BS – Before Stroke

AS – After Stroke. I’m the one on the right.

I’d be in a world of hurt without Jen. This blogging stuff is fun but for about three weeks now I haven’t talked about anyone except myself and I’m feeling kinda narcissistic. So I’d like to write about my second favorite person – my wife Jen (she’d probably kill me if she knew I was writing about her, but it’s my blog!)

Without a doubt, if she wasn’t where she was at the time of my stroke I wouldn’t be around today. I literally owe my life to her. Here’s what happened: we got home around 10:00 on a Thursday night after visiting with my sister and her sick husband. I went out back on the deck to sit and relax, enjoying a beer and cigar. Jen was just steps away but inside in the kitchen, a few minutes away from getting ready for bed. Then all of a sudden my stroke hit, my entire body went rigid and I cried out in pain. Lucky for me, Jen was close enough to see that something was wrong and she immediately called 911 for help. If she hadn’t been awake and so close by to help me, I’m sure I would have died out there on the deck and wouldn’t have been found until morning.

A few years ago we joined a Bible study group and it was a great decision (Jen’s idea, of course!) , we’ve become good friends with the people in the group. One lady calls Jen an angel because of the way she cares for and dotes on me. Another one calls her St. Jennifer. She and I have always been very close but we are even closer now. Her mom says that we’re joined at the hip. I agree with all of them.

Ever since my stroke we haven’t been apart for more than a couple hours – except for one night. Early on right after my stroke I spent some time at The Rehabilitation Institute of St. Louis, or TRISL. My first night there was spent in a double occupancy room so Jen couldn’t stay with me. My roommate was this elderly guy named Robert who slept in his wheelchair 90% of the time. Robert liked to keep the room at 127 degrees and he commandeered the room’s only TV and he only tuned it to a station showing professional female wrestling. The next day I was moved to a private room where Jen could stay with me – so it was all good!

I wouldn’t be able to live at home if not for Jen’s ability to take care of me and NISC’s willingness to be flexible with her job. If our circumstances were different, I’d probably be living in a nursing home. Nothing against nursing homes, I’m sure there are some nice ones, but the one I went to for several months (outpatient speech therapy) wasn’t one of them. It was sad, depressing, WAY too warm and smelled strongly of urine and Lysol. Maybe Roger Daltrey of The Who was on to something when he sang ‘… hope I die before I get old. ‘!

Jen wears many hats in our house nowadays. She’s: a 24/7 caregiver, physical therapist, respiratory therapist, chauffeur, head chef, CFO, Mrs. Fix-It, lawn care specialist, tech support person, my voice. She does all of stuff AND works full time. Needless to say, she doesn’t get a lot of sleep. She really is a remarkable person. Boy, did I luck out.