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My apologies for the typos of late |
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September 28, 2017 |
By Mike Weland
Editor
For those who've noticed an inordinate number of
typos in NewsBF articles over the last couple of
days, my apologies. I've gone back through and
tried to do a bit of clean up, and while I'm
remiss, I'm pretty excited, too.
Five-plus years post-stroke, I now have a
doctor, provided through the VA, who believes I
can regain at least some use on my left side,
and possibly get out of the mobility scooter I
use at home.
On Wednesday morning, I started a potent muscle
relaxer, baclofen, that she prescribed in preparation
for starting a new round of physical and
occupational therapy I begin at Boundary Community
Hospital next week.
It's funny ... when I raised my right hand to
enlist for a four-year stint in the Army 38
years ago, I never gave thought to the future, I
just enjoyed my tour and did the best I could to
learn and be ready for the call that never came.
Until two years ago I never realized I even
qualified for a benefit such as that provided by
the VA; I thought you had to serve 20 years, or
survive the wounds of combat. I was amazed and
fortunate to learn it only takes an honorable
discharge.
It's not 100-percent free, but I've learned that
it can be a most valuable benefit.
I never imagined that a time I still look back
on as the best four years of my life would make such a
profound difference all these years on.
Four years post-stroke, it was a VA doctor who
figured out that my strokes (I'd had two by
then, and 15 "mini-strokes") were caused by
chronic high blood pressure, and I was
prescribed medications that brought my blood
pressure down and ended the
TIAs.
This summer, the VA, at the advice of a
neurologist they let me see, connected me with
a physiatrist -- a doctor who specializes
restoring function to those with physical
impairments or disabilities.
She thinks that if I work at it, if I'm
diligent, I can regain the
ability to walk ... maybe even (as I still dream
I do) run. It's a little less likely, but not
out of the realm of possibility, she said, that
I might even regain the motor skill in my left
hand necessary to type again with both hands!
She made no promises, but her offering the hope is a
huge step, and I intend to put forth my best
effort, even if the medication she said I need
comes with a few side effects, such as a
reduction in the attentiveness needed by an
journalist and editor.
Again, I apologize ... but I hope, if you'll
afford me the lenience, that I won't be too
sloppy for too long, that before long, maybe,
just maybe, I'll again have a bit more use of parts of me that for so long served me
well. |
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