Rosalie Hall

Age at the time of stroke:                  64

Occupation:    Retired Marketing Consultant

Caregiver:    Rosalie’s husband and daughter

The square was made by members of  “Stitchy Fingers Quilt Club” in Colorado.  Rosalie is a member of the club.

This square is an adaptation of a pattern by “Little Brown House Patterns.”  It represents all the different people that support and encourage the stroke survivor during recovery.  Each of these persons contribute to the physical and emotional recovery after stroke, helping the stroke survivor along the road back to strength and independence.

It is important that we each take proactive steps to prevent stroke, including healthy eating and exercise.  We can’t prevent everything, but by taking care of ourselves, we can minimize risk and be in better shape for recovery.

Bill Cheatham

Age at time of stroke:    67

Occupation:    Worked for the NAPA Auto Parts Company

Caregiver:    Dot Cheatham, wife

Bill’s wife Dot made his quilt square

Steve Mallory

Age at the time of stroke:                  36

Occupation:    Aerospace Engineer

Caregiver:    Wife, Melissa Mallory

The square was made by Steve’s family.

A time-bomb in a head, at the brainstem, represents that this stroke was just waiting to happen.  Reason unknown.  The puzzle pieces inside the head are the pieces of my identity that I retained and the pieces outside of the head are the pieces of identity that I lost.

So many people, who haven’t been exposed to stroke, have virtually no understanding of what stroke really does to a person and their family.  We need to make people knowledgeable by making them aware of our project..

Howard R. Hall

Age at time of stroke:   72

Occupation:    Worked for Boeing

Caregiver:    Kathy Hall, wife

Howard’s wife, Kathy made his quilt square.

Howard’s square represents his life.

It is important to let people know how serious and life altering a stroke is to the person that has it and their loved ones.

Norma Penney (Deceased 8/30/99)

Age at the time of stroke:                  67

Caregiver:    Daughter, Lori Wyche

The square was made by Norma’s daughter, Lori.

This square is representative of my mom’s life after her stroke.  Prior to her stroke she was creative: an artist, a homemaker, a wife, mom, caregiver to many others, and loved to paint on china and wood.  She knit, did quilting and cross stitching...her life was organized and complex.  When the stroke hit, her body was divided into two...one half  worked and the other half didn’t.  I made my quilt from the log cabin design to represent mom’s organizational skills and to show that her life was divided into two after the stroke.  The lightning bolt represents the day of her stroke, with the right half of the square in dark colors to represent the side that no longer worked.  Her left side worked with great difficulty, that is why the log cabin motif is not perfect.  It is a representation of how each stroke effect is different.

Stroke education is important.  It is necessary to reach all people to try to prevent others from this devastating, life altering process.  Through education if only one person is saved from this change in life style, our goal will have been met.  I am sure that by way of education we will help to raise the awareness to monumental levels and save many others from the fate my mom and other stroke survivors have endured.

Gloria Mejia

Gloria made her own square.

I had a stroke in 1994.  I was going to see my mother.  My car swerved onto the side walk.

Dixie Beer

Age at time of stroke:    47

Occupation:    Library Systems Administrator

Dixie made her square.

I had a right occipital stroke that left me with a left visual field cut.  The medical term is homonymous hemianopsia.  This square is a representation of what I see, the way the world looks to those of us who have this field cut.  The fabric on the left side is very shimmer because some light perception comes through and causes the “shadows” to shimmer most of the time.  The silver represents the jagged streaks of light that are also always present in my vision.

It is important to let people know that it is not something that only happens if you are a certain age.  It can happen at any time to someone of any age. It even takes hospital personnel a while to realize that these are strokes symptoms.  They don’t seem to connect stroke with a person that is younger than the norm.

I also think it is imperative for people to know that there IS life after stroke.  There are a lot of stroke survivors walking around, but we are an invisible group.  More research needs to be done on how to help with our specific needs and deficits.

Cornelius William Henry Ruchti

Age at time of stroke:    51

Caregiver:    Meta Ruchti, wife

Cornelius’ family made the square.

My square for my father represents that he was a survivor for 16 years.  Even though he lost his speech and right side mobility, he continued to be an example to us.  He has influenced the lives of his nine children.

I’ve seen what a devastating affect it can have on families, and hope people will take advantage of medical testing to see if they are candidates for stroke.

Sheri Pherigo

Age at the time of stroke:                  47

Occupation:    Pharmacy Technician

Caregiver:    Husband, Calvin

The square was made by Sheri.

My square represents how far I’ve come from the time I had my stroke to now.  I was a pharmacy technician, but this is more important to me now than anything else.  I took care of my father, James Grass, when he had his stroke.  Little did I know how that would affect my future.  I had mine 10 years after his death from complications of the stroke. In 1982, we knew very little about strokes...we only knew my father had “no life” after his stroke.  Now, 10 years later, I had one.  I was too young, I shouldn’t have had a stroke.  It knows no age, sex, or color preference.  Yet, I still have a life.  I should have died then and I might have.  But now they can save lives.  You can have a “life” after stroke.  The computer has given me a new lease on life.  I can give back life though our Cyberstroke board.  Thank God we have that....Life is Great now!

We need to try to reach more people and touch more lives to make this a “REALITY” to folks.  They categorize stroke as an old person’s illness.  Today it is everyone’s illness and their responsibility to be aware of what it can do to you.  If I can touch one person and save one life...I couldn’t ask for anymore.  It is becoming a reality that we can save lives now if we just get the word out.  It doesn’t have to devastate lives anymore.

Rex Stocklin

Age at the time of stroke:                  39

Occupation:    Graphic designer

Caregiver:    Wife, Suzanne Stocklin

This square, titled “Rex’s Painbow,” was made by Suzanne and designed by Rex.

Rex designed the square himself, along with his thoughts and feelings about his stroke:  The concept is fairly straightforward.  My focus ever since my stroke is the oft-scoffed, half-empty portion of one’s glass.  I am not proud of the fact that I’m bitter, angry, depressed and, on the whole, a dark person to be around these days.  But that’s the basic tenor of my life.  I hate stroke.  I hate what stroke has done to me.  I am not one who embraces life and says: “Well, this is a challenge, I think I’ll make the best of it.”  I am one who hates the way things are now.  Though I realize the value and importance of healing, in all ways (especially emotionally), I am at five years post-CVA, not there yet.  And I will never “accept” it, I will always rebel against it.  That’s who I am and I would not be true to myself if I behaved to the contrary.

Hence, the viewer sees the black (representing darkness, gloom and death) bolt of lightning striking out of my cerebrum (which doubles as a dark Grey cloud) and cleaving my rainbow (representing the better days of yore) and leaving it steaming “corpse” in pieces on the ground.  BAM!  The proverbial stroke outta the blue.  My “inspiration” was to represent stroke as bleak, sudden and totally devastating.

No, I would also not be me, if I didn’t infuse the piece with my dark brand of humor.  I find that humor is a significant factor in my coping mechanism.

It is important because stroke can happen to anyone at any time, at any age.  In an instant your life is changed forever.

Betty Justice Smith

Age at time of stroke:    62

Occupation:  Nurse

Betty’s square was made by friends.

The picture on the quilt square is how I remember the hardest part of my stroke.  What frustrated and angered me most about my stroke, as I had been the caregiver for my mother and dad for three years up until my stroke. My mother had dementia very bad and was also a diabetic.  My dad has Parkinson’s Disease.  Neither of them were able to take care of themselves.  For the last 2 years of my mom’s life, she required 24 hours 7 days a week care.  My mother lived 3 months after I had my stroke and during the 3 months I was unable to take care of my mom, and I was not allowed to have any say in who her caregiver was.  The loss of my ability to care for my mother was more painful for more – more than my stroke, as I stand by and watch helplessly while my mother did not no way near get the care that she needed.  The wheelchair patient is my dad, who hardly left mom’s side the last month of my mother’s life.  I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to put the pain and grief behind me of not being able to care for my mother.  But I take one day at a time, and trust in God to help me through each day.  I was a nurse before my stroke and was 62 when my stroke happened.  My stroke was December 8, 1998.  My mother passed away on March 9, 1999.  Thanks for all your help and I remain very grateful for the honor and great privilege to have my quilt square on display for this very important occasion.

My stroke left me paralyzed on my left side after 2 months in Physical Therapy I was able to  stand and walk short distances with a leg brace and a cane.

Garry L. Woodworth

Age at the time of stroke:                  63

Occupation:    Chief Pricing Analyst for Sales and Marketing for CSXT Railroad

Caregiver:    Wife, Barbara Woodworth

The square was made by Garry’s wife, Barbara.

Garry says,  “the quilt square represents who I was before and after the stroke and what is most important to me”.

The heart in the center depicts love.  It is filled with the names of his wife, children and grandchildren.  The man at the top is Garry showing his heart disease represented by the heart and stethoscope.  The church shows his faith in God and the importance of his church family.  The flowers, his love of gardening and nature.  It is important to continue doing whatever we can that interests us after our strokes.  His love of traveling and seeing new and familiar places is evident by the automobile.  His sadness is that he is no longer able to drive, but is dependent upon others to continue his love of traveling to see his children and grandchildren.  The sports equipment shows his love of all sports.  He continues to be a sport NUT! 

The train depicts his 43 years with CSXT Railroad.  He retired as Chief Pricing Analyst in the Sales and Marketing Department.  His career introduced him and his family to many wonderful locations and the opportunity to meet wonderful people.  Many of those people have been the ones to encourage him and work with him towards his come back from his stroke.  He had to learn the names of his family, friends and objects all over again.  He learned to walk again and to care for all his own ADL’s.  He had to prove he could be left alone safely.  These are things we take for granted.  He lost some vision, but has learned to compensate and has also learned to read again.  The music symbolizes how wonderful life is and his love for all kinds of music.  His secret fantasy is to someday conduct a band or orchestra at least once in his life!  The deer illustrates his love of going to hunting camp with his friends.  The camaraderie is much more important than hunting.  The deer also stands for the ones in his own backyard in his new retirement home.

It is important to receive proper medical care prior to strokes and following strokes.

 Francis DePetro 9/99           

Age at time of stroke:    75

Occupation:    Electrician

Caregiver:    Wife, Barbara DePetro

Francis’ wife Barbara made his square.

Francis’ square represents the state of Michigan where he was born, in the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  There is a cabin for his camp in Big Bay on Lake Superior, and a sled and snowflakes for the beautiful winters there.

The reason to raise stroke awareness is to help others survive and eliminate strokes forever.  If you look at the history of this family, Francis’ mother Antoinette and brother Joseph, you can see that the quality of care and advancement in technology has help to prolong life and has given people an extra chance that didn’t exist before.

Antoinette DePetro   8/1/1889–7/25/1953  

Age at time of stroke:                   64 

Occupation:                   A pioneer

Caregiver:                   Antoinette’s children cared for her around the clock

Antoinette’s daughter-in-law, Barbara DePetro made this square.

It represents above all that she was a devout mother and grandmother. The grapes represent the wine she made, that still exists today.  The white dove represents her being in the hands of God.

Antoinette is the mother of Joseph and Francis, who also have had strokes.

Joseph DePetro   3/19/12–11/18/98                       

Age at time of stroke:    75

Occupation:    Delivery truck driver and WWII Veteran

Caregivers:     Wife, Ruth

                         Bishop Noa Home, Escanaba, MI

                         DJ Jacobetti Center, Marquette, MI

Joseph’s sister-in-law, Barbara DePetro made his square.

This represents Joseph’s camp on Lake Superior near Big Bay, MI.  He called it “Eagle’s Nest”, hence the eagle.  The dove represents eternal rest.

  Linda Curtis (first stroke)

Age at time of stroke:    50

Occupation:    Medical Technologist

Caregiver:    Knox Curtis, husband

Linda made her own quilt square.

The square represents a door between windows in the sky.  When I was at my lowest I could only take a few steps.  I would go on the beach at sunset and look at the clouds.  They looked like windows with sun coming through with a door in the middle but no doorknob.  I felt a divine peace and renewed hope that I could make it.

It is important for me to help others and myself with the same condition; it is a cardiolipin antibody that causes clots to form in your blood.  There is no known cure and only coumadin therapy.

Nettie McClain

Age at the time of stroke:                  58

Occupation:    Retired Teacher

Caregiver:    Family: Bill, Amy, Curt and Stacy McClain

The square was made by Nettie.

Nettie’s square represents “people I care for....my three children, my husband and school.”

I am appalled at the lack of knowledge regarding strokes and the devastation they cause.

Jennifer Brunner

Age at the time of stroke:                  29

Occupation:    Social Service Caseworker

Caregiver:    Mother, Bea Murphy

The square was made by Jennifer’s family.

This square is done with love and respect for my sister, Jennifer, for all her hard work towards recovery.

It’s important to show that awareness is essential since this can happen to anyone, at anytime.  And that the effects are life changing for all involved.  It is a long, hard road to recovery.

Freda Lake

Age at the time of stroke:                  44

Occupation:    Medical Registration Clerk

Caregiver:    Husband, Jerry Lake

The square was made by Freda.

The marionette with cut strings represents the left side of my body that no longer functions due to my stroke.  The heart with a hole in it represents the reason for my stroke - a hole in my heart since birth which allowed the blood clot to go directly to the brain.  The heart is now filled with love for all the people who have helped me at this traumatic time.  The initials represent someone or something that became an important part of my recovery journey.

It is important to prevent so many lives from being spoiled needlessly and to raise awareness of contributing factors to stroke.

John Sommerfeldt

Age at the time of stroke:                  64

Occupation:    Hoffer Plastic Maintenance

Caregiver:    Wife, Merle Sommerfeldt

The square was made by John’s family.

This square is a gift to celebrate my Grandfather who survived a stroke.  He has overcome many obstacles in his life and I wanted to recognize him for all of his accomplishments.

Many people have strokes, and they work hard to reclaim their lives.  However, it’s such a common occurrence that many times it is overlooked how hard people have to work toward rehabilitation.  I truly admire all those who have survived a stroke and all the healthcare professionals that spend their time and care to help stroke patients.

Joan Raney

Age at time of stroke:    33

Occupation:    Works in a store

Joan made her own quilt square.

It is important for everybody to know about stroke.

John Vujevich 12/27/23–5/3/99

Age at time of stroke:    45

Occupation:    Machinist

Caregiver:    Margaret Vujevich, wife

John’s family made his square.

John was born in Cleveland, Ohio on December 27, 1923.  At 45, he had a stroke.  He became paralyzed on his left side and had to retire from being a machinist and worldwide traveler.  Despite his disability, he continued to build things with one hand while being in a wheelchair.  He built birdhouses, furniture, craft projects, and his ultimate accomplishment and long-time dream, a telescope.  Through these time consuming and difficult projects, he taught his six children and eleven grandchildren that anything was possible.    At night, if he wasn’t in the house you could find him in the driveway gazing at the stars.  He died on May 3, 1999, three years after his wife of 49 years passed away.

My father had a stroke when I was two years old.  He had physical as well as emotional problems as a result.  This affected almost everyone that he came in contact with, but especially his family.  I became interested in occupational therapy thanks to my dad.  As a therapist, I see many patients that have had strokes. Because of my professional as well as personal knowledge of how damaging a stroke can be for the patient, and their family; I wanted to make a difference.

Dorothy Weber

Age at the time of stroke:                  71

Caregiver:    Daughter, Karen Dubbert

The square was made by Dorothy’s family.

I put a smiling picture of my Mom on the square to show how she’s adjusted to her life as a stroke survivor.  The lightning bolt represents the sudden and devastating way the stroke disrupted her life.

It is important for all the people in the world to know how a stroke can change a life.  And to be aware of the warning signs of a stroke.