Gary's stroke in 2021 left him with disabilities which hinder him, but do not defeat him. Gary has always been up for a challenge. But, this has not been easy! 

Pre-stroke Gary was unstoppable. At age 75, he was CFO of a specialty car dealership that he and his partner had started a decade before. Energetic, vivacious and talkative with a million great stories, his catch-line was, "To make a long story longer..."  He always had something to say. 

Post-stroke Gary is quiet and no longer initiates conversation unless it's among his closest friends and family. Then he will join in, but sometimes with halting speech. As he searches around the remnants of his once prolific vocabulary and can't find the words, that frustrates him. But his physical disabilities frustrate him even more. 

Pre-stroke Gary was an athlete. He excelled in sports - especially baseball with his wicked left-handed pitches.

Fearless! He would try anything. In the Air Force he was the one to volunteer to dangle from a cable out of a helicopter and trudge through a snake-infested river for a jungle survival film.

Off-road racing in the Baja 1000 each year as wingman to his equally fearless friend, Dan, was FUN he told me, as I freaked over the pictures of their race car almost vertical as it careened around mountain roads -at night!  

And golf! He was a power-hitting, avid golfer who was challenging himself to play every course in Arizona. Now, it is too challenging to even go to the driving range. He really misses it!  

Post-stroke Gary who had never lived life on the sidelines before, was suddenly - sidelined! His body would not cooperate. 

His dominant left hand which used to throw perfect knuckle-drop balls, now can not always hold onto a fork. Clink ... on the floor again, Dammit! His right hand can not help as it has always been the extra one - not really functional - only there for looks. 

Even playing gin rummy became challenging for him - it's much easier with two hands. Once when he asked to shuffle, I said that maybe I should do it since the cards were new and slippery.  He said, "I'll do it. If it doesn't work out, we can always play 52 pick up!"  And, we did. 

The stubborn male pride is still intact - he wants to do things he used to, even if now it's too dangerous. So he doesn't always let me know what he's up to. Like the time I caught him in the backyard on the top of a 12-foot ladder holding a buzzing chainsaw in his partially paralyzed left hand, trying to cut down a tree branch.  

The stroke did not stop him, but it did slow him down.  Although he still goes to work two days a week, and we go out with friends frequently, and we see the kids and grandkids often, and he does a lot of the grocery shopping and errands ... most of the time he is sedentary. Something he has never been before. And it has taken a toll. 

Walking has become more difficult for him; I have noticed a difference in his gait and balance. His steps are shorter and a little stiff-looking. Neither of us like this change.  


THEN! Out of the blue, he told me that he had been researching clinical trials that focus on stroke damage.  You Have??!!!  I was amazed on so many levels and so proud of him! 

The trial he was accepted in is to improve walking!  He had to qualify by walking around a course outlined by blue tape on the floor. He had to walk around as many times as he could, in a set amount of time, and there were chairs along the course in case you had to sit and rest.  "I don't  need no stinkin' chairs!" Gary said (to himself) as his athletic spirit kicked in.  He walked around as fast as he could - 13 times.  When the time was up, the Director said, "13 times!! You just broke the record!" Gary was back! 

He was given headphones with programmed music to listen to while he walks, and sensors to put on both of his shoes to measure his step-length, steadiness, speed and so on. He signed up at a nearby sports complex that has an indoor walking track where he'll walk for 30 minutes at a time, three days a week for 12 weeks, and then they'll check his progress and re-analyze. 

Every time he goes he makes progress! He increases the number of steps he walks in that 30 minute block of time. That's his personal challenge and he keeps track!

And, his competitive nature has really kicked in!  If someone is walking in front of him at about the same pace, he puts it in over-drive to pass them up.  But he can't do anything about the fast walkers yet and it really bugs him!  He says he wants to trip them as they arrogantly pass him by.  

Don't worry! He doesn't! He just kicks up his speed a notch and keeps on trying - eventually he will be one of the fast-walkers too!  

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