Stand Tall and Look Up

    During the first week of August,  Mike went to an intensive Stroke Recovery Camp at the University of Utah Rehab Center. The "camp" was 6 hours a day; 5 days / week for 3 weeks.  Two of his goals were to walk consistently without the cane and increase his ability to use his right arm and hand.  From the minute we arrived at the camp, Mike was expected to use his right arm. When he gets out of the car, I put the strap to his lunchbox in his right hand and he holds it as he walks into the building. This may sound like a simple thing but it is HUGE. This morning Mike had trouble maintaing his grip on the strap and the lunchbox would fall to the ground. I would pick it up and put it back into his hand, reminding him to squeeze his fingers into a fist. After dropping the lunchbox four or five times, Mike said, "You just do it." Of course, you know my answer, " No Way!"  I told Mike, "I don't care how many times you drop it. I care how many times yo

         Today at church our friend, Jeff Hunsaker mentioned that he would be going to London on business next week. That brought a flood of memories and emotions because Jeff came to London on business about a week after Mike's stroke.   Jeff made the time to come out of his way to the hospital in High Wycombe to see us. The flood of emotions I felt as we talked today reminded me again how much that visit meant to both Mike and I. I wasn't sure how Mike would react to seeing someone from home but his entire countenance lit up as Jeff entered the room. Jeff talked with him without pity or simplicity but with normal conversation. Mike laughed and worked to speak and you helped him find the many missing words.      The visit was very important to me as well. While I had phone conversations and emails from people back home, it meant something different to have a visit - a real person in the room that somehow connected us to life back home. Jeff's reassurance that our family