Oh How Nifty! Guess Who's Fifty?!

Well, I made it! I am officially on the downward side of "the hill"

One thing is certain.... I will have to do double time in the gym! I have been taken out to eat almost non-stop all weekend!

I took myself out to dinner on Friday night to my new favorite Mexican cantina Alamo Bar and Grill in Irondale. I had been dreaming of their homemade street tacos ever since last Saturday's event in the park. The street corn was AMAZING!

The Maternals took me to Papadeaux's on Saturday. The food took forever but when it came it was really good.

Since Saturday night was Cyn's birthday. We have G-free brownie with fruit and ice cream. Yummy!

Sunday lunch found me back at the Alamo, craving shrimp tacos and street corn.  I wandered around South Eastern Salvage to walk that off.

My girls took me to dinner at Seasons 52. The weather couldn't be more perfect for a night out on the patio.  We asked our waiter to take our picture, which he did on the restaurant's digital camera. Midway through dinner, he brought me the photo in the sweetest little card!

...to be continued...

Strokeaversary!

Today is my "Strokeaversary!"

A year ago today I had a stroke. Yeah, I thought I was "too young" to have a stroke too. But surprise, surprise, here I am. Stroke survivor.

In the year since, I have taken charge of my health and have really began to listen to my body. I am healthier than I ever have been before. I am more aware of what goes into my body, work out at least 3 times a week and my strength and endurance have improved dramatically.

I do still notice some after effects. 

I continue to have a lisp, especially at the end of the day when I am most tired. But the bonus to having a job where one talks all day long is that the opportunity to practice pronunciation and over enunciate is never ending.

I still notice weakness on my right side. When we are lifting weights in my class, I can see in the mirrors, that I can't quite raise my right arm as high as my left, Similarly, balance exercises on my right foot are shaky at best. But Trudi says she can see the improvement in me since I started almost a year ago.

There has definitely been some damage to my short term memory. Long term seems fine but I find myself writing things down just to retain it, just from the short distance between my bosses office and my desk. It takes hearing something seven times to commit it to memory. For me, it is more like ten.

The most disheartening is the recall for my vocabulary. Any one who knows me well, knows that the ability to express myself thoroughly, has always been very important to me. I find myself reaching for the most common words. It is like I have lost the ability to form complete sentences.

But I am alive.

And for that, I am grateful.

Sigh...

This week I seem to be a day late and a dollar short. Just as I missed posting about my brother's birthday, I also missed posting about my all time favorite major league baseball player, Ryan Klesko.

 Yesterday (June 12) was his 46th birthday.

I have followed Ryan's career beginning in 1995 when Julz and I were living with my grandparents. He led the league in hitting in the 1996 season.  He retired after 15 years of baseball.  A native Californian, he now makes his home in South Georgia with his wife and son.

 Meeting him had been a Bucket List item that I am happy to say, I got to cross off the list.

Happy Birthday Ryan, one day late.

Happy Birthday Baby Brother!!

Yesterday was my little brother's 46th birthday. Seems like yesterday that my parents told me that I would be getting a little brother or sister.

I remember being told they would get this little bundle at "The Baby Store."  Imagine how mad I was when I found out they went without me and that they brought home a brother instead of the sister I had wanted.

I have been told that I warmed up to the little guy. once he actually came home.. He spent the first part of his very young life in the NICU with jaundice. People would ask how I liked my new baby brother. depending on who you asked, I am told that I would answer that he was "nice, but I was ready for him to go home." LOL

I think I will keep him.