Berenice’s
Blog, Summer 2009
Dear Friends,
Much
has happened in 2008-9, including the acquisition of our former publisher, the Cleveland Clinic Press, by Kaplan Publishing.
Kaplan’s foray into medical publications for lay audiences explains why you can no longer purchase One Stroke, Two
Survivors from Amazon.com, which still appears to offer used copies of both One Stroke and Lessons Learned,
Stroke Recovery From A Caregiver’s Perspective. Kaplan plans to republish One Stroke as a soft cover in
2010 and will hopefully provide the marketing lift that has been sorely lacking.
Herb and I are currently working to update our story into a broader
eight-year perspective and merge the two volumes into one. In the meantime, through the generosity of both The Cleveland Clinic
Press and Kaplan Publishing, we’ve been fortunate to make remaining copies available to stroke and rehab programs that
we have worked in the past, including MetroHealth Hospital, The Cleveland Clinic , and the Baltimore Veteran’s Hospital.
We’ve also had an exciting year
as we continue to enhance Herb’s quality of life. In 2008, we became friends with a Cleveland couple who had contacted
us after reading our books. This past winter they invited us to visit at their home in Turks and Caicos, on Providenciales,
an island located in the Caribbean. Even knowing that this home is fully handicap accessible, we still had great trepidation
about flying, a feat we’ve avoided in the eight years since Herb’s stroke. To work around our hesitation, we sought
help from our friends’ travel agent and then flew accompanied by one of their rotating respite care workers.
We navigated the return trip on our own with support from U.S. Airways’ personnel in Charlotte, where we changed
planes.
The trip was wonderful.
And it was especially gratifying to exchange Cleveland’s tough winter weather for eight days of sunshine, swaying palm
trees, and good company. This feat showed us that with the proper support we can fly, not easily, but with proper planning
(and some good luck) it is possible to move Herb, medications, wheelchair, walker, and luggage.
In mid-June we will return to the Stratford Shakespeare
Festival in Ontario, Canada for five days and six plays. This June marks our 46th wedding anniversary and the 46th
year that we’ve visited Stratford, an auspicious beginning in our first month of marriage. July 14, G-d willing, will
underscore eight post-stroke years against all odds.
Herb
and I have shared any number of adventures, some good, some not so good, since we concluded our books, which we’ll update
along with new lessons learned we’ve managed to glean. As a special bonus, we’ve been fortunate to receive emails
from a number of readers around the world, including stroke survivors, caregivers, physicians and therapists, who have drawn
hope and challenge from our story. We welcome your comments and hope to begin an interactive blog on our updated website if
there is sufficient interest.
From
the beginning our intention has been to show that following a massive stroke you, and we, can overcome many obstacles associated
with chronic illness and seek a better quality of life. It’s not easy but it is possible.
Let us know how you are doing in this huge battle
to restore dignity and life. Herb and I wish you well.
All our best,
