The days are starting to feel longer as the learning curve slows down.  The first few days, everything he learned seemed like a miracle.  Don't get me wrong, we are still celebrating every win.  Marty even got a high five from the cashier at Walmart today.

First thing this morning I needed to head to Walmart to get some things I couldn't find at home to finish Jessica's birthday present and do another project.  Marty wanted to go with me, so we headed off.  For the first time today, Marty noticed we have a number pad on the driver door to unlock the door.  He didn't remember the code, so I taught him how to do that.  He did it over and over again and was so proud of himself each time. When we got to the register, Marty went to grab his money and suddenly remembered he knew his pin to his card.  He kept saying car over and over again.  I guess opening the car spurred his memory on how to use the keypad at the register as well.  The cashier looked at us like we were nuts.  I quickly explained the situation and her entire demeanor changed.  When his card was accepted, she gave him a high five and thanked Marty for brightening her day.  I love the Jane Walmart!

We spent most of the rest of the day relaxing at home.  I did sneak off to the spa for an hour and a half since the girls were home.  Otherwise we did a whole lot of nothing!

The girls had a stake activity that they left for at 2:00 today.  After they left, we decided to go to Hobby Lobby and back to Walmart (again!!) to pick up a few things for Jessica's birthday and to pick up a thank you gift for Brendan Goad.  I'll have to wait for that trip until tomorrow because I don't want to ruin any surprised for Jess.  However, Brendan is worth mentioning.

Brendan has been here nearly every day, if not every day.  He will sit and talk to Marty, read books to Marty and just hang out with him.  He was here today when I got back from the Spa.  Marty later told me that Brendan is the one that got him food and drinks while I was gone.  Brendan is a good friend.  Marty wanted me to call his mom to find out what we could get for him as a thank you.  (Brendan is 15 I think).  She gave us a few ideas and thanked us for letting Brendan come over.  She said he's taken Marty's stroke really hard.  He is coping through service.  What a great way to deal!

Our Hobby Lobby is under construction right now.  It would appear they are expanding. While we were inside, Marty kept covering his ears as all the banging hurt them.  When we walked outside, it looked like it was snowing.  Tiny little white puffs were falling from the sky.  Marty couldn't figure out  what it was.  We looked around and saw they were building some architectural elements on the building out of Styrofoam.  They were sanding them down and this was Styrofoam dust falling from the sky.  Had I not been with Marty, I may not have even noticed.  Marty seems to notice everything.  It has been very eye opening for me.
With just Marty and I at home today, we are just chilling, snuggling on the couch and doing nothing.  After a week of doing TONS, it's nice to do nothing.

OK, this next section is a little personal, and a little gross, so if you are squeamish, stop ready NOW!




My body deals with stress by forming boils.  I get them in very unusual places and today, I feel a little like Job.  I have one right on the crease where my butt meets my leg.  It hasn't formed it's head yet, but the redness is about the size of a baseball (maybe softball - for dramatic sake).  The hard center is larger than a quarter.  It is incredibly painful.  It hurts to walk or sit.  Standing is tolerable.  It first started to feel tender on Wednesday but today it is down right painful.  Marty is really concerned as he watches me hobble around.  My boils usually last about 2 weeks.  Hooray, one more thing to tackle over the next two weeks.  I suppose I'll include the healing of my boil in my fast tomorrow.  See, I told you gross!  You were warned.

Yesterday was a day of exhaustion.  That is why there was no blog post, so I will play catchup today.

Thursday night I felt like I needed a break so I snuck away to eat ice cream with a couple of girlfriends.  We talked for well over an hour.  It was a great little therapy session.  Thanks Cori and Terry.  After I got back, I did my daily blog (which takes me all too long, you'd think at the speed I do this, I was the stroke patient).  I only say all this to say I went to bed entirely too late on Thursday night.

Yesterday morning, Marty woke me up around 4:45.  He wanted to go eat ice cream with Jessica. ?????  At 4:45????  Then I remembered.  Jessica was bringing breakfast to seminary.  She wanted to take our traditional birthday breakfast since her birthday is Sunday.  Our traditional breakfast is cold cereal with ice cream and milk.  (Don't knock it until you try it).  OK, if Marty wants to go to seminary, we will go to seminary.  Marty taught seminary last year but has no recollection, nor belief that he did.  I thought it might help spur some memories as well as please Jessica.

When Marty was picking out his clothes, he was insistent he wear a tie.  He must remember he wore a tie to seminary, or you wear a tie to go to church.  Not sure which, but either way, he picked out a tie.  He doesn't know how to tie a tie.  I don't know how to tie a tie.  Thankfully, Marty had taught Jessica to tie a tie. 

When we pulled into the church parking lot, our car was swarmed by teenagers.  They LOVE Marty.  He loves them.  I overheard one seminary teacher say, "How is this even possible?"  All the teachers that had knowledge of Marty's stroke were surprised to see him.  Jessica's teacher didn't know anything about it.  When I asked if it was okay if we stayed, she graciously agreed.

Fridays is a more fun day in Seminary.  They eat breakfast and play games with a gospel theme.  Yesterday they played SONGO - played like BINGO but with songs.  Sister Severson would sing the first few lines of a song and the kids had to write down the next few words.  If they got it right, they could mark the square that she called.  As the kids would do this, they were humming the tune to help them remember the words.  This was the first time Marty had heard humming.  He made the sign for music and then grabbed his lips.  I just about laughed, but we were in seminary.  On the way home, I started humming.  How do you teach someone to hum??  You can't show them how to form their lips.  The sounds change differently.  I just told him you have to try to make the noise and then practice changing that noise.  All day yesterday he would hum everywhere we went.  He can only make 3 different notes and they are pretty random notes, but he can at least figure that out.

After seminary we stopped at Lowes.  MArty wasn't too impressed with Lowes.  It was too big and he really didn't want to look around.  I grabbed what I needed and headed out.  Marty didn't really like home improvement before the stroke so somethings never really change.

When we got home, I was just feeling sick from sleep deprivation.  I told Marty I needed a nap.  I very quickly fell asleep on the couch and slept for about 3 hours!!!!  WOW!  I must have been more tired than I thought.  I had dreamt that Matt & Stacie Pabst had come to our house.  I asked Marty if we had visitors while I was a sleep.  He nodded yes.  I asked who.  He shrugged his shoulders.  I asked if they came inside, he shook his head no.  He motioned that he stayed on the couch and didn't answer the door.  I am so sorry to whomever drove out here to see us and we missed you.

By this time it was lunch time.  I went to the kitchen and pulled out all the yummy leftovers we have.  Marty smelled each one over and over until he settled on tomato soup.  He enjoyed this one so much.  A huge thank you to Meg for making this.  I had to get the recipe.  If anyone wants a great soup, here's her recipe:

Adapted from an Ina Garten recipe:
3 pounds ripe tomatoes, remove stems and quarter
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
6 garlic cloves, pressed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) canned tomatoes, with their juice
4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 quart chicken stock

1 TBS fresh oregano (I also added fresh thyme because I had some)
1/3-1/2 c half and half
1 red bell pepper cut into 1 inch chunks.

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the red pepper, tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet (on parchment paper) and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, oregano, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes.

Blend

Return to pot heat to med-low (no boil) and add half and half. Whisk up for minute and enjoy with a grilled cheese sandwich or a baguette.

It freezes well, too. Just put it in freezer container before you add the half and half. I add that part when I re-heat it."

After reading that recipe, I realized how much we are loved.  It is an AMAZING soup that takes an amazing amount of time.  Our church friends are pouring their heart, soul, and time into showing us their love and compassion.  I am so eternally grateful.

After lunch Marium Seidel came to visit with her little girls.  Marty is connecting with children so well.  Madelyn staring plucking at the piano.  Marty went over and helped her play chopsticks.  I haven't heard him play the piano in years.  It's one of those hidden talents he has that he has kept hidden under a bushel for so long I wondered if the flame was out entirely, but now I can see it's still there flickering.  I am grateful that Madelyn came to visit so that Marty could play the piano, even if it was only chopsticks.

After the Siedels left, we headed to Walmart.  We weren't in a hurry and only needed 2 things, so we spent time wandering around.  I had never seen a 3D TV before.  Walmart has a bunch.  I stopped and looked at them while Marty was in the restroom.  When he came out, I put the glasses on him.  He walked right up to the TV and tried to touch the cars and grab the boxes that were flying at us.  He really looked like an overgrown kid playing in front of the TV.  I think it messed with his mind a bit.  I was actually surprised how inexpensive 3D TV's were.  I think our next TV will definitely need to be 3D.

Once we left the electronics department, Marty pulled me back down the aisle with the movies.  I thought he has seen a movie he remembered.  To my surprise he pointed at a woman working out in a sports bra and short shorts.  He pointed at her stomach and then tugged at his garments.  I asked if he wanted to know why she wasn't wearing them?  He nodded yes.  I explained that only those that go to the temple wear garments to cover their body.  He seemed puzzled at first, but seemed to accept that.  He then asked if the girls wore garments.  I told him not yet.  They would when they got married.  He made his sign for long time.  Yes, we hope it will be a long time :)

As we were leaving Walmart, Marty said "Mom, Jean"  I asked if he would like to go see Jean Field.  He indicated he would.  I headed that way and called them to be sure they were home and up for a visit.  They were pleasantly surprised.  We had a nice visit with them.  Marty remembered helping Jean when she was the Relief Society president with a couple service projects.  She remembered that her son-in-law Bart worked in the library.  As we were leaving, Marty tearfully told Jean "Thank You".  Jean is the only person Marty knows is fasting for him and he is overwhelmed with gratitude that anyone would not eat for him.  He has brought it up a lot.  We have talked about a lot of people fasting for Marty, but Jean is the one that he holds onto.  He carries the card Jean sent him with him at home often.  He loves Jean.

We then went and picked up Jessica from school.  Her drivers license expires on Sunday.  We needed to get it renewed.  When we got to the spot, Marty pointed at the Kum & Go across the street and motioned he was hungry.  I offered to take him over, he wanted to go by himself.  Oh, how I was worried to have him cross the busy street.  Would he remember to look both ways?  Would he remember where he was and how to get back?  But he was insistent.  Marty is almost as stubborn as me when he makes up his mind, and his mind was made up.  I stood at the window and watched him walk across the street.  He did it and didn't get hit by a car!  A few minutes later he came back with raspberry zingers and 2 nut rolls.  He pointed out that the nutrolls were 2/$1.  Good deal.  I asked if he likes nut rolls.  He shook his head and said, "mom".  His mother does like nut rolls.  She'll be here tomorrow and he bought them for her.  Memories are triggered everywhere we go!  Even at Kum & Go!

After Jessica got her license, I gave her the keys to drive home.  Marty shook his head no.  He didn't want to ride in the back.  Poor Jess.  That girl needs some driving practice.

Our evening last night was pretty low key.  Addyson had a date last night with Connor.  While Addyson was out Marty would say, "Addy, Connor" and then make his signs for good & friend over and over.  Yes, Addyson and Connor are good friends.  Marty fell asleep on the couch.  I tried to wake him up and have him go to bed.  He pointed at the couch and said, "Addy home".  I told him she wouldn't be home for a couple of hours and he could go to bed.  I'd wait up for her.  He finally agreed to go to bed.  He was exhausted.  All the memory recall and learning of new words is taxing on him, and me.  Sadly, I didn't wait up for her either, but she did wake me up when she got home.  We had a nice talk.  I'm glad she had a nice time with Connor.  Good friends are important when you are dealing with stressful situations.

We did get two pieces of good news yesterday.  One of my friends, Roberta Collins, has a lot of history with speech therapy, working with stroke victims and rehab.  She has graciously agreed to come work with Marty starting on Monday.  I am so grateful that the Lord brought Roberta into my life in Germany this year so that we can have this connection now.  She is definitley a God send.  After Roberta agreed to do this, we got a call from a Mercy clinic in Rogers.  They can take him into their program the week after next.  He will have his preliminary assessment on the 17th.  10 days seems like an eternity, but I'm relieved to have it calendared.  Crazy that there are so few openings here.  Seriously people, if you are interested in speech or occupational therapy, open a clinic in Northwest Arkansas.  To take nearly 3 weeks to start thereapy after a stroke is a little ridiculous!

Overall, this week has just been plain exhausting. Marty's parents should be here Sunday night. I will start work again on Monday. It will be nice to have a distraction, but I know my heart will be torn. I pray that it won't lead to further exhaustion. I will need to be diligent in going to bed early and eating well to keep up my strength. This isn't a physically hard experience, but it is mentally and emotionally exhausting. We are doing well, but are tired!

I sense that my blog posts will get shorter and shorter over time, as will the following of Marty's progress.  It's not to say that less is happening, but less new things are happening.  Today was just another pretty good day, with less emotions involved.

Today will also be entirely of my own memory (which isn't good) because Marty lost his notepad somewhere while out today.  This has been his primary source of communication and has been the outline for this journaling blog.  We aren't sure if we lost it at Walmart or Hobby Lobby, but we do feel like we've lost a friend.  Marty even cried when he realized he had lost his notebook. 

So, a few realizations from my perspective.  Marty has a sense of innocence about him.  He is aware that he is an adult, but really doesn't know anything.  He is experiencing so much for the first time.  I am grateful to be able to see the world through his eyes.  I have also realized that Marty has a very heightened sense of smell, taste, sight and hearing.  He smells EVERYTHING!  He wants to taste as many things as possible.  He see and hears things that most people would not pay attention to. 

So, let the day's journey begin. 

We got up at our normal time to get the kids ready for school and do our scripture study.  A great scripture from today's study can be found here. 

After we got Addyson and Jessica off to school, Marty wanted breakfast.  Our good friend Katie Gulbransen had brought over some muffins for breakfast.  I think Marty smelled every single muffin until he chose three.

While eating breakfast, Marty got a panicked look on his face.  He said he couldn't see.  There were spots everywhere.  My heart panicked.  Was he having another stroke?  I asked him what was wrong again.  He wrote down that he had looked right at the sun and now he couldn't see.  I looked at his pupils and they were just pindrops.  I asked him to close his eyes for just a minute and see if that helped.  A few minutes later he opened his eyes and could see just fine.  I told him to not look directly in the sun or it will hurt his eyes. 

My boss made a visit this morning and brought a ton of paper supplies, plus Marty's favorite icecream and a gift certificate for an outing to Braum's.  That will sure to be used this next week.  Marty was so sweet to get up and try to remember who Teddie was, even though he has never met her.  Teddie's daughter is sick right now.  When I told Marty that last night he asked if he could fast for her.  He remembered that this morning and remembered that he wants to make her apple butter.

Marty wrote a list of the things he had done this morning, made bed, made sandwiches, vacuum, then wrote "Does this always make me tired".  I reminded him that this is why he can't fast.  He needs food to keep his energy and strength while he gets better. Once he is healed, I think he will be fasting all the time.  He is intrigued by that idea.

My brother called yesterday and asked if an IPAD may be of help for Marty.  Devon is a tech guru and thought that the ease of an IPAD would be good for Marty to be able to listen to music and to be able to see pictures any time he wants.  Before Devon invests in one, I wanted Marty to try it out.  The computer gives him a headache, I think from the stress.  Nicole Bingham brought hers over this morning.  Marty had so much fun playing on it.  he loves that he can easily change from picture to picture.  he loves that the pictures are always right side up.  It was intuitive for him.  I am so indebted to Devon for his generosity.  I am eager to see how Marty will progress once he has some technology to assist him.  Pictures are doing the best at evoking memories and aiding in speech.

When Marty got out of the shower he said, "Cori".  Then made his sign for see.  I asked him if he wanted to see Cori.  He nodded yet.  I sent a text to Cori to see what her schedule was like.  Then Marty said "Cori home".  I asked if he wanted Cori to come here.  He shook his head no and made his sign for go.  I asked if he wanted to go to Cori's home.  He quickly nodded yes.  I got a hold of Cori and she wasn't home, but would be after 11.  All morning Marty kept saying "Cori home".  I reminded him it wasn't time yet.  Once it was time, we drove to Cori's house.

Cori had just bought her weekly groceries.  She buys different things that we do and Marty was fascinated by each one.  He would intently watch her put things away.  Once she had the refrigerated things put away she asked us to come into her family room.  Marty started signing talk and go over and over.  I couldn't figure out what he wanted.  I asked if he wanted to leave, if he wanted to stay and Cori and I go.  We finally figured out he wanted to talk to Cori without me there.  Cori and Marty went outside and left me on the couch.  I wasn't sure what he was planning, but I was a little concerned.  A few minutes later, they came back in smiling and Marty was ready to leave.  Whatever he needed to talk to Cori about was done and so it was time to go. 

Today was in the upper 60's and sunny.  Beautiful weather for January.  We decided to take the Miata out for a spin.  Marty loved the sun on his face and the wind in his hair.  He kept giving me the sign for good and saying car.  I then taught him the word fun.  He then would say "fun car".  When the girls got home he said "mom fun car".  They laughed.

We went to firehouse subs for lunch.  We have eaten there often, but I have never really paid attention to what he ordered.  I think I ordered him the right thing, but either way, he happily ate it.  When it was time to get drinks I got two different kinds, raspberry lemonade and cherry limeade.  I had Marty try both and choose which one he wanted.  He chose the cherry limeade.  I think this is his new favorite drink.  This is the third day in a row he has had a cherry limeade.

I told Marty that Walmart needed to be on my timeline and not his because we needed to go back to the house to wait for the girls.  He agreed, but was quickly distracted as we walked through the store.  He finally made the motion of a collar and a leash and indicated that was the only way he was going to be able to stay with me.  He made it out fairly quickly with no major issues.

We went to hobby lobby to pick up a couple things for Jessica's birthday on Sunday and to look at baskets.  I have a deep narrow cupboard that I wanted to add some baskets to to be easier to get to the back.  I wanted two that matched but wasn't having much luck.  Marty on the other hand quickly found two matching baskets that are perfect.  I love his eagle eyes.

Our Hobby Lobby is under construction as well.  Outside of the front doors they had a very large scissor lift.  Marty was intrigued by it.  I think he would have watched the men work and watch the equipment all day. 

After Hobby Lobby, Marty wanted to go see where the girls go to school.  When we drove by he signed "big".  Their school is very large!  Just as we were passing by, I got a text from Jessica that she was sick and needed a ride.  I told Marty we needed to go home and get another car and come back and get Jess.  (I realize now I should have called a friend to get Jess :) )  Marty wanted me to stop now and get her.  I told him we didn't have room.  He said she could sit on his lap.  I told him that wasn't safe and it was against the law.  He then wanted me to leave him on the side of the road and go back and get her.  I told him I wasn't doing that either.  He would get lost.  I told him it would only take a few minutes to get the other car.  Marty was so worried about Jess.  When I got home I put the icecream in the freezer while marty went inside.  He came back out a few minutes later with some food and medicines for Jessica.  He was going to fix her the minute he saw her.  (unfortunately he didn't bring the right kind of medicine for what ailed her, but at least he was thinking of her)

On the way back to the house we drove past our church.  It's the church we went to the first two years we lived here and the church we have been attending for the last 4 months.  He got so excited when he saw it.  When I asked if he remembers that building he nodded his head and signed that he had donated blood there.  That is true, but that was a one time occurance.  That building doesn't have a religious significance yet.

Two funny things happened in the bathroom today.  The first one, Marty changed the toilet paper roll himself.  He was so proud of himself.  He had to come get me to show me.  The second he brought me in and showed me all the steps he would do to use the bathroom (#1)  then made a stinky face.  I asked him if his pee was stinky.  I almost laughed at his face.  It must have been bad.  I told him he needs to drink more water.  If you don't drink enough water, you get stinky pee.

While we were in the bathroom talking about stinky pee, Marty pulled me close, looked me in the eyes, and with tears in his eyes said, "I love you".  Oh the tears!  He then made the sign for good and friend while saying Cori.  I asked if Cori taught him that.  He smiled yes.  He then showed me a crumpled up piece of paper in his pocket.  He had written "will you teach me I love you" and showed Cori.  That was why it was so important for Marty to see Cori this morning.  I am so grateful that I have good friends that can double as speach therapists.

When we were setting the table for dinner tonight, Marty asked if Conner was coming.  Conner ate dinner with us last night.  I suppose Marty feels like he is a part of our family.  I am grateful that Addyson has such an awesome friend.  Conner is welcome in our home any time.

After all I've done this week, I felt like I needed an escape tonight.  All three girls were home to look after Dad if he needed something so I headed to Braums.  I am so grateful for Cori and Terry for meeting me there.  It was nice to be able to decompress for a minute.  Sorry for the rampling, maybe Braums does it.  Who knows?

On a medical note, Marty doesn't go back to see the Neurologist until January 26.  They still haven't found him a speach therapist or an occupational therapist that is accepting new patience.  If you know someone in that field that needs a job, send them to Northwest Arkansas.  Apparently they are BUSY.  I told them I'll drive to Fort Smith or Joplin, but I want him to start therapy.  Kind of frustrating.  However, in the meantime, I am finding that the Lord is a great therapist.  If I will follow the promptings of the holy ghost, I am able to meet the needs of Marty.  One way or another we will figure this thing out.

I am repeatedly overwehlmed by the awesomeness of our friends.  I have learned how to better serve.  I have been served in ways that were so meaningful that I would have never have thought of on my own.  I pray that I never forget to see the world through Marty's eyes and that I never forget to love others as my friends love me.

In our morning reading this morning we were in 1 Nephi 17.  Marty and I were sharing his set of the scriptures.  I have highligted this scripture exactly like it is highlighted in Marty's scriptures. 

6 And it came to pass that we did pitch our tents by the seashore; and notwithstanding we had suffered many afflictions and much difficulty, yea, even so much that we cannot write them all, we were exceedingly rejoiced when we came to the seashore; and we called the place Bountiful, because of its much fruit.

Marty is in such great spirits.  He wants to do everything all by himself.  I am finding more and more he can do it, if I'm patient enough to let him figure it out.  Some things we can do that with (making a bagel), other things we can't (cooking eggs).  He wants to cook eggs now, he wants to drive now, he wants to be completely self-sufficient now.  He want to know when he can do it all.  I don't have the answer to that question.

First thing this morning he wanted to make phone calls.  I told him most people were still asleep.  He just really needed to hear his family's voices.  We did eventually get a hold of a few of his siblings to talk to them.  I think it was good for all of them.  He loves to look at this picture:

We are now  3 days into this.  I am so grateful this was a mild stroke and that the connections are quickly re-forming and healing.  We have had a GREAT day!  Through this day I have realized, and Marty is starting to realize he hasn't really forgotten everything it's just VERY slow coming out.  We don't have to re-teach him, he just needs to slow down and it will come.

• Lights off - Pray for Deer

• My NaNa made Houses with candy that smells like soap

• 5 Embelton Drive Bella Vista AR 72714
• 2007 Ford Freestar
• 2001 Mazda Miata
• 1999 Pontiac Grand Am
• Jon B-day  -21 Jan, Judy -22 Jan
• Scott 27, Dad - 3 July
• Things just seem clearer
• I think I was talking in my sleep
• I had a dream that I was taking on the phone.  I heard myself talk.

• Becky cuts my hair (his sister was a beautician)
• Pecan Pie (Marty was flipping through a magazine and saw Kenny Rogers in it.  He remembered "AAAA EEEE" had sung with him.  He also remembered that we went to dinner before hand and he had the best pecan pie)
• She told me But I can't Remember (?????)
• Braum's (I asked Marty where he wanted to go after the doctor)
• T-shirts for scarfs (we passed by a thrift store that we had talked about buying t-shirts at a few weeks ago)
• cherry (??)
• Does she like to read? (while on the phone with his mom - we actually called his mom today and he said "hi mom")
• Listen (??)
• I saw your picture on the wall and I wanted to say your name (answer to one of the girls that asked how he learned to say their name)
• Did we make dinner together for our church (speaking to the Causey's who had served on the ward activities committee with us.
• On Sundays (??)
• Soup at Braums (there was a chicken enchilada soup with green chili at braums.  He remembered that the Causey's like green chili)

• Her son speaks spanish (on a mission in Spain)
• Band
• Football games
• Your son goes there - full skolarship

• What do we usually eat?
• Peggy & Terri (Addyson's choir teacher and his wife)
• Works at church (referring to Peggy)

• Tevit & Brenden moped the flour (mopped the floor)
• Her son was in my nursery - Adam
• likes to hit stuff with hammer

1. Walmart
2. paying with money
3. seeing the mountains
4. getting ice from the ice dispenser
5. sorting laundry
6. washing laundry
7. drying laundry
8. folding and putting away laundry
9. sucking a thick milk shake through a straw
10. getting a cold milk shake
11. going to a thrift store
12. hearing the heater turn on
13. cooking eggs
14. cooking a pizza

We were notified Sunday night around 9pm that Marty officially was going home.  We were so excited because we had come to the realization that he was going to be spending another night in the hospital.  By the time we got all the paperwork completed it was a little after 10:30 and we were off!

• Beer Boil in King Super we got the stuff Becky Bought Beer - Sec 89 (Marty was wondering through the kitchen, opening cabinets and came across a drawer of crab crackers.)
• Susie (Marty pointed at the word King Super and shrugged his shoulders.  I explained it is a grocery store to buy food. He then wrote Susie's name.  King Super is where we shop when we visit Susie
• What's Seminary (Marty still doesn't believe he taught seminary)
• Eye Drops in Sage (I don't remember him putting eyedrops in Sage's eyes, but I have no doubt he did.  He loves that girl)
• Dancing Queen late night on a boat with girls singing (somehow the girls got on the topic of Karaoke and Marty remembered

• OJ Chase (This was a little random.  He wrote this while looking at Addyson's baby pictures.  The OJ simpson car chase happened on Addyson's birthday.  After writing this Marty pointed at OJ and shrugged his shoulders.  I asked him if he know who OJ was and had shook his head no.  That was a fun conversation ;) )
• Christy she is a dancer
• Colorado Rockies we at Tornados
• Amie, Angela, DJ, Amanda, Danny
• Perish - Army (some friends of ours last name is Perish.  They are currently stationed in Germany)
• Jon's Boy - Same B-day as Susie's Boy
• Zane
• Miachel Allen Christoffersen
• Susie & Will
• Close only counts (there is a picture in the scrapbook from a family reunion of playing horseshoes.  Close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades is one of the sayings Marty would say a lot)
• Sep 11 2001
• Some one took your tooth and through
• Becky & Brouser
• caught a lizard
• Buchaner Bazzar
• Bitty Baby, Kit, Addy

• Peanut Butter choc chip - Rylee
• Peanut Butter & Honey or choc chip - Jessi
• Ham & Honey mustard or nutella - Addy
• Peppering (the girls used to take a self defense class and this is one of the ways of defending yourself.  Not sure how that came up in conversation)
• Hana & Casey new home (One of our friends was over here assembly Marty's new shark steam mop.  The girls were teasing him and told him to read the directions so it didn't turn out like the bike.  Marty then remembered that Brenden had assembled a bike at Hannah & Casey's new home last week.  Marty has only met Hannah and Casey one time.  They must have left an impression)
• Ricky & Jessica she got wet outside where we ate lunch and chased a bird (Jessica asked if Marty remembered our old dog and this is the memory he had of Maggie)
• Kat's dad is Denver He gave us a paint brush (Kat came to visit and this was his memory of her)
• SONA (When Kat came in, Marty also remembered that Kat has a little sister that was wearing a beautiful dress.  We couldn't figure out where Marty would have seen Nora until her wrote SONA.  Marty then remembered hearing Addyson and Kat sing at SONA.  We've been trying for days to get Marty to remember Addyson's singing and Kat is the one that evoked that memory)
• White SUV at Sonic (We saw Kat on Friday at Sonic, but she was driving a red SUV)
• Pictur of Thurnder down (I can't remember what we were talking about when Marty remembered this, but when we went to Vegas Jessica almost got lost because she stopped to take a picture of them)

• Matt and I helped pick young women and primary pres
• Sams (that's where Matt works)
• Baby cloths for Germany Garage Sale (Alicia donated a lot of clothes to a garage sale to help Addyson raise money to go to Germany)
• Converse All Star Jumpy (The Lindsey's little boys wants orange shoes.  Marty remembered that he used to own orange shoes)
• John Elway #7
• Arvada West High School (Matt went to this high school which is just a block or so away from Marty's sister Susie's house.)
• Drake Junior High Dragons (Marty went to Junior high in Arvada too)
• King of the Ferries (I think this must be an inside joke for folks from Arvada.  Matt thought it was funny)
• 68th (street Marty's sister lives on)
• Dair Queen (Just down the road from the high school)
• Jolly Rancher Factory - Ward road
• Arby's - Becky workd
• Church building on quail
• I work nursery (Matt asked Marty if he had a calling at church.  The last Sunday Marty was at church he substituted in the nursery, but that's not his calling.  He doesn't currently have a calling)

• dad's a branch president
• song you girls were (there is a song called "I'm sexy and I know it" that the girls call Josh's song)

• play this game in the cave (name of our first apartment)

• $50 to read Bob books (He paid Jessica $50 to teach Rylee to read because he didn't want to teach her.  You could tell he felt bad about that and hugged Rylee for a long time.  She then told her dad she'd teach him to read)

• You Bike - Addy's teacher Bikes he painted our house (to Brendan about brother Sperry, Addyson's seminary teacher)
• Erika in pictur like Rice milk like me (Addyson was listening to a song called rice milk)
• She told me I gave a good talk (to Lauren Sasine)
• I kissed my sisters kister last easter (to Mariah Wilcox)
• Mentral Camp (to Will Sasine - song he sang in madrigal feast this year)
• 800 Kelly?  I walked By there House Every Morning (To the Causey family - this was their address 3 houses ago)
• They got flat tire on day of his first trip to Temple (again to the Causey family)
• Sam's Club (??)
• Eber Skeber (We had invited the causey's to our home for Aebleskiver one year)
• Sweet Potatoes (Neva Causey makes amazing sweet potato casserole)
• We used to go to church - not LDS (to Michael Causey, Marty and Michael went to an over eaters anonymous meeting at the Lutheran church in Rogers)
• Centerton Gamble (??)
• Plays for choir & played organ with her mom (to Lauren Sasine)
• Mississippi (trying to remember where MIchael Causey is from - He's actually from Alabama)
• Roll Tide (Marty's response to Alabama)
• New Mexico - Green Chili (where Neva is from)
• Big Balloon Festival (when we lived in Santa Fe, we went to the Albuquerque balloon festival)
• Dad ate like a bunch of Breakfast Burritos (I love that Marty used the word like)
• Rose's Lariat Cafe Rawlings (when talking about green chili and burritos, he remembered this little hole in the wall place with great green chili)
• Kinda food (he wanted to know what kind of food green chili was)
• Batman (someone said that Michael was speaking in riddles.  We asked Marty if he knew what riddles were - he remembers the Riddler)
• Gave me poptarts - strawberry - in Big pretty Bag (to Emily Boswell - Emily used to bring poptarts to seminary)
• I can't remember to ask - But I can do stuff (Marty expressing frustration that we were doing everything for him and not teaching him or asking him to help while were were cleaning up the kitchen after dinner)
• She had a sweater and got hot and I helped her take it off and put it Back on.  She was very nice - Dress was green (talking to Brother Zebley about his daughter Clare)
• There pictures were downtown (to Brother Zebley about his family pictures that were in his Christmas card)
• D&C 20:77-78 (Brother Zebley asked if Marty had gotten the sacrament on Sunday)
• maggie was our dog (I had received a text message from Maggie Medford - he now remembers our dog's name)
• 1 can of V8, Bottle of Salsa, 2 cans of beans, pound of Beef, chili powder, taco seasoning (this was spurred from a V8 commercial.  This is a recipe for taco chili.  We usually use chicken not beef)
• Corn bread (we talked about him entering his chili in a chili cook off and he remembered the corn bread)

• Can you get married more than 1?  (we said yes and gave him a few examples of people that had been married and divorced and re-married.  I asked him if he wanted to get remarried.  He adamantly shook his head no)
• In 3 Nephi more marriage is sin (I told him that there are 3 reasons the Lord says you can get divorced)
• 3A (we confirmed the 3 A's.  He then seemed satisfied)
• Our first kiss was in the rain

• Love your wife with all your heart.  Being a caregiver with a family is a hugh demand.
• Hold hands with your bride often, hug her and your kids, parents.  Have a twinkle in your eye. Your trials will be but for a little time.

• Is this hard on you (when I nodded yes and said at time it is hard.  It is hard to see you not the same.  It is also fun, but sometimes hard, Marty broke down sobbing, harder than I have ever seen him sob)
• I didn't understand (I don't think any of us understand)

I haven't blogged in month's and now will start again with a very lengthy post, but a post I don't want to forget.

On Friday December 30, Addyson & Jessica had a multi-stake dance in Springdale that got over at 12:00.  Addyson had a carload of kids to drop off before coming home, so we weren't expecting her to be home until 1:30.  As customary in our home, I went to bed, while Marty waited up for her.  Rylee got home from babysitting shortly before midnight.  About 12:30, Marty got a really bad headache and asked Rylee to wait up for the other two girls.  That is very uncharacteristic.

I slept in a little on Saturday morning and didn't get up until about 6:25.  While sitting on the couch, I heard Marty get up.  Thinking he'd waited up for Addyson until 1:30 or so, I turned and commented to him that he was up early.  He didn't say anything, shrugged his shoulders and I could see fear in his eyes.  I asked if he was ok.  He shook his head no.  I asked if he needed to go to the hospital, he shook his head yes.  He had amazing faculties about him at that time.  He insisted I put some clothes on (which I hadn't planned on doing).  While I threw on jeans instead of pajama pants, Marty gathered his medicine and poured me a glass of diet pepsi.  I would NEVER have thought of either one.  Off to the hospital we sped.

They immediately took him back and hooked him up to tons of machines, drew tons of blood and tried to figure out was was wrong.  At that time he was indicating that his right arm was numb, his right side of his face was numb and he wasn't speaking at all.  He didn't have the strength to hold a pen to write either.  He was quickly getting frustrated as he couldn't answer the doctor's questions and I am clearly not a mind reader.  Over time, his frustration turned to anger.  He really wanted us to know what was wrong, but he just couldn't communicate it.

While the doctors were assessing Marty, I called our Bishop of our old ward as he was very close to the hospital, a close family friend, and I had his number in my cell phone.  (Here's a note to everyone, put the entire ward roster in your phone, you never know when you'll need it).  He quickly brought another friend over and gave Marty a blessing.  It was nice to have friends that would come to the hospital at 7:30 in the morning.

After doing a physical exam and all initial tests came back good, the doctors thought it was a medicine imbalance, admitted him to the hospital and sent his blood to Springdale for confirmation.

When our normal doctor saw Marty around 10:30 he noticed a significant weakness in Marty's right arm that had not been there before.  This concerned him more as this would indicate stroke and not medicine imbalance.  He sent him back to the ER for a consultation with a neurologist.  The CT scan showed no irregularities, but the change over time made the neurologists convinced Marty was having a stroke.  At that point it was too late for the clot busting medicine (they think the stroke started around midnight and you only have 4 hours to administer the meds).  They ordered an MRI to view the location and extent of damage.  When the MRI came back, there were no clots, but there were small areas of damage.  I have no doubt this was a miracle that the clot(s) had dissolved.  This helped minimize the damage and long term effects.

Throughout the afternoon, Marty would try very hard to communicate with us and get very frustrated because we didn't understand.  We kept encouraging him to write.  He finally did start to write.  It was SLOW and meticulous.  Each word seemed to take forever to form, but he then had a way to communicate. 

At one point her wrote, "I can't pray".  I told him he didn't have to talk to pray.  Just think about it in his mind and the Lord would know the intent of his heart.  He then wrote, "I can't think very well!  Ask me a Question I can know it."  I then asked him several yes/no questions and determined his thinking was very foggy.  If we asked him a question, he could answer it, but to have him come up with the questions, wasn't going to happen.

We had several visitors throughout the evening.  As each would come in, Marty's face would light up.  He still hadn't written more than a dozen words but loved to answer yes/no questions.  We became quite good at 20 questions.  When his seminary students came to visit, he really shined.  He loves those kids.  While there, he wrote "push car" and pointed to Cody.  All the kids laughed.  There was a testimony building story behind pushing a car that Marty remembered and obviously, so did the students.

In the morning, they brought him breakfast.  He just stared at the plate.  I asked him if he was hungry.  He nodded yes.  I told him to eat.  He shrugged his shoulders.  I put the fork in his hand and helped him take a bite.  He took a few more bites and then just stared at the plate.  I asked if it tastes good.  He nodded yes.  I asked if he was hungry and he nodded yes.  I again told him to eat.  He then took a few more bites.  This happened over and over until he had finished his breakfast.  After he wrote "I can't rember what to do I'm Hungry and Thirsty I forget to eat & Drink"  It's as though he doesn't know the purpose of the food and drink put in front of him.  However, before I got to the hospital he had shaved.  Why his brain knows how to shave but not eat will continue to be a mystery to me.  The brain is a powerful thing.

On recommendation of my mother and another family friend, I created some flashcards for Marty to use if he needed something.  I wrote simple words like, medicine, pain, hot, cold, eat, drink, water, Dr Pepper (got to have the important things), thank you, quiet, etc.  When I asked Marty if these were helpful, he wrote "When you say stuff I understand It takes a while when I read I need to read" 

Over and over through the morning, he would motion that he forgot as we played 20 questions.  At one point he pointed at me and motioned forgot.  I said "you forgot me?"  He nodded yes.  He then broke down sobbing.  It became quite apparent that he had forgotten a lot of things and was very sad to have lost these memories.  He couldn't remember the names of our daughters or their ages.  This too was upsetting for him. 

At that point they brought him lunch.  He had soup and a sandwich.  It took a lot of reminding him to eat but he made it through.  At one point while eating his soup, he wrote "Panda".  Panda is one of his favorite Chinese restaurant and he LOVES their soup.  We will need to go there this week for lunch.

Marty's sister then came to the hospital to sit with Marty while I went to Sacrament meeting.  Marty also had quite a few visitors while I was gone.  It was fun to see all he had written when I got back.  Our visitors quickly figured out that Marty had lost a lot of memories and kept talking to him to spur a memory.  Here's the list of what he wrote - spelling and punctuation included (and an explanation if I know it)

• How far is home
• My Birthday is Sep 28. How old am I
• Susie, Laurie, Becky, Judy, Jon, Jean, Andy, Scott, Mickey (all his siblings in birth order)
• Up in the mountains
• I took your son to the MTC
• We got stuck on a Dam
• You like Braum's milk shakes
• Same place in California as David (Brother Cutting moved to Arkansas from California.  Marty remembered they lived in the same place that his nephew is serving a mission.  I didn't even know that)
• Choir at Dr. Fred's house (Dr Deal came to visit)
• Sage is Diabetic (one of the seminary kids, but she wasn't here at the time, so not sure what spurred that memory)
• 20mg (the nurse tried to give him 40 mg of a medicine and Marty remembered it was too much)
• Do we have stairs (when the physical therapist was working with Marty to see if he would be safe at home, it was clear Marty didn't remember where we lived)
• Where do I work (when I explained that, he looked very surprised and a lot concerned.  he then wrote:
• I can't do that (we assured him we'll help a lot until he can do that)
• D&C 20:77-78 (he wrote this after Cody and Adam administered the sacrament to Marty)
• Egg Sandwich (he makes Rylee one most mornings
• Pumpkin pie is Thanksgiving (one of the visitors said that he'd had pumpkin pie for breakfast.  Marty then indicated he didn't like thanksgiving)
• Painted our (two of the boys that visited help paint our new house)
• You toch (you touch - Marty dared Jessica to touch a lady on the arm at Walmart and he'd give her $1.  She did it and bought chapstick with the dollar.  This is what he wrote when he saw Jess putting on the chapstick)
• Coockie San (Jessica saw a plate that had frosting on it left from lunch.  She asked if Dad had cake, nope, a cookie sandwich)
• 1 bag hsh brns, 1 onion, cream cheese, 3 cups water, 1 can corn and cream corn (Marty was eating corn chowder for dinner and started writing this.  It's most of a recipe for corn chowder that he makes.)
• muffins you like (I love the corn chowder and muffins at mimi's)
• Pretzel M&M 3 for 99 at Alens (not sure where this one came from, but Conner was excited to know that they were on sale)
• Steak & Buffet in (Started pointing to Jessica - Marty was eating banana pudding and remembered he worked at Ryan's in Georgia where Jessica was born)
• Hot Guys B (We were talking about Jessica's birthday.  She'll be 16 this week.  I told dad she wants a red truck with a hot guy in the passenger seat.  He then scribbled this.  When he got to the B Jessica finished saying baby animals.  I guess there is a calendar at the mall called Hot Guys and baby animals that Jessica was looking at.  Jess and Marty sure laughed about that one)
• Is her Friend in the Army (I asked Marty if he knew anything about Qatar.  He didn't.  I told him Jess has a friend in Qatar.  This was his response.  Not sure who he was thinking of)
• Aug 26 Dec 13 (our anniversary and my birthday)
• June 17 (Addyson's birthday)
• Jan 9 (Jessica's birthday)
• Feb 7 (Rylee's birthday)
• I think you might be telling stores :) (The girls were telling him all kinds of stories that he had told them about his childhood.  He was shocked at some of the things he had done)
• My n.
• The cave (our first apartment)
• Eufala Inn (He then pointed back at his brother Mickey's name and made a large circle.  Eufala inn has plate size chicken fried steaks that Mickey loved)
• Raidio 94.9 song ADHD (Jessica won't leave the radio stations alone and constantly changes them.  Marty teases her saying she has song ADHD)
• Ronald Regan (when someone asked who the president of the united states is)
• Thomas S Monson (when someone asked who the prophet is - at least he knows the important ones)
• Jon (??)
• Summer, Christ, Dara (when asked who my siblings are - we teased him that he only likes the girls.  Two of these are my SIL not my sisters.  He couldn't remember my brothers)
• Doctor (When we were telling him the spouses of the above names, he stopped when we said Dean and wrote this.  Dean is a Physician's assistant)
• D&C 89 - (one of the kids asked where the word of wisdom is)
• Oth & Coven (one of the kids gave the scripture reference for this - I'm not even sure where it is)
• Cody taught it (in seminary last year, Cody taught the oath and covenant section.)
• Susie & Will (??)
• Not about me - about (??)
• Girl for sale - Allens (long funny story, but Marty remembered seeing what looked like a car selling little girls on the side of the road on his way home from Allen's one day)
• you used to go to math competitions (talking about me)
• no boy tease (we were talking about different boys that the girls like)
• Jan 8 (Jessica's birthday)
• Cook better dinners (Addyson was telling Marty that the talks in sacrament meeting were about setting goals and making new year's resolutions.  Marty remembered his)
• senior, 10, 8
• with Angela (we were talking about where Addyson wanted to go to school.  He could remember that one of her choices was with Angela, but he couldn't remember which school or who Angela (his niece) is)
• I was late (we were talking about our wedding - and indeed he was late - about 35 or 40 minutes late due to traffic)
• yellow - (pointing at his bright yellow socks.  We asked him if he remembered any other colors and he couldn't)
• Utah (??)
• Mountain Home (we were talking about all region band concert in a couple weeks and he remembered where it is being held)
• Martin Hemming Christoffersen
• De Anne Leah Goth (my mother's maiden name is Goff)
• Addyson Marie
• Jessica Ray
• Rylee Anne
• Car accident - (when clarifying Goff, he remembered that my mother was killed in a car accident)
• Red Robin - SVU - (again, talking about colleges for Addyson, he remembers eating at Red Robin with the molines and talking about SVU - long before Addyson was considering it as a potential school)
• Lots of trees - (we asked if he remembers our home, this is what he remembers)
• water fountain - (we were talking about all the different rooms in our house.  When we got to the perspective room, this is what he remembered)
• I need to eat with meds - carbs (when they brought him his evening meds he remembered if he doesn't have some carbs his stomach gets upset)
• Paper towel - (he was sweating and wanted a towel to wipe his forehead)
• Electric blanket - (I commented I didn't know how he could be sweating and i was freezing.  Our temperatures are always different.  He bought me an electric blanket for my birthday)