Ruiz listened to her entire speech, watching her eyes alight with the fire of a sprite whose spark had been lit with the fuel of a thousand suns. Perhaps there was some hope for her love. Holding her gaze a moment longer he clucked the tongue. “If you say it enough, perhaps more than just your heart will believe mapmaker. You’re a woman of the books. You know what I say is true. I wish to the gods of this world I would be wrong, just once.” His hands accepted two pistols from Smeeg and the rhythm of weapons care quickly took over, mesmerizing Reyes. “But fate and law are not on your side.” A click and snap later the guns were holstered at his side. “Now, we must be off. Dead men may wait but they can still have a temper. Captain! Assemble the short party. Follow me! Smeeg! Lead up the rear with three. Let’s gooooooo!” The party of twenty began to walk off the ship, marching onwards to the home of the legend

So I was back in the hospital again.  Met the cute nurse that I crushed on the first time.  Tried to flash my hot deep blue ocean eyes at her…but apparently she is immune to my charms, powers or whatever you call it.

I’ll detail most of it in my weekly video tomorrow but I didn’t have another stroke.  That was my (and my Oregon based parents) biggest fear due to the after effects of the original became so bad I was scared out of what little wits I have within my brain.  It appears it’s going to continue to be a roller coaster ride through the next six months to a year.

So I was discharged and will now continue my road to recovery with most likely physical therapy for my arm and leg and more consults with more long named type of doctors that I couldn’t even begin to attempt to pronounce.

Onwards and upwards.  Look for the video to update sometime tomorrow afternoon.

Thank you!

That same upbeat blood strongly beat through her charged heart, giving confidence at sea where others nervously glanced from cannon to cannon. She had assured her fellow bookworms those cannons would never be fired.

She also held tightly onto her love that she shared with one other as the only other hope.

Be still my bippy-aitic heart. Yes, I just invented that word. Well, I threw the existing word “bippy” (from the long ago used ‘Bet your sweet bippy!’) and added aitic. Hence, new-ish word. More than likely with a totally new meaning.

On topic once more. Strokes still suck the very life from my soul. Great news at work that brought great relief and at the same time terrible random fears. Change is good…just awkward and surprising how fast it can come.

And no, this surprise didn’t involve a pink slip.

Today at work we talked about how we need to treat our people and value our employees. It is great coming into a place and seeing all kinds of changes happening and realizing that as impatient as I am these things do take time and acceptance within the ranks.

I’m the hellfire and brimstone kind of guy when it comes to changing culture. I figure I’ll mellow with time or get committed to the asylum. Truth be told it’d be great. Three square meals a day and of course…activities!

I’m learning that I have weak hours and weak days. I’m also learning that I need to step up my path to recovery and push just a little to get my left side up to snuff once more. I have doctor’s appointments and a specialist visit next month.

Oh, and my hospital bills from my six day stay? Yes, those nearly caused another stroke and a heart attack. I may go into detail later, but let’s just say I think I screamed “Mother of Pearl!”, blacked out and found myself in a pool of my own drool.

I just keep telling myself, “I’m still rocking and rolling and aint nothing gonna stop me.”

And yes, I totally used the word aint.

Bring on the weekend.

In an effort to help myself through this now very terrifying path of life “post stroke”, I will be needing the help of cathartic release of stored emotional plaque build up.  Translation?  I’m going to have to write myself out of this partially.  There is a huge part which will be the therapy and the visits to the doctor and the endless tests they still need to probably perform on my slowly recovering body.

I vowed not even a few months ago that I would never blog here again and instead chose to focus on a external and anonymous project in an attempt to do something different.  Now, life has thrown a curve ball (and they hurt when they hit) my way and I’m going to have to get very creative in how I face this now very real challenge.

I don’t believe I realized how serious this was until I began to search online and found the facts of what a Stroke was and how giant of a threat to the health of people in America.  Somewhere I read it’s headed up the charts to become the number one killer.

The morbid reality of my blessings has become more and more apparent as I wander through my days.  Don’t get me wrong.  I am still struggling and as the days grow longer I am finding more pieces of this Stroke puzzle that frustrate, annoy and generally put me in my place right quick.  This thing could have killed me.  And it still could.  I’ve met people, some random and some I’ve had as friends who open up and tell me tales of their strokes or friends who’ve been sidelined by this horrifying nightmare.

I won’t lie to you.  Strokes are not something you bounce back from in a day.  The affects stick with you for months and years to come and change your life in an instant.  Things you used to do are now off limits.  The life I have lived is now in full tailspin with flames alit and smoke a blowing.  Each day I find something new and concerning and also revealing.

At times I am lost and others I have a resolute focus on the tasks at hand.

I cannot go back to what I was before.  This does not change the heart that beats in my soul.  This does not change the thundering mind I hold in my head.  And this does not change the smile I wear upon my face.  Today may be over…but tomorrow that sun will rise again.  And Lord willing, I’ll be back on the starting line.

I’ll be blogging once a day and may begin vloggin’ daily as well.  Please be patient with me as I sort out the right way to both process through this and also give you a picture of what this is like…while also hopefully bringing some light to Strokes and how they affect the younger generation.

Thank you for all your prayers, words, emails and kindness.  I am speechless at it all and feel humbled to the core.