Caine's Arcade

My career is an Afterschool Specialist, I work with afterschool programs in schools and private programs to had quality and educational programs.  One of my passions is STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math... or informal science to sum it up.

As a stroke survivor, I love informal science... it is all about giving students materials and seeing what they can do with them, this is now what I do on a daily basis!

I have trainings with teachers and show them how to do STEM activities with their youth, such as Balloon-powered cars, Balls and Tracks (or making roller-coasters), Straw Rockets and Cake Chemistry to name a few.

Well, I fell upon this video about a boy name Caine and as an educator I see it as a STEM video, it is fabulous and I share this with my trainees... but, as a stroke survivor, I see it very inspiring, this young boy from East LA takes the materials he has and makes an awesome arcade, it did not go above his means and triumphed using his own skills.  I am moved my Caine, his imagination, passion and ability to try new things.

I hope you are moved by the Caine's Arcade video also! I love it and glad this film maker found Caine and his cardboard arcade.

Go Caine!

Mid morning tea break!

Rock on my fellow survivors!


 

Powerful words from such a small guy!







I love this song, Bob with the cigarette is a bad choice though, but Bob is awesome!




 


 I love this and it helps me on days where I am struggling.

Magic Eye

OK... here is your stupid news of the day.

I was never really able to see what was in a "magic eye" picture, I basically would pretend, but now I can see them... vividly! Crazy, huh... and silly... But, a part of the new life of mine and I am excited, only wish this was 1992!

Going Strong... Neurologist Check Up!

I went to my neurologist to get my yearly check-up, even though I waited a little longer than a year.  The doctor said I am doing very well.  My right hand is stronger, yet it is about 75% what it used to be and he told me that it will most likely be this way always, which I am cool with, I can pull up my pants, do dishes, carry a purse or shopping bags and I am getting a little better t folding laundry... but I still lack control, direction and strength, but I am so happy to be able to pull up my pants, which I could not do 22 months ago!  The right side of my face is still numb, I am getting better at holding in the drool, so a plus in my mind!

He was happy with my reading and writing level, I told him I was still blogging, which helps with these skills and that I finished The Hunger Games, my most adult fiction book yet and I have started the 2nd one in the series.

We talked about me needing a ton of sleep, but had no issues with that, he said I now need it, my body knows what it needs.

I am still hating my weight, although I like to know say I am past this... but he said I still need to take the Citalopram, but to be perfectly honest, I like being less anxious and chubby because of this.

He told me the Plavix is working and doing a great job, my blood pressure was great (on the medicine, but good anyways!).

Had a cat-scan, no results yet... Glad I did not need a MRI, can"t stand those!

I am happy to be a stroke survivor and even happier to be able to tell my story to others... I can type, a little slower than usual, talk, a little slower than before and can walk, yet a little slower than before... but I like me... all of these give me character!

So, I guess no news is good news concerning my check-up!

45 Life Lessons and 5 to Grow On... Good Stuff

Plain Dealer writer Regina Brett originally wrote this article May 26, 2008 and has recently updated it with 5 new life lessons... I would cancel a few and add others, but this is great list just as Regina wrote it!

Regina Brett 

If you know me, I stink with money, and do not have credit cards to pay off, what is a savings account and I am so bad at asking for help... I will try to achieve these life lessons by following number 2, small steps!

Another powerful point on this list is number 42... Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Life is too short for long pity parties. Get busy living, or get busy dying.

17. You can get through anything if you stay put in today.

18. A writer writes. If you want to be a writer, write.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Overprepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood. Make it memorable.

38. Read the Psalms. They cover every human emotion.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

42. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

43. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

44. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

45. The best is yet to come.

46. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

47. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

48. If you don't ask, you don't get.

49. Yield.

50. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

A Sprinkle of Happiness

What if today, we were just grateful for everything?

Here are few reminders of why we work so hard to rock recovery and be survivors, never victims!

All in the Family

I have said before that my father had a major stroke at the young age of 38 and I followed in his footsteps with having a major stroke at the young age of 38.

My son, TK is a big young man for the age of 18, he is 6'6" and weights a bit over 300 lbs and he LOVES, loves, loves to eat!   TK in the past has juggles 3 - 4 sports at a time, baseball, basketball, track and his first love... football.  He is a very active guy and he will play college football next year... yippy and he was always had great blood pressure... until... he went for his college football physical.  He had elevated blood pressure and a funky key-tone level in his kidneys.  So, he is going to see a kidney specialist a 2 weeks and the doctor put him on Lisinopril, which I also take.

As said above, he has always had great blood pressure, but since turning 18 and having more freedom, he eats very poorly, like an 18 year old... fast food, hot-dogs oodles of noodles, double cheeseburgers, soda, BIG bags of chips (just for him) and super processed food.  He always eats my food I make (I tend to do no processed foods anymore and make low sodium food), but this is what he eats on his own.

Now, about two times a month he would enjoy 40 "Mc"Nuggets... 4,10 piece "Mc"Nuggets... I figured it out... it comes to 5600 ml of sodium... the average Joe of a person should have about 1200 ml of sodium a day.  The doctor told me the high pressure is due to his bad diet and the pressure will probably lower after a low sodium diet, the main concern is the kidney check.  He has him on the medication just because of the football camps he will be participating in this summer and the Bigg 33 Classic he is playing in this weekend in Hersey PA.

Well, he has been doing well for the past week and cut out all the crap from his daily income of nourishment. He has already lost weight... I work hard at not eating crappy food and I am the chubby queen! I am proud of him and the work he is putting into lower this blood pressure!

He is now worried, since my dad and I both have had strokes at young ages, but he wants to turn his health around!