chapter 5

My girlfriend took me home the next day. But before we left the staff wanted to get a picture with me. I was to hold up a sign that said “congratulation Dale”. But they had the wrong name on the sigh. They took the picture anyways and We Left.

It felt so good when I walked through that door. But the relief didn’t last long. For now came a new challenge. coping withe the fact that I couldn’t drive anymore, and lost my independence.

I had to stay home whipped my girlfriend went to wrk and her three kids went to school.

And on top of that I was locked out of my poor because I forgot the password. My only form of communication while being alone with er three cats was on facebook.

My girlfriend got her connection to have home health services come to my home and continue my physical therapy. My legs were weak, but they showed me how to walk properly and keep my balance. Started by using a walker until they felt I was able to just use a cane.

My only salvation from going nuts was I started writing a novel. Thank God the stoke didn’t hurt my creativity. The book is called “Traffic Was Murder.” I had actually started writing it before the

stroke, but deleted it because I wasn’t happy with how it was turning out. So I gave it another shot. It is my favorite book I wrote because it got me through what could have been a dark time. I had actually wished the stroke would have killed me. Eventually that dark thought disappeared.

About a month after I got home my girlfriend took me to T-Mobile so I could get a new phone. I was so giddy when it arrived.

Next step was finding a local therapist to continue my recovery process. We found one that specialized in helping athletes recover from an injury.

Since I couldn’t drive my girlfriend or her oldest daughter took me to the sessions.

That place not only worked me hard enough to get my strength back. The therapist taught me leg exercises I could do lying in my bed. And showed me the safest way to step up r down a curb or stairs. I attended to sessions twice a week for a month.