Daily update April 9, 2020
 
NOTE; I’m growing a beard, the first time ever. Seems like a perfect time, no face to face meeting with clients and it shortens my shower, shave time. We will see how long it lasts. Also, been revving up in the morning with a little Rolling Stones-Start Me Up! Debbie and I saw them for the first time at Richfield Coliseum 1981, from Cole National’s lodge. When they played Start Me Up, the floor came alive. Everyone was standing and jumping up and down. Looking down on them I realized the power of music. I was 25 years old, and still recall the moment perfectly, when the song starts.

If anyone know how to add a picture and resize it on a blog,? Please reach out to me. I apologize for the oversized face that greeted you for this update.

Well as most things that happened Sunday, the days following are get calmer which is a blessing, and this is update is about Wednesday, 8th April.

Yesterday started with taking a bit of medicine, not a major inconvenience, followed by two meetings with therapist. The first was physical therapy. It was mainly administrative, but we spent about a half hour walking through the house looking at where I’m traveling, what’s convenient, what could be changed and just some helpful tips on being safe. (Keep in mind, Falling is always a bad idea)

Fran has been on the job 40 years, she’s a wealth of knowledge, very encouraging and easy to talk to. She also is concerned about the virus, asked us questions, we asked her question, she wore a mask, didn’t except a drink from us, worked on top of a couple of paper towels and cleaned up her work area before she left.

Had lunch and a nap. At 3:30 Debbie and I met with Derek occupational therapist. The guy iss funny and loves his job. He gave me a lot of little projects to do with my left hand which could be frustrating and encouraging. They are very time-consuming, and quite simple.

Debbie keeps reminding me to do this or do that, do another set of these, hey how about if you do some isometrics for your legs. That works well.

Personally, I am not an exercise guy. So, during this time, I am committed to doing reps on impulse as well as when i need a whole routine. Keep trying to wake up my sleeping limbs!
I got a good night’s sleep woke up at 6:15AM. Today will be walking around the house doing some of these exercises. And I need to write a few thank you notes. I’ve already confirmed a luncheon for a customer of ours and I’ve got two customers to call to set up lunches for either tomorrow or early next week.

I have eliminated most television, continue to listen to music. Reading a book from a friend, Bill Feller. Also, calling a few friends to update and or inform them of the stroke.
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Debbie is doing good; she made a couple of healthy meals yesterday and I’m ready to attack Thursday the ninth. Look forward to updating you soon. Say a couple prayers for my friend Jane she’s having surgery today for her back.

My friend Robert Maschke said I should write a blog of the events, it will keep people informed, me busy and be good therapy for everyone involved. 

That’s all for now John

4-7-2020

​Here’s an update for what I did on April 7 and getting up today in April 8. I was released from the hospital yesterday about 130-2 o’clock and I was ready to come home.


Yesterday morning a handful of visitors from the floor doctor Dr. Chao, Dr. Richardson, Dr. Eubank and a lady named Julie from physical therapy. Busy morning, everyone liked my progress for one day. I am feeling lucky. Go Figure!

Medication has been prescribed for cholesterol, Lipitor and aspirin and my blood pressure is up a little bit, so they put me on an evening dose. We log the medications and blood pressure readings.

Dr. Eubank is an orthopedic surgeon. Very cool guy said they were not going to have to operate on my back they found a little stress fracture on the MRI and L5 and he said that it carries some Edema, that would be sort of like an inflammation. It is elective surgery and they don’t really see a need at this time. They did give me a brace, wraps around my midsection sort of compresses everything from my back around my belly. It’s not uncomfortable. And Dr. Eubanks said that he wouldn’t even wear the thing. But I’m going to wear it when I’m walking around or sitting up. They don’t want to wear it when you’re laying down and I’ll probably do plenty of that.

Dr. Chao, the floor Doctor, reports up to Richardson, put me on the height blood pressure medicine just as an FYI my blood pressure usually like 130/68. During this visit in averaged over 160 between 100-110. Personally, I don’t feel stressed, but I can understand the activity of the brain from the stroke and maybe just the uncertainty causes you know your pressure on her.

Dr. Richardson, what a great guy we talked about PT and they would’ve like me to do an inpatient at a rehab facility for UH. I don’t want to do that with the coronavirus running around and he said he won’t even argue with me. If corona wasn’t around, he would insist on it, he said, “but I’m wearing a mask and I’m as cautious as you are. No argument, go home and be diligent about the exercises.”

Julie from physical therapy visited with me and she allowed me to walk with a walker and a nurse in tow around the six floor and then we walked up a flight of stairs and down a flight of stairs. (Of course, I didn’t use the walker on the stairs!). And then I elected to walk  halfway up a flight of stairs, by myself with the therapist behind me and turned around and walked down using both railings. They want you to have a railing and a person or two railings and still a person accompany you. It might be a while before I take two steps at a time to run back upstairs to get something. Timing has slowed down quite a bit.

One other visit from Corbett the occupational therapist. Very cool big guy, 6’2” maybe. What a patient Cat he is. He gave me a few exercises to help develop my left-hand, easy things to do. Tedious and yet time-consuming, but I probably have quite a bit of that on my hands. Take a magazine turn the pages from the right page to the left I did about 120 pages last night in a magazine called Garden and Gun. A gift from the Isgett’s. It was the second time I flipped through it, saw a couple of really good recipes, as well as a place to visit in Charleston in July. He also told me to flip playing cards one at a time from one pile to another. And the last function he had, was a stack of 10 dish cloths. Using my left-hand thumb and my index finger to fold it in half and folded in a quarter making sure everything lined up and stack up all ten as you fold them.

When I was released, Alan Papa (president of the Hospital, in Italian, we call him A Bigga Shot") escorted me to Debbie and our car. Thank you for everything Alan. It was great to drive out of Ahuja Medical Center. A nice drive home. Debbie was driving, FYI. It was great to get back home, it’s comfortable, there are some challenges, more steps, smaller access areas and carpet changes from hardwood to carpet etc. But I’m at home and today plan on sitting on the deck a little bit and probably doing some walking up and down the driveway.

Debbie’s been great she has help me out immensely. I’m sure that anybody reading this would know that. So, I’m grateful thank you and I’ll have patience with my time, and I appreciate your patience. We know it’s going to be a little bit of a longer haul than we expected.

I took a nap yesterday afternoon and woke up really hungry. By the time I got downstairs, I was pretty frustrated and probably had a little pity party for myself. I admitted up to it and apologized, the situation is a situation and I had a little anxious episode and I’m going to work hard not to have any more of those. It’s probably normal, I just don’t want it to be my normal.

So that’s it, hope I’m not boring you with three pages today. I appreciate all the text messages and emails and phone calls. Do me a favor limit the phone calls. I know I like to talk and I know I like to connect with everybody, but they are exhausting, especially if I hold the phone in my left hand because I would guarantee you that in 10 minutes it’ll slip out of my hand at least three times.

So, enjoy your Wednesday I’ve got a physical therapist coming here in a half an hour. She will be here for 90 minutes I’m sure I’ll need a nap at that time.

All the best John

April 7, 2020


These updates are being dictated into my phone. It’s more convenient, quicker and because my left hand doesn’t have the coordination or let’s say that it is directionally challenged the dictation comes with a couple grammatically incorrect words. I have fun when I say "going" that it sometimes comes out as gonna. Rather than going back and correcting each one, find a little enjoyment in my natural E. 140th St. slang. Or as Giuseppe would say neighborhood dialect! And you are going to see capital letters in the middle of sentences or words. They are when the dictation stops and then I restart it, it may start it like it’s a new sentence.  Sorry one of the flaws of the program.
Thank you for taking the time to read it.

 This is a recap of Monday, April 6. After I woke up and found out that I needed two nurses to walk me to the restroom, realize that my legs mainly my left leg was not gonna carry me the six steps to the restroom. They were very cautious and wanted to make sure that I didn’t try to get up and walk anywhere. I thought it was sort of funny so probably come I made it to the front door by myself. They put the alarm on the bed so that if I did get up, they would be notified at the nurse’s station. I am certain that they have had patience to try to get up and wander around, they fall down and then have more problems. And I’m sure there’s some liability on the nurses.
My left hand has a challenge in regard to gripping an object with Strength and doing anything really coordinated. Just too fast forward to a late lunch, I ordered a salad a roll and lemon ice.
The salad was served in a small soup bowl, consisting of cucumbers, shredded carrots some onion and some very fresh curly green lettuce. It was apparent that once you put the dressing on, you have to cut just about everything to make it a mouthful. I took the bun and set it on a napkin and took about half of the Lettuce and put it on the plate to cut it in the month-size pieces. I placed a fork in my left hand and the knife in my right hand and proceeded to attempt cutting the lettuce. Speaking of very entertaining process. It also made me realize that I have to train myself to use my left hand. Lettuce slide off of the plate, along with carrots onions and a cucumber. I decided I was going to pick up the cucumbers and eat them with my hands, because I’m sure I could not get anything off the plate with those cucumbers. I managed to eat a couple of bites of lettuce with my left hand, but found more success Setting down the knife and using my right hand to eat the cut-up salad. The salad was probably 10 bites for a healthy person. For me it was probably 15 bites, slicing and spreading the salad across my tray. I actually was laughing and surprised the nurses did not come out to find out what was going on. The tray looked like Cooper or Lucy (grandchildren), ate the salad without any utensils.

By the way the salad was delicious with just a little bit of vinaigrette. Just sort of an awakening on what was ahead of me.

My body is working well and functioning. Other than needing a hand to the restroom, I did a little reading, ate a little bit and had a number of visitors. My friend Alan Papa showed up in a suit ready for the day at the hospital. He made three visits Spending time with me and sometimes the nurses that were in the room. We had quite a few laughs. He also broke away from the schedule at 10:45 AM to meet Debbie in the lobby to pick up a delivery she had for me. Couple of work items toothbrush, toothpaste and a bag of goodies which I really only ate a gram cracker at 10 o’clock at night, when they gave me some medication which I’ll share with you.


And one medication I have during the day was an aspirin. Taking them on and off over the last five years. 81 mg once a day reduces the opportunity of a male having a stroke by approximately 20%. I wish i would have taken them everyday. THIS IS A PUBLIC SERVIVE ANNOUNCEMENTS, GENTLEMEN. By coincidence after my leg got numb On Sunday afternoon I went upstairs and took an aspirin. Back to the story. Another medication during the day and right before bed the nurse brought in two Tylenol’s, Lipitor (I may have spelled that wrong forgive me) but I was inform by the neurologist that he’s going to put me on those. Cholesterol medicine and the main reason he’s doing it for blood flow. He added that adds about another 20% off of the risk of having another stroke. There are pretty good odds, so I’ll take the message and take a pill each night before bed. I also talked them in to a 5 mg of Ambien. It worked perfectly I fell asleep around 10:45, nobody bothered me until 4 AM. Which time as well come out vitals were taken. My blood pressure is coming down and the scope course my left hand and my cheek and my left foot are still numb and will require some therapy.


The staff here has been great. I got in some reading done yesterday. I probably gave a heads up to 25 people, my family, friends and coworkers in regard to the event of Sunday. My location at the hospital and with the near future looks like. I received easily 45 to 50 text messages and a couple of phone calls. Producing this document in the morning, allows me not to have to repeat the same story over and over to callers. I also talk to my family members a little over a dozen times, between children, grandchildren, customers and coworkers I would easily say that I spent over two hours on the phone. I’m a good hour and a half returning text messages. A little bit of the day I returned emails for work.


I finally turned the television on at around 430 or 5 o’clock after a short nap. I watched a little bit of the news, shut it off and never turned it back on until 8:30 PM. I watched Men in Black International, to the ending because I had seen it before missed the finale. It took me right in the 10 o’clock and a dose of pills.


I’ll give you a short recheck of visitors from the floor nurse and doctor, Dr. Richardson neurologist and an occupational and physical therapist. There was a doctor that came in that was like a quality process person Dr. Vivian just want to know how my stay was and how things are going along with the nurse later in the afternoon that does the same thing. They’re all very nice and there’s definitely a process in place in the hospital for quality assurance. The neurologist shared what he saw from the MRI results. He stated that the right globe of my brain showed signs of a stroke. Which is caused the numbness on the left side of my body and the lack of response to do normal ask that I’ve done my whole life.
He also shared that the MRI showed that I had a fracture in the lumbar five. He would recommend not operating which was good. And he said that I would have someone come and visit from an orthopedic doctor’s office.


We discussed the therapists that we’re going to visit. Shortly after he left, people started showing up. Gina from the Orthopedic group told me that they were going to order a brace that I could wear while I was standing or sitting that goes around my midsection and it will compress the vertebrae. Then Gary showed up from the ortho company with the brace. He demoed it for me, I tried it on, easy enough to work with and he left. Shortly after his departure two ladies showed up to give me a little bit of therapy. They talked about the back brace, set me up in the bed we put it on. It is easy to work with and does give support. Then they were going to have me walk around the room a little bit and produced a walker with wheels on the front legs.


Walkers are a reality check. They stood on each side of the walker and explained the process. You could have a friend, relative or have observe people with walkers and think that you can do them right out of the gate. Not so. In short, I learned that you can’t lean on the walker, or use the walker to get yourself up from the bed. It’s not that strong. So, I learned to take my weak left foot and move it to the center of the space of the walker and then move my right foot up next to it, Then and only then you can push the walker. It has to be a step ahead of you. And repeat left foot center of the space on the walker right foot to follow and then progress another 8 to 10 inches. That’s a slow process considering you’ve been running around through airports, in and out of appointments, running up and down stairs to grab things you forgot or just moving through your day. The real value of time was demonstrated on Monday afternoon. Also, patience. Now that I’ve done a couple of turns around the room, the therapist opens up the door and we walked about 25 feet down the hall turned around, 25 feet back.  I still have a back brace on, and I have a therapist to my left and one behind me. The one behind me corrected me as we walked back towards the room, she said she would rather have me looking forward, rather than looking at my feet, while I walk. I understand that completely, but I want to make it really clear, when you’re moving your left foot forward which is very weak and off-balance, You get sort of fixated, I’m trying to move it straight 8 inches without having it taking you off your line.


I realized I’m not going to be moving very fast I’m gonna have to relearn a lot of things I’ve been doing for over 60 years. They were taken for granted once they become habits. For some strange reason in that hallway being followed by two therapists, I realized how lucky I was to be learning how to walk all over again. You know you can walk, but at this time, as opposed to 61 1/2 years ago it’s going to take a little more concentration, patience and an awareness that if you fall your butt is not 12 inches off the ground any longer!


So, I’m looking forward to the challenge of getting the strength up in my left foot, Assuming the balance and agility that I’ve had my whole life, but I understand that it will take some patience. And it will take some time and dedication. Dr. Richardson said these setbacks can take three months to 18 months to get back to where you were.


That’s acceptable and I feel privileged to have the opportunity. He also stated that I could drive almost immediately because the use of my right hand my right leg and I would be able to balance steering wheel with my left hand and I should be good to go. It’s not my first priority to jump in the car and drive anywhere, since were house confined with the coronavirus shut down.


Our last discussion of the day, I heard that I could head home today Tuesday. And then we are going to set up the therapists that would come to my home for outpatient training. I’m up for both.


It is 6:05 AM on Tuesday morning. I’ve been up for about an hour and 45 minutes and I’m looking forward to having some eggplant Parmesan and pasta with meatballs that the Old Republic employees sent to our home. Deanna brought me a little to go package, so that’s going to be my breakfast.


I hope this two-page briefing will give you each an update of where I’m at. I’m grateful for the outline of a kind words, prayers and thoughts by all of you.


8:25 AM I just met with my new nurses and the care doctor. They are going to release me today. I’m going to be on blood pressure medicine and check my own blood pressure just to make sure it gets stabilized. And they’re going to get me up and around a bit to do a little walk this morning. Afterwards they said I could get out of here. Debbie has spoken to the case manager in regard to therapy. I’ll be doing outpatient as well as maybe some in-home therapy one or two times a week. My brother-in-law and sister-in-law Frank and Connie are giving me to use a walker with wheels and a couple other items that help at home in the short run. And if you’re driving by the Eaton Estates, you’ll probably see me practicing in my driveway or around a cul-de-sac. In the long-term, getting ready for next bowling season at Yorktown. This year I averaged between 206 and 207. I’m setting my goal for 2020-2021 season to be at least 210. It should be higher. That is aggressive, but sights and goals have to be set high.


Enjoy your day and I will mine. It’s a new adventure and a life lesson. 


I’ll take it in stride and the strides will get better. Feel free to text me back or comment.


All the best Salute Cin Cin.
John Voso Jr

​Daily Update, 4-6-20
University Hospital Ahuja Medical Center
Beachwood, Ohio


So, I woke up this morning at 6 o’clock, the nurse came out at 6:15 and stuck me, she took five little capsules of blood and two other nurses came in to get my vitals. They asked me how I was doing and asked me to perform a couple of tasks for them. How interesting. When we were done, they had to help me to the rest room. I said I don’t have a problem, they left, and I was able to pull my pants down and have a seat. I had a bowel movement, straightened up, everything back together, they came back in and finished pulling my pants the rest of the way up. Prior to April 5th, I did these functions for myself since I was a baby or old enough to take care of my business. It’s funny how 24 hours can change your life.


Somewhere around noon yesterday I had a stroke. Spent the next few hours doing a couple chores and walking back-and-forth slowly trying to keep my balance. I did make it upstairs twice, the first time I went up I thought I was going to have to scoot down the stairs. But I did manage to walk and keep my balance. I don’t think I could do that right now. My left arm has going to need strengthened. And my left leg sort of likes to walk to the left, which is not good for my right leg, so I would think that I would fall easily without help. I am relatively calm with all the uncertainty.


Today my nurses are Holly, Charmaine and Ceriah (sorry if I spelled her name incorrect). Very nice ladies very patient. I am certain it is a normal Monday for them.


Today should be interesting. I do not have much of an appetite, but they have some avocado toast I can get there without goat cheese, that could be pretty good. Last night when I got to the room around 1 o’clock they brought me some applesauce pretzels and pudding. I had the applesauce and drank water. I’ve had two glasses of water through the night and here we sit at 6:52 AM. It’s Monday


I wonder how many times I will be repeating the same story to family and friends. So shortly, I will text us everyone. From the fammjammm❤️ group! (our family’s text group name) I love you guys, please write a list of what you want me to ask the doctor today. I’ll be meeting with a neurologist name Dr. Richardson and an orthopedic doctor, Dr. Eubank.


Oh yes, a couple of things. One I hope to the use of my left leg back, I can’t even wiggle my toes. As a bowler I’m going to need to do that. So, I’ll be working on it, I am controlling my left hand a little bit better, but it is quite numb. I have numbness on my face from my cheek under my nose right side. It feels like I had a couple Novocain shots, that did not wear off.


That’s a pretty good update. But I’m sure you have questions. OK one other thing, I’m not a very good typist, my left thumb is all over the keyboard. So, I’m talking into the phone. My thoughts are clear, I could have used a couple more hour’s sleep. I figure that’s not going to happen.


Morning update April 6, 2020.