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December 16, 2010
December 2010
“Dedicated to Excellence”
Vol. 10, Issue 129
Str o ke R e c o v e re r’ s R e v ie w
Volume 10, Issue 129
December 2010 Page 2
RECIPE: “Bangkok Chicken”
ENCOURAGEMENTS
Ingredients: 1/4 cup ..............Fresh parsley, minced 1/4 cup ..............Lime juice 1/4 cup ..............Lemon juice 2 tsp ...................Low-sodium soy sauce 1 tsp ...................Red pepper flakes 1/2 tsp ...............Ginger root, peeled and grated 3 cloves..............Garlic, minced 1 lb .....................Chicken breast, skinless and boneless 2 .........................Scallions, minced
1. “Everyone hears what you say Friends listen to what you say. Best friends listen to what you don’t say.”
Directions: 1.In a shallow glass dish, combine parsley, lime juice, lemon juice, soy sauce, pepper, ginger and garlic (this is your marinade)
2.Add chicken to ingredients in dish, coating pieces with marinade. Cover; Let stand, marinating, for a total of 30 minutes, turning pieces after 15 minutes. 3.In a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat, warm enough water to sauté chicken. Remove chicken from marinade, reserving the marinade, and place in frying pan. 4.Sizzle each side of chicken until cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. 5.Transfer to a platter. Add marinade to dry pan. Boil about 30 seconds. Drizzle over the chicken. Sprinkle with scallions, and serve.
2. “The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground.” 3. “It is better to have one person working WITH you, than three WORKING FOR you.” 4. “Success is best measured by how far you’ve come with that talents you’ve been given.” —Submitted by Loy Lai Templeton Stroke Recovery
DELTA STROKE RECOVERY—CHRISTMAS PARTY 2010
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. Contributors: Ollie Stogrin Loy Lai Werner Stephan Karel Ley Deb Chow Carol Roycroft Jose Suganob Production of SRR: Jose Suganob Email: suganobj@gmail.com
Christmas cheer was shared by members and guests of Delta Branch, December 14, 2010. Where approximately 50 members gathered to enjoy the party, planned by their volunteers and served by about 10 of them.
Printing Person: Kiyoko Akeroyd 604-434-6513
“There’s life after stroke”
Presentations of appreciation were made to Joanne Vondette-SLP, Anne Herringer-PT, Dawn Sillett-Coordinator for year long service plus smaller acknowledgements to our entertainers (piano, guitar and vocals) plus singing, dancing and piano playing by two family grandchildren, who performed for our pleasure. Even our EMCEE was given a ‘token of appreciation’ for handling the order of events on the day. He is, also, recognized as our president, Peter McTait.
Inside this issue: Recipe Encouragements
2
Delta Branch Christmas Party 2010
2
Last Month’s Happening
3
Douglas Park Branch Christmas Party 2010
4
Slower? Faster? J-Notes
5
A jolly time was had by all present. —Karel Ley Delta Stroke Recovery www.templetonstrokerecovery.com
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Volume 10, Issue 129
Str o ke R e c o v e re r’ s R e v ie w
December 2010 Page 3
LAST MONTH’S HAPPENING...Ollie Stogrin for being front end helper and kitchen helper. Karen (another former volunteer) that also comes every year to help
Another year has gone by? I just don’t know what happened to this year. Seems every year is ever so busy, for most of us. Is it only me that feels busy, or is it our every day world? There’s a saying, “The faster I go, the slower I get,” That’s me. We have managed to get through Xmas, at the “Lion’s Den.” That all seem to go well, again, thanks to all the hard work of: Valerie-cooking Jeanie (our potato peeling lady) she’s a whizz, our Jeanie is! Key for wrapping most of all the raffle gifts, making all the HandyDart transportation arranging for members. JoAnn (our former volunteer) helping organize the gifts at the Den and ticket sales. Debbie for all her organizing name tags and the cash, keeping all the money straight. Laurie (Debbie’s friend)
We had all of Key’s family: Hailey (granddaughter) and her friend for ticket sales, Bryan, kitchen helper (he’s a whizz at getting the dishes done) Brad, our spokesman, Bryan’s friend, Sue, that helped at the door with Deb and JoAnn; Tak and Marika (Key’s brother and his wife) helping with clean-up; Olga, volunteer that did all the turkey slicing. It took all these people to be able to get a dinner on for 65 to 70 people. To some people, it might seem this just happens? No, it doesn’t just happen. It took a lot of good people to get it altogether. Templeton is so lucky to have all these people to help us for this once a year fundraiser. Thank you for this help. Then, we must not forget, the Templeton members, their families and friends that come to this Xmas dinner, without them, there would be no dinner, raffle or friendship, that has evolved from this Xmas celebration. It started about 14 years ago which was almost ended in a disaster
when the oven at Templeton Center, stopped working and we had to run the two turkeys between Debbie’s house and the center to get them cooked. We are more experienced, I think??? It also great that we are supported by other groups. Karel Ley and Blaire came from Delta and Martha from Douglas Park. They came from a long distance. It was wonderful to see them drive the distance to come and join us. Karel Ley has been very active with Debbie on “Easter Camp” BLAST (Building Life After Stroke Together). I would like to remind our SRABC members to support the “Easter Camp BLAST.” As I have said, Xmas dinner doesn’t happened, and it’s the same with the “Easter Camp.” Many people put a lot of effort to get this “Easter Camp” going again, which is so beneficial to new members and, of course, older members. Love the reunion of friends (stroke survivors and caregivers and friends) that they connected with years back at camp.
Spring. Every stroke survivor should, at least, try to go one time. They might find that they can do things that they thought they couldn’t do, ever again! Like dancing, swimming??? Working their way to recovery. Try it with other stroke survivors. Easter Camp week-end is full of surprises, try it! I hope, everyone had a great Xmas, holidays times. Only now, its back to reality “STROKE RECOVERY Program! Happy New Year 2011!
—Ollie Stogrin Templeton Stroke Recovery “There’s life after stroke” “ICE GRIP TIP” for canes Makes walking on ice and snow safer. Flip-up easily when not in use. Easy installation: 2 screws to tighten. 5 stainless steel prongs for extra grip. Fit most standard canes. Less than $10.
Squamish Lion’s Easter Camp is such a beautiful area in
www.templetonstrokerecovery.com
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Volume 10, Issue 129
Str o ke R e c o v e re r’ s R e v ie w
December 2010 Page 4
DOUGLAS PARK STROKE RECOVERY BRANCH sciences UBC students there, getting exposure to people with aphasia and completing a course credit. So, it was a very “young feeling” camp.
Martha Hutchinson’s says: Blair and I attended the first ever aphasia camp for people with aphasia and their caregivers. It was similar for the most part to other camp events we have attended in the past Squamish (for stroke survivors) except it was shorter and a different time of year than our usual (Easter) camp. And, there were a lot of health
I am a member of a core group of stroke survivors working on re-establishing our Easter Camp at that same location in April 2011. I’m reminding my fellow strokers about signing up— details on the website– Turtletalk.ca. And, spread the words, please! We still need a few more campers to sign up, and make a $20 deposit showing intention to attend. And, we are always looking for donations, so, we are able to lower the overall cost of the camp for everyone. This is going to happen for sure this year! —Martha H.
DOUGLAS PARK X’MAS Party 2010 had a live band!!!
WINTER STORY Jokeonly John and his wife, Mary, live in Red Deer, Alberta. One winter morning while listening to the radio, they hear the announcer say, “We are going have 8 to 10 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the even numbered side of the street, so the snow plough can get through.” John’s wife, Mary goes out and moves her car. A week later while they are eating breakfast, the radio announcer says, “We are expecting 10 to 12 inches of snow today. You must park your car on the odd numbered side of the street, so the snow plough can get through.” John’s wife, Mary, goes out and moves her car again.
The next week, they are having breakfast again when the radio announcer says, “We are expecting 12 to 14 inches of snow today. You must park…,” then, the electric power goes out. John’s wife, Mary, is very upset, and with a worried look on her face, she says, “Honey, I don’t know what to do. Which side of the street do I need to park on so the snow plough can get through?” With the love and understanding in his voice, like all men who are married to blondes exhibit, John says, “Why don’t you just leave it in OUR garage this time?” —jokeonly
—Submitted Carol Roycroft Burnaby Stroke Recovery
EASTER CAMP 2011 Building Life-After-Stroke Together (April 22 to 25, 2011). We are asking people to SIGN UP now. We need 30 names by JAN. 20th, 2011 to keep the ball rolling. 14 people signed up the first 2 days, it’s looking good. The price has not been set yet, but it will be no more than $250. SIGN UP now so we can keep you informed. We are limited to 80 people , so we urge you to get your name ASAP. There
www.templetonstrokerecovery.com
is no deadline set. It will be on a first come basis according to the sign up sheet. To reserve your place, please send us a $20 deposit. Our camp coordinator is Margaret Hansen. You sign up by: Internet, go to Turtletalk.ca and Sign up for BLAST or by postal mail. And, you can also call Karel at 604-943-3206, daytime. OR Deb, 604-253-2390, 11am-11pm. —Deb Chow, Templeton Stroke Recovery Page 4
Volume 10, Issue 129
Str o ke R e c o v e re r’ s R e v ie w
December 2010 Page 5
SLOWER? FASTER? — Remember the 60’s? It is said that a popular mantra then was: ‘slow down, turn on, drop out.’ I do not know whether or not this is true for the whole population, but it is claimed that the Gulf Islands were then populated by hippies and former executives who did their utmost to ‘drop out.’ They did not want to hear about the joys of daily stress and the ‘rush’ of ‘chasing the buck.’ ‘Time and Motion’ studies are all about: ‘how can we do things faster? Experts claim that they can determine which ones are the fastest workers: the one with the most efficient, but often slower movements. But, I digress. We should not want to do things faster, but better. We do not get to ‘turned on’ by stress and speed but we want is to understand what we do. This approach is not very popular with ‘business’ which wishes for speed alone. The philosopher, F. Nietzsche (1844-1900) promoted the concept of ‘slow reading’ in contrast to ‘speed reading.’ He claimed that slow reading leads to understanding while speed reading reduces comprehension. The former U.S. Presi-
J-NOTES...Jose Suganob
W. Stephan, NSSRC—West Vancouver Group
dent, John F. Kennedy was famous for his ability to speed-read (and comprehend) 4 or 5 news-papers every morning, but maybe he was an exception. The International Business Machine (IBM) technology specialist, John Miedema, in his recent book ’Slow Reading’ (I have only read a review) sees this as being similar to the ‘Slow Food’ (anti-fast food) movement. It is controversial. The ‘slow food’ movement seems to promote the preservation of the farming of plants, seeds and livestock characteristic of local ecosystems. The movement based on the book, does not claim for an increase in comprehension and ‘absorption’ of information, but some adherents do that. It is therefore controversial. Does this apply to Christmas, for example? In the 19th century and before; the Christmas seasonstarted with Advent: tree cutting, baking, and other activities which promoted anticipation (slow-down). Now, this is compressed to 2 celebration days plus a few days of preparation (fast). That does not include commercial activities
which start almost two months earlier and presumably do not add to the anticipation, only to the frustration (Do I have to buy this gift? Will my finances take it?). Some people propose a break from computers one day per week. Hardly practical in most jobs and, in my opinion! Computers are now a part of our daily lives. Can you imagine to have to depend on the slow and expensive ’snail mail’? No e-mail? All our gadgets seem to hurry us up. Do we really want to ‘slow down, turn on, drop-out?’ Retirement, health care (and a stroke) are challenging enough! This article contribution was written and researched on a computer. Therefore, I should admit to the use of technology, in order to research information faster. Should I have gone to a library and research this essay laboriously and then written this by hand, a slow and error prone process? Sometimes ‘faster’ is not bad at all! —by Werner Stephan, NSSRC, West Vancouver Group “There’s life after stroke”
www.templetonstrokerecovery.com
I went to so many X’mas parties this December! Two parties, I liked were: Templeton’s C h ris tm as D inn e r night, Dec. 4, held at 770 Commercial Drive, Vancouver. Turkey dinner with all the trimmings! Raffles galore! Door prizes, booze raffle (so many wanted the booze). Balloon raffle was a big hit! We, the members, tried to be the “Entertainment.’ A skit and a song. And, everybody was laughing about the antics of some of our members. And, the dinner was a success as a fundraiser! Then, Douglas Park Stroke Recovery Christmas party (Dec. 21) held at Langara Golf Course Restaurant. I went to Langara Golf Course by Skytrain with my electric scooter. It’s good it’s not raining but it was windy and very cold and I had to bundled myself up. We were twenty-some people and a big turkey, then the band (some are stroke survivors) started to sing Christmas carols (Blue Christmas ala Elvis!).
BLASTing away the New Year!!! SIGN UP—see the website: turtletalk.ca for more information, and inside this newsletter. Page 5