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| Long Duck Dong from "16 Candles" - The Donger |
One of the many devices I have absorbed into my post-astrocytoma life is replacing my wristwatch with a Fitbit. A Fitbit still tells time but also tracks heartrate and physical activity, useful information for me. Apparently, to reset anything in a Fitbit you have to use a dongle, seriously, that's it's technical name! Yep. A dongle. It's in the owner's manual. Actually seeing the term "dongle" in print, had me in 80's hysterics! My PS figured out how to reset the time/date without a dongle, but the idea that "dongle" is a word for a Fitbit part still cracks me up! Just hearing that "you need a Dongle" was hilarious! I didn't just want a Dongle, I needed one. To quote Molly Ringwald's annoying little brother in "16 Candles", "Classic!" Ha-ha!
In another example of a happy surprise, the PS and I went to Woodland to visit a retired priest who had undergone some horrific surgery. And he had a stroke. The information we had was that he was living with "sisters" in hospice care, I know what a DNR is and I've seen people in hospice so I had an expectation of sorts: silent nuns in wimples, lots of quiet prayer, dark lighting, maybe incense? Maybe not. Very somber.
The reality? We arrived at a sunny house to a very sunny woman! Fr. Mike was in a bed in the living room, front and center under a colorful indian blanket. The "sisters" are not nuns they are actual sisters. Energetic sisters. Sisters who really care about Fr. Mike's recovery, sisters with a plan. No one in that house was ready to "go into the light". Hospice? Nahhh. It's definitely a rescue scenario not a recovery situation - he's recovering with some friends who care about him. I don't know much, but I know something about brain trauma and rehabilitation. I hope I see him again, soon. I connected with him, and I think I could help him on this part of his journey. He's at the beginning, I already have a few exercises and rehab toys he can use.
A word about the current crop of Hollywood sex scandals, and I think I speak for most people here, "Eeeeeeuuuuuuwwwwwww!"
And that's all I have to say about that.

That is the second recent case I have heard about where helpful surgery actually leaves strokes behind, the other was coronary bypass, that's the one well known to have risks of strokes and TIAs- transient ischemic attacks. What good is it to get back to "running marathons" if your brain is damaged into the bargain? Best wishes for all neuro impaired for recovery!
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