Located

Located in beautiful New Smyrna Beach, Florida, named Ocean View Nursing and rehab center, (we use to see the ocean, but now our view is blocked by tall condominium's, and that's ok by me, God forbid, a tidal wave should come our way, 'they' will surely break it.)

The time to bring your loved ones to a nursing home, is when they will be alone in your home. When they are still in their right minds to enjoy it. There is no way that you could keep them as healthy as a nursing home can.

The stroke!

I was living on my own, a regular morning, when I felt strange, I thought I might want my friend to come in and I didn't want to answer the door so I went to the door and drew the bolt, on the way back to my chair, I was braceing myself on the right side, I didn't need a friend, I thought, I needed 911.

Back in my chair, I attemped to call 911 , but it did not go through. I happened to swipe my little left finger across my daughters name. and my smart phone dialed her number, a 10 hour drive away from me!

"Mom, are you ok?" I heard her voice and I was no longer alone, also God was managing my life, as always, because I didn't have the presents of mind to do that, , and I am right handed, so that is always my choise of hand, and unknown to me, my right hand was not working. In fact my whole right side was 'not working'!

'

The hospital!

My right arm was secured to my chest! Somehow 'it' didn't feel like MY arm but logically, it had my chipped valentines nail polish on it!

As I rode on the gurney to the hospital, I was slowly beginning to realize that my right arm was paralyzed, in fact, my whole right side was paralyzed!

Meals!

Three square plus snacks! Or 3 hot's and a 'cot'. Knowone can please everyone, when it comes to food, but when I was supplying my own food, I could not provide the variety of fruits, for instance, all of the 'berry' groups, fresh pineapple, green and red grapes. My grapes turned into raisens, before I could eat them all.

Chicken, we all did the 'elbow flapping' and 'clucking sounds', when we were tired of poultry. We could expect 'Beef' the next day, Most all types of regular American food, then we could compare the cooking to are own, or are wife's, mothers, etc. etc.

Of course if you are bound and determined to hate everything, I can only pity your attititude.

Hell on wheel's gang!

We bad! We bad! The CNA's (Certified Nursing Assistant) always teased us. It was a permanent Vacation, we had no responsibilities, nothing to do, we played all day.

I have a computer to play games on. Cards, and the activities dept. arraigned at least six parties every month. This month, for example, we had the 'mad hatter tea party, a lima bean auction, a Vagus day, a banana split social, a monthly Birthday party, and about 13 bingo games each mouth.

Also many 'entertainers' volunteer their time to play guitar or piano or sing for us.

I had my pitcher took 'hugging' a cardboard 'Elvis'.

I am beginning to think that the stroke was the best thing to ever happen to me!

Activities

Our Activities Dept. must keep the customes store open all year long, not just Halloween, we've seen the Wizard of Oz crew, Alice, and the rest of the gang from 'Wonderland'! The Cowardly Lion, The tin man, talk about 'fun' jobs!

I had a photo taken with the rabbit that Alice followed down the 'rabbit hole', 'she' was dressed with a super large watch and chain, vest, and a bushy tail.

But the activity we enjoy the most is the lima bean auction, where we each receive 30 lima beans, bid on prizes, and had an exciting time. We got t-shirts, purses, jewelry, scarves, and a radio. The jewelry and the radio might 'cost' all of our 30 beans, but I once got a t-shirt, for just 5 beans, and rolled away with as much as 3 prizes!