Donna Dempsey   

Age at time of stroke:    34

Occupation:   Executive Secretary

Caregiver:  Donna’s parents

Donna’s family made her square.

My square represents how I felt after my stroke.  I felt like I just didn’t fit in anymore or anywhere.  I felt like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole.

I think people need to be aware of the changes that take place.  For example, even though the doctors tried to cure me, it was the people who listened to me that healed my soul.  Friends and family need to be aware of the personality changes that occur to a stroke survivor that aren’t in their control. 

Linda Curtis

Age at time of stroke:   55 (second stroke, first at age 50)

Occupation:    Medical Technologist

Caregiver:   Knox Curtis, husband

Linda made her own quilt square.

The green represents the centers of nerve pain that affect the right side of my body. I am almost always in excruciating pain. It almost never ceases because of the clot that is in the thalamus.  No medication has helped.

It is important to find a cure or at least help in managing the constant nerve pain, and to prevent others from suffering strokes of this type.

Joe Medlin

Age at time of stroke:   49

Occupation:   Worked at a racetrack and casino

Caregiver:    Sherri Medlin, wife

This square represents the phases of rehabilitation following a stroke; a bed, rehabilitation, school where I am now attending and last my getting better everyday.

Recovery is important.

Roy Anthony D’Josey     

Age at time of stroke:   70

Occupation:    Retired Business Owner

Caregiver:    Diane T. Rappa, daughter

Roy designed and made his own square.

My Dad had a massive left-sided stroke on November 12, 1998, that followed a huge heart attack nine days prior.  He had been home from the hospital only three hours when I went to check on him and found him on the floor.  The stroke left him with right-sided paralysis in his arm and leg, his right eye blinded and major swallowing problems.  He cannot read, write nor speak after 14 months post stroke.  He remains alive despite many complications and many hospitalizations.

This square represents all that my Dad is capable of doing now, with his left hand.  We have no real way of knowing what the “S” or “O” shapes are meant to convey.  But he chose the paint colors and shapes, and drew them all on his own without any assistance.

It is important to raise stroke awareness because one minute your loved one is fine and the next…life as they knew it is over.  When the stroke is as severe as my Dad’s is, life is never ever the same.  Everyone in his life is going through a terrible grieving process because the losses are deep, profound, and on many levels.  In some respects it is worse than a death, because the person’s body is still alive but the person is not the same at all.

I never knew how devastating this could be until we had to live through it.

Annie Miller

Age at time of stroke:    87

Occupation:    Elementary School Teacher

Annie made her own quilt square and it represents suggestions on how to avoid becoming a victim.  I joined the group hoping to learn how to avoid a second stroke.

This is important to me because I want to prevent others from having strokes, by promoting research.

Ramon Sanchez    

Age at time of stroke:    40

Occupation:    Electrician

Ramon made his own square.

The quilt square represents that life can be good even if you have a stroke.  One’s family provides critical support.

Bill Edgar

Age at the time of stroke:    69

Occupation:    Bank President

Caregiver:    Wife, Frances Edgar

The square was made by Frances.

Bill’s square represents all the traumatic things that a caregiver and survivor have to encounter when this devastating malady hits.

Unfortunately, there is not enough space here to tell why it is so important to have stroke awareness and to appeal to our government.  It is such a devastating trauma financially, as well as mentally and physically, that something or someone in Washington DC needs to do to help the families that are left to suffer with all the problems they have to face when a loved one is hit by a stroke.

Bob Whittlesey

Age at the time of stroke:    61

Caregiver:    Friend, Lenora

The square was made by a friend.

It’s hard to put into words, but I think God wanted me to walk down this path so that Jesus would be seen through this all.  This square represents what God has done for me and that this quilt is for a good cause.

It is important to make people aware that this can happen to anyone no matter how young or old you are.  People need to see and be aware of danger signs, and to learn to understand what has happened to the strokee and their families.  Also about what kind of needs there are both medically and emotionally.

Annie R. Pasquale

Age at the time of stroke:   49

Occupation:   Bookkeeper

Caregiver:   Husband, Anthony J. Pasquale

The square was made by Annie.

My square represents my support system:  my husband Anthony, daughter Patty, son-in-law Craig and their four little girls, Amanda 13, Kayla 11, Marissa 9, and Jenna 5.  Without them life would not be worth living.  The day I see them is a perfect day for me.

Because I have been paralyzed for the past ten years, I do not want to see anyone be in my condition if I can help it.  Awareness and more research might bring an end to paralysis caused by stroke.

Lois Greenhaw

Age at time of stroke:    80

Caregiver:    Rehabilitation Center

Lois made her own quilt square.

Even after my stroke, I can still look at Dad’s moon and stars.

This is to help make others aware that a stroke can happen to anyone, anytime.

John Sanderson

Age at the time of stroke:    76

Occupation:    Retired Senior Volunteer

Caregiver:   Wife

The square was made by John’s wife.

The heart with two entwined gold wedding bands represent our 50 plus years of marriage that John never remembered after his stroke.  The angel reminds us that He is in heaven watching us daily.

It is important to prevent others from having to endure the loss of a lifemate by raising awareness of stroke symptoms and prevention medical advice.

Floyd Shaw

Occupation    Clerk for the railroad

Caregiver:    Linda Shaw, Wife

Floyd’s quilt square represents a grandfather teaching his grandchildren about working in his workshop.

On February 23, 1999 following open-heart surgery, Floyd had a stroke.  He has left side paralysis and deficit.  Floyd worked as a clerk for the railroad for 33 years.  He had computer expertise in connecting trains together; knowing where they were and where they were going at all times.

Floyd has five children and eleven grandchildren. The grandchildren loved spending quality time with their grandfather in his workshop, especially the boys. They liked to play there, but now Floyd can no longer do this with them.

Linda says that Floyd has always been a jack-of-all-trades.  He built a large addition onto their mobile home, and made her furniture, end tables, coffee tables, curio cabinets and a buffet.

Tommy Hartsfield

Age at time of stroke:    44 and 47 (Tommy did not survive his second stroke)

Occupation:    Printing pressman

Caregiver:    Wife, Donna Hartsfield

This square was made by his brother-in-law.

It represents what Tommy said was an out of body experience.  Approximately four weeks after Tommy’s first stroke, he and our oldest daughter, Tanya, were in his hospital room alone.  Tommy told Tanya there were angels all around the room.  This scared Tanya and she asked her daddy what they were doing.  He said they were singing.  Tanya asked what they were singing and he said they were singing about peace and love. Tommy also said he saw angels in the clouds.  When he was back home and had recovered some, he recalled the experience.  He said he was in a corner and the angels were there, but evil was also present.  He fought his way to come back to me.  We both believed the last account was when he had the first stroke and was in the ER.

Jody

Age at time of stroke:    42

Occupation:    Vice President - Group Travel Company

Caregiver:    Mary Olson, sister

This square was made by Jody’s sister, Mary.

The square shows Jody’s Kansas family.  My grandmother, mother, father, and only sibling all suffered strokes.  In my family, stroke is inherited.  It strikes like lightning and, like a tornado, leaves a path of destruction.  The devastation can be overcome and life can be good again, but it will never be the same.

It is important because if my family had known the warning signs of stroke or even that it was inherited, Jody’s stroke could have been much less severe - perhaps preventable.  I’d also like to have people understand, rather than to ask, when they see or hear a young stroke victim.

 Dennis Knudsen

Age at time of stroke:    52

Occupation:    Electrician

Caregiver:   Denise Knudsen, wife

Dennis’ family made his square.  It represents determination and the will to come back.

People should be aware there is help to support you mentally.  I have found that if you talk about what has happened with others, you realize that you’re not as bad as you thought.  It also helps to get rid of so many guilt feelings.

  John S. (Bugs) Buglione (Deceased)

Age at the time of stroke:    68

Caregiver:    Wife, Patricia Buglione

The square was made by a friend.

My square represents the many things that stroke has taken away.

It is important to me for people to know what stroke does to the family and caregivers.  They all see what it does to the stroke survivor, but they don’t have a clue what it does to the caregiver and loved ones.

  Robert W. Nash

Age at time of stroke:    70 and 72

Occupation:    Retired machinist, farmer and laborer

Caregiver:    Fran Nash, wife

Fran made Robert’s quilt square and it represents his life before and after his stroke.

It is important to be aware to try to prevent a stroke as well as prevent further strokes.

Chester Wayne Latham, deceased 4/8/99        

Age at time of stroke:    63

Occupation:    Auto mechanic

Caregiver:    Nell Latham, wife

Chester’s family made his square.

My daddy loved the country.  He had an old pickup and a dog.  My daddy passed away April 8, 1999.  He loved his grandchildren and family.  Daddy didn’t know about stroke until my husband had one.

My husband and daddy both had a stroke.  Their strokes affected the whole family and not just them.  We did not know the warning signs or even about stroke until it happened to us.  People need to know that they can change a lot of the risk factors for stroke.  The need to know the warning signs and what it does to people and their families.

Martha Rae Rampton, 12/7/17-3/3/99

Age at the time of stroke:    55 and 70

Occupation:    Administrative Assistant at Sunset Magazine

Caregivers:    Her children … Dick and his wife Cathy; Jon and his wife JoAnn; Suzanne and her husband Rex

This square was made by Cathy, Rae’s daughter-in-law and long-time caregiver.

The square shows how much Rae loved butterflies because they have the ability to travel from flower to flower and from the mountains to the ocean.  Rae’s home was filled with representations of butterflies, and we, her children, hope that she is now as free and unencumbered as a butterfly.

It is important to foster compassion and understanding for the stroke victim.

  Rich Cuevas

Age at time of stroke:   34

Occupation:    Paramedic

Rich made his own quilt square.

Kenneth A. Whitaker

Age at time of stroke:    65

Occupation:    Worked for the railroad

Caregiver:    Sharon Whitaker, wife

Sharon made Ken’s square and it represents his hobbies, faith, occupation and progress.

It is important to raise stroke awareness so others do not feel they are alone.

Terry Reed

Age at time of stroke:    45

Caregiver:    Wife, Mary Reed

My family made my square.

This square represents a dedication to me from my family for the hard times I have been through due to my stroke.

It is important that others can understand that stroke is not just a problem for those who have had one, but for everybody.  It affects everybody you have ever known and especially your family and dear friends.

Lou Privjak

Age at time of stroke:    79

Caregiver:    Marty Privjak, son and Judy Kendall

Lou made his quilt square.

I’m very aware of this stroke.  I can’t do what I want.  I am so alone and crippled up.  It’s got to get better as I feel it can’t get worse.  I would like to be whole again, like the gingerbread man on my quilt.

This square means a lot to me because I am taking part in this project for all stroke victims.

Jill Bolte Taylor, Ph.D.

Age at the time of stroke:    37

Occupation:    Brain Scientist

Caregiver:    Daughter, Gigi Taylor

The square was made by Jill.

This square is an anatomically correct image of the beautiful human brain as seen through the eyes of the stroke victim, Jill, “The Singing’ Scientist”.  It represents the generous and colorful nature of humanity.

It is important to show that stroke is the number one disabler in our society.  It is a devastating medical disorder that renders its victims vulnerable and misunderstood.  These are no-fault brain disorders. How wonderful it is when people provide their love and support.