newsletter Mailing Address: 204– 2929 Nootka Street, Vancouver, BC V5M 4K4 Canada Published every month, if possible. Contributions are always welcome. The articles should be in, not later than day 25th 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 Templeton Stroke Recovery 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. August 2011 Contributors: Loy Lai Werner Stephan Karel Ley Kiyoko Akeroyd Jose Suganob
Production of SRR: Jose Suganob Email: suganobj@gmail.com Printing Pick-up Person: Valerie Offer
“There’s life after stroke”
Inside this issue: Recipe Encouragements
2
Complete & Finished
2
Last Month’s Happening
3
Good Luck...Burden of my own
4
Jose Notes Lies
5
Page 2
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LAST MONTH’S HAPPENING Kiyoko Akeroyd August feels like be the shortest month of the year to me. Busy! Busy! Busy! We have a whole month off from Stroke Recovery meetings but a lot seems to happen. Valerie had her surgery, the beginning of August, is still in St. Paul’s on the 10th floor room 7A, in good spirits. Incidentally, she has a bedside phone , so you can call her at 604-684-6532 Ext. 67007. When you go to the hospital to visit her, take t h e Thurlow Street entrance (back of the hospital-north east corner) follow the blue line, on the floor, to the elevator, go the 10th floor and follow the sign that says “A.” If you go the Comox Street entrance you have to take an elevator one floor up and follow the yellow line to another set of elevators to get to the 10th floor. Ollie went in for her surgery, came home nine (9) days later and has been doing regular walks around the block and doing well. Now, Olga, our kitchen queen, is scheduled to have surgery on her shoulder at the end of September. We shall miss her and she always says when she does not come to Templeton
that she misses us. Great. Eh?
room for her wheelchair.
Through our long association with Carolyn Innes of Lion’s Den (where we have our annual Christmas Dinner) Rose Koyama was referred to us to step-in for Valerie. She has big shoes to fill. Rose comes to us with an impressive resume as did Valerie. Like Valerie, she is known for her work in our community already. Templeton Stroke Recovery might be “East End” but we have a lot of good people amongst us.
Does anyone know that since Debbie Chow first came to Camp Squamish, she had to go in short spurts for road travel and stop regularly until her head stops spinning.
Debbie has been working relentlessly on BLAST 2012, Camp Squamish Easter Camp all of August. Running back and forth to her Dad’s Napier Street home and hers in her role as her Dad’s caregiver and working simultaneously on Camp definitely speaks to her “do or die” attitude that made Easter Camp 2011, a reality and a huge success. She had Coquitlam’s coordinator, Margaret Hansen, a very experienced and long time former Camp ‘biggy,’ Karel Ley, Delta’s own, and Martha Hutchison, to name JUST a few working alongside. Camp Squamish 2011 was magical for this aging caregiver. There were no paid volunteers. The campers paid to go and as many as possible were recruited to help with the different events. They came away proud to have been able to help. I’ve never seen that during my 1987 to 2011 years at Easter Camp. I guess it’s pretty evident I’m a very strong supporter of Easter Camp. Anyone (our group) going for the first time gets their way paid by our group. Because Debbie tries to recognize everyone’s disabilities, she arranged for Helen to have a hospital bed and a Hoyer’s lift and good old John Hedderson came by regularly to help move the lift across the carpeted floor and saved an appropriate spot in the dining “There’s life after stroke” www.templetonstrokerecovery.com
My dear old mother attended Easter Camp from 1988 onward and when she broke her hip in 2001, her grandson drove her to Camp, with a Hoyer’s lift from home. John Hedderson’s wife, wife and caregiver who arranged craft, aroma therapy sales and caregivers’ session in Naramata was seen at BLAST 2011 helping out again. We are proud to have Heather P. from Surrey and Dianne S. from Richmond join us at our group and that association develop from Easter Camp. I miss Don Ball from the good ole days. This last July, we had 3 members from Killarney group, Delta and North Shore share vittles with us. Our group goes to Coquitlam’s June luncheon and Strides for Strokes in Port Moody. We used to go to White picnics ages ago. Hmmm! I don’t recall why we don’t anymore. —Kiyoko Akeroyd
TEMPLETON SCHEDULE: After a month off, August, we start our weekly Thursdays meetings, September 8, 2011. See you! MEASURING SHTICK: Weight an evangelist carries with God one billigram Ratio of an Igloo’s circumference to its diameter - Eskimo pi 1,000 grams of wet socks - one literhosen Page 3
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GOOD LUCK...
BURDEN OF MY OWN
BAD LUCK? WHO KNOWS?
A monarch of long ago, in far, far kingdom had twin sons. As they grew to young manhood, the king sought a fair way to designate one of them as crown prince. All who knew the young men thought them equal in intelligence, wit, personal charm, and physical strength. Being a keenly observant king, he thought he detected a trait in one was not shared by the other.
There is a Chinese story of an old farmer who had an old horse for tilling his field. One day, the horse escaped into the hills and, when all the farmer’s neighbors sympathized with the old man over his luck, the farmer replied, “Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?” A week later, the horse returned with a herd of wild horses from the hills and this time the neighbors congratulated the farmer on his good luck. His reply was, “Good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?” Then, when the farmer’s son attempted to tame one of the wild horses, he fell off its back and broke his leg. Everyone thought this very bad luck. Not the farmer, whos e only reaction was, “Bad luck? Good luck? Who knows?” Some weeks later, the army marched into the village and conscripted every ablebodied youth they found there. When they saw the farmer’s son with his broken leg, they let him off. Now, was that good luck? Bad luck? Who knows?
Chinese proverb: A good fortune may forbid a bad luck, which may in turn disguised a good fortune.
Calling them to his council chamber one day, he said, “My sons, the day will come when one of you must succeed me as king. The weight of sovereignty is very heavy. To find out which of you better able to bear them cheerfully, I am sending you together to a far corner of the kingdom. One of my advisors there will place equal burdens on your shoulders. My crown will one day go to the one who first returns his yoke like a king should.” In a spirit of friendly competition, the brothers set out together. Soon they overtook an aged woman struggling under a
MAY YOU HAVE... poem
burden that seemed far too heavy for her frail body. One of the brothers suggested that they stop to help her. The other protested: “We have a saddle of our own to worry about. Let us be on our way.” And, he hurried on while the other stayed behind to give aid to the old aged woman. Along the road, from day to day, he found others who also needed help. A blind man took him miles out of his way, and a lame man slowed him to a cripple’s walk. Eventually, he did reach his father’s advisor where he secured his own yoke and started home with it safely on his shoulders. When he arrived at the palace, his brother met him at the gate, and greeted him with dismay. He said, “ I don’t understand. I told our father the weight was too heavy to carry. However, did you do it?” The future king replied, thoughtfully, “I suppose when I helped others carry their yoke, I found the strength to carry my own.” A lot of fellows nowadays have a B.A. , M.D. or Ph. D,
Enough happiness to keep you sweet, Enough trials to keep you strong,
Unfortunately, they don’t have a J.O.B. —Fats Domino—
Enough sorrow to keep you human, Enough hope to keep you happy; Enough failure to keep you humble,
OOPS! jokeonly
Enough success to keep you eager,
A woman is recovering from minor surgery when a nurse comes in to check on her.
Enough friends to give you comfort,
“How are you feeling?” the nurse asked.
Enough wealth to meet your needs;
“I’m okay,” she says, “but I didn’t like the four-letter word the doctor used during surgery.”
Enough enthusiasm to look forward, Enough faith to banish depression, Enough determination to make each day better than yesterday. “There’s life after stroke” www.templetonstrokerecovery.com
“What did he say?” the nurse asked. “Oops!” Page 4
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JOSE NOTES...
BLACK BEAR ENCOUNTERS (Werner Stephan, NSSRC - West Vancouver Group)
The month of Augus t is Templeton group summer break. It’s time to replenish our body and mind on doing other things, like being a good host to the people, you know, summer visitors!!!
Lately, one hears on TV and reads in the papers, a lot about black bear attacks and encounters . According to the media, it seems that even in our homes , we are not safe from hungry bears in search of tasty morsels. (I am not sure, that I would qualify as a ‘tasty morsel’). Is this view about ‘hungry’ bears realistic? And, do we mean ‘black bears’ only and not brown bears, grizzles or polar bears? Most people don’t know the difference anyway, and all bears get blamed for all attacks.
I used to go to PNE (The Fair) but this year, I didn’t. The economic climate every where was bad. And, even the PNE became expensive! Food… A 2-foot hotdog for 25 bucks!!! They say, it takes almost 200 to 300 bucks each for: entrance, food you will eat, and especially, if you ride the Atmosfear...!!!! after eating the very expensive 2 foot hotdog. I still go to AHA studio, Mondays to Wednesdays, to clear up my mind and paint. We are scheduled to have a show at Shadbolt/ Burnaby. One day (actually it starts at 5pm, Oct. 19, 2011) See you all there!!! —Jose Suganob
Over the years, black bears were considered almost harmless or, as a book for young readers put it, black bears can be taught to ‘do your laundry.’ Compare this view today with the many reports about bear attacks on the Internet. Lately, I read one: ‘He’s eating my brains. I can feel it.’ Recalls a bear attack survivor. Oops, he is talking about a grizzly bear. But, it is clearly meant to titillate the readers. It reminds me of old horror films in which the undead shout: ‘We want your brain; we want to eat your brain.’ I remember my own experiences with black bears in the wild in the 60’s and 70’s: of all of them only one which might be called unpleasant (for the bear). I had been fishing at a remote lake in Northern BC. A bear (no cubs) attacked. He had not yet learned that it is unwise to mess with an armed human, and he never would learn now that simple rule. His fur was in front of my fireplace for years. All the other encounters taught me to respect bears, to keep food out of their way and to show no fear. It is not a good idea to surprise a bear. In US, where firearms are legal, it is “There’s life after stroke” www.templetonstrokerecovery.com
considered unwise to go to into the wild country without some training and at least a large caliber pistol for protection. To be armed, increases one’s confidence and mitigates the impression to predators that one is part of the food chain. Bear meat is very dry and contains little fat. Under camp conditions, frying it only makes it more tough. Also, bear meat is often contaminated with parasites. Outdoor men insist that the best way is to smoke the meat, after it has been inspected properly for hidden parasites. I find bear roasts boring without lots of spices. Adult furs are very coarse and are really only suitable as rugs (or military caps in the UK). Displaying these rugs is no longer ‘politically correct.’ No comment! Also, since bear meat is not very exciting, don’t run to the freezer to check for available space. Should you be worried about being attacked by a bear? Relax! There are six-times as many attacks by dogs and 10 times as many people are killed by lightning strikes than by bears. Life is dangerous! Just think of traffic fatalities. A recent study (Journal of Wildlife Management) revealed, among many others, these facts: Only 8% of the attacking bears were female with cubs (contrary to popular beliefs). The vast majority of attacks were predatory attacks by lone male bears. The biggest problems happen when bears get used to human food and garbage. I saw a cartoon recently: Two bears are talking about a hunter; ‘My favorite meat: no claws, no fur, just nice and soft meat.’ —by Werner Stephan, North Shore SRC, West Vancouver Group Page 5