TempletonNewsletteapril2010

Volume 10, Issue 122

“Dedicated to Excellence”

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. 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.

Wedding of

Michiko Singh And

Bill Piedfont The wedding took place on March 12, 2010 at Kaka‘ako Waterfront Park Honolulu, Hawaii The reception: Musician‘s Union Hall Studio 909, Kapiolani Boulevard, Hawaii

Contributors: Loy Lai, Guy Radonich Ollie Stogrin Karel Ley, Carol Toy John Boynton Werner Stephan, Jose Suganob Michiko Singh

The performers were my horn quarter with Melissa subbing for me: Ho‘okipa Horns (all members of the former Honolulu Symphony) Eric Kop, George Warnock, Melissa Lund and Jonathan Parrish

Production of SRR: Jose Suganob Email: jsuganob@shaw.ca

The pigeons were provided by Rainbow Pigeons At the reception, the performers were from Tunui‘s Royal Polynesians http://www.tunuisroyalpolynesians.com/

Printing Person: Kiyoko Akeroyd 604-434-6513

Inside this issue:

Dancers: Maile Reeves, Georgine Stark, Lysa Berney Dae Kim, Yoko Takahashi and me

Encouragements

2

Recipe:

2

From GuyR.,

2

Last Month’s Happen-

3

My Name is Rose...

4

Mark the Spot

4

Go Gently

5

Other music was provided by Eric Kop

Carol & Victor Holiday

6

Emcee Mike Rothwell

Drummers: Tunui Tully, Rick Nelsen Musicians: Georgine Stark, soprano Jessica Choi, piano

April 2010

Volume 10, Issue 122

Stroke Recoverer’s Review

April 2010 Page 2

RECIPE: Dr. Oz Matty’s ’Skinny Soup’ Ingredients: 1 (2 lb, 3 oz) can, Italian plum tomatoes 4 cans ...... Water (use tomato can, fill with water) 4 ............... Chicken bouillon cubes 2 ............... Onions, large 1 ............... Green pepper, large 1 ............... Red pepper 1 bag ........ Carrots, fresh 1 bunch .... Celery 1 ............... Green cabbage, medium Sea salt Pepper Directions: 1. Blend tomatoes and 4 cans of water Add 4 bouillon cubes. Shred or chop all vegetables, except cabbage. Add to broth.

2. Cook 2 hours, then add shredded cabbage and cook 1 more hour, slowly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. To make soup more of a ‗meal‘ you may add cooked brown rice.

—submitted by Guy Radonich Templeton Stroke Recovery A LITTLE MORE each day..

Don‘t overdo your exercising at first.

Make a point of stepping it up gradually. ―Slow but sure‖ is the safe and effective way to elevate your fitness level.

ENCOURAGEMENT by Loy Lai Some principles to age by:

FROM GUY R.— If you are 40, or older, you might think this is hilarious!

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were. When they were growing up, what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning...uphill...barefoot. Both ways, yadda, yadda, yadda.

And, I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap like that on my kids about how hard I had it!

But, now that I‘m over the ripe old age of forty, I can‘t help but look around and notice the youth of today. You‘ve got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn Utopia!

I mean, when I was a kid we didn‘t have the Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to damn library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalog.

There was no e-mail! We had to actually write somebody a letter—with a pen. Then, you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox, and it would take like a week to get there! Stamps were 10 cents!

We didn‘t have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called, they got a busy signal, that‘s it!

There weren‘t any freakin‘ cell phones either. If you left the house, you just didn‘t make a damn call or receive one. You actually had to be out of

touch with your ‗friends.‘ OH MY GOD! Think of the horror...not being in touch with someone 24/7!!! And, then then TEXTING. Yeah, right. Please! You kids have no idea how annoying you are.

You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! You were screwed when it came to channel surfing. You had to get off your ass and walk over to the TV to change the channel. NO REMOTES! Oh, no, what‘s the world coming to?

And, we didn‘t have microwaves. If we wanted to heat something up, we had to use the stove. Imagine that!

And, our parents told us to stay outside and play...all day long. Oh, no, —no electronics to soothe and comfort. And, if you come back inside...you were doing chores.

And, car seats - oh, please. Mom threw you in the back seat and you hung on.

If you were lucky, you got the ‗safety arm‘ across the chest at the last moment if she to stop suddenly, and if your head hit the dashboard, well that was your fault for calling ‗shotgun‘ in the first place!

See! That‘s exactly what I‘m talking about! You kids today have got it too easy. You‘re spoiled rotten! You guys wouldn‘t have lasted five minutes back in 1970 or any time before!

Regards, The Over-40-crowd —Submitted by Guy Radonich, Templeton Stroke Recovery

“There’s life after stroke” If you push yourself too hard to stay young, you‘ll get old faster

To keep a home, consider leaving your house

To accept the indignities of aging, you need to appreciate the advantages of being old

Now, when you‘re too busy for your friends, is the time you should be working to keep them and to make new ones

Where you live will determine whether you can live well

If you‘re lucky enough to live a long life, know that you likely won‘t be healthy

It may be too late to change, but now is the time to become who you are

You will regret things you didn‘t do more than things you did

www.templetonstrokerecovery.com

The most valuable part of your retirement savings plan is your emotional circle, and it can‘t bought —Submitted by Loy Lai Templeton Stroke Recovery Page 2

Volume 10, Issue 122

Stroke Recoverer’s Review “There’s life after stroke”

LAST MONTH’S HAPPENINGS...

Jose keeps reminding me every month that it‘s time for month‘s ‘news review.‘ April 24th, Debbie attended the Directors Meeting, all the way in Coquitlam.

For those of you that aren‘t aware Debbie‘s stroke affected her ability to ride in a vehicle until about 2 years ago, when she had another small stroke and suddenly she could go short distances in a vehicle; going to Coquitlam was a big adventure.

Thanks, Deb for being a ‘hands on director.‘ We had an election of branch officers last week. Debbie returned as Branch Director, Key as Secretary, Guy is now our Treasurer (along with Key‘s help), Jose, vice-president and no one wanted the president again, seems I‘m in again!

We have a new volunteer, Ester.

Came to volunteer while I was away.

I didn‘t meet Ester when I wrote the last newsletter, this time, I would like to welcome her to Templeton. I do hope, she will be staying with us for a long time. she's a great help, she also volunteers at Kiwassa Community Center, Tony came to our program on Thursday, (22nd) only wasn‘t feeling well and had to go home. Tony is staying at Villa Carital. He still wants to come every Thursdays. Only last week, he was not one of his good days, hopefully, he will be feeling better in the coming weeks.

Gina came for a visit again, so nice to see our Gina. She and Olga donated on behalf of Irma‘s memorial to ‗Templeton STROKE RECOVERY!‘ I have to make sure that the donations go to TEMPLETON STROE RECOVERY! As I have been told that family members are donating to Heart & Stroke on behalf of their loved ones, thinking that‘s our program??? If they (relatives) want to donate to Heart & Stroke, that is their choice. Only their loved ones are not attending Heart & Stroke. They are our members, which is ‗STROKE RECOVERY.‘ I want to keep saying this! We are NOT Heart & Stroke. We are STROKE RECOVERY and our members are stroke survivors

and their caregivers. Heart & Stroke is about research (which they do very well, in research). STROKE RECOVERY is where people go after they have had their stroke (they are stroke survivors) to get help, to start living their life again after having their stroke.

There is a very BIG difference Heart & Stroke and the Recovery after having a stroke.

I have been volunteering with STROKE RECOVERY for over 15 years and I feel like I‘m talking to myself! I have repeated over and over again, we are NOT Heart & Stroke.

I feel like I should be standing on a corner and yelling it out and no one is listening. STROKE RECOVERY has been doing programs for the recovery of stroke survivors for over 30 years!!

Yet, no one is listening???

I‘m getting so upset whenever people say, ‗We donated to your heart and stro ke progra m. ‘ I ‘m not volunteering for heart & stroke. Their people get paid for doing research. We don‘t, we are all volunteers, for the STROKE RECOVERY except for our Coordinators, who gets paid very little for the work she does and that‘s goes for most of coordinators of SRABC. The rest of the branch people that help the stroke survivors are volunteers!!!

And we do a very good job.

This has to be said, as so many of donations were meant for STROKE RECOVERY. We help stroke people get their lives again and integrated to the community and I believe that STROKE RECOVERY should be recognized for the work that is done mostly by volunteers to stroke survivors. We need Heart & Stroke Research. They do great work. We are totally different, research is how to avoid having a stroke and if you had a stroke, and you survived it, STROKE RECOVERY Branches is there to help and assists you after the stroke.

This month is a ‗Volunteer‘ month and I do hope all the groups are recognizing the amount of work that is being done by the volunteers, anyone listening???

www.templetonstrokerecovery.com

April 2010 Page 3

Our group will be going 5-pin bowling a t Co mme r c i al L a n es ( co r ne r Commercial & 5th, Vancouver, of course) on May 6th/2010. We haven‘t done that for a long time and it was Jose‘s suggestion that we should do this, I hope everyone will join us.

I have, also, applied and received the permit for our July 29th Annual picnic at Trout Lake.

Also, this year, we are going to do our Strides For Strokes (Saturday, June 12th) in Rocky Point Park in Port Moody by the Coquitlam/Port Coquitlam branches. All donations are welcome! Templeton has to donate a basket worth $25, that‘s our entrance fee.

Hopefully, most of our members will attend. The Stride For Strokes transportation will be arranged.

Speaking of donations, Olga has been Spring cleaning (emptying her cupboards) and has donated canned salmon, sardines, tuna and a bag of potatoes. Thank you very much, Olga!

You know, we can always use good food! Which reminds me, it‘s suppose to be Spring! Anyway, It will be soon and when cleaning your basements, attics, etc, Please bring your useable good to our group, as Xmas will be here before we know it. & we can always use ‗things‘ for our Xmas dinner, ok.

I started this article a couple of days ago, everything was quite normal at Templeton but things have a habit of changing fast, our Valerie is in the hospital. Thought, she had flu, only it wasn‘t the flu at all. She is going through a lot of tests at St. Paul‘s where she will stay until the tests are done. I hope, all goes well for her and she will be with us soon. All of our members missed her. Next month, I hope, to report that she is back with us, as I‘m rusty at being a coordinator, as it‘s been a number years since I and Key have put programs together, so we need Valerie to get well quick!

PS: Jose, you have an art show, please, put it in the newsletter, as I can‘t find date. I thought it but like a lot of my computer works, sometimes it vanishes!!!

—Ollie Stogrin Page 3

Volume 10, Issue 122

Stroke Recoverer’s Review

April 2010 Page 4

“There’s life after stroke” MY NAME IS ROSE… The first day of school, our professor introduced himself and challenge us to get to know we didn‘t already know.

I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder.

I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being. She said, ―Hi, handsome. My name is Rose. I‘m eighty-seven years old. Can I give you a hug?‖ I laughed and enthusiastically responded, ―Of course, you may!‖ and she gave me a giant squeeze. ―Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?‖ I asked.

She jokingly replied, ―I‘m here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids.‖ ―No, seriously.‖ I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on this challenge at her age. ―I always dreamed of having a college education and now I‘m getting one!‖ she told me.

After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake.

We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months, we would leave class together and talk nonstop.

I was always mesmerized listening to this ‘time machine‘ as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.

Over the course of the year. Rose become a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up.

At the end of the semester, we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I‘ll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five cards on the floor.

Frustrated and a little embarrassed,

she leaned into the microphone and simply said, ―I‘m sorry, I‘m so jittery.

I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I‘ll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.‖

When you finish reading this, please send this peaceful word of advice to your friends and family, they‘ll really enjoy it!

As we laughed, she cleared her throat and began, ―We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.

Remember, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL. We make a Living by what we get. We make a Life by what we give.

There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You‘ve got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don‘t even know it!

There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up.

If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don‘t do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eightyeight. Anybody can grow older. That doesn‘t take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets.

The elderly usually don‘t have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.‖ She concluded her speech by courageously singing ‗The Rose.‘‖ She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year‘s end, Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those months ago.

One week after graduation, Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example, that it‘s never too late to be all you can possibly be.

www.templetonstrokerecovery.com

These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.

—Submitted by John Boynton Templeton Stroke Recovery XX MARKS THE SPOT...

As with real estate, sporting a tattoo is all about location, location, location.

It is fair that the phrase tramp stamp flashes through our minds after catching a glimpse of a tattoo on the lower back?

Probably not, but that doesn‘t make it any less true. The back of the shoulder or ankle is fine but this is taking things over the top.

The ideal ink spot is south of the border. It‘s a hidden treasure to discover— first, we get to see you without clothes (big win right there), and then, the heady knowledge sinks in that we‘re among the privileged few who get to witness your bare body art.

It‘s a double dose of intimacy.

NAILING IT… Don‘t kid yourself—guys do pay attention to even the smallest details. Hence we know that the color of your nail polish is a shortcut to gauge personality. Fire-engine red = passionate playmate. Black onyx = dark & mysterious.

Pink = girlie girl. Keep that in mind as you decide what image you want to project while in the salon before a night on the town. Same is true of nails that are chipped, cracked, or peeled— they‘re a flashing warning that you‘re not taking care of you. And, if that‘s one area where personal grooming has been ignored...well, we just imagine that must be true of other places on your body…(shudder) Page 4

Volume 10, Issue 122

Stroke Recoverer’s Review

April 2010 Page 5

GO GENTLY INTO THE NIGHT?

by W. Stephan, NSSRC, West Van Group

I have been told that the well-known poem ―Do not go Gently into that Good Night‖ by Dylan Thomas was once required reading in ‗English Literature‘ classes in the senior years of some high schools. Of course those of us, who did not go to high school in this country, might not be familiar with it at all. It was likely written in 1945 when the poet‘s father, D.J. Thomas was seriously ill.

(He died in 1952) The poem was sent to Princess Caetari, a friend of the poet, in 1951 and published in 1952 after his father‘s death.

I had heard of the poem until recently but it appears that it had a profound influence on arts and on popular culture because it seems to suggest to never regret what happened in the past and to fight for life until one can‘t fight anymore. Does that mean that there should be claw marks in the floor when one is finally dragged out? The heroes were AHA OPEN HOUSE ‗Templo‘ was there, too!

After so many preparations to make the place presentable, AHA (Artist Helping Artists) opened the door of their new studio on April 29, 2010 at 2702 Norland Avenue, North Burnaby. It is on the second floor of BACI building (corner of Douglas Road and Norland Avenue in North Burnaby).

Huge throng of people came in and browse at the paintings of AHA members. A kind of artistic treasure hunt .

Visitors trying to spot the next ‗Mona Lisa‘ or Van Gogh ‗Sunflowers‘ They were shown the some of the finest arts: Abstracts, classical types of paintings.

Acrylic, watercolor…To add to their already fascinating collections.

Great art exhibition! Interesting range of work. Especially liked Daryl‘s dream catcher paintings. Olga‘s delicate mixed media photo montage—they were selling fast! Jose‘s brilliantly colored urban-scapes. Alex‘s Lone

denied entry into Valhalla unless they died with a weapon in their hand. (Fight to the end). ‗Good night‘ seems to be a metaphor for a ‘peaceful death.‘ Does he really mean what he implies? Why then does he urge to ‘rage‘ against it? This poem spawns a lot of questions which one can only answer with the help of one‘s faith and even then, it is not a simple task. (It also helps to be a trouble maker and not a ‘sheep‘) I have heard about one father, who wanted to enjoy all of possessions until the end, and said to his inheritors: ―Hope, that I have a long and healthy life because when I am gone your troubles to dispose of all of my stuff will start. I have a certain amount of sympathy for the father‘s attitude. ‘Peace of mind‘ for the ones expecting death? Are you kidding? I think that is a figment of

“There’s life after stroke” Ranger and Tonto paintings, Steve‘s landscape acrylic paintings, and the experimental works.

Margaret Hansen from Burnaby and of SRABC came and Jose‘ talked around.

and Carol Roycroft Coquitlam branches and looked around and showed them

Art Jonker, a mouth painter, came and saw AHA members paintings and was impressed.

Crowd finally came to food table. Lots of food! Prepared by AHA volunteers, led by Christine and Kate. Steve, AHA coordinator and Derek, AHA Studio Manager were there.

Door prizes were given. Raffle prizes of big painting, a big basket of things, and a small painting will raffled on Monday…

When is the next Open House? I can‘t wait…

—by Jose Suganob Templeton Stroke Recovery www.templetonstrokerecovery.com

imagination of the advertising industry.

The ‘It will be your problem‘ attitude does not seem to be uncommon.

I suppose you have heard of ‘estate sales‘?

Some, like the Italian-American novelist Ann Hood (Do not go Gently: My search for Miracles in a Cynical Time) seek a solution to the problem ‘Illness in the supernatural. Her search, one internet site writes, seems to be even more elusive than fresh fig or decent ricotta cheese.

The poem by Dylan Thomas suggests to me: Live your life while you can and resists the coming death passionately and as long as you can. Does that mean that the Norse warriors were right after all to resist until the end? Maybe.

—by Werner Stephan, NSSRC, West Vancouver Group BUBBA HAD SHINGLES JOKE Those of us who spend much time in a doctor‘s office should appreciate this!

Doesn‘t it seem more & more that physicians are running their practices like an assembly line?

Here‘s what happened to Bubba: Bubba walked into a doctor‘s office & the receptionist asked him what he had Bubba said, ―Shingles.‘ So she wrote down his name, address, medical number & told him to have a seat.

Fifteen minutes later a nurse came out & asked what he had. Bubba said, ―Shingles.‖ So the nurse wrote his weight, weight, a complete medical history, & told him to take off all his clothes and wait for the doctor.

An hour later the doctor came in and found Bubba sitting patiently in the nude and asked Bubba what he had.

Bubba said, ―Shingles.‘ The doctor asked, ―Where?‖ Bubba said, ―Outside on the truck. Where do you want me to unload ‗em?‖ —submitted by Karel Ley Delta Stroke Recovery Page 5

Volume 10, Issue 122

Stroke Recoverer’s Review

April 2010 Page 6

CAROL & VICTOR TOY HOLIDAY On January 29th, we got up at 4:30am in the morning so we would be ready when my daughter and oldest granddaughter arrived in our place at 6:30am. They drove us to the airport in Kelowna as we had to be there three hours ahead of time.

We flew to Toronto and then to Orlando, Florida. We got into Orlando Airport at 11:30pm and Victor had done his homework before we left and arranged the transportation to the hotel. At the airport, the man had a sign with Victor Toy on it and he drove to our hotel. You‘re not going to believe what it cost to go to our hotel. It was $120.00, as you have to pay per person and it was $60.00 each. By the time we got to the hotel and checked in it was about 2:00am. We were very tired. The package deal was hotel and all meals and the four day cruise to the Bahamas and the hotel in Las Vegas.

We stayed two days in Orlando and then went on the cruise. Victor had arranged for a different company to drive us to the cruise ship. When this driver came and had to help me in to the van, our luggage and the wheelchairs. And, he told us that he had to pick up 8 more people at the Holiday Inn. He said that he wasn‘t told that we‘re in wheelchairs. So, when we got to Holiday Inn, there‘s 8 people were standing outside with all their luggage and the driver to us to get off the van and wait at Holiday Inn for his return while he drove the others to the cruise ship. We waited for about 2 hours and we were afraid that we would miss the cruise ship. We were the last ones on and Victor was not too happy with that company.

The cruise ship‘s first stop was Freeport and we rented scooters on the ship, so, we got off the ship to have a look around the port. There was no transportation for people in wheelchair in town. It was raining not hard, met this other fellow in a wheelchair and his

brother helping him. I bought a pair of home made earrings and then we went back on board for lunch.

the entertainment was very good and the food was good, too.

When we got back to Port Canaveral, the driver with the van were waiting for us to take us back to the Ramada Hotel in Orlando. Stayed another two days and one of them, we went to Disney World, just went to Epcot Center, as we can‘t get on any rides.

The weather was nice in the morning The next day, we were in Nassau and but in the afternoon, It started to rain that was the only hot day we had on like cats and dogs. I found out the our 11-day adventure. Victor had place was very large and we got sepaarranged a local tour for us and we had rated and it was good that I finally to use manual wheelchairs and that remembered that Victor had my cell meant that we had to go in different phone, so, I asked this lady if she had vans and because it was to much work one and could she phone the number getting in to the van, we decided to of mine and she did but I had been stay on the ship and never got out drenched, got pretty wet looking for when every one else did. I asked lots Victor. The lady told me where I should of questions about Nassau, and it was go where Victor was. There he was, beautiful out there, the water is a pretty but we had spent about two hours blue with clean white sand. They have looking for each other, by then, we a democratic government and they were pretty hungry and we went to find were under the Queen‘s rule a place to eat. Then, we for 66 years and Christopher “There’s life after stroke” rode the Monorail that took Columbus discovered the us to where the buses going to our Bahamas in 1492 and the population of hotel.

Nassau is 371,000 and a lot of the buildings are pink because that is the We arrived in Las Vegas in the Queen‘s favorite color. morning and it‘s been about 16 years since I had been there. What a big The driver said that some of the places change! It was Victor‘s first time in Las to rent on the waterfront were $2500 to Vegas. He liked it but is not a gambler. $3000 a month and the cost of some of His cousin‘s son is a security guard at the homes were like here in Blind Bay. the airport and Victor phoned him and He, also, said that they have good we met him for a buffet down at the schooling and the medical is like in other end of the Strip. He showed us Canada. If we weren‘t disabled, we around the hotel, beautiful Chinese would get out at all the stops the driver Garden. Took a lot of Chinese Garden made but we just stayed in the van and pictures. took the scenery from the van. The last stop, the Museum, he let out all the Boy, were the cats happy to see us, able bodied people. He then, drove the had one of neighbors come every day van a little bit closer to the ship and while we‘re away and made sure the said to me, ―I let you out here and will cats had enough and water and give you be able to make it back to the them some loving care. That‘s our ship.‖ I said, ―Yes, there are people most interesting vacation, so far... that will help.‖ I had this ex-cop help me back to the ship. Victor had a —By Carol Toy couple of help that took him right back Salmon Arm Stroke Recovery to our cabin. We enjoyed the cruise; At dinner, we met one couple at the next table. The ones to be sitting with us never came. The next day, we were out to sea and the couple we were to eat with last night was there and they were younger than us and very nice.

www.templetonstrokerecovery.com

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