My contact info is 360-907-4457 or strokeambassador@gmail.com

Keep on scrolling for Zoom info!

Last Friday my daughter and my grand babies were supposed to be dropped off by her husband on his way to work.  While I was in the shower I heard her call on my phone.  I thought, oh no they can't get in the house.  I called her right back but she didn't answer.  I thought that was odd and continued to get dressed.  After a couple more tries I got hold of her.  She told me they had been in a wreck but everyone was ok.  She told me that a woman ran a stop sign and that they had T boned her.  She was ok too.  But my old Acura RDX that we had sold her a couple years ago was definitely not.  I finished getting ready being so very thankful that my family was ok.  I drove to the sight to pick them up.  When I saw my old car crunched on the tow truck, I thought at least my RDX did it's job and kept them safe!  We all squeezed into my car, including their dog.  We used the car seats one last time just to get to my house.  We replaced them that afternoon.  We are letting them borrow our truck until they get everything sorted out.  They were wanting to get a new car but no this way!  Here are some pictures.  The one with me and my grand babies isn't very good but I am so very, very thankful that they are alive!  

Hi Stroke & Brain Injury Group!

Zoom will be Wednesday at 11:00 this week!

Dates for our Annual TAKE YOUR BRAIN OUT TO PLAY and PICNIC have been set!  So mark your calendars!

TAKE YOUR BRAIN OUT TO PLAY--SATURDAY, MAY 14th AT 10:00!

PICNIC--SATURDAY, JULY 30th at 12:00!

I also signed us up for The Heart & Stroke Walk Saturday May 21st! It starts at 9:00 at Esther Short Park! Route Length: 1 & 3-Mile Route Options. It is an actual walk in Vancouver this year! Everyone participating should meet at the clock tower at 8:30 for a group picture!

Our team is The Hard Hats! (Restructuring our lives after a stroke!). My team link is:

https://www2.heart.org/site/TR/HeartWalk/WSA-WesternStatesAffiliate?px=13733681&pg=personal&fr_id=6509

Please go to my Team Leader link and sign up as a waker for the Hard Hats! I'll ride my recumbent trike.  Bring anything you want like wheelchairs, scooters and track chairs!  You don't have to walk the whole route.  We can just start out as a group! Does anyone have a lead on someone that does T-shirts?  A lot of us have our old purple The Hard Hats T-shirts but we have a lot of new people!

Some of you are interested in Anne's The Backstrokes!  They play music and have a lot of fun.  If you want to join go to the Northwest Brain Network website.  Or let me know and I will give her your email so she can put you on her list. She sends a link out Monday mornings and they start at 11:00.

❤️Joanie

Exciting news!! We have a place to meet in person!!  Emily Kaemmerlen, of Boomerang Therapy Works, has graciously invited us to share their space, starting in February, on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 1:30! The next one will be Thursday, April 21 at 1:30!

We picked that time because I know a lot of you don't like to drive at night.  When spring and summer comes around maybe we can start doing an evening one?  But, lets start with this!

Because it is a heath care facility, we are still required to wear a mask, vaccinated or not.  I'm excited!!

We will still do Zoom on Wednesdays at 11:00.  But, not on the week that we do the in person meeting.

The address is:

4201 NE 66th Ave, Suite 104, Vancouver, WA 98661

It is located just off of Andresen, just North of Hwy 500.  Close to the Ford dealership.  There is  stop light on Andresen which is 42nd St. Turn west there and Boomerang is in the 2nd strip mall, on the left just before the next cross street.

ZOOM WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY AT 11:00!   Joanie Peckels is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.     Topic: Joanie Peckels' Stroke & Brain Injury Zoom Meeting! Time: Wednesday, March 30, 2022 11:00 AM Pacific Time (US and Canada)   Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81202101029?pwd=VlQyNEMxemNORzQyR0c1S1BDNXhJUT09   Meeting ID: 812 0210 1029 Passcode: 337165   One tap mobile +12532158782,,81202101029#,,,,*337165# US (Tacoma)

Norm Ward's Mantra

Great Websites or Services!

Peak Pro App~ Fun and challenging!  $37.93 per year from your app store.

CDM~Great for for socializing, doing Zoom every weekday at the moment.  They play games, sing, do art projects (supplies are delivered to you) and when it is in person they give each client a free Cvan bus pass. Website: cdmcaregiving.org 360-896-9695 Email: info@cdmcaregiving.org

Comcast Affordable High Speed Internet~ $9.95 a month!!

www.Internetessentials.com.  SSI/medicaid/Housing Assistance qualify. They also have low cost computers. 

OT Lifestyle Solutions~ A great Facebook page by Occupational Therapist Sue Doyle. She always posts great ideas and info on Stroke Rehabilitation, Home Safety & Accessibility Evaluations, Fall Prevention and of course Occupation Therapy.  She also has her own business.  360-723-5145. http://www.otlifestylesolutions.com/

Sitting Tai Chi & Gentle Exercises~ DianeToland@aol.com. 360-953-0399.

The Aphasia Network~ Lots of programs!  Aphasia Camp at Camp Mc Gruger in Rockaway, OR is especially popular.  Contact Suzanne Gardner 

503-577-1282, suzanneg@aphasianetwork.org or the website www.aphasianetwork.org.

Northwest Brain Network~ Lets you know about The Backstrokes and NUMEROUS other speakers and information. https://www.nwbrain.network/.  Zoom Backstrokes is at 11:00 Mondays and speakers are at various times. 

SATBIL Magazine~ Lots of information and stories by stroke and brain injury people. SATBILMagazine@gmail.com

Loving Them Forward~ A fantastic local organization that has vetted businesses to help with just about anything you can think of! Christina Keys at loveingthemforward@gmail.com or https://lovingthemforward.org 

Brain Injury Connections-NW (BIC-NW)~A Portland organization that provides lots of local info. info@bicnw.org 

A FaceBook Group Called:  Stroke Caregiving “Wives” Only

A Caring Closet~ An excellent place to get used durable medical equipment for free!  And also to donate to it as well.  360-258-0039

1206-C NE 146th Street Vancouver, WA 98685.  acaringcloset.org is their website. 

Area Agency on Aging & Disabilities of SW Washington~ They offer a multitude of programs, most them need based but there are some that everyone can participate in.  www.HelpingElders.org is an awesome site.  Information & Assistance 360-694-8144.  201 NE 73rd St, Ste 201, Vancouver.  iaclark@dshs.wa.gov

C-Van~ For those who can’t drive.  There is a form for you and your doctor to fill out.  They will take you anywhere within their boundaries.  It doesn’t have to be medical but you do have contact them ahead of time.  The cost per ride is $1.80, for each direction. Not need based but you have to be a certain distance from a bus stop.  www.c.tran.com  360-695-0123.

Brain Injury Alliance of Washington~ biawa.org

AMERICAN STROKE ASSOCIATION~ stroke.org

Post Concussion Syndrome~ A Facebook Group

Kailey Cox’s LIFE AFTER STROKE: EDUCATION & CONNECTION

2nd Tuesday of each month from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Register by emailing: LIFEAFTERSTROKE@providence.org~ A Zoom Meeting

Bri Fairley, M.S. CCC-SLP, President, Founder Atlas Aphasia Center

Website: www.atlasaphasia.org Phone: 206-256-1168 Email: bri@atlasaphasia.org ~ Offering Speech Therapy

Boomerang Therapy Works~ Excellent Physical Therapy!  NEW LOCATION! 4201 NE 66th Ave, Suite 104, Vancouver, WA 98661. Just North of the SR 500 & NE Andresen Rd interchange. 360-258-1637. boomerangpt365@gmail.com. http.//boomerangtherapyworks.com/

Movies

Aphasia- Hope Is a Four Letter Word.  By Carl McIntyre, an actor and Stroke Survivor.  The movie itself is only 40 min but there are several interviews with his Speech Pathologist, Denise Caignon and renowned Speech Pathologist Dr. Nancy Helm-Estabrooks.  2012

A Not So Still Life- The Ginny Ruffner Story. A Brain Injury Survivor. 2010

Carl McIntyre and Hope Is A Four Letter Word

Books

 

If you look under “Stroke and Brain Injury” on Amazon you will find a myriad of books on recovery.  These are the ones that I know of personally or have been recommended to me.  Several of them I purchased as audio back in the day, either cassette tape or CD.

 

Hope Heals.  By Katherine & Jay Wolf.  A great story of stroke survival.

 

 

Kate’s Journey.  By Kate Adamson.  OR

My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey.  By Jill Bolte Taylor, PhD. 

Post-Concussion Syndrome: An Evidence Based Approach.  By William D. Boyd 

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Recovering from Traumatic Brain Injuries: 101 Stories of Hope, Healing, and Hard Work

The Brain's Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Neuroplasticity

Identity Theft: Rediscovering Ourselves After Stroke

Awoke By A Stroke: My Roadmap To Restoration