I sent Rylee into the attic tonight in search for Easter baskets.  She finds this one:

Then finds this one:


She hollers down that she can't find the third one.  I asked her to look in all the holiday, except Christmas boxes (there are entirely too many of them).  She still couldn't find it.  I told her to just choose a different basket.  I have valentine's baskets and other odds and ends baskets.  This is what she tossed down.


I couldn't stop laughing.  My sides hurt so bad.  Of all the choices for Easter, this is NOT what I had in mind.  I was thinking more along this line:


I did say to just choose another basket.  That is exactly what she did.  So, should the Easter Bunny fill these:




Or these?

Last night as we were getting ready for bed Marty asked me if I had picked up his medicine.  CRAP!  I totally forgot.  He said, don't worry, I went and picked it up.  WHAT!?!?  


Yesterday afternoon he was bored and decided he'd try to drive.  He started by going up and down our street that has several circles on it for easy turn arounds until he knew how the car reacted.  Then he headed off to Walgreens.  I wasn't sure whether to believe him or not.


Today when I came  home for lunch, the van was parked awkwardly in the garage.  I knew he'd driven again.  I asked him about it.  He decided he wanted to go to Walmart to buy his mother a birthday card (I reminded him last night his mom's birthday is next Monday).  He got to Walmart and realized he didn't know how to park, so he just left.  He missed the turn to come home.  Soon he realized he was at the turn off into Bentonville.  He thought he was in a turn only lane, so he exited off 540.  He drove to Braum's for a freeze.  After going through the drive thru, he didn't really want to turn left into oncoming traffic so he turned right and went through town.  He then realized he didn't know where he was going so he turned on the GPS and told it to take him home.  It took him downtown Bentonville and back up to 540 near my work.  Once he got home he wasn't sure how to park in the garage so that the door would shut and I could park too.  He was just a wee bit crooked.


He says that driving severely stresses him out!  There are so many things to think about.  He is worried that other drivers will pull out in front of him and he won't react in time. He then said he can't imagine he's any worse than either of his daughters.  That's not saying much, but it is saying, he's gaining back his independence.

Well, I suppose I am slipping back into my old blogging habits.  For a while I was blogging daily, sometimes multiple times a day.  Now, I just can't seem to blog more than 1 or 2 times a week.  I have intended to blog this exact post since Friday of last week.  Somehow I have always found better things (okay, maybe not better, but at least more fun) to do.


Friday marked 90 days since Marty's stroke.  The majority of a stroke patients recovery happens in the first 90 days.  Marty was impacted 3 ways.  Let's check his progress.

1. Physically - Marty had marked weakness in his right arm and hand.  At times it was difficult for him to hold a pencil.  His reflexes were slowed.  Even I could beat him at arm wrestling.  Now he is back 100%.  
2. Verbally - at first, Marty was not able to speak a single word. thankfully he never lost his ability to write so he had the ability to communicate though laborious.  Slowly over time, Marty has regained 95% or so of his verbal skills.  He still stutters and finds it difficult to find the right words at times.  A huge thank you to Oma and Amy who helped guide him down the path to recovery.
3. Cognitive - this was one we didn't fully recognize at first.  Overtime it became apparent.  There were times Marty would fake things that he really didn't understand.  Marty lost all his longterm memories, reasoning skills, reading ability, comprehension, logic, etc.  This has proven to be the most frustrating for me.  So, what are things he has forgotten and re-learned?
• how to eat
• how to shower, brush teeth, other basic hygiene
• read
• clean
• do laundry
• cook (still working through some kinks)

So, what does he still need to learn to do or remember?

• Comprehend what he reads
• Drive
• strengthen testimony
• strengthen relationships with others
• manage money